From Rio to Istanbul - Air Transat celebrates new YYZ routes; pilot talks “going strong”

Brazilian dancers, crooning musicians…with a side of pepperpot sliders and baklava.

Air Transat marked the launch of its newest destinations for Toronto Thursday night (Nov. 13) with a media and influencer cocktail event featuring festive performances, globally-inspired food, and flight attendant flair.

The airline’s fresh routes to Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) Istanbul (Türkiye), Medellín (Colombia), and Georgetown (Guyana)—non-stop flights from Toronto Pearson (YYZ) —were the focus of the soiree, held at SPACES on King Street East.

The destinations are meant to serve both “curious travellers ready to explore their new happy place,” as well as the VFR market (Visiting Friends and Relatives) who’ll be able to “reconnect with loved ones more seamlessly than ever,” Bernard Côté, senior director of brand communications for Air Transat and Transat, told the crowd, who had the opportunity to enter a draw for a free flight to one of the four destinations.

Speaking with PAX, Côté said Air Transat is broadening its network by introducing routes to places that have long been underserved.

“We've been in the big markets – London, Paris, Punta Cana – for so long now. It’s time for us to diversify and look at new opportunities,” Côté said.

Destinations that “no one else is flying to” that respond to demand from both the leisure market and those wanting to visit friends and relatives back home, he said.

Brazil’s “Marvellous" city

Air Transat’s flight to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil’s “Marvellous” seaside city and urban forest – famed for its Copacabana and Ipanema beaches, Christ the Redeemer statue atop Mount Corcovado and for Sugarloaf Mountain – will run twice weekly from Toronto Pearson starting Feb. 4, 2026 (until April 30). 

A once-weekly flight to Rio from Montreal (YUL) will also operate.

Spotted last night was Leonardo Enge, deputy consul general for Brazil in Toronto, who said the flights will be a “bridge between two nations that share deep cultural connections.”

The seasonal timing of Air Transat’s new Rio route is “perfect,” he said, as it aligns nicely with Rio’s world-famous Carnival, happening February 13–18, 2026.

“You don’t need to dance well. Just go there and mix with the crowd. You’ll feel great,” Enge told attendees.

A trio of vibrant Brazilian dancers in feathered headdresses later swept through the room, giving guests a taste of Rio’s Carnival.

The Rio routes will also serve the business community, Enge said.

“Rio is a gateway to Latin America’s largest economy,” he said. “As Brazil’s second-largest city, it’s home to major oil, gas and technology sectors.”

Toronto’s Brazilian community – some 70,00 people – have also been “waiting for this for a while,” he added.

“These flights mean easier visits home and stronger family connections,” he said.

Unlock Istanbul

Then, over to Istanbul, where Air Transat will fly twice weekly, year-round from Toronto, starting Dec. 16 

The airline has also established an interline partnership with Turkish Airlines aimed at strengthening links between Canada and Türkiye, while offering travel options across the Middle East, Asia and Africa.

To get people in the mood, pieces of baklava (a sweet, layered pastry – one of Türkiye’s national desserts) was served alongside Turkish-inspired cocktails.

Medellín’s moment

Medellín – Colombia’s “City of Eternal Spring” – is also having a moment.

National Geographic recently named Medellín as one of its "Best of the World 2026" destinations due to its cultural transformation, vibrant street art (especially in Comuna 13, which PAX visited last year), and thriving food and music scenes.

Air Transat’s inaugural flight from Toronto to José María Córdova airport (MDE) in Medellín, via Cartagena (CTG), launched Nov. 1. This route operates twice per week.

PROCOLOMBIA Canada’s Juan Sebastian Sanchez Chica, also present last night, noted how Medellín is Colombia’s biggest flower supplier for Canada.

“Flowers are part of our identify. They represent renewal, resilience and beauty – just like Colombia,” he said.

Guyana, the “hidden gem”

Finally, Georgetown – Guyana’s capital on South America’s North Atlantic coast – will expand Air Transat’s Toronto network this winter with two flights per week starting Dec. 16 (until April 24, 2026).

“Guyana is a very, very special place,” said Chef Devan Rajkumar, a Guyanese-Canadian chef who specializes in modern East and West Indian cuisines. “It’s a melting pot of Indigenous Amerindians, Chinese immigrants, Portuguese, European, African, Indian…When you go there, expect a lot of different cultures.”

The enthusiastic chef spent the night sharing traditional Guyanese dishes (updated for Canadian palates) such as mini bake and saltfish with herb salad, four-cheese blend rolls and pepperpot sliders with purple slaw and wiri wiri mayo on a brioche bun.

He plugged Guyana’s must-see attraction, Kaieteur Falls, the country’s largest single-drop waterfall (and world's largest single-drop waterfall by volume).

“If you’re looking to switch things up, change your outlook and perspective on travel, and go to a place that’s an absolute hidden gem, then I highly recommend you visit Guyana,” he said.

Flying elsewhere

Air Transat’s investment in new destinations responds both to rising demand and to Canadians avoiding travel to the United States due to ongoing geopolitical tensions over tariffs, Côté suggested.

“It seems like a lot of Canadians are bypassing our neighbours down south,” he said. “That may be part of it, if we're being honest.”

READ MORE: Air Transat adds Dakar & Reykjavik to Montreal's 2026 summer sked

Last night’s gathering also came on the heels of Air Transat, earlier that day, announcing two more destinations that will serve Montreal this summer – Dakar (DSS), Senegal, and Reykjavik (KEF), Iceland.

Iceland is a welcome addition to the network, Côté said, while Senegal—though not as top-of-mind for many travellers—will effectively serve Montreal’s sizeable VFR market within its African community.

READ MORE: From beach to BonBon - Transat launches 2025-26 program, promises loyalty reboot

The airline is also increasing the frequency of its flights to Valencia (VLC), Spain, due to the popularity of the destination, which launched in summer 2025.

The updates come after Air Transat, in June, was named the World's Best Leisure Airline at the 2025 Skytrax World Airline Awards for the seventh time, and for the third consecutive year.

“That speaks for itself,” Côté told the crowd. “Seven times is not luck.”  

From Cuba to Jamaica

As for Air Transat’s upcoming 2025-26 winter vacation season, the bookings are solid, Côté shared.

Cuba is “slowly but surely” seeing a comeback after last year’s high-profile power outages, he said. (Click here to see what Cuba's Minister of Tourism has to say about this year’s strategy for Canada). 

Vacations to Jamaica were also recently affected by Hurricane Melissa, a Category 5 storm that made landfall on October 28.

Some Air Transat customers retained their original bookings in Jamaica, while others have moved to alternative destinations as the island recovers, Côté said.

Air Transat doesn't have any immediate plants to return to Western Canada, but through a joint venture with Porter, it’s able to offer connections from cities like Ottawa, Quebec City, as well as from Western Canada and the Maritimes, into its international gateways, Toronto and Montreal.

“We're trying to maximize both of our networks together. It’s been a very good partnership,” Côté said.

Last night also happened to be Air Transat’s 38th anniversary, which was celebrated with a special commemorative cake.

Pilot strike update

Possible headwinds? A potential strike among Air Transat's pilots, which, under the direction of the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), will have the authority to go on strike if a new agreement can’t be reached by Dec. 10, 2025.

When asked about the progress of the negotiations, Côté called it a “touchy subject,” but was confident that the two groups will reach a deal.

“Transat has a history of working things out,” he said. “The negotiations are still going strong. We're very confident that we'll be able to avoid a worst-case scenario so that our clients’ plans won’t be disrupted during the winter holidays.”

“We're putting in all our efforts to make sure people can still travel and get to their destinations.”

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