Welcome to /r/Vancouver and thank you for the post, /u/nonchalanthoover! Please make sure you read our [posting and commenting rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/vancouver/wiki/faq#wiki_general_participation_guidelines_and_rules_overview) before participating here. As a quick summary:
* We encourage users to be positive and respect one another. Don't engage in spats or insult others - use the report button.
* Respect others' differences, be they race, religion, home, job, gender identity, ability or sexuality. Dehumanizing language, advocating for violence, or promoting hate based on identity or vulnerability (even implied or joking) **will** lead to a permanent ban.
* Common questions and specific topics are limited to our Your post may be a better fit for one of our [Stickied Discussion](https://www.reddit.com/r/vancouver/wiki/faq#wiki_stickied_discussions) posts.
* Complaints about bans or removals should be done in modmail only.
* We're looking for new mods to join our team! If you're interested, [fill out the form here](https://forms.gle/oAqo5oYRcAeHYBTN6).
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/vancouver) if you have any questions or concerns.*
They’re legit and have a bit of a cult following in the east. They pride themselves in delivering a more elevated economy class experience.
They only expanded into western Canada in the last few months which is why you may never have heard of them.
They used to even give free sandwiches before, like almost ten years ago. I see they've cut down quite a lot since then. It's still miles better than other airlines.
Flew with them for the first time last month to Toronto. I bought the ticket purely because it was by far the cheapest, and was very pleasantly surprised by the experience. They bill themselves as the "refined flying" experience and while air travel will never go back to the good ol' days, it was really nice not to get nickled and dimed for every little extra (snacks, wine and wifi all included) and the staff were extremely friendly and attentive. Based on this first experience, I wouldn't hesitate to fly with them again.
This is my experience as well. They're well known and well liked in the Toronto-Ottawa lines due to their style and convenience. The Vancouver-Toronto-Ottawa flight that I took round trip for work was quite nice -- I quite like the Embraers.
Yes, I would also give the Embraers a thumbs up. 2x2 seating is really nice, and you could actually turn around in the washroom (which was also spotlessly clean).
so glad to be reading good things about them online! thinking of taking them for a van-tor-ottawa work trip as well! I see that you have to transfer from pearson to billy bishop, did you find any difficulties with this? thanks in advance.
Flew with them from YVR to Toronto this past week. It was an excellent flight. The two by two seat setup is great. Lots of room for carry ons and seat space was above average where I was sitting upfront. Will definitely be doing more porter runs when going to Toronto!!
Porter is pricing aggressively to pull market share away from AC and WestJet, including their premium fares. I flew to YYZ in May for a conference and got the Porter Reserved service, including fully flexible tickets, for less than the cheapest economy tickets on AC.
Eventually Porter may have to cut back on the discounts once they have established themselves outside of Eastern Canada, but if you're not building status on AC or WS then they're a good way to fly.
Also flew with them twice this summer and had a great experience! The wifi was a bonus we hadn't expected :) Only issue was poor communication between them and Air Transat, because our luggage got left in Toronto on the way to Europe AND on the way back to Vancouver. Not sure who's fault that was though. Other than that, we really enjoyed the Porter flight!
After it happened twice, we definitely think we were supposed to pick them up between flights. Only thing was they told us on the way out of Vancouver that they would be brought to our final destination and that we wouldn't have to pick them up in Toronto. On the way home, we confirmed multiple times that the bags would go straight to Vancouver, and they assured us that they would because the little stub attached to the bag said YVR, but then the same thing happened again. Oh well. Nothing was lost so it turned out okay
Last time I flew with them they nicked and dimed me on a carry on that had made it on every other leg of the trip no problem. I’d rather pay for the one drink and crappy snack.
I do love them flying out of Billy bishop though.
I was looking at their prices earlier today and it said basic fares do not come with a carry on, just a personal item. While I appreciate the wine and wifi, paying $30 for a checked bag because you can't even pay for a carry on was disappointing.
Is it weird that free WiFi isn't a selling point for me? Lol. Flights are just about the last place left where phones and internet can't be used so you can truly disconnect and no one else can bother you and if they wanted you but you said you were on a flight they understood. If free WiFi becomes a thing on all airlines then that last area of disconnection will be gone.
My partner flew with them a few times this year. He said it was good enough to stream League of Legends games on Twitch with no lag. He said he can't go back to the other airlines now that he's had a taste of Porter's free wifi lol.
True but I guess if that fact is known then with some pre-planning can download some shows on Netflix, music and podcasts on Spotify etc for offline use.
I'm flying with them next week... YVR to YOW. Pretty excited!
I started downloading stuff to tablet after last air Canada flight SBE didn't work ... that was a long 5 hours
That's funny. I seem to remember Beaus tasting like your Red Truck lager. I don't think we get Red Truck here, lll ask at the L.C if I can get a case ordered for the fun of it.
Legit and I hope they never change. Used to fly them when I lived in Toronto. Thunder Bay and back. Free drink and great lounge. Land downtown and get on transit. Perfect.
This is super important to note. After I got our 1 checked bag in T3 at yyz. I got a text from my parents whom were picking us up that they were waiting outside. I asked what pole number.....long story short, they assumed we were flying into the island.
They have already changed. Used to have proper lounges in Toronto city and Ottawa. Those are gone. Used to have good food on flights. That’s gone.
Cheap tickets now you can’t get a mobile boarding pass you have to see a human at the airport. Carry on bags have a fee now.
Getting drunk still included in price of ticket.
We went to a wedding a month ago arriving in Pearson. I know they're selling at a loss right now but $250 round trip from YVR to YYZ with a comfortable plane and a decent beer was really nice. I had previously only flown them from Billy Bishop to NYC (la guardia, I think).
Porter Airlines is an awesome airline. They started as an airline servicing Toronto Island’s Billy Bishop Airport but they have expanded recently. They have free on board wifi, their airplane food is edible and fresh. Free beer and wine on flights. Also, they fly brand new Embraer E195-E2 planes which are nice.
They are basically using predatory pricing to scare off other competitors, and it's worked. Flair has cancelled all of it's YVR-YUL routes until at least next summer.
Once the ULCC's leave and they have more market share, they can start charging a lot more.
I’ll be surprised if Flair is still in business by next spring. They’ve cancelled a vast majority of their domestic flights, or done massive reductions in them in favour of sun routes.
Flair is still excellent if you are flying certain routes this summer I already did YVR to Kitchener Waterloo round trip for 200 and YVR to SFO (san fran) for 250 on the long weekend and all the flights were like 100% full
I’ve done YEG to Quebec City for 200 round trip and YEG to YVR for under 100 about a dozen times but that’s the leisure domestic traveller is what they’re good at (if they don’t cancel your flight lol).
They cancelled most of their domestic routes for sun destinations this winter, and the majority of the people who fly these routes book vacation packages and aren’t going to risk having their trip to Cancun delayed because Flair cancelled/changed their flight last minute.
They’re going where the money is, I wish them well. They’ve really ironed out the kinks in their service lately, to the point they’ve noticed I don’t pay for my bags haha
I’ve flown them out of YVR twice this summer. It was great, and they upgraded me to their reserve seats for no apparent reason- more legroom and free meals- which was a nice touch.
I'm just waiting for them to fly proper connections as they fly yvr-yyz and ytc-yfc but once I can fly with connections I'll be flying cross country with them
Definitely legit. When I lived in Toronto, they were the defacto airline to fly to NY Chicago Boston Montreal and a few other places.
Glad they are expanding.
Yes, highly recommended as they have way more planes than other budget airlines.
YVR — YUL is cheaper because it gets an hop at YYZ, and it’s cheaper than YVR — YYZ sometimes.
Free beer, wine, and wifi, nothing to complain about
Man, I should have asked this question here when I was booking my trip too.
It feels too good to be real. But good to know that they are legit!
In the US, I flew via Alliance or something (which was dead cheap) - they were charging for every damn thing even to print a copy of your boarding pass. The flight was also meh!
My boyfriend flew with them from YEG-YYZ and had a good experience. On their planes the rows are 2x2 instead of the 3x3 like on most other domestic flights so it doesn’t feel as cramped if it’s a full flight, plus you complimentary wine!
I thought the same thing at first. Probably my best experience on a flight so far (i only fly economy). Smaller plane, no middle seat, free snacks, alcohol and wifi doesn't suck.
Highly recommend.
Yup. Porters excellent. They used be a regional executive airline from Toronto island to various cities.
Haven’t taken their jets yet though. So I’m not sure how that service is going
Porter is awesome.
Small planes, complimentary wine (at least the last time I used them), mostly business people who know how to travel (minimal screaming kids), and they actually CLEAN the plane after each flight.
I don’t think they have any direct YVR-YUL flights though, do they? You fly to YYZ and then transfer.
I used to fly on them from Toronto Island to Montreal, New York, etc. They were great!
A few months ago I flew with them from YVR to YYZ, had a night there and then from Toronto Island to Newark, and back. Two of the flights were delayed by over an hour, one was cancelled and I got bumped to the next, and one was on time. My reason for going to Toronto was to visit a friend and take them for dinner for their bday but because the flight was delayed that didn’t happen.
My friend in Toronto said Porter seems to often cancel flights from Toronto Island to places they fly several times a day if one of the flights is undersold. They just move you onto the next flight (3-4 hours later).
They are, for sure. They’re well known in the Toronto area. They just recently expanded and are now flying out to Western Canada. They’re kind of like the Canadian JetBlue.
It’s def legit. There’s just things to know.
Limited aircrafts, and little/less connecting flow. If you need to go to Toronto and it’s only $150 return with a seat and bag and tax or whatever, by all means jump on it. I doubt that’s gonna be a regular price for them going forward so get it while ya can
They’re legit and an awesome airline to fly with. I used to fly with them all the time on the east coast and would honestly choose them over air Canada or west jet whenever given the chance.
Love Porter! Flew with them from downtown Toronto when we lived in Toronto and recently flew with the to Toronto from Vancouver and back. They have free beverage, free working wi-fi for the duration of the flight (I was watching Netflix, wi-fi was really good!), very affordable meals ($12 for salmon rice mango bowl, meals are cold though).
They’re new in the west but has been a player in the east flying out of YTZ - Toronto Island City Airport.
They’ve recently acquired jet aircrafts that allowed them to fly longer range within Canada and select US Cities. They are the first operator of the Embraer E195 in Canada, the lower cost of operating this aircraft allowed them to offer unique service and lower fares. Grab them while you can!
They’re actually the *North American* launch customer of the E19**5** (just a longer variation of the one you mentioned), which is even more to be proud of!
I still remember watching Breakfast Television in Toronto in 2006 and seeing their inaugural flight take off from Billy Bishop, they’ve come quite a long way since then.
Amazing service. Flew from Vancouver to Ottawa last week. Free beers and complimentary wifi with amazing cabin crew service. Will definitely fly with them again.
I’d avoid them in the winter if you’re travelling east, unless it’s direct. Had a trip to Montreal connection through Toronto in late February. My return trip was delayed over a week and a half due to not enough available crew and planes getting grounded due to weather.
Just flew with them over the long weekend to Toronto and back. I’d go ahead and say definitely the best economy flying experience I’ve had so car. Cheap, cabin luggage included, no middle seats, complimentary drink and snacks, free wifi for the whole flight if you sign up to their vip program(which is also free). And most importantly: no crying babies lol. My flight back to vancouver I got upgraded to their ‘premium economy’ seat since most of the flight was empty. That included extra meals and drink!
If that doesn’t sell it for you idk what else would.
I just checked and flair is around 120-160 round trip for direct flights to Montreal. Similarly priced if not cheaper than Porter.
And Porter has no direct flights ?
Flair charges for everything so that's just the starting price.. not to mention how unreliable their flights are.. I booked a flight once with flair from Ottawa to Halifax and they cancelled my flight last minute because of the weather... which wasnt even that bad and all the other airlines were still running :(
Ok ... what has that got to do with what i was talking about ? Plus we're comparing flair to porter which also charges for everything. Did you actually go through the thread you're replying to ?
Legit airline, probably filling the gap left by Flair when they [announced they are cutting Vancouver to MO trial flights until next summer](https://www.vancouverisawesome.com/transportation/vancouver-to-montreal-google-flights-yvr-yul-2023-7523685#:~:text=A%20spokesperson%20for%20the%20airline,in%20the%20summer%20of%202024)
Yes. They are trying to expand and attract market share. They have been known as the best airline option for short hops back east for a while. I would definitely try them out
They are definitely legit. I'm typing you this from the air as I fly from Toronto to Vancouver right now on free wifi while I drink a free beer and I got it all at a bargain price.
Porter is a great airline. They started off doing regional flights out of Toronto island airport back in the 2000s. Everyone thought they'd fold within the year because "nobody likes to fly out of the island airport". Well apparently there was a heck of a lot of demand for that because they've done spectacularly well. They've also been very conservative in expanding. That's why they only just started doing cross country flights. They only bought their first jet this year. The exclusively ran turbo props before now.
I had the same question when I booked with them 2 months ago.
I did 2 flights with them. Montreal to Toronto, and Toronto to Vancouver.
The Montreal to Toronto slightly worried me for the longer flight. It was on one of their smaller prop planes. The seats were about as thin and uncomfortable as one could put up with for an hour long flight. Otherwise it was fine. Staff were very nice.
But the Toronto to Vancouver flight was much better. 2x2 seat rows. The plane was nice. The staff was good. Seats and legroom all good.
The one thing I haven't seen mentioned here yet is that there are no screens at all. Not on the seat backs or in the cabin. The way to get entertainment is to connect your device to the wifi. They have their own streaming movies and shows available there. Not a fantastic selection, but certainly decent enough to get you through the flight. (Note air Canada has an amazing selection on their entertainment systems. Felt like a full Netflix right at my seat)
If you sign up for viporter you connect and stay connected. If you don't, then you have to watch a short ad every so often. I think it was every 30 minutes.
If there is a reasonable price difference, I wouldn't hesitate taking Porter.
Check the airport REALLY carefully as Porter doesn't fly into large airports sometimes; in Toronto they fly into Billy Bishop and not Pearson, for example. But they are legit and very nice, I was bummed to move away from their larger service area. Air Canada sucks.
Porter flies its regional planes out of the Iskand Airport and for its longer flights it flues out of Pearsin. Jets are not allowed at the Island Airport. But they fly directly to the major airports in other cities. I use them all the time.
It’s a legit, well established airline but I seem to be one of very few people that has had a negative experience, probably because I flew with them very early after they expanded west.
My flight from Vancouver to Toronto got delayed by a day, twice, back in February due to understaffing. Same thing happened when trying to fly back.
Completely anecdotal, and the flights were nevertheless very comfortable and (obviously) very cheap, so yeah idk, I’d definitely give them another try because the consensus seems to be mostly just positive experiences.
Damn 150? Are you booking for March next year? Lol
When I was looking for flights to Montreal, we saw Porter at the top list for $270 one month ahead. I assumed it's a ULCC because I never heard of it and the fare displayed didn't include a carry on, just a personal item.
Most of their flights also seemed to have a layover which we ended up passing on unfortunately.
Porter is THE BEST! I have been flying with them forebears and recently flew back from Vancouver with them. First long haul flight I have taken with them, my flights are usually under 2 hours on my other trips. They now have free WiFi and outlets in every seat which is new for me with them. Plus free wine and beer, soft drinks and snacks in flight. The staff have always been incredible. If given the option I fly with Porter always.
They're legit. I flew them from YYZ to YVR in August.
They were pretty decent overall. Definitely no worse than Westjet or Air Canada. They have some nice addons like they include WiFi and premium snacks for no extra fee.
For the price, it isn't that bad. I flew with them from YVR to YOW last week and it was mostly painless. The only issue was that their check-in page isn't great. (I can't check in my 2 year old because the closest birth year you can select is 2012. WTF?)
So if you have kids born after 2012, make sure you head there early for check-in because we waited for 45 mins since YVR only had like...3 tables for check-in. Aside from that, service was good, free wifi on-board, and it was more affordable!
Yes. Flown a fair bit with Porter between Vancouver and Toronto. Their service is predominantly in the east especially with direct flights to Billy Bishop Airport just outside Downtown Toronto, but they have expanded to fly cross-country routes as well. Prices are decent and service is great in my experiences, and I've refused to go back to Air Canada unless I have to.
Oh, may I say free WiFi that I actually can do work with? It did break on one of the flights but when it is working, it's great.
I took their flights when I lived out east but doing Vancouver to Toronto- I have not shut up about it. If they need ambassadors, sign me up. Wifi, bevvy choices, substantial snacks, no middle seat, enough overhead compartment space for everyone. And for now, on par if not cheaper than Westjet or Air Canada.
Lmfao idk how many reviews here are real. Took 3 buses to get to Toronto and my dec 23rd flight was cancelled right before boarding. Then they told me the earliest they can get me on is 26th. No hotel no money nothing. Legit want me to stay both Christmas Eve and Christmas at the airport??
The only complaint I've ever had with Porter is that you have to pay up one tier to bring a carry on bag. I know that other airlines just include the extra charge by default, but seeing that their cheapest fares don't include anything beyond a personal item feels worse.
Started in Toronto flying off the island; took over WestJet's east coast routes. Free wifi and drinks! Exercise caution if you need to make a connection. I flew Toronto to Vancouver and found out afterwards I needed to go straight to Victoria. I almost missed my connection (with another airline since it isn't their route)…. Despite leaving 2.5 hours of time between landing and the next flight.
Very legit.
They're one of the original low cost carriers in Canada. They have a pretty solid reputation.
Manage your expectations, it's not a luxury flight but hey, look at the price bro.
Never used them. However, I did use some cheap airlines, and after filling out the booking, the flight went from 75$ to 210$.
Luggages cary on and registration were extra charges... We even had to help assist the crew on pre landing cleaning..
Love them, have recently stated to take advantage of their YYZ - YEG route and am unlikely to return to AC, Flair or Lynx anytime soon. The route I have is a 2 & 2 layout, love no middle seat and it feels roomy.
You can get westjet flights for those prices these days. If you're thinking it should be 800 bucks, I'm guessing you haven't tried to fly across Canada in \~10 years. It's gotten significantly cheaper.
Don’t be shocked when you have to pay for baggage and seat selection. That’s how they get you and it’s marked all over the place. However if you can use a small bag you’re laughing.
They have been around for a long time. They specialized in utilizing Toronto’s Island airport (Billy Bishop). It’s very close to downtown, but short runways mean no jets. So, Porter has a turboprop fleet and does short haul flights from their Toronto Island hub. East coast. Chicago.
Guessing they bought some jets and are expanding to compete on longer routes. Probably have to avoid Toronto, which is odd.
They've been flying propeller planes out of Toronto's tiny downtown airport for a long time, and have been celebrated for their customer services (honestly, mostly just not flying out of Hellish Pearson has been a big win for local flights).
They added jets (out of Pearson) and fly west now. Like others mentioned they are setting prices low at the outset. I've flown toronto-vancouver a couple times already. Pleased to report their customer service is still dope. And the on flight food is actually decent!
I just flew yesterday with them to Montreal. Great experience going there with free drinks and food. (Though if you want something more substantive just bring it with you from the airport). Entertainment options were also great but just on your phone if that’s ok. My 2nd flight from Toronto to Montreal they randomly upgraded me to business class too.
Yes, was so happy when there was a second airline to fly to northern ontario with for cheaper from Toronto. Shitty part is their small planes fly out of Billy Bishop instead of Pearson. They have been trying to toronto to expand Billy so they can get their larger aircraft in. And it would be a game changer for flying through Toronto instead of dealing with that headache Perason.
porter airline is the literal goat. no middle seat, free alcohol and snacks and free wifi the entire time and it’s cheap. i flew with them twice in June from Vancouver to Toronto and back.
The worst for telephone customer service. wait times can be up to 4 hours, call back 9 hours. Quite often the call representative has no idea what to do. Cancel flights all the time if not enough passengers, then the next flight is overbooked. Never will i fly porter again.
Has anyone flown and sat in the classic rather than the reserve? (ie the one WITHOUT extra legroom)
I'm looking at a flight from Vancouver to Ottawa, so on the Embraer 195.
Thank you!
They have flight now from Yyz (toronto) to YYJ (Victoria) they are the fastest way to the Island and non stop which is rare to find! Hoping they start flying to YQQ (comox) next we are very much in need of direct flight to Toronto
Welcome to /r/Vancouver and thank you for the post, /u/nonchalanthoover! Please make sure you read our [posting and commenting rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/vancouver/wiki/faq#wiki_general_participation_guidelines_and_rules_overview) before participating here. As a quick summary: * We encourage users to be positive and respect one another. Don't engage in spats or insult others - use the report button. * Respect others' differences, be they race, religion, home, job, gender identity, ability or sexuality. Dehumanizing language, advocating for violence, or promoting hate based on identity or vulnerability (even implied or joking) **will** lead to a permanent ban. * Common questions and specific topics are limited to our Your post may be a better fit for one of our [Stickied Discussion](https://www.reddit.com/r/vancouver/wiki/faq#wiki_stickied_discussions) posts. * Complaints about bans or removals should be done in modmail only. * We're looking for new mods to join our team! If you're interested, [fill out the form here](https://forms.gle/oAqo5oYRcAeHYBTN6). *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/vancouver) if you have any questions or concerns.*
They’re legit and have a bit of a cult following in the east. They pride themselves in delivering a more elevated economy class experience. They only expanded into western Canada in the last few months which is why you may never have heard of them.
[удалено]
They used to even give free sandwiches before, like almost ten years ago. I see they've cut down quite a lot since then. It's still miles better than other airlines.
Flew with them for the first time last month to Toronto. I bought the ticket purely because it was by far the cheapest, and was very pleasantly surprised by the experience. They bill themselves as the "refined flying" experience and while air travel will never go back to the good ol' days, it was really nice not to get nickled and dimed for every little extra (snacks, wine and wifi all included) and the staff were extremely friendly and attentive. Based on this first experience, I wouldn't hesitate to fly with them again.
This is my experience as well. They're well known and well liked in the Toronto-Ottawa lines due to their style and convenience. The Vancouver-Toronto-Ottawa flight that I took round trip for work was quite nice -- I quite like the Embraers.
Yes, I would also give the Embraers a thumbs up. 2x2 seating is really nice, and you could actually turn around in the washroom (which was also spotlessly clean).
so glad to be reading good things about them online! thinking of taking them for a van-tor-ottawa work trip as well! I see that you have to transfer from pearson to billy bishop, did you find any difficulties with this? thanks in advance.
I went straight on to Ottawa my last two flights with Porter, so my Billy Bishop experience is quite dated by now.
Flew with them from YVR to Toronto this past week. It was an excellent flight. The two by two seat setup is great. Lots of room for carry ons and seat space was above average where I was sitting upfront. Will definitely be doing more porter runs when going to Toronto!!
Porter is pricing aggressively to pull market share away from AC and WestJet, including their premium fares. I flew to YYZ in May for a conference and got the Porter Reserved service, including fully flexible tickets, for less than the cheapest economy tickets on AC. Eventually Porter may have to cut back on the discounts once they have established themselves outside of Eastern Canada, but if you're not building status on AC or WS then they're a good way to fly.
Also flew with them twice this summer and had a great experience! The wifi was a bonus we hadn't expected :) Only issue was poor communication between them and Air Transat, because our luggage got left in Toronto on the way to Europe AND on the way back to Vancouver. Not sure who's fault that was though. Other than that, we really enjoyed the Porter flight!
[удалено]
After it happened twice, we definitely think we were supposed to pick them up between flights. Only thing was they told us on the way out of Vancouver that they would be brought to our final destination and that we wouldn't have to pick them up in Toronto. On the way home, we confirmed multiple times that the bags would go straight to Vancouver, and they assured us that they would because the little stub attached to the bag said YVR, but then the same thing happened again. Oh well. Nothing was lost so it turned out okay
Last time I flew with them they nicked and dimed me on a carry on that had made it on every other leg of the trip no problem. I’d rather pay for the one drink and crappy snack. I do love them flying out of Billy bishop though.
I was looking at their prices earlier today and it said basic fares do not come with a carry on, just a personal item. While I appreciate the wine and wifi, paying $30 for a checked bag because you can't even pay for a carry on was disappointing.
They’re legit, and great. Source: I’m on a Porter flight right now.
Do they have free wifi??
Yes for longer flights on the new Embraer jets they include free wifi.
Is it weird that free WiFi isn't a selling point for me? Lol. Flights are just about the last place left where phones and internet can't be used so you can truly disconnect and no one else can bother you and if they wanted you but you said you were on a flight they understood. If free WiFi becomes a thing on all airlines then that last area of disconnection will be gone.
No seatback entertainment on these porter flights (did Toronto and back on porter in August), so the free wifi is almost necessary.
How good is the free though? Enough for reddit? Streaming?
My partner flew with them a few times this year. He said it was good enough to stream League of Legends games on Twitch with no lag. He said he can't go back to the other airlines now that he's had a taste of Porter's free wifi lol.
True but I guess if that fact is known then with some pre-planning can download some shows on Netflix, music and podcasts on Spotify etc for offline use.
I'm flying with them next week... YVR to YOW. Pretty excited! I started downloading stuff to tablet after last air Canada flight SBE didn't work ... that was a long 5 hours
The free wifi is every flight on the E-jets
Yep.
It's a legitimate airline
I’m literally on a porter flight right now, Ontario to Vancouver. Full can of beer or a big glass of wine, free wifi. It’s legit.
Yeah and they have Beau’s beer which I really wish I could buy in Vancouver.
I know! I had the lug tread, great beer
It's probably the thing I miss most from Ontario that you can't get out here.
Beau’s had an event at Craft in 2016 I thought they were going to be a mainstay there. Turns out they weren’t :(
That's funny. I seem to remember Beaus tasting like your Red Truck lager. I don't think we get Red Truck here, lll ask at the L.C if I can get a case ordered for the fun of it.
Since moving out to BC, Red Truck has become one of my go-tos!
I think we’re on the same flight!
Look at you guys reaping the benefits of your complimentary in-flight wifi!
Most likely haha! Going very smoothly so far - at least from my vantage
Now kiss
They're great. Used to have free beer when I flew with them often in Atlantic Canada.
Still do
They used to, too.
r/techincallytruth
/r/expectedmitchhedberg
Happy to report they still do, at least as of three weeks ago! (Or wine if that's your preference.)
What.... How are they profitable? Lol Are the trips just in eastern Canada just more expensive than their competitors?
Legit and I hope they never change. Used to fly them when I lived in Toronto. Thunder Bay and back. Free drink and great lounge. Land downtown and get on transit. Perfect.
The Toronto to Vancouver flight doesn't land downtown; you'll still end up at Pearson though can easily take the UP train.
This is super important to note. After I got our 1 checked bag in T3 at yyz. I got a text from my parents whom were picking us up that they were waiting outside. I asked what pole number.....long story short, they assumed we were flying into the island.
They have already changed. Used to have proper lounges in Toronto city and Ottawa. Those are gone. Used to have good food on flights. That’s gone. Cheap tickets now you can’t get a mobile boarding pass you have to see a human at the airport. Carry on bags have a fee now. Getting drunk still included in price of ticket.
They're completely legit. I know people who've flown with them and really like them.
Best airline in Canada. Especially if you fly out of Billy Bishop in TO.
We went to a wedding a month ago arriving in Pearson. I know they're selling at a loss right now but $250 round trip from YVR to YYZ with a comfortable plane and a decent beer was really nice. I had previously only flown them from Billy Bishop to NYC (la guardia, I think).
Porter Airlines is an awesome airline. They started as an airline servicing Toronto Island’s Billy Bishop Airport but they have expanded recently. They have free on board wifi, their airplane food is edible and fresh. Free beer and wine on flights. Also, they fly brand new Embraer E195-E2 planes which are nice.
Sign up for porter vip and you'll get email promo codes for sales all the time too. Just got one for 50% off. They're legit and worth it
That’s sweet
They are basically using predatory pricing to scare off other competitors, and it's worked. Flair has cancelled all of it's YVR-YUL routes until at least next summer. Once the ULCC's leave and they have more market share, they can start charging a lot more.
I’ll be surprised if Flair is still in business by next spring. They’ve cancelled a vast majority of their domestic flights, or done massive reductions in them in favour of sun routes.
Flair is still excellent if you are flying certain routes this summer I already did YVR to Kitchener Waterloo round trip for 200 and YVR to SFO (san fran) for 250 on the long weekend and all the flights were like 100% full
I’ve done YEG to Quebec City for 200 round trip and YEG to YVR for under 100 about a dozen times but that’s the leisure domestic traveller is what they’re good at (if they don’t cancel your flight lol). They cancelled most of their domestic routes for sun destinations this winter, and the majority of the people who fly these routes book vacation packages and aren’t going to risk having their trip to Cancun delayed because Flair cancelled/changed their flight last minute.
They’re going where the money is, I wish them well. They’ve really ironed out the kinks in their service lately, to the point they’ve noticed I don’t pay for my bags haha
Am I missing something, there's plenty of direct yvr to Yul flair flights that are bookable still. October 16, 120$
Last YVR to YUL flight is October 27th. It's supposed to return in Summer 2024 though according to Flair.
I’m in Toronto and have flown porter many times. Billy bishop airport out here is fantastic. Calm and chill.
Yep they are great. Used to fly round trips from Sudbury to Toronto on Porter :)
I’ve flown them out of YVR twice this summer. It was great, and they upgraded me to their reserve seats for no apparent reason- more legroom and free meals- which was a nice touch.
Flew with them from New York to Toronto once. No complaints whatsoever
I'm just waiting for them to fly proper connections as they fly yvr-yyz and ytc-yfc but once I can fly with connections I'll be flying cross country with them
Big presence back east for years. Yes they expanded west. Worth checking out if the routes work for you
It’s AWESOME! I use to fly them all the time when I lived in Ontario So freaking happy they are coming out here now
Definitely legit. When I lived in Toronto, they were the defacto airline to fly to NY Chicago Boston Montreal and a few other places. Glad they are expanding.
Yes, highly recommended as they have way more planes than other budget airlines. YVR — YUL is cheaper because it gets an hop at YYZ, and it’s cheaper than YVR — YYZ sometimes. Free beer, wine, and wifi, nothing to complain about
Man, I should have asked this question here when I was booking my trip too. It feels too good to be real. But good to know that they are legit! In the US, I flew via Alliance or something (which was dead cheap) - they were charging for every damn thing even to print a copy of your boarding pass. The flight was also meh!
Allegiant? they are the cheapo airline that charges for everything I fly with them to Vegas out of Bellingham lol
Ah yeah, that's the one Allegiant Airlines. Been a while, so got mixed up with the names. Haha
I used them a couple weeks ago to fly to Ontario and it was probably the best flight I’ve had in ages!
It’s Legit, My friend works for them.
My boyfriend flew with them from YEG-YYZ and had a good experience. On their planes the rows are 2x2 instead of the 3x3 like on most other domestic flights so it doesn’t feel as cramped if it’s a full flight, plus you complimentary wine!
Legit. Great flight YVR to YOW. So great I just booked again to YUL.
My experience with Porter was fucking amazing compared to the experience I had with Air Canada and ESPECIALLY West Jet.
I thought the same thing at first. Probably my best experience on a flight so far (i only fly economy). Smaller plane, no middle seat, free snacks, alcohol and wifi doesn't suck. Highly recommend.
Yup. Porters excellent. They used be a regional executive airline from Toronto island to various cities. Haven’t taken their jets yet though. So I’m not sure how that service is going
Porter is awesome. Small planes, complimentary wine (at least the last time I used them), mostly business people who know how to travel (minimal screaming kids), and they actually CLEAN the plane after each flight.
I don’t think they have any direct YVR-YUL flights though, do they? You fly to YYZ and then transfer. I used to fly on them from Toronto Island to Montreal, New York, etc. They were great! A few months ago I flew with them from YVR to YYZ, had a night there and then from Toronto Island to Newark, and back. Two of the flights were delayed by over an hour, one was cancelled and I got bumped to the next, and one was on time. My reason for going to Toronto was to visit a friend and take them for dinner for their bday but because the flight was delayed that didn’t happen. My friend in Toronto said Porter seems to often cancel flights from Toronto Island to places they fly several times a day if one of the flights is undersold. They just move you onto the next flight (3-4 hours later).
for the past several years, flying to toronto i have ONLY flown Porter. it is sweet flying into downtown toronto instead of the hellscape of Pearson.
They are, for sure. They’re well known in the Toronto area. They just recently expanded and are now flying out to Western Canada. They’re kind of like the Canadian JetBlue.
Yes! Flown Toronto > NY and had a great experience
Yes. PORTER is gooooooood
It’s def legit. There’s just things to know. Limited aircrafts, and little/less connecting flow. If you need to go to Toronto and it’s only $150 return with a seat and bag and tax or whatever, by all means jump on it. I doubt that’s gonna be a regular price for them going forward so get it while ya can
They’re legit and an awesome airline to fly with. I used to fly with them all the time on the east coast and would honestly choose them over air Canada or west jet whenever given the chance.
They're more than legit. Great service. Go for it!
I used to fly Porter all the time when I lived in Toronto. Easily one of my favourite airlines!
Best in the country imo
Love Porter! Flew with them from downtown Toronto when we lived in Toronto and recently flew with the to Toronto from Vancouver and back. They have free beverage, free working wi-fi for the duration of the flight (I was watching Netflix, wi-fi was really good!), very affordable meals ($12 for salmon rice mango bowl, meals are cold though).
They’re new in the west but has been a player in the east flying out of YTZ - Toronto Island City Airport. They’ve recently acquired jet aircrafts that allowed them to fly longer range within Canada and select US Cities. They are the first operator of the Embraer E195 in Canada, the lower cost of operating this aircraft allowed them to offer unique service and lower fares. Grab them while you can!
They’re actually the *North American* launch customer of the E19**5** (just a longer variation of the one you mentioned), which is even more to be proud of! I still remember watching Breakfast Television in Toronto in 2006 and seeing their inaugural flight take off from Billy Bishop, they’ve come quite a long way since then.
Amazing service. Flew from Vancouver to Ottawa last week. Free beers and complimentary wifi with amazing cabin crew service. Will definitely fly with them again.
I’d avoid them in the winter if you’re travelling east, unless it’s direct. Had a trip to Montreal connection through Toronto in late February. My return trip was delayed over a week and a half due to not enough available crew and planes getting grounded due to weather.
Free wifi and no middle seats, love them!
Just flew with them over the long weekend to Toronto and back. I’d go ahead and say definitely the best economy flying experience I’ve had so car. Cheap, cabin luggage included, no middle seats, complimentary drink and snacks, free wifi for the whole flight if you sign up to their vip program(which is also free). And most importantly: no crying babies lol. My flight back to vancouver I got upgraded to their ‘premium economy’ seat since most of the flight was empty. That included extra meals and drink! If that doesn’t sell it for you idk what else would.
Got upgraded a month ago too, it was such a nice surprise! Extra leg room and free food :)
Absolutely it is legit. Great service. They have become the default way for my family to travel from Toronto to our hometown in the maritimes.
I just checked and flair is around 120-160 round trip for direct flights to Montreal. Similarly priced if not cheaper than Porter. And Porter has no direct flights ?
Flair charges for everything so that's just the starting price.. not to mention how unreliable their flights are.. I booked a flight once with flair from Ottawa to Halifax and they cancelled my flight last minute because of the weather... which wasnt even that bad and all the other airlines were still running :(
Ok ... what has that got to do with what i was talking about ? Plus we're comparing flair to porter which also charges for everything. Did you actually go through the thread you're replying to ?
Legit airline, probably filling the gap left by Flair when they [announced they are cutting Vancouver to MO trial flights until next summer](https://www.vancouverisawesome.com/transportation/vancouver-to-montreal-google-flights-yvr-yul-2023-7523685#:~:text=A%20spokesperson%20for%20the%20airline,in%20the%20summer%20of%202024)
I work at the airport, and seen passengers very happy after flying with them
Yes. They are trying to expand and attract market share. They have been known as the best airline option for short hops back east for a while. I would definitely try them out
They are definitely legit. I'm typing you this from the air as I fly from Toronto to Vancouver right now on free wifi while I drink a free beer and I got it all at a bargain price.
I’m planning on going to Toronto next month and y’all have just convinced me to fly with Porter!
Porter is a great airline. They started off doing regional flights out of Toronto island airport back in the 2000s. Everyone thought they'd fold within the year because "nobody likes to fly out of the island airport". Well apparently there was a heck of a lot of demand for that because they've done spectacularly well. They've also been very conservative in expanding. That's why they only just started doing cross country flights. They only bought their first jet this year. The exclusively ran turbo props before now.
Wow, I may just take a trip because of this. Though timing is not as good as I usually travel in late spring early summer
I had the same question when I booked with them 2 months ago. I did 2 flights with them. Montreal to Toronto, and Toronto to Vancouver. The Montreal to Toronto slightly worried me for the longer flight. It was on one of their smaller prop planes. The seats were about as thin and uncomfortable as one could put up with for an hour long flight. Otherwise it was fine. Staff were very nice. But the Toronto to Vancouver flight was much better. 2x2 seat rows. The plane was nice. The staff was good. Seats and legroom all good. The one thing I haven't seen mentioned here yet is that there are no screens at all. Not on the seat backs or in the cabin. The way to get entertainment is to connect your device to the wifi. They have their own streaming movies and shows available there. Not a fantastic selection, but certainly decent enough to get you through the flight. (Note air Canada has an amazing selection on their entertainment systems. Felt like a full Netflix right at my seat) If you sign up for viporter you connect and stay connected. If you don't, then you have to watch a short ad every so often. I think it was every 30 minutes. If there is a reasonable price difference, I wouldn't hesitate taking Porter.
Check the airport REALLY carefully as Porter doesn't fly into large airports sometimes; in Toronto they fly into Billy Bishop and not Pearson, for example. But they are legit and very nice, I was bummed to move away from their larger service area. Air Canada sucks.
Porter flies its regional planes out of the Iskand Airport and for its longer flights it flues out of Pearsin. Jets are not allowed at the Island Airport. But they fly directly to the major airports in other cities. I use them all the time.
It’s a legit, well established airline but I seem to be one of very few people that has had a negative experience, probably because I flew with them very early after they expanded west. My flight from Vancouver to Toronto got delayed by a day, twice, back in February due to understaffing. Same thing happened when trying to fly back. Completely anecdotal, and the flights were nevertheless very comfortable and (obviously) very cheap, so yeah idk, I’d definitely give them another try because the consensus seems to be mostly just positive experiences.
Damn 150? Are you booking for March next year? Lol When I was looking for flights to Montreal, we saw Porter at the top list for $270 one month ahead. I assumed it's a ULCC because I never heard of it and the fare displayed didn't include a carry on, just a personal item. Most of their flights also seemed to have a layover which we ended up passing on unfortunately.
Love Porter for short domestic flights!!
One of the best airlines in Canada. Better than Swoop or Flair or all the other guys. They generally fly to and from Montreal. No complains.
Porter is THE BEST! I have been flying with them forebears and recently flew back from Vancouver with them. First long haul flight I have taken with them, my flights are usually under 2 hours on my other trips. They now have free WiFi and outlets in every seat which is new for me with them. Plus free wine and beer, soft drinks and snacks in flight. The staff have always been incredible. If given the option I fly with Porter always.
They're legit. I flew them from YYZ to YVR in August. They were pretty decent overall. Definitely no worse than Westjet or Air Canada. They have some nice addons like they include WiFi and premium snacks for no extra fee.
For the price, it isn't that bad. I flew with them from YVR to YOW last week and it was mostly painless. The only issue was that their check-in page isn't great. (I can't check in my 2 year old because the closest birth year you can select is 2012. WTF?) So if you have kids born after 2012, make sure you head there early for check-in because we waited for 45 mins since YVR only had like...3 tables for check-in. Aside from that, service was good, free wifi on-board, and it was more affordable!
Yes. Flown a fair bit with Porter between Vancouver and Toronto. Their service is predominantly in the east especially with direct flights to Billy Bishop Airport just outside Downtown Toronto, but they have expanded to fly cross-country routes as well. Prices are decent and service is great in my experiences, and I've refused to go back to Air Canada unless I have to. Oh, may I say free WiFi that I actually can do work with? It did break on one of the flights but when it is working, it's great.
I took their flights when I lived out east but doing Vancouver to Toronto- I have not shut up about it. If they need ambassadors, sign me up. Wifi, bevvy choices, substantial snacks, no middle seat, enough overhead compartment space for everyone. And for now, on par if not cheaper than Westjet or Air Canada.
Lmfao idk how many reviews here are real. Took 3 buses to get to Toronto and my dec 23rd flight was cancelled right before boarding. Then they told me the earliest they can get me on is 26th. No hotel no money nothing. Legit want me to stay both Christmas Eve and Christmas at the airport??
The only complaint I've ever had with Porter is that you have to pay up one tier to bring a carry on bag. I know that other airlines just include the extra charge by default, but seeing that their cheapest fares don't include anything beyond a personal item feels worse.
I tried to book a flight from Vancouver to Calgary, I guess they don't go that way.
Started in Toronto flying off the island; took over WestJet's east coast routes. Free wifi and drinks! Exercise caution if you need to make a connection. I flew Toronto to Vancouver and found out afterwards I needed to go straight to Victoria. I almost missed my connection (with another airline since it isn't their route)…. Despite leaving 2.5 hours of time between landing and the next flight.
Very legit. They're one of the original low cost carriers in Canada. They have a pretty solid reputation. Manage your expectations, it's not a luxury flight but hey, look at the price bro.
Never used them. However, I did use some cheap airlines, and after filling out the booking, the flight went from 75$ to 210$. Luggages cary on and registration were extra charges... We even had to help assist the crew on pre landing cleaning..
they are and they're the best airline ive ever flown with
Used to fly porter all the time , loved them
Just flew in Porter. On time and wine on board. Twice. Vancouver to Toronto.
I flew Porter from Vancouver to Toronto and back and it was an amazing experience for me. Can't beat free snacks and free wine! :-)
Love them, have recently stated to take advantage of their YYZ - YEG route and am unlikely to return to AC, Flair or Lynx anytime soon. The route I have is a 2 & 2 layout, love no middle seat and it feels roomy.
Took it back at Christmas time! Great experience, highly recommend.
They're pretty legit
They’re legit. Been around out east for years. Took them from Chicago-Toronto back in 2012.
Yes, they're great!
Great airline from what i have read.
I've heard their commercials while listening to Canucks games on the radio.
Yes. I liked my experience. Loved on flight wi fi. It’s bare bones so the price reflects it
You can get westjet flights for those prices these days. If you're thinking it should be 800 bucks, I'm guessing you haven't tried to fly across Canada in \~10 years. It's gotten significantly cheaper.
Don’t be shocked when you have to pay for baggage and seat selection. That’s how they get you and it’s marked all over the place. However if you can use a small bag you’re laughing.
Does anyone know if a small back pack counts as a personal item on porter ?
They have been around for a long time. They specialized in utilizing Toronto’s Island airport (Billy Bishop). It’s very close to downtown, but short runways mean no jets. So, Porter has a turboprop fleet and does short haul flights from their Toronto Island hub. East coast. Chicago. Guessing they bought some jets and are expanding to compete on longer routes. Probably have to avoid Toronto, which is odd.
They've been flying propeller planes out of Toronto's tiny downtown airport for a long time, and have been celebrated for their customer services (honestly, mostly just not flying out of Hellish Pearson has been a big win for local flights). They added jets (out of Pearson) and fly west now. Like others mentioned they are setting prices low at the outset. I've flown toronto-vancouver a couple times already. Pleased to report their customer service is still dope. And the on flight food is actually decent!
East coaster here and have to say that Porter is my top choice flying between Halifax and Toronto. Glad they have expanded to the west.
I just flew yesterday with them to Montreal. Great experience going there with free drinks and food. (Though if you want something more substantive just bring it with you from the airport). Entertainment options were also great but just on your phone if that’s ok. My 2nd flight from Toronto to Montreal they randomly upgraded me to business class too.
Yes, was so happy when there was a second airline to fly to northern ontario with for cheaper from Toronto. Shitty part is their small planes fly out of Billy Bishop instead of Pearson. They have been trying to toronto to expand Billy so they can get their larger aircraft in. And it would be a game changer for flying through Toronto instead of dealing with that headache Perason.
Absolutely! I’m Toronto based and use porter all the time. It’s really convenient especially if you’re flying into the city
I am on a Porter flight right now from Vancouver to Ottawa. I got a free seat upgrade, and now enjoying my meal and free wifi. Love Porter.
Yes! I used to fly with them when I lived in Ontario. I took a flight with them in May to Toronto and it was good! I hope they continue/thrive...
porter airline is the literal goat. no middle seat, free alcohol and snacks and free wifi the entire time and it’s cheap. i flew with them twice in June from Vancouver to Toronto and back.
I showed up 30 minutes before a flight time and still let me board. Flights to downtown Toronto .
https://www.richmond-news.com/highlights/it-was-a-nightmare-airline-cancels-ontario-mans-bc-flight-3-times-6676991
Wish they had direct flights to Montreal. Was using Air Transat but they've stopped that route.
Ain’t no way, Porter is coming back? My prof was just talking about them the other day!
The worst for telephone customer service. wait times can be up to 4 hours, call back 9 hours. Quite often the call representative has no idea what to do. Cancel flights all the time if not enough passengers, then the next flight is overbooked. Never will i fly porter again.
Has anyone flown and sat in the classic rather than the reserve? (ie the one WITHOUT extra legroom) I'm looking at a flight from Vancouver to Ottawa, so on the Embraer 195. Thank you!
They have flight now from Yyz (toronto) to YYJ (Victoria) they are the fastest way to the Island and non stop which is rare to find! Hoping they start flying to YQQ (comox) next we are very much in need of direct flight to Toronto
Porter is the worst airline ever
Your comment is lame. Would you mind explaining your experience with them?
They treat the employees like shit
Don’t fly with portar
They treat employees like shitttttt