Our Experience Flying Porter Airlines

If you’re looking for a Porter Airlines review, you’ve come to the right place because we REALLY know Porter! We’ve had the pleasure of flying Porter Airlines on multiple occasions since they launched in 2006 and continue to do so. Not only did I fly on Porter for my bachelorette and babymoon but we’ve also flown Porter Airlines with infants and of course now, with tweens! 

Our Porter Flight Experiences

After our numerous Porter Airlines flights we know all the tips and tricks to ensure you have the best experience on board. What drew us to Porter initially was the fact that they flew from downtown Toronto and that they served complimentary drinks and snack on board. They pride themselves in delivering a more elevated economy class experience and I can certainly attest to that.  Although many things have changed (such as them also flying out of Pearson and some other airlines also providing complimentary drinks), we still prefer to fly from Billy Bishop because of how easy it is to get through security and because my favourite airport lounge is in the domestic Billy Bishop terminal! I should also mention how quickly one can go through customs and security at Billy Bishop (longest it has taken me is 10  minutes!) and you can take a quick ferry or some crazy long escalators to get from street side to  gate side at Billy Bishop and I choose the ferry more often than not because it really does set the holiday mood. 

Where Does Porter Fly From Toronto?

In 2024, Porter Airlines flies within Canada and to the United States  directly so you can plan to explore some fun destinations like we have. 

Canada : Calgary, Charlottetown, Deer Lake, Edmonton, Fredericton, Halifax,  Moncton, Montreal, Ottawa, Quebec City, Saskatoon, Sault Ste. Marie, St John’s, Sudbury, Thunder Bay, Timmins, Vancouver, Victoria, Windsor and Winnipeg

United States : Boston, Chicago, Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, Newark, Orlando,
Palm Springs, Phoenix, San Diego, San Francisco, Tampa, Washington DC and West Palm Beach

I  will mention that you will notice some far away places when you attempt to book flights on the Porter website but those are not direct flights. They are interconnecting flights with other airline partners (like you can go to Doha by flying Porter Airlines from Toronto to Montreal or Chicago and then catching a Qatar Airways flight from there to Doha). 

Is Porter a Safe Airline?

We’ve encountered delays and once we were told our flight was cancelled that day because a bird was stuck on a propeller. This tells me that they really do those safety walks before each flight! All jokes aside, I have always felt safe flying Porter Airlines. When flying out of Billy Bishop, the flights are mostly the Bombardier Q400 (the latest version of the Dash-8) which has a long history of flying safely even in pretty rough conditions. Billy Bishop Airport does experience some strong winds but I have never had any issues. If you’re flying out of Toronto Pearson then you will most likely be flying on Embraer E195-E2 though I have been on a few Dash-8 flights out of Pearson as well. 

The good news is that Porter’s fleet has lower CO₂ emissions and economic fuel use and a reduced noise footprint for communities. They’re safe and environmentally concious. 

Which Porter Fare Option is Best?

Technically Porter has 2 fares to choose from when booking your flights from Toronto. No matter which you choose, there’s no middle seat! NO middle seats! What a joy!!! It’s always a 2 by 2 configuration which is heavenly! There’s the PorterClassic which lets you add things like seat selection, hand luggage and checked bag. And there’s the all-inclusive economy experience- PorterReserve which has all the perks included. However, under the PorterClassic category there are 4 more options – Basic, Standard, Flexible and Freedom. This is where most folks get confused so let’s dig in further! 

PorterClassic is economy but with options. Porter loves giving us options. So you can book the cheapest fare if you’re not looking to take anything beyond a personal item (great for those same-day business trips or quick overnighter). If you want to bring a hand luggage then you need to book standard or above. Yes you can book basic and then pay $40+ for a checked bag but the math usually works out that the next fare up is a better deal (as you can see below you can pay an $21 for Standard (instead of basic) and get a carry on bag which is usually all I need for short haul trips). If you need flexibility and the ability to change your flights then you definitely want to explore Flexible or Freedom. 

PorterClassic Fare Example

PorterReserve is the bougie economy -it’s Porter’s way of having a business class without having one (if you know what I mean). With Reserve you get a whole bunch of amenities and services and I love the Reserve seats when flying the bigger planes out of Pearson. There’s a difference and it’s worth it. Especially if you shop around a bit when it comes to dates. Take a close look and you’ll noticed that when I looked at flights to LA the Reserve wasn’t too far off from the Flexible option… but it also comes with free food and those Greenhouse turmeric ginger shots I love so much (these are served on flights longer than 2.5 hours)! It also had 2 free checked bags and gives you a PorterReserve seat which has extra leg-room. 

PorterReserve Fare Example

Choosing the Best Seats on Porter Airlines|  Our Porter Airlines Review

Okay so I have THOUGHTS! If you want to get out ASAP, then sit towards the front. Otherwise, know that there’s no middle seats – it’s window or aisle no matter which airport you fly from. 

If I’m flying from Billy Bishop on the smaller jets, I honestly don’t mind where I sit. I say this because none of the direct routes are longer than 2.5 hours from Billy Bishop (if you’re connecting to a Porter flight that is longer than 2.5 hours, then you may want to follow my seat advice for the Pearson flights). 

If I’m flying out of Pearson AND my flights are going to be longer than 2.5 hours then I would like to be seated in the  PorterReserve seats.  These seats are spacious and come with meals on flights longer than 2.5 hours so if the math works out I prefer the  PorterReserve seats over the classic. I also like to look at what type of plane we’re on. For example I LOVED PorterReserve on the Embraer E195-E2 from Pearson to LAX earlier this year for a conference. All seats on the Embraer E195-E2 have a socket to charge your devices and the entire flight has FREE Wi-Fi that actually works! However, the first few rows reserved for PorterReserve passengers have more leg room (seats measure 46.5cm in width, has a recline of up to six inches and has 36 inches of legroom). Given that I’m short, it’s the food that really sees me booking PorterReserve on those longer haul flights.

There’s also the PorterClassic Stretch seats on the Embraer E195-E2 and that has up to four inches of recline and 34 inches of legroom but unlike the Reserve seats, you would have to purchase any food you wanted (beyond the free snacks). 

Here’s a detailed seating map for the Embraer and here’s the one for the Dash 8s

Click here to read my tips for flying Porter Airlines with babies! 

Does Porter Airlines Offer Free Food?

Yes yes they do. Every Porter flight offer free snacks and drinks (beer and wine included) to all passengers, no matter which seat you’ve booked. Also, they serve their drinks in REAL glassware! I KNOW! 

If you book a PorterReserve seat then you have access to some elevated snacks AND if your flight is longer than 2.5 hours, you get to enjoy a full meal and some cocktails in addition to the free beer and wine others enjoy. I LOVE the packaging for the meals. The meal box even has a folding phone stand that I save and use on ALL flights! I’ve enjoyed my food experiences onboard Porter Airlines and feel like they offer a solid choice of meals whilst supporting local suppliers. 

Is Porter Pet Friendly?

The quick answer is yes! Pet travel on Porter Airlines is restricted to house cats and small dogs. A maximum of one carrier per passenger is allowed and only one pet is permitted in a carrier.

The cost is $50 –to $57.50 per direction and is booked on a space-available basis because Porter only allows up to two pets in the cabin on any given flight. 

There are a bunch of rules to keep in mind such as not being able to travel with a pet if you are travelling with an infant. And passengers travelling with pets will only be allowed one additional personal item (not exceeding 13 x 17 x 6 inches). All other baggage must be checked.  You can find more information about travelling with pets on Porter here. 

Is Hand Luggage Included in Porter Fares?

No. Everyone is guaranteed a personal item on board ( briefcase, purse, small backpack, camera bag, laptop computer or small garment bag 13 x 17 x 6 inches). Depending on the fare you purchased a hand luggage may be included or you can pay to add it on-PorterClassic Basic is the only one that DOES NOT include hand luggage. 

Tips for Flying Porter Airlines | Our Porter Review

I have a few tips and I have some things you need to keep in mind as you plan your next Porter flight. 

• Keep an eye out on sales because 90% of the Porter flights I’ve purchased has been during a sale
• Pay close attention to the price difference between Reserve and Classic fares because I’ve lucked out numerous times and booked Reserve for cheaper than Classic Basic +bag
• Winter travel (and rainy days) can mean dicey travel conditions out of Billy Bishop and the airport does tend to shutdown during storms (summer and winter) so check your flight information often!
• When you book a PorterReserve fare, ensure you block a Reserve seat – it allows you to choose a seat anywhere but you definitely want to sit at the front of the plane to get the meal etc.
• If you’re like me and love those turmeric ginger shots and are travelling with kids in Reserve seats, tell then to grab one for you – on some flights I’ve enjoyed multiple shots but on some they have run out because others can purchase them. So get them early! 
• Don’t be surprised if your hand luggage is gate-checked when travelling out of Billy Bishop because the cabin bins are very small-I know my hand luggage fits and let them know that because I like to keep my stuff close by! 
• Ensure you sign up for your VIPorter rewards because you’ll need it to sign on to the free WiFi onboard the larger aircrafts (also you want those points!!) 
• If you’re pregnant or have a large tummy, know that the Dash-8s are a bit snug and the table might be a bit too close for comfort
• Know that there is a FREE shuttle in Toronto that will take you to and from Billy Bishop (pick up/drop off spot is by the Royal York hotel)
• Think about taking the ferry instead of the elevator/escallator combo at Billy Bishop to get from streetside to the check in area because it’s a Zen way to start your travels and you get a spectacular view of the Toronto skyline (you can definitely do it upon arrival as well).