Canadian airline that really delivers on its promise that customers will “actually enjoy economy”. One of the main reasons I love flying with Porter is because the airline’s planes don’t have middle seats, so you’ll either be sat in a window or an aisle seat.
They also serve free drinks, including Canadian wines or craft beers (in real glasses!) plus a snack, and their relatively small planes mean shorter lines and less fuss at the airport. Altogether, it really is a great way to fly. Here’s everything you need to know about flying with Porter Airlines.
Porter expert tips: What kind of airline is it?
Porter is often called a boutique airline, and it fits this niche really well. The airline is always very clear about what it promises onboard and at the airport. Porter flies mostly to and from major cities in eastern Canada like Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa.
When I’m thinking about flying Porter, the first thing I look at is whether I’ll be on one of their older De Havilland Dash 8-400 propeller-driven planes, or their newer Embraer E195-E2 planes. The newer jets are miles better if you have the choice: wider seats (almost an inch and a half larger than those on the older planes) that recline, power sockets, Wi-Fi, entertainment streamed to your mobile device, bigger overhead bins, and the option of extra-legroom seats.
Generally, the newer planes operate on flights over two hours, as well as to Toronto Pearson (YYZ). Toronto City-Billy Bishop airport (YTZ) is too small for the new jets, so only uses the older propeller planes. But even if your flight does use the older planes, I’d still choose Porter over many other airlines.
Porter’s fares and travel classes
Porter is an all-economy airline that operates two classes of service: PorterClassic and PorterReserve. If I’m traveling on a budget, I’ll be looking at the PorterClassic fares, but I like the extra legroom you get with the PorterReserve ticket type. PorterReserve also includes free ticket changes, a dedicated check-in desk (although this isn’t a major problem, since its planes are so small), fast track security and priority boarding.
Within PorterClassic, there are four kinds of fares: Basic, Standard, Flexible and Freedom. (If you’re connecting with a partner to Europe or Africa, you may get extra benefits like a carry-on and checked bag. Make sure to check the details carefully in advance in this case.)
Basic includes airport check-in (not mobile) and a personal item of 43 x 16 x 33 cm (17 x 6 x 13 inches), but no carry-on bag. Anything else, including seat choice and checked bag, comes at an extra fee. There are also no changes or cancellations with this fare. Standard allows you to use an electronic boarding pass and to bring a carry-on bag of 55 x 23 x 40 cm (21.5 x 9 x 15.5 inches). Seat choice and checked bags are upcharged, and you can also make changes or cancellations for a fee.
Flexible adds a checked bag and a PorterClassic seat selection, and it also waives advance change fees. You can pay to upgrade to an extra-legroom seat if available, and same-day changes come at a reduced price.
Freedom fares waive all change fees, include either a PorterClassic or Stretch seat (if available), and enable a full refund.
As you pay more for higher fare classes, you also earn more VIPorter frequent flyer points on a sliding scale. When looking at PorterReserve, you can choose either a Navigate or Ultimate fare.
Navigate gets you a PorterReserve up front extra legroom seat, priority at the airport (during check-in, boarding and security), a carry-on bag and a personal item, plus two checked bags. You’ll also get a meal (availability based on the time of day and flight length), premium wine and liquor, an electronic boarding pass and no change fees.
The only thing Ultimate adds is the option of a full refund if you don’t travel. For my money, if you want to choose your own seat (especially an extra-legroom one) and check a bag (or two), PorterReserve Navigate usually offers the best balance of price and features.
Porter’s seats and cabins
The seat size and comfort onboard Porter really depends whether you’re flying on one of those older Dash 8-400s or the new E195-E2s.
On the Dash 8, all seats are 17 inches wide and don’t recline (airlines call this “pre-reclined”). There are six PorterReserve seats up front with 32 inches of pitch – that’s the distance between the point on one seat and the same point on the seat in front, so is basically your legroom minus the thickness of the seat. All other seats have 30 inches of pitch. I’m pretty tall (6 feet 3”, 190 cm), so the PorterReserve seats on these flights are very attractive.
On the E195-E2, the seats are a lot wider at 18.3 inches, and you can choose between PorterClassic (most of the seats), PorterClassic Stretch (20 seats) and PorterReserve (16 seats). PorterClassic is again pitched at 30 inches, which is fine but not great. You can also recline two inches on these seats.
PorterClassic Stretch adds a spacious four extra inches for a total of 34 inches of pitch, and also offers four inches of recline. It’s worth noting that some of these seats are located in the exit rows, so you’ll need to be able-bodied and ensure you meet the airline’s rules on exit row passengers for those.
PorterReserve maxes out at 36 inches of pitch and six inches of recline. With the wider seats and no middle seats, I think this one of the nicest economy plus experiences you can have in North America.
Whatever you book, make sure you take a careful look at the size of the bag you’re allowed, and ensure it will fit under the seat in front of you.
Porter’s check-in and boarding
Porter’s “actually enjoy economy” philosophy extends to the airport too. Since its planes are smaller than you might be used to with other airlines – the E195-E2 has 132 seats, and the Dash 8-400 only 78 – the crowds are smaller and so the airport lines are also shorter.
Unless you’re traveling on the cheapest Basic fare (which requires airport check-in), I think it’s best to check in online as soon as it opens for the best seats available, and use an electronic boarding pass.
One of the nice things about Porter is that its small planes and lack of first or business class means that its boarding is almost entirely front-to-back, although the few passengers in PorterReserve can board first if they want.
Porter in-flight food and drinks
I love Porter’s onboard menu: it’s super-Canadian and super-lovely. All passengers can choose from coffee (from Montreal), tea (from Toronto), white Pinot Grigio or red Cabernet Sauvignon (from Ontario’s Jackson-Triggs winery) or a rotating selection of craft beers from Beau’s Brewing (also from Ontario).
Premium beverages – which you’ll find on flights over two-and-a-half hours, complimentary in PorterReserve and available for purchase for everyone else – include pre-mixed Tumbler & Rocks cocktails (from Alberta) or wellness shots from Greenhouse (from Toronto).
The snacks are delicious and all Canadian too: kettle-cooked chips, milk chocolate shortbread, zesty cheddar roasted fava beans (my personal favorite) and olive oil and sea salt almonds.
On longer flights, fresh meals are offered. These are either included in PorterReserve fares or available for purchase by PorterClassic travelers.
I love that they serve actual fresh food rather than the long-life stuff that some airlines choose. Do keep in mind that Porter is a cashless airline, so you’ll need to bring your Visa, MasterCard or American Express for any purchases.
VIPorter frequent flyer club
Porter’s frequent flyer program is called VIPorter. Anyone can earn points, and you progress up the program levels (from Member to Passport to Venture to Ascent to First) as you spend more money with the airline.
Unless you’re flying super-regularly with Porter, you’re unlikely to see a lot of benefit from it – Porter isn’t part of one of the big three global alliances or anything – but it’s useful to have the membership for the ad-free Wi-Fi (see below).
Porter in-flight entertainment and Wi-Fi
Porter has great Wi-Fi and decent streaming entertainment options onboard the E195-E2. But if you’re on the Dash 8, there’s nothing, so make sure you bring a book or download videos to your device in advance.
If you’re flying the E195-E2, I recommend signing up for the VIPorter frequent flyer club in advance. You can then sign in to get free Wi-Fi for the full flight, instead of watching an ad video every 30 minutes.
The E195-E2 also has a universal power socket for every passenger, so bring your charger along. The outlet is at ankle level, so take my advice and bring a longer cable (I pack one of the six feet/two-meter ones) so that it’s long enough for you to use comfortably.
This KAYAK-commissioned article is presented as-is, for general informational purposes only, and may not be up-to-date. The opinions contained in the article are original to the author and reflect their authentic experience, which may vary significantly from the experience of others. Find more perspectives in our user reviews below.
