Canadian leisure airline Air Transat is expanding its European operations by introducing four unique routes for the summer of 2024. This announcement marks a significant step as the airline aims to enhance its presence in the competitive transatlantic market. The new routes include services from Quebec City to Nantes, Toronto to Tirana, and a return to Marseille, alongside a well-established connection to Lamezia Terme.
As of July 2024, Air Transat will operate a total of 40 European routes, a notable increase from 35 in July 2025. This expansion positions the airline as the eighth-largest operator between North America and Europe, with a projected 7% increase in services compared to the previous year. Currently, the airline averages five weekly departures, with many routes experiencing less than daily frequency.
New Routes and Seasonal Operations
Among the four newly introduced routes, Quebec City to Nantes will commence on June 2, 2024, featuring a weekly seasonal operation using the A321LR aircraft. Additionally, Air Canada is set to launch its own Montreal-Nantes flights in the same period. Following this, the airline will establish a new service from Toronto to Tirana starting on June 18, 2024, also with a weekly seasonal Airbus A330-200 operation. This marks a significant development in the long-haul market, particularly as Albania is gaining traction as a travel destination.
The route from Quebec City to Marseille will also be reintroduced, operating weekly from May 23, 2024, through early October. This particular airport pair had not seen service since 2013. Lastly, Air Transat continues its long-standing connection to Lamezia Terme, which has been operational since 2009. The route primarily serves the Italian Canadian diaspora in the Greater Toronto Area, which is home to over 450,000 individuals of Italian descent.
Market Analysis and Passenger Trends
The new service to Tirana taps into a growing market, with over 240,000 passengers traveling between North America and Albania in the twelve months leading up to October 2025. Key airports in this market include New York’s JFK, Newark, and Toronto Pearson, predominantly driven by the Albanian American and Canadian communities visiting friends and family.
Despite the potential, the segment often struggles with lower yield rates, which can explain the absence of nonstop flights in the past. Nevertheless, Air Transat has identified an opportunity for seasonal operations in this market, recognizing Albania’s rising popularity for inbound tourism. The Toronto to Tirana route will offer 17 round-trip services on the A330-200, providing a total of 11,288 seats for sale. Each aircraft will remain in Albania for approximately 26 hours before returning with the same crew.
Furthermore, booking data indicates that Toronto to Belgrade and Budapest present larger markets than Tirana, yet Air Transat has strategically chosen to focus on this under-served route for its seasonal offerings.
Despite the challenges, Air Transat’s approach appears promising, with plans for only 19 round-trip services from June 10 to October 14, 2024. The airline aims to build on its reputation in the sector, as evidenced by its high seat load factors on existing routes, ensuring sustained interest in its newly introduced destinations.
The airline’s expansion strategy also includes enhancing its frequency on established routes. For instance, the Montreal to Keflavik route will be introduced on June 16, 2024, while flights to Valencia will resume on February 21, 2024, following encouraging performance in previous years.
With these developments, Air Transat aims to solidify its position in the European market, offering travelers unique and diverse destinations as summer approaches.
