Air Transat and Air Canada are both Montreal-headquartered Canadian airlines, and travellers often compare them on transatlantic routes from Montreal and Toronto, and on sun-destination flights to the Caribbean and Mexico. Air Transat is a leisure-focused scheduled airline owned by Transat A.T. Inc. Air Canada is the country's flag carrier and a Star Alliance member.
Quick verdict
Air Canada is the better fit if you need a wide network, connections, a premium cabin choice beyond one business product, lounge access or Aeroplan and Star Alliance benefits. Air Transat suits leisure travellers flying direct from Canada to Europe or the South who want a simple product and a competitive fare, provided they check what the fare includes. On both airlines, the cheapest fares can leave out bags, so compare the total price rather than the headline fare.
Choose Air Transat if…
- You are flying a leisure route such as Canada to Europe, the Caribbean or Mexico and want a direct flight.
- You want a simple Economy or Club Class choice and can add a bag and seat through the Option Plus bundle.
- You are not collecting miles in a major alliance and just want the best total fare for the trip.
Choose Air Canada if…
- You need connections across Canada, the US and beyond, or want to use Star Alliance and Aeroplan.
- You want a choice of Economy, Premium Economy and Signature Class on long-haul flights.
- You care about punctuality: it ranked first among 10 major US and Canadian airlines in a May 2025 Cirium monthly ranking.
At a glance
Search your flight
Key differences
Network and hubs
Air Transat's hubs are Montréal–Trudeau and Toronto–Pearson, with Ottawa and Québec City as focus cities. It flies about 66 destinations, mostly leisure routes from Canada to Europe, the Caribbean, Mexico, Central and South America and the US. Air Canada covers domestic, transborder and international routes from Canadian airports, and as a Star Alliance member it connects to partner airlines. See the list of Air Canada destinations for its network. For onward travel, Air Canada has the advantage.
Cabins and seats
Air Transat offers Economy, in several fare tiers, and Club Class. A Business Traveller review of A321neo LR Club Class mentions a 13.3-inch seatback screen. Air Canada has a wider ladder on long-haul routes: Economy, Premium Economy and Air Canada Signature Class. Signature Class is available on European, Asian, Pacific and South American routes. Cabins vary by aircraft, so check your flight.
Baggage and fares
Both airlines unbundle their cheapest fares. On Air Canada, Economy Basic tickets bought after 3 January 2025 for Canada, US, Mexico, Central America and Caribbean travel exclude a carry-on bag. For tickets bought from 13 April 2026, the first checked bag costs CA$45. Air Transat's allowances depend on fare and route, and its lowest fares to the South, the US and within Canada may include only a personal item. Its Option Plus bundle adds a 23 kg checked bag, seat selection and priority services.
Lounges and loyalty
Air Canada belongs to Star Alliance and runs the Aeroplan programme, so frequent flyers can earn and use points across partners. Air Transat is not in an alliance and has no lounges of its own, but offers paid access to selected partner lounges in Canada, such as the Air France lounge in Montreal. A loyalty programme with Desjardins and Visa was announced in January 2026 for the second half of 2026, so check its launch status.
Reliability and fleet
Air Canada ranked first for on-time performance among 10 major US and Canadian airlines in a Cirium monthly ranking (May 2025), after years near the bottom. Results vary month to month. Air Transat has a fleet of 42 aircraft (April 2026), made up of A321 variants and A330s. Engine problems on the Pratt & Whitney engines of its A321LR aircraft led to groundings and wet-leasing from late 2023.
Frequently asked questions
Is Air Transat better than Air Canada?
It depends on the trip. Air Canada offers a larger network, Star Alliance and Aeroplan, and Premium Economy and Signature Class on long-haul routes. Air Transat is a leisure-focused option for direct flights from Canada to Europe and the South.
Do Air Transat and Air Canada include checked baggage?
Not always on the cheapest fares. Air Canada's first checked bag costs CA$45 on Economy Basic for tickets bought from 13 April 2026 on Canada, US, Mexico, Central America and Caribbean routes. Air Transat's allowance depends on fare and route, and its Option Plus bundle adds a 23 kg bag.
Does Air Transat have lounges?
No lounges of its own, but it offers paid access to selected partner lounges in Canada, such as the Air France lounge in Montreal. Air Canada's Star Alliance membership gives eligible passengers a wider choice of lounges.
About Air Transat Read more
Overview
Air Transat is a Canadian airline headquartered in Montreal. It was founded in December 1986 and began operating on 14 November 1987. It is owned and operated by Transat A.T. Inc. and is not a member of an alliance. Wikipedia reports 2025 revenue of CAN$3.398 billion and about 5,500 employees in 2026.
Network and hubs
The main hubs are Montréal–Trudeau and Toronto–Pearson, with Ottawa and Québec City as focus cities. According to Wikipedia, it serves 66 destinations in about 35 countries, mainly leisure routes between Canada and Europe, the Caribbean, Mexico, Central and South America and the United States, plus some domestic services.
Fleet
Wikipedia lists 42 aircraft registered with Transport Canada as of 11 April 2026. They are Airbus A321 variants (including A321neo LR) and A330s, with 13 A330-200s and 2 A330-300s. Four A321XLR aircraft are on order, with first delivery expected in late 2027. Engine problems on the Pratt & Whitney GTF powering its A321LR fleet led to groundings and wet-leasing from late 2023. Details are on the airline's fleet page.
On board
- Cabins: Economy and Club Class.
- Meals: included on many fares and routes, but not all; Club Class includes gourmet meals, according to Kayak.
- Entertainment: a Business Traveller review of A321neo LR Club Class mentions a 13.3-inch screen.
Good to know
- Baggage: allowances depend on fare and route. Lowest fares on flights to the South, the United States and within Canada may include only a personal item (Kayak). Check the fare before booking.
- Extras: Option Plus bundles one 23 kg checked bag, seat selection and priority airport services.
- Lounges: Air Transat has no lounges of its own but offers paid access to selected partner lounges in Canada (airline lounge page).
- Loyalty: a programme with Desjardins and Visa was announced in January 2026 for the second half of 2026. Check the airline's site for launch status.
- Safety: in 2001, Flight 236 glided to the Azores after a fuel leak, and all 306 on board survived.
About Air Canada Read more
Overview
Air Canada is the flag carrier and largest airline of Canada by fleet size and passengers carried. It was founded in 1937 as Trans-Canada Air Lines and is headquartered in the borough of Saint-Laurent, Montreal, Quebec. It is a member of Star Alliance. The airline remains in operation: it reported its second-quarter 2026 results in August 2026, alongside a announced CA$2.5 billion minority investment in its Aeroplan loyalty programme, according to Investing.com.
Network and hubs
Air Canada serves domestic, transborder (US) and international destinations from Canadian airports. Its full destination list is on Wikipedia. Hub details were not verified for this profile; check the airline's website for current route maps.
Fleet
The airline operates a mainline fleet and a leisure-oriented Air Canada Rouge fleet. The current number of aircraft is listed in the tables of the Q2 2026 management discussion and analysis. We could not confirm an exact total, so none is stated here. Some websites quote figures near 1,000 aircraft, which appear unreliable.
On board
Cabin layouts, seat pitch, meals, entertainment and Wi-Fi vary by aircraft type and route. These were not verified for this profile; check the airline's website for the aircraft on your flight.
Good to know
- Carry-on: Economy Basic tickets bought after 3 January 2025 for travel within Canada, to and from the US, and to and from Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean exclude a carry-on bag. A personal item is allowed.
- Checked bags: for tickets bought from 13 April 2026, the first checked bag costs CA$45 before tax, with a second bag at CA$60 on Economy Basic, Standard and Flex fares, per Prince of Travel. International fees were unchanged.
- Punctuality: Air Canada ranked first for on-time performance among 10 major US and Canadian airlines in a Cirium monthly ranking, after years near the bottom. Results vary month to month.
- Loyalty: the airline's programme is Aeroplan.
Fees and rules change often, so check the airline's official pages before booking.
Related airline comparisons
Compare the airlines
Compare two airlines side-by-side to see the real difference
We use cookies to keep the site working, understand how it is used, and show relevant content and ads. Choose Accept all to allow them, or Reject all to keep only the cookies the site needs. Read more in our Privacy Policy.