Porter Airlines Celebrates 20 Years, with More Growth on the Horizon

Travel advisors, industry partners and Porter Airlines team members gathered at the Radisson Blu Hotel yesterday evening to celebrate the airline’s 20th anniversary. Overlooking Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport, where Porter’s inaugural flight departed for Ottawa on Oct. 23, 2006, it was a fitting location to reflect on just how far the airline has come.

For Edmond (Eddy) Eldebs, Porter’s senior vice-president and chief commercial officer, the occasion was particularly meaningful. Hired as a customer service representative just two days before that inaugural flight, he recalled the excitement, nervousness and uncertainty surrounding the launch of a new Canadian airline.

“At the time, starting a new airline generated a lot of skepticism,” he told guests. “I’m sure people in this room wondered why anyone would start an airline.”

But he added that skepticism may have worked in Porter’s favour.

“People underestimated how much people wanted a better experience,” he said, explaining that the airline spent the next two decades focusing on the little things that make flying more enjoyable.

Twenty years later, Porter has carried more than 49 million passengers, grown from 100 employees to more than 4,400 and become Canada’s third-largest airline.

And according to its executives, there’s plenty more growth ahead.

New Markets, New Opportunities

“There’s a lot to celebrate, for sure,” Porter president Kevin Jackson told Baxter Media at the event.

Since introducing its Embraer E195-E2 jets in 2023, Porter has nearly tripled its fleet, growing from 29 to 85 aircraft, including 56 jets and 29 Dash 8-400s. The airline now serves 33 destinations on 131 routes, with a network stretching across every Canadian province and into the U.S., Mexico, the Caribbean and Central America.

“We’ve expanded our network significantly over the last three years across North America,” said Eldebs, noting that Porter has added more than 90 routes during that period.

And there’s no sign of the airline slowing down. Porter has placed orders for up to 100 Embraer E195-E2 aircraft, with 56 already in service.

Much of the growth will focus on alternative urban centres, offering travellers more choices.

“When we launched the jet growth back in 2023, we started with the obvious large cities of Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal,” Jackson explained. “Now, it’s a lot of filling in some of those secondary markets.”

Hamilton’s network is expanding to 13 routes, while London, Ontario, will offer four sun destinations this winter. Next April, Porter plans to introduce five domestic routes from London, connecting the city with Ottawa, Montreal, Vancouver, Edmonton and Halifax.

The addition of Montréal Metropolitan Airport to Porter’s network is another part of that strategy. Jackson also sees opportunities for more routes connecting Western Canada with sun destinations.

Eldebs said Porter expects to grow by approximately 25 per cent this year and another 25 per cent next year.

What’s Driving Porter’s Growth?

Despite the exponential growth, Jackson believes Porter’s success comes down to its commitment to the passenger experience.

Complimentary beer and wine served in real glassware, premium snacks and no middle seats remain favourite features of the airline. But Jackson believes it’s more than these touches and says it’s the people behind the service who make the greatest difference.

“The customer says it best when they say what they love about Porter is they can tell how much the team members love their jobs,” he said.

Partnerships have also played an important role. Jackson highlighted the airline’s joint venture with Air Transat, along with expanding relationships with American Airlines and British Airways.

The Importance of Travel Advisors to Porter’s Success

“Travel agencies are very important to our distribution strategy,” Jackson told Baxter Media, noting that they account for almost 50 per cent of the airline’s passengers.

“When you are as new in so many markets as we are, travel agents are a really important way to introduce us to new people,” he said. “We value that partnership and we hope to make them proud.”

That sentiment was echoed by Eldebs, who thanked travel advisors for their role in helping Porter establish itself in new markets.

“All of you in this room have been trusted travel partners since our earliest days, and you’ve been critical in enabling Porter to grow these new markets,” he told attendees.

Among those celebrating were Elsa Pascolo and Jarron Francis of Montreal-based Encore Travel, a Canadian-owned travel management company that has worked with Porter since its early days.

Pascolo, who travelled from Florida for the occasion, appreciated meeting airline partners face-to-face and the opportunity to exchange ideas directly with senior executives.

“We love working with Porter because our values align,” she said. What she particularly values about Porter is that they listen to their travel partners and welcome new ideas.

For Pascolo and Francis, that ongoing dialogue is especially relevant as Porter expands into new markets, including Montréal Metropolitan Airport, which presents new opportunities for their Montreal-based business.

Cheers to 20 Years

Reflecting on Porter’s journey from a single route between Toronto and Ottawa to Canada’s third-largest airline, Eldebs reminded guests that the airline’s growth has had a positive impact on the wider travelling public.

“Travellers have benefited whether they travel with us or not,” he said. “That kind of competition hasn’t happened on its own. It happened because partners like you chose to support it.”

He then drew attention to the signature blue cocktail being served and offered a “Cheers!” to Porter’s 20th birthday.

And there was one more reason for guests to celebrate: a generous parting gift of two flight vouchers to anywhere Porter flies.

Top Photo Collage, credit Jennifer Merrick (Kevin Jackson photo) and Wendy McClung for the other photos

Photos with story credit Jennifer Merrick 

Second photo – Jennifer Merrick

Third photo – Jennifer Merrick

Fourth photo – Jennifer Merrick

Fifth photo – Jennifer Merrick