Porter Airlines expands with free Wi-Fi and new routes
This is a special feature from the April 2026 AIX Hamburg issue of PAX Tech, on page 24.
Porter provides gate-to-gate, unlimited hi-speed connectivity free to all passengers
Over the past 19 years, Porter Airlines has built a reputation for passenger-first innovation—from free beer and wine to gate-to-gate connectivity.
The arrival of the E195-E2 aircraft—Porter received its 50th in December 2025—is accelerating those efforts as the airline expands its network beyond Canada and the United States for the first time, with flights to Mexico, the Caribbean and Central America.
Julian Low, Vice President, Corporate Development at Porter Airlines, says that when Porter launched the E195-E2 in 2023, the goal was to elevate the Economy travel experience.
“We wanted people to feel good about flying,” he says. “An important part of the offering was Wi-Fi. People expect access to the internet everywhere they go—we felt being on an airplane was no different.”
Porter provides gate-to-gate, unlimited hi-speed connectivity free to all passengers, making it the first airline in Canada to do so.
“Which comes with some risk,” Low admits, adding that the airline felt strongly that the industry needed to evolve in that direction—and Porter was “happy to lead the charge.”
The airline’s inflight entertainment and connectivity service is delivered by Viasat, providing speeds of around 12 Mbps. VIPorter loyalty program members can access uninterrupted reliable Wi-Fi for the entire flight after watching a 30-second advert. This makes up approximately 65 to 75 percent of its Wi-Fi users, Low reveals. Non-VIPorter members can watch an advert every 30 minutes to gain access.
Julian Low, Vice President, Corporate Development, Porter Airlines
“This has been an excellent driver of loyalty engagement,” Low says. “Our data suggests that passengers prefer to interact with their own content and not to be limited by content curated by airlines; many connect multiple devices at a time.”
He notes that the rise of streaming platforms is also changing inflight entertainment habits, as passengers increasingly rely on personal electronic devices to access the latest movies and shows.
Low says Porter passengers are consuming significant amounts of data. In February, the airline recorded an average of approximately 58 GB of data usage per flight, with streaming services such as Netflix and Amazon Prime accounting for the largest share, followed by web browsing.
“Our passenger satisfaction scores are some of the highest in the industry and we receive a lot of positive feedback on the reliability of the product,” Low says. “Passengers are not limited by bandwidth and there are no barriers to staying connected to home or the office during flight, and we are proud to provide our passengers with that level of comfort.”
