U.S. slowdown fast-tracked Porter’s sun launch, says Eldebs; packages with Air Transat in development

News feeds went into overdrive yesterday (June 25) as Porter Airlines announced its long-anticipated entry into sun markets down south.

As previously reported, Porter will launch five sunny destinations across Mexico, the Caribbean and Costa Rica this winter out of Toronto Pearson, Hamilton and Ottawa airports.

It marks a significant expansion of Porter’s growing network, which, over the past two-and-a-half years, has focused on increasing both domestic and transborder (U.S.) capacity.

The new sun routes out of Ontario, which start this November and December, and will run until April 2026, will connect travellers to Cancun and Puerto Vallarta in Mexico; Nassau, Bahamas; Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands; and Liberia, Costa Rica.

The program unlocks some exclusivity. Porter, for instance, will be the only airline offering non-stop service from Ottawa to Grand Cayman and Liberia, and from Hamilton to Nassau and Puerto Vallarta.

READ MORE: Porter announces sun service to Mexico, the Caribbean & Costa Rica

The expansion also sets the stage for a broader partnership with Air Transat, with whom Porter is working to develop packaged holidays, says Edmond Eldebs, senior vice president and chief commercial officer at Porter, speaking to PAX over the phone yesterday.

This doesn’t necessarily mean the return of “Porter Escapes,” which, once upon a time, paired Porter flights with hotels and attractions in cities like New York and Chicago. That in-house division was suspended last year, and has now been “retired,” Eldebs said.

But the vision to offer packaged holidays, to sun-kissed destinations, is very much alive.

“We’re actively working on an option that will be announced in the next few months,” Eldebs said. “It will be in partnership with Air Transat.”

For background, Porter and Air Transat announced a codeshare partnership in 2022, which was expanded into a joint venture the following year to enhance travel options across multiple regions.

Accelerated by U.S. slowdown

Porter's expansion into sun markets, outside of the U.S., has been a topic of discussion for quite some time.

The strategic move, Eldebs explained, was "accelerated" by the shift in U.S. travel patterns triggered by tariff-related developments (and possibly the weak Canadian loonie) over the past year.

Amid declining demand for U.S. destinations, many airlines have adjusted their schedules and redeployed aircraft.

Porter's new sun routes will be operated by new airplanes joining the fleet this year, said Eldebs. But recent shifts in booking patterns influenced the timing.

“We’re starting sooner than planned,” he said. “But these destinations were always part of the strategy.”

Porter, like many, has made scheduling reductions to its U.S. routes to "better balance the demand through summer and winter," Eldebs said. Some U.S. routes are also seasonal. On the status of Porter's current U.S. offering, "what we’re selling today is likely to stay," he said. 

A new chapter

Porter’s sun expansion, however, is a major milestone for the airline, which has been steadily expanding its North American footprint.

“It feels wonderful,” Eldebs said. “To enter this new chapter is very exciting.”

The airline’s Embraer E195-E2 aircraft—configured in a two-by-two layout with 132 seats—will serve the new routes.

With no middle seats, complimentary premium snacks, free Wi-Fi, and free beer and wine served in glassware, Porter is positioning itself as the only Canadian airline offering an elevated economy experience on these routes.

While Porter’s new destinations are already served by other airlines, the company’s much-loved onboard experience is expected to shake up what’s offered in the skies.

“This will be the first time Porter’s award-winning service will serve these markets,” Eldebs said, referring to those aforementioned perks, like no middle seats, free alcohol and internet. “No other carriers offer an elevated service like ours.”

Will Air Canada follow suit and add free beer and wine to its sun network, as it did on its domestic and U.S. routes, where Porter was expanding?  

“We shall see,” Eldebs said.

Strategic city pairings

Porter selected Toronto Pearson, Ottawa and Hamilton airports to launch its sun product based on strong performance and growth potential.

“Hamilton is the newest airport we’ve launched service from and we’re very happy with the results,” Eldebs said.

As reported, Porter launched operated at easy-to-navigate John C. Munro airport in Hamilton this month, with non-stop flights to Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton and Halifax. 

“Flights to the south have historically done well there,” Eldebs explained.

Ottawa, Porter’s second-largest hub, has also seen significant capacity growth in recent years, he said. Meanwhile, Toronto Pearson always has steady demand.

“These markets all have great potential,” he said.

Expanding sun routes to Montreal and Atlantic Canada (where Porter already offers Florida, out of Halifax) is not off the table, but the focus, for now, is squarely on Eastern Canada “where we have a lot of strength, Eldebs said, adding that Western Canada “is further down for us.”

Destinations with range & appeal

Porter’s chosen sun destinations reflect a balance between popularity and strategic fit.

“When you make decisions, you look at the demand from Canadians who live in the markets you want to serve,” Eldebs said. “These destinations popped up as places where we see potential.”

He noted that Porter aimed to avoid destinations overly dependent on vacation packages as it starts with air-only service.

The mix of popular spots like Cancun and Puerto Vallarta in Mexico, alongside upscale destinations like Grand Cayman and Nassau, gives Porter a well-rounded portfolio.

“Costa Rica is a personal favourite of mine,” said Eldebs, who visited the lush destination for the first time last December.

Growing the experience

As Porter expands in the south, it will be watching closely to see how many new-to-brand customers step aboard.

“We received many new customers out of Florida, such as snowbirds and families flying to Orlando for Disney,” said Eldebs.

Porter, as you may recall, entered the Sunshine State in a big way with flights to Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers, Miami, Orlando, Tampa, and West Palm Beach.

“We’ll see similar types of customers on these new routes—including the visiting friends and relatives (VFR) market,” he said.

READ MORE: CTA approves Porter’s requests to operate flights to Costa Rica, Jamaica & the U.K

With leisure travel driving growth, the airline is betting that its elevated economy proposition will win over even more travellers.

“We’ve seen tremendous growth in leisure travel over the past two-and-half years,” Eldebs said. “Our focus is about bringing our elevated economy experience to more people and places.”

Coordinating with Air Transat

Porter’s sun schedule enhances Air Transat’s existing network, offering Canadians more options in terms of travel dates and frequency.

“We intend to complement Air Transat’s network,” Eldebs said. “You’ll see us offering flight times on the days they don’t fly [to shared destinations].”

While Air Transat doesn’t currently serve Grand Cayman or Nassau, Porter will now fill that gap, strengthening the joint venture between the two carriers and giving travellers broader access.

What’s next?

Looking ahead, Eldebs hinted at future growth across the Caribbean, including Jamaica, where Porter has already received regulatory approval from the Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA).

“Eventually, you’ll see more destinations added across the market,” he said.

As for Europe, Porter is not quite ready to make a leap across the pond—at least not yet.

“I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been asked about this,” Eldebs said.

As reported, the CTA did give Porter a green light to operate U.K. flights. However, that permission slip was solely related to serving the Cayman Islands (a British Overseas Territory), Eldebs clarified.  

He concluded with a note of encouragement to travel advisors as they map out their upcoming winter strategy.

“We have great support from the travel agent community and we hope they continue to give their customers that signature Porter experience everyone knows and loves,” he said. “That experience is now available in more places.”

“I know agents love giving their customers a better experience – and Porter offers that."

Don't miss a single travel story: subscribe to PAX today!  Click here to follow PAX on Facebook.