Porter Airlines Announces Flights To Los Angeles And San Francisco

Porter Airlines is growing its route network in the US, announcing new service to the West Coast on Tuesday. The Canadian carrier plans to launch flights to Los Angeles and San Francisco, California, early next year.

The two cities are the airline’s first destinations in the western US. Both roundtrip routes will be offered daily from Porter’s hub at Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ).

Flight details

The carrier will begin service to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) on January 16th. While flight numbers have not yet been announced, the LAX-bound flight is scheduled to depart at 10:30 and arrive at 13:05. The return flight will leave LAX at 14:45 and land at YYZ at 22:32, according to the airline. The San Francisco route will start the following week, on January 25th. The flight from YYZ is scheduled to leave at 10:30 and arrive at San Francisco International Airport (SFO) at 13:22, and the return flight departs SFO at 14:50 and arrives at YYZ at 22:36.

Porter’s Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer, Kevin Jackson, discussed the new service.

“Porter’s onboard experience focuses on providing economy travellers with service that is unmatched by any carrier in North America. We believe that every passenger deserves genuine hospitality and high-quality service that makes time onboard our aircraft something to look forward to. Our arrival in California will be welcomed by those looking for a new way to travel between the west coast and Canada.”

A quiet and eco-friendly aircraft

The carrier will utilize its only twinjet aircraft type, the new and fuel-efficient Embraer E195-E2, on the routes. Porter said the plane accommodates 132 passengers in an all-economy 2-2 layout, highlighting that “there are no middle seats” on any of its flights. The airline also operates the Dash 8-400 turboprop aircraft in a 2-2 configuration.

Last year, the carrier took delivery of its first E195-E2s and has since flown the aircraft on routes within Canada. As of last month, Porter has 16 E195-E2s in its fleet. This fall, the carrier plans to operate the plane on flights to Tampa, Fort Meyers, Orlando, Fort Lauderdale, and Miami, Florida, before incorporating the LAX and SFO routes in January.

Photo: Porter Airlines

According to Porter, the E195-E2 is 65% quieter and 25% more fuel efficient than aircraft developed with previous-generation technology, positioning it as the most environmentally friendly and quietest single-aisle aircraft. Additionally, the plane boasts the lowest fuel consumption per seat and trip among other aircraft that seat 120-150 passengers.

Increased competition

The new route gives travelers more airline choices to get to Toronto from the US. Porter will compete with Air Canada, WestJet, and Lynx Air on the LAX route. According to Michael Christensen, the Chief Operations and Maintenance Officer at Los Angeles World Airports, Toronto is the second most popular Canadian destination from LAX and seventh internationally.

“We are excited to welcome Porter Airlines to the fleet of airline partners offering gold-star service at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX),” Christensen said. “We look forward to the start of the new service this winter and we thank Porter Airlines for choosing to expand their United States operation at LAX.”

The San Francisco route will compete with Air Canada and United Airlines, which offer daily service. SFO Director Ivar C. Satero said the airport is thrilled to welcome Porter’s new route.

“This service offers San Francisco Bay Area travellers an exciting new way to Canada and reflects our own commitment to making travel more sustainable,” Satero explained. “We thank Porter for making SFO part of their expansion in the United States, and are confident this new service will be a success.”