FINALLY, Canada to Rio direct again

[+ SirBillybob]

After 9 years of waiting, following Air Canada’s switch to São Paulo direct exclusively, Air Transat is introducing 3 non-stop return flights a week to Rio de Janeiro. Departure from Montreal YUL Thursday evening, return departures GIG Friday morning. I believe the Toronto YYZ departures are Wednesday and Saturday evening, returning the following day, similarly departing Rio in the morning. Hooray, at least spared one direction the dreaded overnighter. 

However, only seasonally in 2026 at this point: Feb, Mar, Apr.

The Club Class, 12 seats in 2 rows in 2-2-2 semI-recline has been trending at about CAD$2000 return fare. I would think it’s a bit of an upgrade from Premium Economy products. I checked a few dates within those months for Air Canada to GRU, or connecting to GIG or SDU, and Premium Economy prices were up to twice that of Air Transat Club Class. 

Edited October 12 by SirBillybob

[+ Lucky]

How long are the nonstop flights? I flew CRU?LAX and it took 12 1/2 hours.

[+ SirBillybob]

1 hour ago, Lucky said:

How long are the nonstop flights? I flew CRU?LAX and it took 12 1/2 hours.

10h20 to 10h45 -ish, about 4-5 hours less than Air Canada with typical GRU terminal transfer. Perhaps somewhat counterintuitively, flights from LAX to GIG have to cross a greater combined longitudinal and latitudinal distance on the Earth’s surface. Unlike on standard maps, the true position of the western hemisphere is more like a cross between a left parentheses shape and a C shape. Montreal is only about 300 miles further from Rio compared to Mexico City’s distance to Rio. 

Edited Sunday at 10:01 PM by SirBillybob