Find cheap Porter Airlines flights

Porter Airlines is a Canadian boutique carrier that delivers on its promise that customers will “actually enjoy economy”. One of the main reasons I love flying with Porter is because its planes don’t have middle seats, so you’ll always get either a window or an aisle seat.

They also serve free drinks, including Canadian wines and 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 operates across North America, flying to destinations throughout Eastern Canada (Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa) and Western Canada (Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Victoria, Winnipeg, Saskatoon), as well as U.S. cities like Los Angeles, San Francisco, Las Vegas, and Florida, with a clear focus on transparency about what you’ll get onboard and at the airport.

When I’m thinking about flying Porter, the first thing I check is the aircraft type. You’ll either be on one of their older De Havilland Dash 8-400 propeller planes or their newer Embraer E195-E2 jets. If you have a choice, the new jets are a significant upgrade with wider seats (18.3 inches versus 17 inches), reclining seats up to six inches, power outlets, Wi-Fi, and bigger overhead bins.

The newer E195-E2 jets operate from Toronto Pearson (YYZ), Ottawa, Montreal, and Halifax to destinations across North America. While they serve both short-haul routes (like Toronto-Ottawa) and long-haul routes, they’re the exclusive aircraft for Porter’s longer flights to Western Canada and the U.S., where fresh meals are available.

The smaller Toronto City-Billy Bishop airport (YTZ) can only accommodate the propeller planes due to commercial jet restrictions. But even if your flight does use the older planes, I’d still pick 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, expedited security at participating airports and priority boarding.

PorterClassic is broken down into four fare types: 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 (55 x 23 x 40 cm) plus your personal item and use an electronic boarding pass. You’ll still pay for seat selection and checked bags, but you can change or cancel your flight for a fee (which varies by timing and route).

Flexible adds a checked bag and a PorterClassic seat selection, and it also waives advance change fees. Same-day changes are available at a reduced price compared to Standard fares.

Freedom fares waive all change fees, include either a PorterClassic or Stretch seat (if available), and allows for a full refund up to one hour before departure.

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.

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

Your comfort level on Porter really depends on which plane you’re on. The difference between the older Dash 8s and the new E195-E2s is pretty noticeable.

On the Dash 8, all seats are 17 inches wide and come “pre-reclined” (which is airline-speak for “they don’t recline”). The standard PorterClassic seats have 30 inches of pitch, which is the space between your seat and the one in front. I’m 6 feet 3 inches, so the six PorterReserve seats with 32 inches of pitch are a lifesaver on these planes.

The new E195-E2 jets are a different story. The seats are a roomier 18.3 inches wide and they all recline up to 6 inches. PorterClassic seats have 30 inches of pitch, while PorterClassic Stretch gives you 34 inches. PorterReserve maxes out the comfort with 36 inches of pitch. With the wider seats and no middle seat, it’s a comfortable economy plus experience in North America.

Porter’s check-in and boarding

Porter’s “actually enjoy economy” philosophy extends to the airport too. Since its planes are smaller (the E195-E2 has 132 seats and the Dash 8-400 has just 78), you’re dealing with smaller crowds and shorter lines from the get-go.

Unless you’ve booked a Basic fare (where you can check in online but need to collect your boarding pass at the airport), I’d recommend checking in online as soon as it opens to snag the best available seats and get 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).

The snacks are delicious and all Canadian too: kettle-cooked chips, milk chocolate shortbread, and my personal favorite when available, zesty cheddar roasted fava beans. On flights over 2.5 hours aboard the E195-E2, fresh meals are included with PorterReserve fares and available for purchase for everyone else. 

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. You earn points based on dollars spent, with the amount varying by your membership tier as you progress through five levels (Member, Passport, Venture, Ascent, First).

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 alone (more on that below).

Porter in-flight entertainment and Wi-Fi

Here’s another reason to check your aircraft type. The new E195-E2 jets have free Wi-Fi that supports streaming from your personal devices, but the older Dash 8s have neither Wi-Fi nor in-seat power, so be sure to download some shows or bring a book for those flights.

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 your flight. Non-members can access free Wi-Fi by viewing an advertisement for 30 minutes of access.

The E195-E2 also has in-seat power for every passenger at ankle level. Take my advice and bring a longer cable (I pack one of the six feet/two-meter ones) so you can use your device comfortably from your seat.