Located in downtown Toronto, Porter features easy, stylish short-haul flights across Canada and the U. , all with a signature Canadian touch. S.
Robert Deluce launched Porter Airlines in 2006 with a bold proposition: operate out of Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport on the Toronto Islands, just minutes from downtown, and offer a flying experience that made passengers feel valued rather than processed. The airline's first flight, from Toronto to Ottawa, marked the beginning of a carrier that would redefine short-haul air travel in Eastern Canada.
Porter's home base at Billy Bishop airport is its greatest differentiator. While most Canadian airlines funnel passengers through the sprawling terminals of Pearson International, Porter passengers walk from the ferry or pedestrian tunnel to the gate in minutes. The airline's signature lounge at Billy Bishop offers complimentary snacks, drinks, Wi-Fi, and newspapers to all passengers, regardless of fare class. This lounge experience, combined with the convenience of a downtown airport, created a loyal following among business travellers who fly the Toronto-Ottawa and Toronto-Montreal corridors regularly.
In 2023, Porter began a major expansion by adding Embraer E195-E2 jets to its fleet, enabling the airline to fly longer routes from Toronto Pearson, Halifax, Montreal, Ottawa, and other cities. This expansion brought Porter to destinations across Canada, the United States, the Caribbean, and Mexico. The move transformed Porter from a regional turboprop operator into a national carrier competing directly with Air Canada and WestJet on routes like Toronto to Vancouver, Calgary, and several U.S. sun destinations.
Porter has consistently differentiated itself through service details that larger carriers abandoned years ago. Complimentary beer, wine, and premium snacks are served on all flights. Passengers get genuine leather seats with extra legroom in economy. There are no middle seats on the De Havilland Dash 8 turboprops, and the E195-E2 jets feature a generous seat pitch. Headquartered in Toronto, Porter has won multiple Skytrax awards and has built a brand synonymous with civilized air travel at competitive prices.