REVEALED: NEARLY HALF OF BRITISH WOMEN PLAN TO TRAVEL SOLO
Air Transat Marks the Trend with 15% Off Flights to Canada for International Women's Day

In honour of International Women's Day, Air Transat, the award-winning Canadian leisure airline, is embracing the growing 'Wandering Women' trend and offering 15% off flights* to Canada to female travellers seeking the empowerment of solo travel.

Voted World's Best Leisure Airline at the 2025 Skytrax World Airline Awards for the seventh time, Air Transat conducted research in partnership with the City Girl Network, to understand the growing demand for solo travel. The survey of over 2,000 professional women across the UK** revealed nearly one in five now regularly travel solo for leisure, while more than a third of those who have not tried holidaying alone are planning to do so within the next two years. Underlining a growing desire for liberating experiences through travel.

Value and trust remain key considerations when choosing the right airline for a solo trip, with 60% rating price the most important factor, followed by non-stop flight options; brand reputation and trustworthiness; and comfort and personal space.

Canada has emerged as a top travel destination for “Wandering Women”. Wellness; nature and wildlife; and adventure and outdoor activities (60%) ranked among the strongest motivators.  A reputation for safety and friendliness — often cited as especially important for women travelling alone — also featured prominently.

Book Solo to Canada for less between 6 and 10 March 2026

To empower female British travellers to embrace the freedom and confidence of discovering Canada on a solo adventure, Air Transat has released a special International Women's Day promo-code: IWD26UK15. Bookings made on airtransat.com using the code between 6 and 10 March will enjoy a 15% discount on select Economy and Club Class fares, with return flights starting from just £448ˆ per person for travel on select dates between 6 March and 16 December 2026. Choose from direct flights from London Gatwick to Toronto, Montréal and Ottawa (new service launching 15 May 2026), and from Manchester or Glasgow to Toronto.

Why Canada is great for female solo travellers

Toronto, Montréal, and Ottawa are especially well suited to women exploring on their own, with walkable neighbourhoods, reliable public transport, and lively cultural scenes. Consistently ranked among the world's safest countries, Canada is known for its welcoming communities and strong commitment to gender equality, allowing female travellers to explore its cities, historic landmarks, and natural beauty independently while feeling safe.

Year-round Flights

Air Transat operates up to 34 direct flights a week in the peak season from the UK to Toronto and Montréal, with a new Ottawa service launching in May 2026.

Travellers flying with Air Transat benefit from over 38 years of experience and award-winning expertise, having been named the World's Best Leisure Airline 2025 by Skytrax for the seventh time. With a generous carry-on baggage allowance included, fly in comfort in Economy Class with ergonomic seats and soothing mood lighting, enjoying a meal served with a complimentary glass of wine or beer, and lose track of time diving into movies, music and TV shows on personal touch screens (on A321LR, A330-200 and A330-300 aircraft).

For an elevated inflight experience, Club Class, Air Transat's Premium Economy offers even more space, exceptional comfort, gourmet meals, complimentary beverages and preferred services, both at the airport and onboard.  

Flights will be operated by Air Transat's fleet of Airbus aircraft, including the A321LR – some of the most energy-efficient aircraft in their category.

For information and to book, visit airtransat.com.

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Notes to Editors

^Lead in price correct as of 23 Feb 2026 based on return London Gatwick to Ottawa departures on select dates in Jun, Sep and Oct 2026 at the Eco Standard fare, subject to availability at the time of booking.

*Terms and conditions: The promo code 'IWD26UK15' is valid on new individual bookings only, made between 6 March (00:01 GMT) and 10 March 2026 (23:59 GMT) and applies to return direct flights from London Gatwick, Manchester and Glasgow to Toronto and London Gatwick to Montreal or Ottawa for travel on select dates between 6 March and 16 December 2026. Blackout dates apply from 18 June to 25 August 2026 inclusive. The promo code only applies to flights operated by Air Transat at the Eco Standard, Eco Flex, Club Standard and Club Flex fare classes before taxes. The Eco Budget fare class is not included in the promotion. Discount applies to the base fare only, before taxes, fees, duties and carrier surcharges. Promo code is subject to change without notice and cannot be combined with any other offer or promotion. One-way flights, codeshare flights, Porter and connectair destinations, and Train + Air are not included in the promotion. Promo code is only redeemable on airtransat.com. Reservations are subject to our General terms and conditions.

**Survey of 2,121 UK adults conducted in partnership with City Girl Network, February 2026.

Media enquiries:          Samantha Tillotson & Julie Heinisch
Air Transat Press Office

airtransat@goshpr.co.uk / +44 (0) 207 871 2915

About Air Transat
Founded in Montreal, Canada, 38 years ago, Air Transat is a leading travel brand voted 2025 World's Best Leisure Airline by passengers at the Skytrax World Airline Awards. It serves the UK and Ireland with direct flights from London Gatwick to Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa, and from Manchester, Glasgow, and Dublin to Toronto, with onward connections throughout Canada, the US, Mexico, the Caribbean and South America. Air Transat is recognised for its excellent customer service. Its fleet includes some of the most energy-efficient aircraft in their category. Based in Montreal with major hubs in YUL Montréal-Trudeau International Airport and Toronto Pearson Airport (YYZ), it has 5,000 employees with a common purpose to bring people closer together. Air Transat is a business unit of Transat A.T. Inc. (TSX: TRZ). http://www.airtransat.com