Azores Airlines is the only carrier offering year-round, nonstop service to the Azores, as Karen Evans, National Manager, Discover the World, representing SATA Azores Airlines, tells us in this edition of Take 5. Not only are the Azores blessed with spectacular scenery and a temperate climate, making these islands ideal destinations in their own right, connecting to mainland Portugal and other European gateways through Ponta Delgada is “extremely easy,” says Evans. And here’s a bonus: with Azores Airlines, stopovers in the Azores are available for no additional airfare, for up to seven days in either direction.

1..What can you tell us about SATA’s flights from Canada to the Azores in 2023, including any helpful need-to-knows about codeshare and interline agreements with Canadian carriers?

“Azores Airlines is the only carrier offering year-round, nonstop service to the Azores. Flights operate year-round from Toronto to Ponta Delgada (4-6x/wk), as well as seasonally from Toronto to Terceira (1-2x/wk) and from Montreal to Ponta Delgada and Terceira (each 1x/wk). Convenient connections are available from key cities in Canada with codeshare partner WestJet and interline partner Porter Airlines. New, as of June 2, is a weekly direct service (same aircraft, and flight number) from Toronto to Madeira (with a stop in Ponta Delgada).”

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2. For travellers looking to fly onward to mainland Portugal and other European gateways, is SATA Azores Airlines a good option?

“Yes, absolutely. Connecting through the Azores is extremely easy. Ponta Delgada is the main hub providing connectivity to mainland Portugal (Lisbon and Porto), Madeira, Paris, Frankfurt, Barcelona, Bilbao and Cape Verde. Terceira, the secondary hub, offers connections to Lisbon and Porto, plus frequent connections are available within the nine Azores Islands. And stopovers in the Azores are FREE for up to seven days in either direction, so travellers can visit multiple destinations without backtracking. Travellers now have more choices with Azores Airlines’ new branded fares providing more flexibility and value in both economy and comfort class.”

3. What makes the Azores such a compelling destination for Canadian travellers?

“Top reasons to travel to the Azores are …

• The scenery is spectacular! The nine volcanic islands offer stunning landscapes, lush, green, natural and peaceful (think: a mix of Hawaii and Ireland)
• Diverse activities such as hiking, golfing, diving, paddle boarding, whale watching, thermal pools, wine and gastronomy, voted Europe’s Leading Adventure Tourism Destination
• Temperate climate, year-round destination
• Safe, winner of European Safest Destinations, 2022
• Affordable
• Easy to get to with nonstop flights, and only 5.5 hours from Toronto, and 5 hours from Montreal
  .. 

4. How are SATA Group airlines prioritizing sustainability?

“The SATA Group airlines (Azores Airlines and SATA Air Açores) just recently achieved certification from the IATA Environmental Assessment (IEnvA) program, becoming the first Portuguese airlines to do so. Embracing ‘Together we create a better world’, to ensure we are doing what we are responsible for, so that future generations can come to live in greater communion with nature and with the community in which they belong is a concern today and a project that has been implemented.

“Under the Sustainability Charter of the Azores, the SATA Group has implemented several actions including the transition to paperless flights and acquiring A321neo aircraft delivering 20% fuel economy and a reduction in the carbon footprint of each passenger by about 50%.

5. SATA Azores Airlines is represented in Canada by Discover the World. What does the airline offer travel agents in terms of commission, and what resources are available to agents to help them sell the airline?

“SATA Azores Airlines offers Canadian travel agents good commissions on GDS published fares (S4/SP).

“Ensuring agents are kept informed is very important, so SATA Azores Airlines has developed the following tools to assist agents …

• Trade website: SATA4agents.com

IATA and non-IATA agents can register for access to this dedicated trade website to receive the latest news, procedures, group rules and request forms, agent rate and agent incentive information plus more.

• SATA Specialist Program: sataspecialist.com

Agents have the opportunity to learn about SATA Azores Airlines and the destinations it serves as well as win prizes with the program.

• Sales Support

Discover the World, representing SATA Azores Airlines, provides a dedicated sales support team for travel agents. The team is available Mon-Fri, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. ET, via email at sata.azores@discovertheworld.ca or 905-766-0136 / 1-833-722-0833.

• Agent World

Access the latest flyers, videos, or presentations on Canada.agentworld.com

• SATA Azores Airlines consumer website: visit azoresairlines.pt