Air Transat now flies nonstop between Montreal and Istanbul. The first flight, TS314, left Montréal-Trudeau on October 29, 2026, the same day Türkiye marks its National Day. The carrier announced the launch in a press release on October 30.
The route is the airline's second to Istanbul from Canada. It follows the Toronto–Istanbul service that Air Transat started in December 2025, and it gives the airline a direct link to Istanbul from Quebec's largest city.
What Air Transat is offering
Air Transat says the Montreal–Istanbul flights will run year-round, with up to two departures a week. That frequency matters. A twice-weekly route works well for a long holiday or a family visit, but it gives you little room to move a trip by a day or two. If your plans could shift, check which days the flights run before you book anything else around them.
The release does not name the aircraft or describe the cabins on this route. Air Transat's fleet, as listed on our Air Transat page, is made up of Airbus A330s and A321LRs. Air Transat sells its Club Class premium cabin on both types, but the exact seat you get depends on which plane is assigned. Look at the seat map during booking rather than assuming a lie-flat bed.
Connections beyond Istanbul
The bigger news for many travelers may be what happens after landing. Air Transat says interline and codeshare agreements with Turkish Airlines let passengers from Montreal and Toronto connect in Istanbul to other cities in Türkiye and across Asia.
Istanbul Airport is the main hub for Turkish Airlines, which runs one of the largest route networks in the world from a single airport. For a traveler in Montreal, that opens up places such as Antalya, Izmir or cities farther east on one booking.
There are limits to keep in mind. Air Transat is not a member of an airline alliance, and Turkish Airlines belongs to Star Alliance. Elite status with one airline will not carry over to the other unless the two programs say so. Air Transat's release does not mention shared lounge access or reciprocal benefits for Miles&Smiles or Air Transat Rewards members, so do not count on them.
The release also carries a welcome for the route from Montréal-Trudeau's air services team.
Where to wait in Montreal
At Montréal-Trudeau, flights to Istanbul leave from the international area. The main pay-in and card-access option there is the National Bank Lounge, which takes Priority Pass, DragonPass and LoungeKey members.
That lounge is going through a long renovation. As we reported earlier this month, it moved into a smaller temporary space near gate 53 on October 5, 2026. Capacity is reduced, and most visitors face a two-hour limit. National Bank expects the main lounge to return in June 2028.
For an evening departure like the first one, that two-hour window is the key detail. Arrive too early and you may run out of lounge time before boarding starts. Plan the airport part of your evening around it. You can see the rest of the airport on our Montréal-Trudeau page.
How this fits Air Transat's plans
The Istanbul launch is part of a busy month for the Montreal-based leisure carrier. In the past few days it has also announced Montreal–Geneva and Toronto–Birmingham flights and Québec City nonstops to Lyon and Barcelona for summer 2027.
Air Transat was named the World's Best Leisure Airline at the 2026 Skytrax World Airline Awards. The airline tends to add routes where demand from Canadian vacationers and from diaspora communities overlaps, and Istanbul fits that pattern on both counts.
What to do if you want to fly it
Start with the schedule. With only two flights a week, the days of operation will shape the rest of the trip. Then compare the fare with one-stop options through European hubs, especially if you value lounge access or alliance status that Air Transat cannot give you.
If you plan to connect onward with Turkish Airlines, book the whole journey on one ticket where you can. Air Transat says the agreements cover connections, and a single booking usually means your bags are checked through and you are protected if the first flight runs late.
