Flying Porter: airports, fares, and baggage
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Flying Porter starts with choosing the airport and fare. A Billy Bishop flight takes different planning from a Toronto Pearson departure, and onboard services also depend on the scheduled aircraft.
This guide helps you compare the whole trip. For points, redemptions, status, and credit card benefits, read our VIPorter program guide. It remains the reference for loyalty program rules.
Choose the right airport
Read the full airport name on each part of your booking, including the return trip. Compare the airfare with ground transportation, parking, and the time needed to reach your destination.
In Toronto, Porter distinguishes Billy Bishop, airport code YTZ, from Toronto Pearson, code YYZ. Its airport access guide covers both locations. Billy Bishop is accessible through the pedestrian tunnel or by ferry. At Pearson, Porter lists Terminal 3 as its terminal.
Changing between YTZ and YYZ means travelling between two airports. Allow for ground transportation, possible baggage collection, and another security screening. Treat this differently from a connection within one terminal.
In Montreal, distinguish YUL from YHU. YUL is Montréal-Trudeau in Dorval. YHU is MET – Montréal Metropolitan Airport, in Saint-Hubert on the South Shore. Porter serves both airports: routes and schedules are not interchangeable. The official MET website confirms that the new terminal has been open since June 15, 2026; our article on Porter flights at MET provides context. Check the departure and arrival codes for each leg before arranging ground transportation.
Dash 8 or E195-E2: check the aircraft
Porter’s official fleet page lists the Dash 8-400 turboprop and the Embraer E195-E2 jet. Their cabins and equipment differ.
The official seat maps show PorterReserve and PorterClassic seating. The E195-E2 has two seats on each side of the aisle, with no middle seat.
Check the map for your selected flight before paying for a seat. An aircraft featured in a news story or photographed in this guide does not guarantee the aircraft on your departure.
Compare PorterClassic and PorterReserve
Read Porter’s fare options before comparing prices. PorterClassic includes Basic, Standard, Flexible, and Freedom fares. PorterReserve includes Navigate and Ultimate.
For each option, check:
- included cabin and checked baggage;
- seat selection charges;
- change and cancellation conditions;
- airport and onboard services;
- the total cost for all travellers and flight segments.
Basic has significant restrictions. Its ordinary fare conditions do not allow voluntary changes or cancellations. Check the rules shown for your booking, especially if your travel plans could change.
PorterReserve includes seating at the front with extra legroom and additional services. The product differs by aircraft. Check what your flight offers rather than assuming the fare name means a long-haul business class seat.
Baggage: separate personal items from carry-on bags
A personal item and a standard carry-on bag are different categories. Porter’s official carry-on rules list these maximum dimensions:
- Personal item: 33 × 43 × 16 cm.
- Standard carry-on bag: 55 × 40 × 23 cm.
Basic normally includes a personal item, without an included standard carry-on bag. Purchased bundles, eligible benefits, and some itineraries can change this. The fare chart specifically lists an exception for travel to Europe and Africa. Check the allowance for the complete itinerary, particularly when a partner airline is involved.
For checked baggage, review the number of pieces and fees in your booking. Add the cost of the services you need when comparing a fare without bags against one that includes them.
Our guide to Porter baggage benefits covers options related to fares, status, and cards. Confirm your current eligibility before relying on a benefit.
Wi-Fi, meals, and onboard services
Porter advertises free Wi-Fi on its E195-E2 aircraft. Do not assume the same service is available on the Dash 8. The inflight experience pages and fare chart describe services by flight.
Meal service depends on the fare, flight duration, and scheduled service. Official pages do not all list the same duration threshold for fresh meals. Check your flight’s service before relying on an included meal. Snacks and drinks may not replace a full meal.
Keep travel documents and essential items accessible. If your bag is taken at the aircraft entrance, check where it will be returned before leaving a passport or medication inside.
Connections and partner flights
Read the “operated by” line for each segment. A ticket sold by Porter may include a partner airline with different services and applicable rules.
Check airports, baggage, travel documents, and connection procedures for the whole itinerary. With separate tickets, confirm what happens if the first flight is delayed and whether you must collect your bags.
Points earning and redemption options do not follow from a codeshare alone. For those rules, use the VIPorter program guide and its linked specialist guides.
Book Porter with points and choose a card
You can pay for an eligible flight with VIPorter points. You can also book available Porter reward flights with Atmos Rewards points, through the Alaska Airlines or Hawaiian Airlines websites, as confirmed by the official partner page. This is a booking through Atmos, not a conversion of VIPorter points into Atmos points.
Our tutorial on booking Porter with Atmos Rewards explains the process. Compare the cash, VIPorter, and Atmos options for the same flight, including taxes, fees, and cancellation conditions. Not every seat sold by Porter is necessarily available to a partner program.
The BMO VIPorter World Elite Mastercard and BMO VIPorter Mastercard earn VIPorter points, not Atmos points. The embeds below show their current offers and promotional copy. Compare fees, spending conditions, income requirements, and baggage or companion benefits for your situation. Detailed rules remain in the VIPorter program guide.
- Annual feeNo annual fee the first year
- $0 $199
- Our valuationMilesopedia first-year estimate First-year valueWelcome bonus$1,050Annual fee rebated$199Total$1,249Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
- $1,249
- Welcome offer+ one round-trip companion passAfter $18,000 in 12 months
- Up to 70,000 points
- Ends Oct 31, 2026
Apply Now
on BMO's website
- Annual feeNo annual fee the first year
- $0 $89
- Our valuationMilesopedia first-year estimate First-year valueWelcome bonus$600Annual fee rebated$89Total$689Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
- $689
- Welcome offerAfter $10,000 in 12 months
- Up to 40,000 points
- Ends Oct 31, 2026
Apply Now
on BMO's website
Before booking and departure
Compare the final price, airport, fare, baggage, and total journey time. To choose a card that suits your spending, use our best credit cards guide, then read the selected card’s conditions.
Before departure, review flight times, required documents, allowances, and your flight’s check-in deadlines. Keep service confirmations accessible.
Official sources checked on October 26, 2026. Aircraft, schedules, and booking conditions still need to be checked for your travel dates. Dated articles retain their historical context.
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Should you buy points or Miles?
For the partner booking route above, you can view Atmos points purchases through our affiliate link. You buy Atmos points, then book a Porter flight available as an award through that program. This does not buy VIPorter points or transfer points into VIPorter. The official Atmos and Porter partner page describes the booking options.
Find the flight before paying for points. Compare the cost of missing points, the award’s taxes and charges, currency, and any conversion fees with the Porter cash fare. Check account eligibility, limits, and posting time; the seat may disappear between the two steps. Our guide to buying Atmos points explains the method without guaranteeing an old promotion. This affiliate link may pay us a commission, without changing our analysis.
Questions before you book
Does Basic include a standard carry-on bag?
It normally includes a personal item without an included standard carry-on bag. A purchased bundle, eligible benefit, or some itineraries can change the allowance. The fare chart specifically lists an exception for travel to Europe and Africa. Check the complete booking.
Are Billy Bishop and Toronto Pearson the same airport?
No. Billy Bishop uses airport code YTZ and Toronto Pearson uses YYZ. Travelling between them requires ground transportation and may mean collecting bags and passing through security again.
Is Wi-Fi available on every Porter aircraft?
Porter advertises free Wi-Fi on its Embraer E195-E2 aircraft. Do not assume the same service is available on the Dash 8. Check the aircraft and the services for your flight.
Is PorterReserve the same on the Dash 8 and E195-E2?
No. Seat maps and equipment differ. PorterReserve includes front-of-cabin seating with extra legroom and additional services, which you should check for your booked aircraft and flight.
Does every Porter ticket have the same baggage rules?
No. The fare, itinerary, eligible benefits, and involvement of a partner airline can change the rules. Read the allowance for your journey and check the operating carrier.
Where can I find VIPorter points and status rules?
The Milesopedia VIPorter program guide remains the reference for points, redemptions, status, and card benefits. This guide focuses on preparing for the flight.