Celebrating 20 Years of Porter Airlines

TORONTO — Porter Airlines is celebrating its 20th birthday! During two decades of innovation and growth, the airline has reshaped Canada’s competitive aviation landscape by offering travellers a meaningful alternative and introducing a new standard of customer service.

Porter was initially established at Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport, where it continues to enhance regional connectivity across Eastern Canada and key U.S. destinations. This complements an expanding North American presence at key locations, such as Toronto-Pearson, Hamilton, London, Ottawa, Montreal and Halifax. By serving secondary airports in some of Canada’s most populated regions, Porter offers passengers more choice, flexibility, and convenience in selecting their flights and destinations closer to home.

The airline has seen tremendous growth in the past three years. In 2023, Porter moved beyond its regional roots, launching a transcontinental network based on its order for up to 100 Embraer E195-E2 aircraft. Fifty-six E2s are currently in service, complementing 29 De Havilland Dash 8-400s. Porter has been expanding its network, now serving 33 destinations and 131 routes across every Canadian province, the U.S., and sun destinations in Mexico, the Caribbean and Central America.

More than 49 million passengers have travelled with Porter over the last 20 years, while the airline has flown more than 784 million kilometers. In addition, passengers can travel even farther thanks to its robust network of airline partners, including joint venture partner Air Transat.

Throughout the last two decades Porter has been recognized globally for its refined approach to service, with awards such as Top 10 International Airline by both Travel + Leisure and Condé Nast Traveler magazines. It has also been chosen as Best Regional Airline in North America by Skytrax, Best Economy Class by the USA Today Readers’ Choice Awards, and among the Top 3 Regional Airlines in the World according to APEX and Skytrax.

“From the beginning, we set out to redefine economy travel and make flying something to look forward to. Every product and service detail is intentional—built around warm hospitality, elevated comfort, and appreciation for our passengers,” said Michael Deluce, CEO, Porter Airlines. “Two decades later, that relentless commitment has driven our evolution into Canada’s third-largest airline, while introducing sustained competition and establishing service standards not seen in years. None of this growth would be possible without our extraordinary team members. Their passion, resilience, and dedication can’t be matched. As we look to the future, we will continue building an airline that Canadians are proud to fly.”

Porter has set the standard for a more enjoyable travel experience for all passengers since its founding 20 years ago. It distinguished itself among North American airlines by offering an elevated economy service inclusive of no middle seats, free beer and wine served in glassware and complimentary premium snacks on every flight. Porter’s growth over the next several years will continue to disrupt the competition to the great benefit of travellers.

To recognize the 20th birthday, Porter recently introduced limited-edition merchandise, including The Little Things Blind Boxes (a series of mini collectibles), a Cabin Crewneck (in collaboration with Kuwalla Tee), as well as three distinct Porter items:

• Mr. Porter plushy (Porter’s beloved raccoon mascot)
• Embraer E195-E2 collectors model aircraft
• Commemorative baseball cap

The 20th Birthday Limited Edition Collection is now available exclusively on porter20.com, while quantities last.

There is a special giveaway for nearly four million VIPorter loyalty program members: 20 days of 20,000 points. Every day between Oct. 15 and Nov. 3, one VIPorter member will be awarded 20,000 VIPorter points. Canadian VIPorter members who have flown or redeemed points between October 1, 2025, and November 2, 2026, are automatically entered into the giveaway.

Celebrations have taken place throughout the week for team members, as well as at various airports to recognize the birthday. This includes a special birthday flight between Montreal Metropolitan (MET) and Vancouver International Airport (YVR), where passengers were greeted with birthday celebrations onboard, including decor, loot bags, and cake—a birthday party in the sky!

More information on Porter’s growth is available on the website.

Since 2006, Porter Airlines has been elevating the experience of economy air travel for every passenger, providing genuine hospitality with style, care and charm. Porter’s fleet of Embraer E195-E2 and De Havilland Dash 8-400 aircraft serves North America, including a coast-to-coast domestic Canadian network, the U.S., Mexico, the Caribbean and Central America. Headquartered in Toronto, Porter is an Official 4 Star Airline® in the World Airline Star Rating®. Visit www.flyporter.com or follow @porterairlines on Instagram, Facebook and X.

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