In 2025, Air Transat was voted the World’s Best Leisure Airline by customers at the Skytrax World Airline Awards – the seventh time it has won.
Image: Air Transat
Canadian airline Air Transat has achieved several impressive milestones in the nearly four decades it has been operating. Inflight Editor Satu Dahl speaks with Benjamin Pron, Commercial Vice President of Air Transat, about the carrier’s journey to become a big player in the leisure market.
From its flight crew to its excellent onboard experience, Air Transat is loved by the leisure traveller. With its head office in Montreal and major airport hubs at YUL Montréal-Trudeau International Airport and Toronto Pearson Airport, the carrier offers convenient locations in Canada from which to embark on a holiday – but also offers so much more.
In 2025, Air Transat was voted the World’s Best Leisure Airline by customers at the Skytrax World Airline Awards for the seventh time.
The award is based on passenger satisfaction when it comes to the quality of products and services offered by leisure airlines, so clearly the carrier’s offering is spot on when it comes to the leisure segment.
Air Transat’s international destinations mainly include Europe, the Caribbean, Mexico, Central and South America, and Africa.
Regarding which destinations are currently most in demand, Benjamin Pron, Commercial Vice President of Air Transat, tells Inflight that customers are showing strong interest in sunny beach destinations such as Cancun in Mexico and Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic.
He says: “In Europe, popular choices include Paris, Rome and Lisbon, which attract those looking for cultural experiences and city breaks.”
Air Transat has an all-Airbus fleet consisting of Airbus A321-200ceo, Airbus A321LR, Airbus A330-200 and Airbus A330-300 aircraft. It also has a long-term lease arrangement with Air Lease Corporation for an upcoming four Airbus A321XLR aircraft.
The carrier says it is constantly modernising its fleet to enhance passenger comfort and increase operational sustainability.
In 2019, Air Transat took delivery of its first A321LR – which offers a range of up to 4,000 nautical miles – and is currently leasing 19 of them.
COMFORT AND SPACE
On board its aircraft, the airline offers passengers two different travel classes – Economy Class and Club Class.
The Economy Class on board the carrier’s A321LRs features personalised entertainment via large 25.7 cm (10.1 in) individual touchscreens. Entertainment via passengers’ personal electronic devices (PEDs) is also offered, as are USB ports for charging these, and seating with 100% natural leather.
The airline’s Club Class features an exclusive cabin, more spacious seats with footrests and six-position headrests, as well as 33.8 cm (13.3 in) screens, plenty of legroom and gourmet meals.
USB ports and power outlets for charging electronic devices are both part of the Club Class experience, as are amenities such as blankets, sleep masks, socks, toothbrushes, dental floss, lip balm and hand cream.
Air Transat’s A330-200s and A330-300s also have individual touchscreens. The airline’s A321-200 aircraft do not feature them, but passengers can access the in-flight entertainment system using their PEDs.
Benjamin Pron tells Inflight more about what makes the carrier’s onboard experience unique.
Dinner service in Club Class. Image: Air Transat
He says: “Air Transat stands out by combining comfort, reliability, and a friendly, attentive service throughout the journey. Passengers appreciate our nearly 40 years of experience in leisure travel and our commitment to punctuality and consistency.
“Our Airbus fleet ensures a comfortable environment for both short- and long-haul flights, while our cabin crew provides warm, professional service from boarding to arrival.
“As a testament to our quality, Air Transat has been recognised seven times as the World’s Best Leisure Airline by Skytrax, offering travellers the confidence of flying with a globally acclaimed carrier.”
The airline is also seeing increased demand for its Club Class offering.
“Club Class has always been highly valued by our travellers for its enhanced comfort and personalised service,” says Pron.
“Since introducing our bid-for-upgrade and instant upgrade options, we have seen an increase in the number of passengers enjoying this premium experience.
“These initiatives make Club Class more accessible while maintaining the high-quality service that passengers expect, allowing more travellers to enjoy an elevated journey.”
Economy Class on board Air Transat’s A321LRs features personalised entertainment via 10.1-inch individual touchscreens. Image: Air Transat
Perfect partnerships
AJW Group has been supporting Air Transat’s Airbus A330 fleet since 2013. However, this collaboration evolved in 2025 to a long-term Power-by-the-Hour (PBH) support programme for the airline’s growing A320neo family aircraft, as well as Air Transat’s A321ceo aircraft.
As part of this agreement, AJW Group manages the complete supply, repair, overhaul, and warranty support of rotable components for Air Transat’s narrowbody fleet across its operations in Montreal, Quebec, Toronto and Vancouver.
At the same time, AJW Group’s state-of-the-art MRO services provided by AJW Technique will handle repairs for components within its extensive capability range.
The group says the close proximity of Air Transat to AJW Technique plays a critical role in streamlining maintenance operations and ensures efficient repair management, rapid turnaround times and seamless coordination of MRO services.
THAT’S ENTERTAINMENT
The carrier’s in-flight entertainment includes a wide variety of content.
In 2023, Touch Inflight Solutions announced its partnership with Air Transat to evolve the airline’s in-flight entertainment strategy, with the collaboration aiming to create a unique and brand-aligned in-flight media experience, enhancing the overall customer experience and reinforcing the airline’s commitment to its passengers.
That same year, Stingray announced its new partnership with Air Transat, which entailed the carrier’s passengers gaining access to a diverse selection of Stingray Music channels, with podcasts featuring health and wellness and personal development also available.
Stingray’s Naturescape, slow TV-style content, features awe-inspiring landscapes from around the world, and the company’s ZenLIFE offers relaxation videos that include meditation, focus and sleep-enhancing activities.
Going further back in recent history, in 2019 Bluebox Aviation Systems agreed a partnership with Air Transat to offer wireless Bluebox Wow entertainment on board some A321ceo aircraft.
Bluebox Wow offers wireless content streamed to passengers’ devices, including a wide range of film, TV, audio, games and other digital content.
So how does Air Transat ensure that its in-flight entertainment library meets evolving passenger expectations?
Pron says: “We approach in-flight entertainment with a passenger-first mindset, carefully curating a selection that balances popular international hits with Canadian and Quebec favourites, documentaries, concerts, lifestyle and travel programmes, and content for children.
“Our library includes over 345 hours of programming, with nearly 30% reflecting local culture. Feedback from passengers and cabin crew is regularly reviewed, and programming is updated every three months to reflect evolving tastes, viewing trends, and passenger suggestions.”
The airline also offers accessible in-flight entertainment on its flights via accessible PEDs, which provide entertainment content with descriptive audio and closed captions to assist customers who are blind, have impaired vision, or who are deaf or hearing impaired.
The service for upcoming flights needs to be booked 48 hours before departure.
Air Transat doesn’t currently offer passenger Wi-Fi on board flights, but Pron says this is a something the airline is considering in its plans going forward.
“We are continuously exploring ways to enhance the onboard experience, and in-flight Wi-Fi is one area we are actively evaluating.”
Air Transat’s Club Class features more spacious seats with footrests and six-position headrests, plus 13.3-inch seatback screens. Image: Air Transat
This article was published in the March/April 2026 edition of Inflight. To read more articles like this, apply for your complimentary subscription today.
