Travelers on American Airlines will now be able to earn loyalty points no matter where they book their ticket after the airline walked back prior plans to place a limit on its loyalty program.
10.05.2024 - 21:57 / smartertravel.com
Porter is a Canadian-owned budget airline based out of Billy Bishop Toronto Airport and Toronto Pearson International Airport. Launched in 2006, Porter operates flights connecting cities across Canada and the larger North American continent and select overseas and tropical destinations.
The striped back amenities and baggage policies on Porter’s short-haul North American itineraries can result in big savings. However, are the fares worth it? We flew PorterClassic Standard from Boston to Toronto to find out.
Round Trip flights from Boston to the closest Canadian city, Montreal, start as low as $165 in PorterClassic Basic. PorterClassic Standard, the next highest fare, is roughly $20 more, and it includes free advanced and same-day changes as well as a carry-on bag.
While specific routes appear searchable on the site, tickets are not always available. For example, a roundtrip flight from Dallas, Fort Worth, to Toronto or Montreal in mid-July returned no options or sold out options.
I paid $141.75 for a one-way flight from Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) to Toronto Billy Bishop (YTZ), which breaks down to $118 for the ticket and baggage and $23.75 in “taxes, fees, and charges.”
Find a breakdown of PorterClassic fare classes and what’s included in the price directly on the Porter website.
Porter operates short-haul North American flights on De Havilland Canada DHC-8-400 turboprop aircraft. Turboprop aircraft are powered by a combination of gas-turbine engines and propellers and have a typical flight range of up to 1,500 miles (roughly the distance from Toronto to Texas), suitable for connecting Canadian cities and cities in the northern United States. Turboprop planes have lower operating costs than their jet engine cousins, which can then pass on the savings to the customer.
Flying on this type of aircraft felt different from a standard flight. Takeoff felt rougher, turbulence was more present throughout the duration, and the engines were louder than I expected. It’s worth noting that the plane I flew on was not equipped with oxygen masks—not required of flights operated below 35,000 feet—but did include all other standard safety features like life vests and emergency exits.
For long-haul international flights, Porter flies Embraer E195-E2 jets.
The De Havilland Canada DHC-8-400 has 78 seats with 30 inches of legroom. There are no middle seats, so seat selection is not a huge worry unless you’re very committed to snagging an aisle or a window spot. The seats themselves are barebones, with metal legs and minimal cushioning. A seat cushion is a nice-to-have on any flight, but a definite must-pack here.
The Embraer E195-E2 jets feature 131 seats—16
Travelers on American Airlines will now be able to earn loyalty points no matter where they book their ticket after the airline walked back prior plans to place a limit on its loyalty program.
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