Air Transat teams with Desjardins and Visa for new traveller rewards program
Air Transat will launch a new loyalty program with Desjardins and Visa in the second half of 2026, promising card partnerships, travel perks and an improved customer experience.
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By Torontoer Staff
Air Transat announced a new loyalty program in partnership with Desjardins Group and Visa, set to launch in the second half of 2026. The airline says the program will deliver exclusive benefits and an upgraded experience for travellers, with a suite of co-branded payment cards planned.
The move follows the suspension of Transat’s BonBon rewards program in August 2025. Transat positions the new program as a core element of its commercial strategy, and it arrives as the carrier reports a return to profitability after several challenging years for the industry.
What travellers can expect
Details are still limited, but Visa Canada says the partners will introduce a range of cards designed to expand travel opportunities, deliver meaningful rewards and streamline payment experiences. That suggests familiar features such as points on everyday spend, accelerated earnings for travel purchases, and redemption options for flights, hotels and car rentals.
The extent of consumer-facing benefits will shape how attractive the program becomes. Air Canada, WestJet and Porter already operate credit-card ecosystems that let members earn points on household spending and redeem them across travel services. If Transat follows that model, customers could see more ways to accumulate and use rewards outside of strictly booked vacations.
I think if they go to the consumer-facing route, that’s where things can really start to get interesting,
Barry Choi, Money We Have
Transat’s historical BonBon program was more focused on trade relationships and agents than on direct consumer engagement. This relaunch appears aimed at closing that gap and making loyalty a clearer value proposition for individual travellers.
Why a loyalty program matters for Transat
Transat describes the loyalty initiative as a fundamental pillar of its business strategy. Beyond offering perks to customers, the program will create recurring revenue streams and provide richer first-party data on travel behaviour, which can inform product, route and partnership decisions.
It allows us to strengthen ties with our customers while accelerating sustainable value creation for Transat and its investors.
Xavier Szwengler, Transat vice-president for marketing and distribution
The timing follows a strong financial turnaround. Transat reported a full-year net profit of $241.9 million for its most recent fiscal year, reversing a loss of $114 million the previous year. That performance, fuelled by a robust third quarter, gives the airline room to invest in customer-facing initiatives.
How the card partnerships fit in
Visa’s involvement points to a mainstream payment strategy, rather than a niche travel-only card. Dan Iwachiw, Visa Canada’s vice-president and head of product, said the collaboration will bring “more travel opportunities, meaningful rewards, and exceptional payment experiences to Canadians.” Co-branded credit cards typically include perks such as priority boarding, free checked bags, airport lounge access or travel credits, though specific benefits for Transat’s cards have not yet been announced.
Desjardins’ role as a financial partner could mean the cards are widely available to Canadian consumers through a national issuer, and integration with Desjardins’ banking ecosystem may make earning and managing points easier for members of that network.
What to watch for next
Transat says more program details will be released in the coming months. Travel shoppers should watch for information on enrolment, earning rates, welcome bonuses, redemption options and any elite status tiers. How broadly points can be used outside of Transat products will determine whether the program competes with existing airline loyalty offerings or serves a more limited, brand-specific role.
- Launch window: second half of 2026
- Partners: Desjardins Group and Visa
- Potential features: co-branded cards, points on everyday spend, travel perks
- Known unknowns: earning rates, redemption flexibility, elite benefits
Air Transat operates mainly to Mexico, the Caribbean and Europe, with limited U.S. routes. Any loyalty programme that broadens redemption options or partners with hotel and rental brands could broaden value for members who travel beyond Transat’s core network.
Sign-up incentives, introductory bonuses and early access offers are common when airlines relaunch loyalty programs. Travellers interested in Transat’s offering should subscribe to the airline’s communications and monitor announcements from Desjardins and Visa to avoid missing early promotions.
The new loyalty programme marks a step toward making Transat more consumer-focused and enhancing the travel experience through financial partnerships. Expect more clarity on card features and benefits over the next few months as the airline moves toward launch.
Air Transattravelloyalty programDesjardinsVisa
