Toronto is getting new flight routes to these sunny destinations in South America

Travellers in Toronto looking to escape the upcoming winter will have even more options for exploring South America thanks to a new route that's being launched by Air Transat. 

The Montreal-headquartered airline is introducing a twice-weekly service between Toronto Pearson Airport to Medellín, Colombia, with a stopover in Cartagena. The two cities are just over an hour's flight apart. 

The route is set to connect Toronto residents with one of Colombia's most mountainous cities, and also increase access to Cartagena, which is known for its Caribbean landscapes, UNESCO-listed Walled City, colonial architecture, the Castillo de San Felipe de Barajas, and nearby Rosario Islands.

Medellín is nicknamed the "City of Eternal Spring" thanks to its temperate weather, and is also known for its eco-friendly infrastructure, vibrant culture, and attractions such as the Museum of Antioquia and Plaza Botero.

"Adding Medellín to our network reflects our desire to expand our network while meeting a real demand from our clients for both leisure travel and family reunions," said Sebastian Ponce, Transat's Chief Revenue Officer. "This expansion is in line with our strategy of targeted growth from Toronto, focusing on high-potential markets such as Colombia." 

The new service is also set to add frequency to the flight schedule to Cartagena from Toronto, and the details of the airline's full winter 2025-26 program (including the start date of operations and opening of sales) will be announced soon. 

Air Transat isn't the only airline expanding into sunny South American destinations. Earlier this month, Air Canada also unveiled its winter sun schedule, which included South America destinations like Brazil and Colombia. 

The airline's new additions include a Toronto to Rio de Janeiro route, a Toronto to Cartagena route, as well as new routes from Toronto to Pointe-à-Pitre, a city on the island of Grande-Terre in Guadeloupe, and Toronto to Guadalajara, a city in western Mexico.