Toronto getting North America's first direct flight to country known for beaches

A Montreal-based carrier is gearing up to make history once again with the launch of North America's first direct flight service to a country known for its sunny weather and stunning coastline. 

On Thursday, Air Transat announced the launch of a new non-stop service between Toronto and Albania's capital, Tirana, which is regarded as one of Europe's sunniest cities, with over 2,500 hours of sun every year. 

While Tirana is located in the centre of the country and surrounded by mountains, Albania as a whole is known for its picturesque beaches and pristine resorts that offer views of the Ionian Sea. 

There are currently no direct flight options to Tirana from Toronto, and travelling between the two countries often means having a layover in European cities like Rome, Warsaw, London, or Frankfurt via airlines such as British Airways, Lufthansa, and Air Canada. 

The new route is part of the airline's summer 2026 program and will operate once weekly starting June 18, using an Airbus A330. 

"Albania is fast becoming a standout destination on the European travel map, and we are proud to be the first airline to serve it directly from North America," said Sebastian Ponce, Transat's Chief Revenue Officer.

Along with the new flight service to Tirana, Air Transat is also set to launch other landmark routes, including Toronto to Accra, which marks the first non-stop air link between Pearson Airport and Ghana's Kotoka International Airport. The flights to Accra are set to launch on June 17 and operate twice per week. 

The carrier is also increasing its frequency of key routes next summer, including three weekly flights to cities like Berlin, Faro, Istanbul, Lima, and Venice.