Air Transat will launch year-round nonstop service between Montréal–Trudeau International Airport (YUL) and Istanbul Airport (IST) on October 29, 2026, operating twice weekly on Tuesdays and Thursdays aboard an Airbus A330. The announcement was made via press release on May 29, 2026.
The new Montreal link is Air Transat's second route to Turkey, alongside its existing three-weekly Toronto–Istanbul service. Combined, the additions give travelers across Canada—from Halifax to Vancouver via Ottawa, Québec City, Winnipeg, and Calgary—access to up to five weekly departures to Istanbul. Chief Revenue Officer Sebastian Ponce said the route "optimizes fleet utilization" and reduces seasonality by distributing demand across the carrier's two primary hubs.
The service deepens Air Transat's commercial partnership with Turkish Airlines, allowing passengers to book a single through-ticket beyond Istanbul to destinations across the Middle East, Asia, Africa, and the Caucasus. The airline cited the visiting-friends-and-relatives (VFR) market within Quebec's Turkish diaspora as an additional demand driver.
Istanbul is one of the world's largest connecting hubs, handled by Turkish Airlines at Istanbul Airport. Montréal–Trudeau Airport has added 11 new international destinations since 2024, making Air Transat's expansion consistent with broader hub-growth momentum at YUL. Tickets are on sale via airtransat.com.
Things to do at each end of the route
Top-rated tours & experiences in Montreal and Istanbul.