Porter builds momentum with new routes and regional growth
Porter Airlines CEO Michael Deluce (left) and PAX International Managing Editor Jane Hobson in Toronto, Canada on May 28, 2025
PAX International paid a visit to Porter Airlines this week to present the airline with its PAX Readership Award for Most Improved Airline North America. This marks the airline’s second consecutive win for this award, which CEO Michael Deluce says validates the airline’s vision.
“It is a tremendous achievement for our entire team. We have spent nearly 20 years redefining Economy air travel, and over the past two to three years, we have significantly expanded our elevated Economy offering across North America. It has been a rapid journey, but incredibly gratifying to see the recognition our product is receiving. We believe it is the best Economy experience in North America—and our customer satisfaction and Net Promoter Scores clearly support that,” he tells PAX International.
Expansion in every direction
In the last few years, Porter’s mission has been expansion. The airline has not only expanded its network and frequency across Canada and the United States but is also launching services from John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport (YHM) in Hamilton, Canada next week.
Located on the western tip of Lake Ontario, about one hour from the Niagara Falls border, Deluce says YHM is uniquely positioned as 1.5 million Ontarians live closer to Hamilton Airport than any other.
“It has a very attractive catchment area if served correctly. We are very excited about that launching next week.”
Vancouver and Halifax kick off the route network on June 3, with western cities Calgary and Edmonton to follow shortly after.
“Sales have been very strong—strong enough that before we even start, we launched a second flight to Vancouver from Hamilton which will start at the end of June,” Deluce says happily.
Porter is working in partnership with TradePort, the owner of Hamilton Airport. The airport announced significant terminal upgrades have been completed, including an updated exterior with canopies to improve curbside flow; refreshed interiors from check-in counters and passenger screening areas to departures lounge seating and baggage claim, modernizing the terminal experience; integration of new architectural elements and finishes inspired by the region’s natural geography; and new digital signage and lighting upgrades, enhancing navigation and overall ambiance.
Deluce says bridge gates will also be installed for winter, a welcome update for Hamilton Airport.
“The look and feel of the airport will be completely different,” he says.
On May 1, Porter launched its service between Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) and LaGuardia Airport (LGA). Three daily flights to LGA operated by Porter’s Embraer E195 E2 fleet marks the airline’s expansion into the second major airport in that marketplace.
Porter has served New York through Newark (EWR) since 2008 with up to 13 daily flights and has since expanded the Newark offering to Ottawa with up to three daily flights. Montréal-Newark will launch on June 1 with two daily flights.
“We have long served the New York market and Newark has been a great airport for us,” Deluce says.
Meanwhile, farther east to the province of Quebec, the airline is making headway on the Montréal Metropolitan Airport (MET). The building is expected to be completed by the end of this year.
Located conveniently on Montréal’s South Shore, Deluce says the MET has a catchment area that is an easier drive for 50 percent of the population residing in Montréal. The airport will serve as a conveniently located city airport for Greater Montréal, similar to that of Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport (YTZ).
Built in collaboration with Porter Airlines and 50 percent partner Macquarie Asset Management, it features 226,000 square feet of surface area with nine bridge gates and capacity for four million travelers per annum.
“It will be as exciting for the Montréal marketplace as Billy Bishop was for Toronto 18 years ago,” Deluce says.
Anticipation of strong domestic demand
Statistics Canada reports this month that Canada-U.S. travel has dropped for the fourth consecutive month.
Deluce says that while Porter is seeing an overall reduction in demand, the airline is still on track to nearly double its U.S. traffic this year—albeit facing some headwinds from lower overall transborder travel.
“That is due to some of the challenges that Canada-U.S. has faced over the past few months. People are still traveling domestically and elsewhere,” Deluce says.
The summer is looking good for Porter.
Deluce tells PAX, “Domestic travel is always very busy during the summer. Whether it is western, eastern or central Canada, domestic travel is very strong. This year, even more so.”
To prepare for this, the airline has adjusted its summer schedule to be 80 percent domestic—an increase of five percent over its typical summer allocation.
New brews, positive reviews
Porter's complimentary drink offerings are a signature element of the onboard experience. The latest additions to its beverage lineup include beer from Moosehead Breweries and coffee from Café Saint-Henri.
“We always focus on high-quality Canadian brands wherever possible. Both of these changes have been well received by customers, especially those that fly frequently. These are two great brands to align with, and the feedback has been very positive," Deluce says.
Based in eastern Canada’s picturesque Saint John, New Brunswick, Moosehead Breweries is a historic, premium beer brand. Two beer options, served in 355 milliliter cans, are available onboard: Moosehead Canadian Lager and Cracked Canoe Premium Ultra-Light Lager.
From Montréal, Café Saint-Henri is renowned for its direct-to-source purchasing and expertise in premium coffee. Mr. Porter’s Blend was specially curated for the airline’s inflight service.
Rotating products also provide passengers with the opportunity to try Canadian products they may not otherwise try—all while supporting quality, local brands, Deluce adds.
Record-breaking partnership
Porter, BMO and Mastercard announced the launch of two new BMO VIPorter Mastercard credit cards at the end of March, creating the first and only travel credit card program in Canada that grants immediate frequent flyer benefits for cardholders in an airline’s loyalty program, while enabling accelerated travel rewards.
More than 30,000 people joined the pre-launch waitlist when the program was announced in January. Deluce tells PAX International that signups for the card have blown away every record that BMO has seen for any card it has issued before, signaling pent-up demand for it.
“The card allows passengers to earn faster and redeem easier than any other travel card in Canada. It has been exceedingly well received by customer credit card holders. This is one of the most exciting developments for us,” he says.
Porter’s position for the future
Porter Airlines has ordered up to 100 Embraer E195-E2 aircraft, which will be deployed from Toronto, Ottawa, Montréal, and Halifax to a growing list of destinations across North America in the coming years.
Deluce underscores the airline’s strategy for the future: focus on increasing the frequency of existing routes while steadily introducing new ones, all in an effort to build a strong, reliable schedule across North America. At the same time, Porter remains committed to offering a unique and differentiated Economy product.
“This is our laser focus that will take us to the latter part of this decade,” he concludes.
