Travel news, reviews and intel for high-flyers

What Is It Like Flying Air Transat in Club Class from London to Toronto

Air Transat’s Club Class delivers premium service, spacious seating, and great food—without the sky-high price of traditional business class

Photo: Courtesy of Christian Brinkmann / Airbus

Montréal-quartered Air Transat is an award-winning leisure airline with a focus on connecting Canadians with warmer destinations in the Caribbean and Central America, as well as Fort Lauderdale and Orlando in Florida.

Its route network from main hubs in Montréal and Toronto also includes routes to popular city break and beach vacation destinations in Europe, including London, where I hopped on this flight to Toronto.

Photo: Courtesy of Christian Brinkmann / Airbus

As a leisure airline, Air Transat’s most premium class of travel is more comparable to a long-haul premium economy experience or domestic first class in the U.S.

A round-trip in Club Class from Toronto to London would set you back from around $1,400. That’s a pretty decent value fare, so I was intrigued to see how premium the experience would be for the money.

Check-In

I arrived at the train station in the South Terminal of London Gatwick Airport. Taking the train to Gatwick is by far the easiest way to reach the UK’s second busiest airport. From there, I took the free inter-terminal transfer train to the North Terminal, where Air Transat operates flights.

Photo: Courtesy of London Gatwick Airport

Check-in at the dedicated Club Class desk was incredibly quick, and I didn’t notice any lines at the economy check-in desk either.

Air Transat does not include lounge access with its Club Class tickets. Fortunately, I have The Platinum Card from American Express, which allowed me to enter the Plaza Premium Lounge for a quick bite to eat before my flight.

Boarding

When I showed my boarding pass at the gate, I was directed down a ramp to board with the other 11 Club Class passengers ahead of regular boarding. We waiting for some time before being invited onto the plane.

Waiting at each Club Class seat was a bottle of water, a blanket and pillow, and an amenity kit.

Photo: Courtesy of Dan Ross

The length of time from the moment I stepped onboard to the closing of the boarding door seemed to take longer than I’d have expected for an aircraft with just 199 seats.

Photo: Courtesy of Dan Ross

Before taking off, we were offered a welcome drink choice of orange juice, Grandial Blanc de Blanc sparkling wine, or a mimosa. A member of the cabin crew also handed out Air Transat-branded earphones and a plastic menu.

The Cabin

The small Club Class cabin, which seats 12 passengers, is arranged in a 2-2 layout. Each seat offers a comfortable pitch of 38 inches. The inclusion of both calf and footrests, along with a generous recline, made for a very pleasant day flight across the Atlantic.

The 13.3-inch screen provided a crystal-clear viewing experience. The in-flight entertainment (IFE) system was well-stocked with a variety of options, including 14 documentaries, 30 choices for kids, French-specific comedies, and even 25 episodes of shows from HBO.

Photo: Courtesy of Dan Ross

Since the screen was easily accessible, the handheld control became an unnecessary extra.

For charging, there was a USB-A port located in the IFE screen, as well as another USB-A port and an international power outlet at mid-shin level between the seats.

The tray table, which released easily from the armrest, comfortably accommodated my 13.3-inch laptop.

Unfortunately, Air Transat’s Airbus A321LRs do not offer Wi-Fi, which meant I had to work offline for the duration of the day.

Food and Beverage

The main meal service began approximately 75 minutes after takeoff. We were given a choice of Tuscan chicken with pesto risotto, pork shanks with garlic mashed potatoes and vegetables, or butternut squash ravioli.

Photo: Courtesy of Dan Ross

I opted for the Tuscan chicken, which was served alongside a large side salad, a chocolate dessert, and a bread roll. Although the style of service resembled what you’d expect in domestic first class, the flavors of this meal were as good as, if not better than, what I’d anticipate from a full-service flag carrier.

Photo: Courtesy of Dan Ross

All soft drinks and liquor were included. After mostly drinking water throughout the flight, I decided to try my first Bloody Caesar—a Canadian variation of the Bloody Mary that came highly recommended by a member of the crew. The mixed drink, made with Mott’s Clamato juice and Finlandia vodka, was quite enjoyable.

Before landing, we were served a second, lighter meal that was a take on a classic British afternoon tea, complete with Cornish clotted cream.

Photo: Courtesy of Dan Ross

We could also request sweet and savory snacks, such as Pringles, KitKat, or Sour Patch Kids, throughout the flight. These were the same snacks that cost $4 each in economy class.

Arrival

Although we took off about 1 hour and 20 minutes later than scheduled, we landed only 52 minutes late.

Fortunately, I had planned ahead and left a 4-hour gap between our scheduled arrival time and my onward flight to Winnipeg.

Photo: Courtesy of Christian Brinkmann / Airbus

Upon landing, we went directly to a gate, and I was through Canada’s efficient eGate immigration process and in the departures area of Toronto Pearson within just a few minutes.

Verdict

Air Transat’s Club Class on their Airbus aircraft offers a great value and comfortable way to cross the Atlantic.

I was impressed by the in-flight food and drink options, and I was pleasantly surprised by how delicious everything tasted.

The seats in this modern cabin are certainly comfortable enough for a daytime flight. While I can’t speak for a nighttime flight, I believe I would be able to get some sleep in these seats.

Although it was disappointing to not have Wi-Fi, I understand that this is a leisure airline after all. Sometimes, it’s nice to disconnect, right?

If you don’t have an airline alliance and are looking for the best value option for flying in premium economy across the Atlantic, I highly recommend considering Air Transat’s Club Class.

airtransat.com