MONTREAL, Nov. 16, 2018 /CNW Telbec/ - While planning their winter vacation, many Canadians will opt for a transatlantic trip to escape the rigours of winter and discover something new. With Air Transat, named the World's Best Leisure Airline in 2018, travellers will be spoiled for choice this season. Faithful to its mission of making Europe accessible year-round, the airline has daily flights to Paris and London, as well as flights to Manchester, Glasgow, Lisbon, Porto, Faro and Malaga.

There's no shortage of things to do in Europe in the winter. For one, there are the seasonal celebrations. In Scotland, for instance, many cities and towns hold holiday markets where travellers can find one-of-a-kind souvenirs, ride a Ferris wheel or do a little skating. In England, the cooler climate is the perfect excuse to drop by a historic pub for some comfort foods or to sip afternoon tea at London's Barbican Conservatory. As for Paris, the off-season offers tourists the joy of visiting cafés and museums without the large crowds. 

Farther south, the turquoise waters and towering cliffs of the Algarve, in Portugal, and the white seaside villages of the Costa del Sol, in Spain, are drawing more and more Canadian tourists. In Malaga—which boasts the highest average temperatures in Spain and more than 300 days of sunshine annually—golfers have some 70 golf courses to choose from. Another idea is to fly to Faro, on Portugal's south coast, to snap pictures of the Algarve's magnificent landscapes, and then spend some time in the Douro Valley, near Porto, or in Lisbon, with its mouth-watering pasteis de nata.

After all, Air Transat's multi-destination option lets travellers land in one city and return from another at no extra cost. This opens up a range of itinerary possibilities and lets people combine several destinations, such as Lisbon and Porto, or Paris and London.

Flights to Europe this winter: so many options…
This winter, Air Transat continues its daily direct flights from Montreal to Paris, while also upping the frequency of its flights to Malaga, the main hub of the Costa del Sol, in Spain, and to Lisbon and Porto, in Portugal. A weekly flight from Quebec City to Paris will be added in mid‑December, increasing to twice a week during the season's peak moments.

Departures from Toronto to the UK will continue with daily flights to London, not to mention flights to Manchester and Glasgow. Air Transat will also fly more often to Lisbon and Porto, Portugal, and take vacationers to the Algarve, in the south of the country, via its flights to Faro.

Even more domestic flights and connections
This winter, Air Transat will be enhancing its domestic flight program by linking several major Canadian cities. The airline is vastly expanding its program between the major western cities (Vancouver, Calgary and Edmonton) and Toronto and Montreal in order to greatly facilitate access to European destinations. Flights will be added between Montreal and Toronto as well, giving passengers more flexibility.

Incomparable inflight experience
All Europe-bound passengers are in for an unparallelled inflight experience with Air Transat. The cabin comfort, free hot meals on transatlantic flights (including in Economy Class), personal entertainment system accessible via individual touch screens or Air Transat's mobile app, as well as an attentive crew, are just some of the reasons why flying Air Transat is so enjoyable. Passengers in Club Class benefit from an exclusive cabin with spacious and comfortable seats, in addition to two checked bags, various priority services and a gourmet menu by Daniel Vézina.

About Air Transat
Air Transat is Canada's number one holiday airline. It flies to some 60 destinations in the Americas, Europe and the Middle East, offers domestic and feeder flights within Canada, and carries nearly 4.5 million passengers every year. Based in Montreal, the company employs 3,000 people. Air Transat is a business unit of Transat A.T. Inc., a leading integrated international tourism company specializing in holiday travel and offering vacation packages, hotel stays and air travel. Transat was awarded Travelife certification in 2018 in recognition of its commitment to sustainable development.

Recent distinctions and awards (2017-2018)

• Named World's Best Leisure Airline at the Skytrax World Airline Awards
• Ranked by Atmosfair among the world's Top 20 airlines for energy efficiency
• Voted Best Leisure/Charter Airline at the Agents' Choice Awards presented by Baxter Travel Media
• Voted Best Airline at the Trophées Uni-Vers awards organized by the Association des Agents de Voyages du Québec

SOURCE Transat A.T. Inc.