Summer is drawing to a close and if you're already plotting ways to escape the cold, Porter Airlines just announced some new routes to sunny destinations in the U.S.
In a press release on August 24, 2023, the Canadian airline announced it is launching several new routes to cities in Florida from both Toronto Pearson International Airport and Ottawa International Airport this fall.
Daily flights will be taking off from Pearson and Ottawa in November 2023 to Fort Lauderdale and Orlando. Pearson will also be getting daily Porter flights to Fort Myers, Miami and Tampa starting in November and December.
Unlike a lot of other airlines flying to Florida, you won't have to worry about getting stuck with the dreaded middle seat. Porter will be operating the new routes with their Embraer E195-E2 aircraft, which has a unique two-by-two configuration, for a more comfortable flight experience.
Passengers will have access to free WiFi, premium snacks and free wine and beer on the flight, regardless of what fare they've paid.
Travellers can also pay extra for things such as priority check-in, extra legroom seats, cocktails or meals on board.
“Canadians are used to flying to Florida, but not like this. Porter’s all-economy onboard service is unmatched by any other carrier in North America," said Kevin Jackson, executive vice president and chief commercial officer at Porter Airlines.
"Whether that’s free WiFi, no middle seats, free beer and wine alongside premium snacks, or fresh, healthy food, Porter is challenging the industry’s definition of economy air travel. We believe that time onboard our aircraft is just as important as at the destination.”
If you collect Aeroplan points, you’re in luck! The Air Canada rewards program could score you some travel perks with another Canadian airline.
Porter Airlines just announced it will be matching passengers' Aeroplan statuses with its own equivalent loyalty program, VIPorter, and it could lead to some big travel perks.
There are two ways for Aeroplan members to instantly receive Avid Traveller status with VIPorter for the rest of 2023. Passengers' statuses will be determined either with a "direct match based on status" or by the number of segments the passenger has flown this year.
Passengers with 25,000 or more Aeroplan points or five current-year flight segments will receive VIPorter Passport status.
Aeroplan members with eight current-year flight segments will receive VIPorter Venture status.
Those with 35,000 Aeroplan points or more or 17 current-year flight segments will receive VIPorter Ascent status.
Frequent fliers that have 50,000, 75,000 or Super Elite Aeroplan status or that have 28 current-year flight segments will reach VIPorter First status.
All you have to to do match your Aeroplan status with Porter's Avid Traveller status is sign up for a free VIPorter account and submit your Aeroplan details online by September 6, 2023, for your application to be assessed.
Depending on which VIPorter status you receive, you could get a ton of perks including anything from priority airport standby, a dedicated check-in desk, expedited security, early boarding for your flight, complimentary seat selection and checked baggage or more.
You'll also be able to start earning VIPorter points whenever you book flights which are redeemable for future flights.
In a statement, Kevin Jackson, executive vice president and chief commercial officer at Porter Airlines said: “This status match offer enables Aeroplan members to experience Porter’s uniquely generous approach to loyalty that recognizes 100 percent of every dollar spent with us."
If you want to maintain your VIPorter status for 2024, you'll need to reach a reduced spend threshold with Porter by the end of 2023 which stands at $500 for Passport, $750 for Venture, $1,500 for Ascent or $2,500 for First.
Full details on how to match your Aeroplan status with VIPorter are available on Porter's website.
These prices are confirmed at the time of publishing, but they can change at any time. Taxes and fees may not be included.
The opinions expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Narcity Media.
When it comes to Canadian airlines, there are plenty to choose from, and in recent years we've also seen the rise of budget airlines like Lynx, Flair, and Play.
Traditional carriers like Air Canada, the go-to airline for many Canadians, have been put to the test next to these cheaper options — leaving travellers wondering what's actually worth their money.
To help figure out what the best airline in Canada really is, we've put together a ranking system for Narcity employees to rate the carriers they've recently flown with.*
We asked our inside travellers to score the airlines across the following five categories, using a one-to-five scale: Food & Drink, Price, Cleanliness, Entertainment, and Customer Service. Each passenger also gave an overall score, rating their experience as a whole.
The result? An honest ranking of some of Canada's biggest, cheapest, and best airlines.
Of course, these ratings are subjective and are based on each individual traveller's own preferences and experiences. And, while some are willing to sacrifice the little luxuries to save money, others prefer to prioritize comfort over cost.
Food & Drink: 4/5 Okay, it's not a five-star meal, but considering it's plane food, I actually don't mind Air Canada's options. On a recent international flight, I was happily surprised digging into my omelette and bread. The airline also has some decent snacks to choose from, and healthier options too. I'm a somewhat picky eater, and have always been able to find something on board if I'm hungry.
I have noticed on recent domestic flights, the carrier didn't give out any complimentary snacks, which knocks it down a point in my books. On a six hour flight though, I could really use that little pack of pretzels.
Price: 3/5 Flying is wildly expensive, which is why so many people (including myself) are thrilled to see budget airlines popping up in Canada. Air Canada has taken a good chunk of my money over the years, with $2,000 Europe trip tickets and equally as expensive domestic ones.
Lately Air Canada has offered some cheaper routes (I took a recent trip from Vancouver to Halifax for only $350 round trip), but I still don't think it's reliably affordable by any means.
Cleanliness: 4/5 Air Canada is pretty standard when it comes to cleanliness, in my opinion. I'm not leaving the Lysol wipes behind or anything, but I've never been truly grossed out by something on their planes. That's a win in my books!
Entertainment: 5/5 I am actually a huge fan of Air Canada's movies selection, to the point that on my last trip I didn't even download anything to my phone. It has a good range of newer movies and some classics, as well as some solid TV show options too. I would go so far to say that it's the best in-flight entertainment I've experienced.
Customer service: 2/5 This is where the airline really falls short, I think. Dealing with Air Canada when I have to change my flight, or I get delayed, has risen my baseline cortisol levels. Employees are usually friendly and kind, but the company makes it really hard for them to actually help customers, in my experience.
I had a cancelled flight last year that left me stuck in Montreal, where I was connecting through. The cancellation was due to staffing issues and after waiting hours in line to get rebooked and a hotel voucher, I was left with no options aside from a flight 24 hours later. Unfortunately, this is a pretty common occurrence and not my only experience like this with this airline.
Average rating: 3.6/5 Air Canada is a go-to for many Canadians, and has been for a long time. Because of this, the airline has a level of reliability, so I still fly with Air Canada a lot. It's not without its issues though, and almost everyone I know has at least one Air Canada horror story to share.
Food & Drink - 5/5 Free wine and beer on every flight? That deserves a high score. Porter Airlines also have things you can buy on board, like wellness shots, snacks, and meals for longer flights. They have surprisingly healthy options on some of their flights too, which is a nice plus.
Price: 4/5In my experience, Porter kind of flys under the radar. It's not really top of mind for me, but when I'm looking for cheap flights it usually pops up on my search. You can get pretty affordable flights, and I find it a good cheap option for domestic trips. When I lived in Ottawa, I would often fly home to New Brunswick with the airline, and it usually had the cheapest flight options.
Cleanliness: 5/5 Every time I've flown with Porter I've been greeted with clean seats and a tidy area. Even the bathrooms are well kept on the planes in my experience, which is a rare perk.
Entertainment: 2/5 On some Porter planes you can get free Wi-Fi and it's possible to stream their library of movies and TV series. However, there are no devices on board to watch, so you'll have to use your own. This is somewhat inconvenient because you're not guaranteed it on every flight and if I'm having to watch on my phone — I might as well have downloaded something myself before flying.
Customer service: 4/5 I have dealt with delays and some long wait times with Porter, but the majority of my flights have been seamless. Plus, the flight attendants are always extremely friendly.
Average rating: 4/5 Porter is kind of an underdog in my books. It's definitely worth looking into for your next vacation. Even though it doesn't have a ton of flight routes, I've had great experiences and it's worth the negatives for the prices you can get.
Play Airlines
Food & Drink - 4/5 One of our Narcity Travel Creators, Katherine, was able to test out Canada's new low cost airline, Play, and was happy with all of the onboard treats. The menu had snacks, small hot bites, beverages, larger hot items, and alcohol — but all at a cost. Katherine did say that "the prices seemed pretty fair, with drinks like tea, coffee and soda for about 3 euros, snacks 3 to 5 euros, and 9 euros for sandwiches and pizza."
Price: 4/5Playlives up to its low-cost name, and although it has limited flight routes from Canada right now, tickets do come cheap. The airline flies from Toronto and can take passengers as far as Europe for less than $600 round trip. Like other budget airlines though, if you go for anything beyond the base fare, the price tag goes up, and you'll have to pay extra for things like seat selection, checked luggage and more.
Cleanliness: 5/5 Katherine was happy to find a clean and comfy plane, with no evidence of the passengers that came before her. "As someone who is typically grossed out by public surfaces, I felt really at ease on this flight," she added.
Entertainment: 0/5 A common theme across budget airlines is the lack of entertainment, unfortunately. On a long-haul flight, it's rough to not have any movie selection. There's also no Wi-Fi on board, so say goodbye to streaming, too. The airline does have power outlets though, so at least you can stay charged up.
Customer service: 5/5 Travelling can be a headache, to say the least, but the Play airline staff come highly rated. Katherine says they were "friendly and personable," as well as "very attentive during the flight, coming around multiple times to ask if anyone needed anything and promptly getting rid of garbage or cleaning up after serving food and beverages."
Average rating: 3.6/5This airline still snagged a great score despite it's lack of rom-coms on board (which are key to a good flight, of course). Katherine said that the friendly staff, cheap tickets, and overall positive experience made up for its drawbacks, and she would fly with them again.
Food & Drink - 3/5There are food and drink options on Swoop flights, but they do come at a price. Narcity team member Jackie Vandinther said that the airline's snack options had price tags that she thought were "way over for their value." While a bag of chips may cost you a pretty penny, she did say that the liquor prices seemed to be more standard.
Price: 4/5 The common warning for budget airlines remains true for Swoop — things can add up. While you're paying little up front, the add-ons for things like checked luggage can end up costing you a decent amount. Still though, Jackie says that her flight was cheap compared to the bigger airlines.
Cleanliness: 4/5 Going into an airplane bathroom is never an experience people look forward to, but Jackie said the cleanliness level on Swoop wasn't bad. Overall, she had no complaints.
Entertainment: 1/5 Charge up those devices, because Swoop doesn't have any onboard entertainment for you to enjoy.
Customer service: 3/5 Flying Swoop didn't come without its issues for Jackie. "On my last flight with Swoop from Winnipeg to Hamilton, I missed the check-in gate cutoff time by literally one minute. Agents had left their desks. And I was not able to board the flight. I had issues checking in online the night before, so I was really out of luck," she explained.
"I ended up having to rebook another flight the following day. I spent hours trying to reach customer service to rebook and finally got through to someone on the phone who ended up being able to refund the missed flight, which covered a portion of the new ticket I had to buy. It was a frustrating experience, but the customer service agent did end up somewhat resolving the issue, so it wasn't a total bust."
Average rating: 3/5 Sometimes cost comes before comfort. If you want a great deal and are willing to compromise on a few things, Swoop could be the airline for you. "However, the money you might save flying with them comes back in less support and protection than what you might receive by booking with a larger airline," Jackie warned.
Food & Drink - 0/5 With any budget airline you should tamper your expectations, but you don't even get the option of buying food with Lynx. Narcity Creator Charlie Hart has put Lynx to the test a few times and was left hungry by the lack of food options. She does add that the airline makes it clear prior to the flight that you can't get food on board, so just make sure to fill up ahead of time.
Price: 3/5 Charlie said that while the airline is cheap, she thinks it's still overpriced given the lack of food, entrainment, and comfort. "You have to pay extra for basically everything from bringing on a carry-on bag, checking luggage and priority boarding," she said.
That base fare price might be tempting, but Charlie warned travellers that these extras can quickly add up.
Cleanliness: 5/5 Luckily, the budget airline didn't fall short in this regard. "Every time I've flown Lynx, the planes have been pretty clean and tidy. I guess as they don't serve food and drinks, there isn't as much mess to start off with," Charlie said.
Entertainment: 0/5 Another zilch for Lynx. Most people have phones or tablets to download the latest season of Love Is Blind for some quality entertainment to pass the time, but having no other options can be rough. If you forget to download something, there's no in-flight entertainment here.
Another snag? Charlie said that the airline doesn't have anywhere to charge devices, which is "kind of annoying, especially on a longer flight if you're relying on your phone for entertainment."
Customer service: 3/5 Due to the lack of food on the flight, you actually have pretty limited interactions with Lynx crew while travelling with them. Charlie did add though that all the flight attendants were nice every time she has flown with Lynx.
"You can change bookings online so there's no need to deal with customer services, but there's a charge and they also only refund you with a voucher so be warned," she added.
Average rating: 2.2/5 "Lynx is fine and gets you from A to B. For a short flight, if you can get away with just taking a personal item, it could be worth it. But I would probably skip for a longer flight because not having entertainment or food is not ideal," Charlie said.
It's not very high praise, but at least you know what to expect if you're opting for a cheaper airline.
Food & Drink - 5/5 It's rare for airplane food to get a five-star ranking, but Narcity Editor Stuart McGinn says Air Transat deserves the recognition. On a recent international flight he was served a full hot meal that was built into the ticket cost. He also got free wine with dinner, and free snacks throughout the flight. Even more surprisingly, he says it was all tasty.
"More food and drink was available for purchase on the menu, but what they gave us for free was more than enough," he added.
Price: 3/5 It's no discount airline, so you'll find a wide range of options with this carrier to fit different budgets. A plus is that it has lots of flight routes, so you can shop around a bit. There's no easy way to cut it though — most air travel is pricey.
Cleanliness: 3/5 While there was no alarming messes, it wasn't mind-blowingly sparkling either apparently. Stuart describes the cleanliness of his flight as "average."
Entertainment: 2/5 On Stuart's flight there was no Wi-Fi option, and while there was a screen on the seat, it had limited entertainment options. He ended up watching some movies on his phone, which leaves most people with a sore neck and wanting more.
Customer service: 5/5 Even on a full flight, Stuart said the flight attendants managed to stay on top of things. "I was impressed with how often the flight attendants were coming by to check and see if we were doing okay or wanted any more food or drinks. The service was great," he said.
Average rating: 3.6/5 Air Transat is likely to give you a solid experience, falling short in only a few categories. Stuart isn't fully loyal to the airline though, and says he "would still opt for the flight that is most convenient for me based on where and when I'm going."
Overall, it seems like the choice to fly budget really depends on whether you're prepared to sacrifice a few luxuries in the name of saving money. For example, if you can bid farewell to onboard entertainment, included checked bags, and free drinks and snacks, you could end up saving some money on your ticket.
However, if in-flight experiences like Wi-Fi, wine, hot meals and priority boarding are important to you, it might make more sense to stick with what you know and pick a traditional major airline, like Air Canada.
Happy travels!
*Narcity only included airlines that employees have recently flown with and that they were able to confidently rate based on the listed criteria.
If you've ever wondered how Canadian airlines stack up price-wise when travelling across the country, you're not alone.
In recent years, Canada has seen an influx of new budget airlines on the scene, boasting way cheaper airfare than established airlines like WestJet and Air Canada.
However, many of these low-cost airlines have additional fees for things like carry-on bags and checked baggage which can make it difficult to determine where exactly you're going to get the best deal.
To get to the bottom of this question, we decided to compare each Canadian airline to see what exactly is included in the cost to work out where you can save your money.
We compared each airline based on a direct flight one-way, between Toronto and Vancouver on the exact same day, and honestly, the results were pretty surprising.
Cost: Flights start from $99 between Toronto and Vancouver
Baggage: The only baggage that's included in the price of your Lynx Air ticket is one small personal item that fits under the seat in front.
If you want to take on a larger carry-on that fits in the overhead lockers, baggage prices range between $59.99 to $103.49 depending on the distance of the flight, according to the Lynx Air website.
Checked baggage with Lynx Air will cost between $59.99 and $135.59.
For flights between Toronto and Vancouver, you'll need to pay an additional fee of $79.99 for a carry-on bag and $79.99 for a checked bag.
Extras: Lynx offers a few extras that you would need to pay for if you want them. Priority boarding with Lynx Air costs $10. If you want to select your seat in advance, prices start from $22.60.
What you get: The airline prides itself on offering "à-la-carte pricing" so you only pay for what you need. Once you get on a Lynx flight, you get a seat and that's about it. There isn't any onboard entertainment or WiFi. You can't buy any food or drink on board. There aren't any charging points for your devices so be sure to fully charge your electronics before boarding.
Total (with one carry-on): $178.99
Total (including one carry-on and one checked bag): $279.78
Cost: Flights start from $139.01 between Toronto and Vancouver
Baggage: When you book a flight with Flair, you can take one personal item onboard for free.
Carry-on luggage costs range between $29 to $74 plus tax, according Flair Airline's website. Your first checked baggage will cost between $49 and $84.
If you want to take on an additional carry-on bag from Toronto to Vancouver, it will cost you $55.37.
Flair offers bundles for additional luggage, which the airlines notes on the website is cheaper than individually adding on bags. The first bundle offered for a personal item, one carry-on and one checked bag comes in at $93.79. There is an additional bundle which includes a personal item, a carry-on, one checked bag and priority boarding for $101.70.
Extras: Flair gives you the option to pay for some extra features. Choosing your preferred seat starts from $22.60 and you can get priority boarding for $10.
What you get: As you'd probably expect from a budget airline, Flair doesn't offer complimentary food and drink onboard. The airline does have a selection of snacks and beverages available to buy on board with prices starting from $2.99.
Flair flights do have WiFi and you can download their in-flight app which has onboard entertainment.
Total (with one carry-on): $194.38
Total (including one carry-on and one checked bag): $232.80
Cost: Flights start from $207 between Toronto and Vancouver
Baggage: If you want to take a carry-on bag from Toronto to Vancouver, you can upgrade your ticket which will cost $235 total.
For your first checked bag, prices range from $27.50 to $86.25. On the Toronto to Vancouver route, it will cost $27.50, according to Porter Airlines website.
Extras: If you want to choose your seat, prices start from $12.
What you get: If you fly Porter, you'll actually get complimentary snacks and beer or wine regardless of what kind of ticket you purchase. Fresh meals are available to buy on board on flights over 2.5 hours.
Porter Airlines flights have inflight entertainment including movies and TV shows. You'll also get free WiFi too so you can stream your favourite Netflix shows. Seats come come equipped with power outlets so you can charge your devices and you won't have to worry about draining your battery.
Total (with one carry-on): $235
Total (including one carry-on and one checked bag): $262.50
Cost: Flights start from $206.93 between Toronto and Vancouver
Baggage: One personal item and one piece of carry-on baggage is included in every WestJet ticket, regardless of which class of ticket you purchase.
You can also check in your first piece of checked luggage, with prices ranging from $30 to $47.20, according to WestJet's website. From Toronto to Vancouver, this is around $33.90.
Extras: If you want to pick your seat on a WestJet flight, prices start from $45.20.
What you get: On shorter WestJet flights, you'll get complimentary water, juice, soft drinks, tea or coffee as well as a sweet of savoury snack.
There will also be an onboard menu of snacks and alcoholic beverages that you can buy with prices start from $3.49. On longer flights over 2.5 hours, there will be a selection of hot meals available for purchase.
WestJet has a decent selection of onboard entertainment including huge movies, TV shows and even LinkedIn Learning content. WiFi is available on board for a fee and your seat comes with power outlets to charge your devices.
Total (with one carry-on): $206.93
Total (including one carry-on and one checked bag): $240.83
Cost: Flights start from $207 between Toronto and Vancouver
Baggage: As part of your ticket, you'll be able to take one personal item and one standard carry-on on board with Air Canada. If you want to add a checked bag, prices range between $30 and $36, Air Canada's website said.
Extras: Air Canada offers passengers the option to choose their seat in advance and prices for this start from $33.
What you get: Snacks, meals and beverages aren't included on Air Canada flights across Canada but you're able to purchase them on board with prices staring from $4.
Air Canada has plenty on in-flight entertainment to keep you occupied on board with tons of movies, TV shows, music and podcasts to check out. Passengers are also able to access WiFi for a fee with passes starting from $6.50.
Total (with one carry-on): $207
Total (including one carry-on and one checked bag): $237
Ultimately choosing which airline you want to take for your trip mainly comes down to how much luggage you're taking. If you have a short flight where you just need a personal item or even a carry-on, budget airlines might be your best bet.
However, if you're taking a lot of luggage, flying with an airline like Air Canada or WestJet may actually turn out to be more affordable than their budget counterparts. Plus you'll get benefits of in-flight entertainment or potentially complimentary snacks to keep you busy during your flight.
So next time you're travelling across Canada, make sure to consider how much luggage you'll need to take ahead of time because choosing the right airline could save you some cash.
These prices are confirmed at the time of publishing, but they can change at any time. Taxes and fees may not be included.
If you're looking to plan a vacation but you're not sure which airline to opt for, a new ranking on the world's best airlines for 2023 was just released, and it might make your decision that much easier.
Skytrax held its annual World Airline Awards for 2023 and ranked the top 100 airlines in the world, with five Canadian airlines making the cut.
According to Skytrax, travellers around the world voted in a huge passenger satisfaction survey to find out the top 100 airlines, with more than 100 different nationalities taking part and 325 airlines featured.
Of the Canadian airlines that made the list, Air Canada ranked highest at number 38, a noticeable improvement from last year, moving up 12 places from 50 on the list in 2022.
The list was topped by Singapore Airlines, which jumped from second place in 2022 to first place in 2023. It's the airline's fifth time topping the list.
It was followed by Qatar Airways, ANA All Nippon Airways, Emirates and Japan Airlines, making up the top five best airlines in the world.
As well as a place in the top 100, Air Canada won the award for the "World's Most Family Friendly Airline," which factored in elements like family seating policies, check-in facilities, priority boarding, children's meals, amenities, and entertainment as well as assistance from ground staff and cabin crew.
So whether you're travelling with friends or family, you might want to check out which airline will suit you the best.
