Winter Is Coming: Edmond Eldebs on why Porter’s biggest sun season yet could be a turning point

Winter Is Coming is a special PAX series that offers a glimpse into the war rooms of Canada’s leading travel companies as the winter booking season takes flight. Stay tuned for exclusive interviews with industry leaders as PAX unpacks what’s new and next this season.

Porter Airlines is heading into winter 2026-27 with something it didn’t have a year ago: more sun capacity, a broader Canadian footprint and, perhaps most importantly, vacation packages.

Together, those pieces are changing the airline’s position in Canada’s highly-competitive winter travel market.

After using its first major international expansion to establish a presence in Mexico, the Caribbean and Central America last winter, Porter is entering its sophomore sun season with five new destinations, thousands of flights to warm-weather markets and more capacity in the United States.

But the strategy isn’t simply about adding dots on a map.

Porter, which turned 20 this year, is reinforcing routes that have already worked, selectively pursuing destinations that fit its modern Embraer E195-E2 aircraft, building its presence in Western Canada and broadening its appeal to leisure travellers – including Canadians who traditionally buy their winter vacations as packages.

“We've added quite a bit of capacity this year into the sun markets,” Edmond Eldebs, Porter’s senior vice-president & chief commercial officer, told PAX in a recent interview via video link.  

“Last year was the first time we expanded internationally. This year, we added five new markets: Aruba, Los Cabos, Montego Bay, San Jose (Costa Rica) and Turks and Caicos.”

Porter has doubled capacity across many of the sun destinations it served last winter, Eldebs noted, while adding approximately 30 per cent more U.S. capacity to destinations such as Florida, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Las Vegas.

In total, Porter will operate roughly 5,000 flights to sun destinations this winter.

A different kind of second act

That growth comes after a strong first winter in the international sun business.

Porter’s expansion across North America in recent years has been driven by the Embraer E195-E2, a 132-seat jet configured two-by-two, meaning there are no middle seats.

That aircraft has allowed Porter to pursue markets that might look different from those targeted by larger aircraft, and that philosophy is reflected in this winter’s additions.

Some destinations – notably Aruba, Turks and Caicos and Costa Rica – lean towards the higher end of the leisure market.

Eldebs, however, said that shouldn’t be interpreted as Porter deliberately chasing only niche or luxury destinations.

“When we evaluate routes, we're looking at where we believe there is the strongest opportunity and better fit for our aircraft and product,” he said.

Costa Rica offers an instructive example.

Porter launched Liberia last winter, and Eldebs said it became the airline’s best-performing new international route.

That gave Porter confidence to increase Liberia frequencies and add San José this season.

“Costa Rica has been super strong this year with advanced bookings,” said Eldebs.

Packages change the game 

Through its joint venture with Transat, vacation packages now combine Porter’s non-stop flights to Cancun, Puerto Vallarta, Nassau and Grand Cayman with Transat’s tour operator expertise.

For Porter, it opens the door to a segment of Canadian vacationers it couldn’t fully capture last winter.

READ MORE: Transat launches South packages on Porter flights

“Transat is a very strong package provider. They've been in that business for nearly 40 years,” Eldebs said. “We have been very fortunate to be able to leverage that strength.”

Eldebs calls this development a game changer.

“Last year, we focused on the air-only sun market and were very successful. But there are many Canadians that like to buy [vacation] packages. We're now able to serve that market. We can capture more of that demand,” he said.

That capability could prove particularly valuable in an unusual winter for the Canadian vacation industry.

Cuba – traditionally an important high-volume, value-driven package destination for Canadians – is effectively off the menu this season amid U.S. sanctions, fuel shortages and other challenges on the island.

Porter has never served Cuba, but its absence creates a large pool of vacationers searching for alternatives elsewhere in the Caribbean and Mexico.

Porter may now be better positioned to compete for some of them precisely because it offers packages.

“It’s possible we are picking [Cuba customers] up,” Eldebs said. “Cuba customers generally tend to be more package focused.”

“A lot of travellers are impacted by the Cuba situation. They’ll of course look for alternatives this year and Porter offers some good options.”

Canadians are still travelling

Porter is also heading into winter against another significant headwind: rising jet fuel prices.

Eldebs said fuel costs have more than doubled compared with what Porter was paying last year, forcing airlines to adjust pricing as operating costs climb.

“Fuel is the highest operating cost item for an airline and it's certainly having an impact on us,” he said.

In July, Porter restored a $40 fuel surcharge on new VIPorter reward bookings after global oil prices rose sharply.

But Eldebs said higher prices haven’t erased demand.

“In the airline business, there's always some challenge you're dealing with. I think we all have to stay nimble and react to it. We're still seeing good demand. That's what's keeping us optimistic,” he said.

Advanced bookings are ahead year over year across Porter’s returning sun destinations, he noted, with Cancun and Liberia particularly strong.

Early bookings for new destinations, including Aruba and San José, are also encouraging.

“Canadians are still travelling,” Eldebs said. 

Still bullish on the U.S.

Then there’s the United States.

Amid tariffs, political tensions and changing consumer sentiment, Canadian travel to the U.S. has faced considerable scrutiny.

Some Canadians have reduced their U.S. trips or redirected vacations towards Mexico, the Caribbean and other international destinations.

Porter sees evidence of that shift. But that doesn’t mean it is retreating from the U.S. It’s the opposite.

The airline is increasing U.S. sun capacity by about 30 per cent this winter and remains bullish on Florida, said Eldebs.

It continues to serve Fort Myers, Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, Tampa and West Palm Beach, while adding Montreal service to Fort Myers and Fort Lauderdale.

Eldebs said demand has also rebounded in New York, while Western U.S. destinations including Los Angeles, San Francisco and Phoenix are performing considerably better than last year.

“I feel like we have rebounded and I’m feeling quite optimistic and bullish about the U.S. situation,” he said.

Going west & beyond Toronto

Another pillar of Porter’s winter strategy is geographic diversification.

For decades, Porter was closely associated with Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport and Eastern Canada.

The arrival of its E195-E2 fleet fundamentally changed that equation, beginning with long-range jet service from Toronto Pearson to Vancouver, Edmonton and Calgary in February 2023.

More than three years into that transformation, Porter is increasingly generating demand beyond its traditional Eastern Canadian base.

“We are on our third full year of expanding and we've been very happy with the performance of the West,” Eldebs said. “We’ve done very well across Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Victoria and Kelowna.”

This winter brings another step forward, with new Western-originating sun flying.

From Edmonton, Porter is adding Puerto Vallarta, Los Cabos, Las Vegas and Phoenix. Calgary also gains Phoenix service.

Eldebs believes Porter’s onboard proposition is resonating as the airline reaches new customers.

“People who fly economy, which is 90 per cent of the population, recognize that Porter offers a better service,” he said.

That economy proposition remains central to the airline’s identity.

PorterReserve passengers receive an all-inclusive onboard experience that includes fresh meals and premium cocktails on longer flights, extra-legroom seating at the front of the cabin, dedicated check-in and boarding and two checked bags. PorterClassic customers can add many of the same benefits à la carte.

Across the E195-E2 fleet, Porter also promotes free fast Wi-Fi, complimentary beer and wine served in glassware, snacks and no middle seats.

Competitors have since adopted some similar amenities, but Eldebs believes Porter retains an advantage that goes beyond the hardware.

“There’s a uniqueness to Porter. It’s the warm, authentic service that you get,” he said.

London joins the map

Porter’s expansion hasn't stopped. 

Since PAX spoke with Eldebs, the airline has announced its first-ever service from London International Airport (YXU), marking a significant expansion of air service options for travellers across Southwestern Ontario.

Beginning in November, Porter will connect London with Fort Lauderdale and Orlando, followed by Cancun and Montego Bay in December.

The four non-stop sun routes are only the beginning: Porter says a larger domestic network from London will follow in 2027.

A second Montreal airport

Winter 2026-27 will also be Porter’s first winter operating from the newly-opened Montreal Metropolitan Airport (MET) in Saint-Hubert, where Porter is the primary launch carrier and main commercial presence.

This winter, from MET, Porter will serve Calgary, Edmonton, Halifax, Hamilton, Toronto City, Toronto Pearson and Vancouver.

While the new airport isn't part of the sun strategy, Eldebs sees it as an important piece of Porter’s broader network – particularly for VFR, leisure and business travellers living on Montreal’s South Shore.

“Montreal Metropolitan is convenient to 50 per cent of the Montreal population,” he said. “If you're living in the South Shore, it's faster for you to get to Montreal Metropolitan.”

Growth isn't over. But it's changing

After several years of breakneck expansion, Porter is beginning to move into a different stage of growth.

But that doesn't mean slowing down. Eldebs said Porter’s network capacity will still be up 25 per cent in the first quarter of 2027. But that number looks very different beside the explosive increases of previous years.

“In 2024, we grew 260 per cent. In 2025, we grew a 120 per cent. This year, we're growing closer to 30 per cent. It’s levelling off, but we're still growing,” he said.

Increasingly, that means strengthening existing markets, improving schedules and being selective about where Porter deploys new aircraft.

There is still considerable runway in Mexico, Latin America and the Caribbean, Eldebs believes.

About half of Porter’s network will touch sun destinations this winter, yet the airline is only entering its second full year in many of those markets.

Europe, meanwhile, isn't on Porter’s own route map.

More Embraer aircraft are arriving over the next three years, and those jets are designed for the North American network Porter is building.

Transatlantic ambitions are instead being fulfilled through Air Transat, with Porter feeding passengers through Toronto Pearson and Montreal-Trudeau onto its partner’s European network.

Porter and British Airways have also secured a new codeshare agreement, opening up a range of new routes for customers of both airlines.

Advisors “critically important”

As Porter moves deeper into leisure (and now packages), the travel trade becomes even more consequential.

“Travel advisors are critically important for Porter,” Eldebs said. “Upwards of 50 per cent of our bookings come from the travel advisor community.”

Porter isn't introducing significant new agency technology this winter, although Eldebs said investments in servicing capabilities are coming in 2027.

For now, its message to advisors is closely aligned with the strategy behind the airline’s broader expansion: sell the experience, not simply the seat.

“Focus on the travel experience and not just the fare,” Eldebs said. “With Porter, there are no middle seats on any flight, complimentary beer and wine served in real glassware, free snacks, and free Wi-Fi on board our jets. When you put your customers on Porter, they will have a good experience.”

Winter is coming and Porter’s busy booking season is shaping up to be less about proving it can compete.

It’s more about establishing just how big a player it intends to become.

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