What Flying with Porter Airlines Is Really Like: A Flight Test from Economy to the New Embraers

History and positioning

Founded in 2006 and based at Toronto's downtown airport, Toronto Billy Bishop, Porter Airlines has since 2022 expanded its network with Embraer E195-E2s operated from Toronto Pearson on longer-haul routes, while keeping its historic fleet of Dash 8 Q400s on the original regional routes: an expansion that has taken it from regional carrier to airline with national ambitions.

The fleet

Two aircraft families coexist in the fleet: the Dash 8 Q400 turboprops for the historic regional routes from Billy Bishop, and the new Embraer E195-E2s for the longer-haul routes from Toronto Pearson.

Routes and network

The network is still expanding, with fewer direct destinations than the big national carriers, but growing steadily since the launch of the E195-E2s.

Fares and baggage

Fares are higher than the low-cost average, while offering a superior product: it is not an ultra low-cost model based on widespread extra charges, but a mid-range product sold at a consistent price.

On board and service

On the new E195-E2s, Porter uses a 2-2 configuration with no middle seat, with Wi-Fi and snacks included and a selection of beer and wine free on board even in economy class: a choice that sets it clearly apart from other North American airlines in the same price range.

What passengers say

The comparison with traditional low-cost carriers almost always works in the airline's favor in reviews.

• Above-average cabin comfort on routes of this length, thanks to the absence of a middle seat.
• Onboard service with alcoholic drinks included, rare among non-premium North American carriers.
• The convenience of the Billy Bishop airport, close to downtown Toronto, on the historic regional routes.

• Delays concentrated at Billy Bishop on bad-weather days, given the airport's single runway.

Porter is an effective choice for anyone who wants more comfort than a traditional low-cost carrier without paying the price of a premium airline, especially on the new E195-E2s. Anyone who needs an extensive network with many direct destinations should still consider the larger carriers as well, because Porter is still expanding on many routes. If possible, it is better to book flights from Billy Bishop with an extra margin over tight connections, given the airport's dependence on a single runway in bad weather.