An honest Air Transat Option Plus review from my flight from Canada to Mexico
Updated October 2026.
Everyone loves a flight upgrade, right? Especially those of us who are travelling on our own dime, not for business. It’s why I mostly fly Air Canada—because I’m an avid Aeroplan points collector which I use for things like business class flights and privileges. But I recently booked with Canadian budget airline Air Transat and noticed their Option Plus service. They advertise up to 40% savings with this bundle over a la carte add-ons when purchased at time of booking.
I had read about this from another travel blogger who got it on a trip south and enjoyed it. It was a birthday trip, so I thought “hey, gift for myself let’s make this flight more comfortable.”
I paid $69 for the Air Transat Option Plus on my flight from Toronto to Cancun in January 2025. Was it worth it? I’m honestly not sure. But since my flight they’ve made significant changes that may make it a better value or attraction for you. So in this post I’ll break down what I paid, what I got, and what’s currently available to make sure you’re getting up to date advice.
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Who This Post is For
- Travellers who are considering upgrading their Air Transat ticket to Option Plus
- Who want to know is the price is worth it
- Anyone flying out of Toronto specifically looking for an honest review of what that’s like
- If you’re looking for a truly premium flying experience, this probably isn’t the right airline for you
What does Air Transat Option Plus include? (2026)
- Checked baggage (1 Piece)
- Seat Selection (Standard)
- “Priority services” such as Boarding and Baggage Handling
Option Plus is available for select international flights in Air Transat’s Eco Budget and Eco Promo fare range. I’m honestly not sure which flights, and how they determine price. As of October 2026, the Option Plus price is now $64 for my same flight Toronto to Cancun (a price drop, but they’ve also removed the “perks”, see below). But it’s $136 for Toronto to London Gatwick. Other flights I checked do not offer Option Plus.
Extra Checked Bags
Air Transat Option Plus includes 1 piece of checked baggage up to 23kg. If you were flying Toronto to Cancun on the Budget or Promo fares, that would cost $53 to add on.
When I booked, I calculated this as a perk I would use. But then I heard from a good friend that the Cancun airport was so understaffed she and her mom recently had to wait several hours to get their checked luggage upon landing. So even though the Option Plus says it comes with “priority baggage handling” I just went with carry-on. Not Air Transat’s fault but this was no value to me.
Priority Check-in and Boarding
This perk caught my attention right away because one of my fave things about biz class flights is faster check-in. Sadly, I didn’t read the fine print because it doesn’t include Toronto’s Pearson airport! If you are flying out of Montreal, Ottawa or Vancouver, Air Transat’s Option Plus gets you priority queue at airport security check points. Which I think is a great feature. I wish I could have used it!
They also advertise “check in at an exclusive counter.” But I did my check-in online. Like, most people these days, right? So again, that was no value for me.
Priority Boarding was something I did take advantage of. My boarding pass showed me in Zone 3 which sounded pretty good, and it was. I took my seat earlier than most passengers and had my choice of overhead spot for my carry-on. Not essential, but nice.
Advance Seat Selection
This is a must-have for me when travelling. Especially on a flight where I want to sleep, like this one which left at 6:30 in the morning.
Paying for a standard seat on this flight would have cost me $27. By my math, that means I paid $42 extra for priority boarding.
On-board perks – No longer available
Note: Option Plus no longer includes the “perks” I received.
Here’s where Air Transat Option Plus really flopped for me. The first perk is a “comfort kit” of a blanket and a sleep mask. There’s also a set of earbuds. But they don’t come around to distribute these until the flight is in the air, about 30 minutes after take-off. So if you’re waiting for that to watch an in-flight movie, you’ve been sitting there for a while. (And why I still brought my own earbuds.)
Maybe the sleep mask was in the bag with the blanket and fell out, but I didn’t see it. The blanket was good quality and I enjoyed it. But at the end of the flight, I didn’t have the space in my bags to carry it with me so I left it behind.
Another disappointment was that Option Plus incudes an alcoholic beverage (worth $9-$10). But I don’t drink alcohol. So they offered me instead a bottle of water (worth $4). Never mind that airlines should be working towards less single-use plastic on board. But not everybody drinks. They should offer a non-alcoholic drink of equal value and interest. There are so many ready-to-drink mocktails and sparkling waters in aluminum cans they could add to their menus.
Speaking of menu, the “snack from the Bistro Menu” was a choice between chips and chocolate bar. I do always enjoy a can of Pringles (worth $4) and probably would not have bought one so that was a treat.
At this point, I’ve paid $69 for $35 worth of stuff (plus priority boarding and use of a blanket).
Is Air Transat Option Plus worth it?
If I was to take this exact flight again, I would not buy Option Plus – I would instead spend the money on a Preferred seat alone.
However, if I was flying out of Montreal, Ottawa or Vancouver with a checked baggage, I think it’s a very good bundle.
Note also that Option Plus is non-refundable. So if you decide to bid on an upgrade to comfort and get it, you lose your money.
I hope this honest Air Transat Option plus review is helpful for you to book your next flight!
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