• Introduction of the only direct route between Montreal and San Diego
• New Orleans to be offered all year round in 2020
• More flights to Florida from Montreal and Quebec City

MONTREAL, Oct. 15, 2019 /CNW Telbec/ - Air Transat, named the World's Best Leisure Airline by Skytrax, will launch the only direct flight between Montreal and San Diego, California, in the summer of 2020. In addition, in light of the great interest in New Orleans, a new destination Air Transat will be offering for the first time this winter, the airline will extend its flights to the summer of 2020. Finally, more flights to Florida from Montreal and Quebec City will be added to the program.

"We are enriching our offering to the western and southern United States, in line with growing travellers' expectations," says Annick Guérard, Chief Operating Officer of Transat. "The North American tourism market is strong, and as the No. 1 leisure airline in Canada, we are happy to increase our destinations and frequencies, all while strengthening our Montreal hub."

"We are very pleased to welcome the first direct route to San Diego from Montreal," adds Philippe Rainville, President and CEO of Aéroports de Montréal. "Thanks to our partner Air Transat, YUL Montréal-Trudeau International Airport will be offering a broader and enriched air service, with an increased frequency of flights to the southern and western United States. Quebecers will be able to enjoy a wide range of choices during the summer of 2020 with even more destinations to discover."

San Diego: vacations under the sun on the Pacific coast

A growing number of travellers are drawn to San Diego and beyond in California. Located on the Pacific coast, San Diego is a world-class holiday destination, famous for its zoo, old town, romantic Coronado Beach and sunsets in the Sunset Cliffs Natural Park. San Diego is also a good base for visiting Los Angeles, Disneyland and many national parks, including the Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve, a favourite among hikers.

Direct flights from Montreal to San Diego will be offered three times a week, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Sundays, from June 15 to October 28, 2020.

New Orleans: all year round in 2020

Starting in November, Air Transat will offer two flights a week from Montreal to New Orleans, on Thursdays and Sundays. To respond to the high demand for this destination, the airline will be extending its service to next summer.

New Orleans is more popular than ever with Canadian tourists, and the city welcomes more visitors from Canada than from any other country, especially in the summer. This is not surprising, as New Orleans is a colourful, lively city, where music, local cuisine and history compete for travellers' attention. It's also a city of festivals: the Essence Festival (African music), the Crescent City Blues and BBQ Festival, the Satchmo SummerFest in honour of Louis Armstrong, and the New Orleans Oyster Festival, among others.

Florida: more flights to this iconic destination

Beloved by many Quebecers, Florida keeps attracting travellers of all ages, thanks to the scope of its offering. Next summer, Air Transat will add four flights a week to Fort Lauderdale—three from Montreal, and one from Quebec City. The latter will be the only direct flight between Quebec City and Fort Lauderdale during the summer season. Air Transat will also add two more flights from Montreal to Orlando.

The full Air Transat summer 2020 flight program will be announced shortly.

About Air Transat

Air Transat is Canada's number one leisure airline. It flies to some 60 international destinations in more than 25 countries in the Americas and Europe, offers domestic and connecting flights within Canada, and carries some 5 million passengers every year. 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. Based in Montreal, it has 5,000 employees.

Recent distinctions and awards 

• Named World's Best Leisure Airline at the Skytrax World Airline Awards
• Voted Best Tour Operator and Favourite Overall Supplier at the Agents' Choice Awards presented by Baxter Travel Media
• Voted Best Airline and Best Tour Operator at the Trophées Uni-Vers awards organized by the Association des Agents de Voyages du Québec
• Ranked among Canada's Best Employers and first among airlines on Forbes magazine's list

SOURCE Transat A.T. Inc.