Air Transat is expanding its Latin American network during the forthcoming northern winter season, with the launch of two routes to Peru’s capital Lima.

Service to Jorge Chávez International Airport will commence from both Toronto Pearson International Airport and Montréal-Trudeau International Airport, becoming the airline’s first flights to Peru.

Toronto-Lima flights will be operated twice a week on Wednesdays and Saturdays from Dec. 20 to April 24, 2024, while Montreal-Lima will be served once a week on Fridays from Dec. 22 to April 26.

At 3,975 mi. (3,454 nm), Montreal-Lima will be the farthest Airbus A321LR route in the carrier’s network. Both new routes will utilize A321LR aircraft with capacity for 199 passengers in a two-class configuration.

“This strategic expansion allows us to diversify our long-haul offering by maximizing the use of our A321LR aircraft, and to capitalize on the sustained growth of tourism in South America,” Chief Revenue Officer Michèle Barre says.

Air Transat will provide direct competition for Air Canada, which operates winter flights to Lima from Toronto and Montreal. Data provided by OAG Schedules Analyser shows the Star Alliance member offered two roundtrips per week on both sectors during winter 2022-23 using a mix of Boeing 787-8s and -9s.

Additionally, Air Transat has announced plans to resume flights between Montreal and Cozumel, Mexico, for the first time in almost four years. Montreal-Cozumel will be operated once a week on Fridays from Dec. 15 to April 26 aboard A321LRs. Prior to the pandemic, the airline served the route seasonally, alongside Toronto-Cozumel flights.

The expansion to Peru and Mexico means that by early January 2024, Air Transat plans to offer flights from Canada to 25 destinations in Latin America and the Caribbean. It will provide some 104,752 two-way weekly seats across 71 nonstop routes. This compares with about 102,800 weekly seats and 92 routes during January 2020.