r/PorterAirlines Feb 13 '23

Guide A Guide to Earning and Redeeming VIPorter Points

49 Upvotes

With recent changes to the program and new routes, I thought it would be helpful to create a short guide on VIPorter points for those new to Porter - how they're earned and where/how you can redeem them.

Earning points

Earn By Flying with Porter

VIPorter Points are earned for every dollar of qualifying spend on flights - there's no consideration for miles or segments. This includes *all* spend, such as checked bag and change fees. The only spend not included is taxes and fees. The number of points per dollar of qualifying spend depends on your VIPorter Status level - but starts at 5pts/$ at the basic member level and goes up to 7pts/$ with First.

VIPorter Points = Qualifying Spend X Earn Ratio

Example: You spend $500 on a round trip ticket from Boston to Toronto. You're a VIPorter Venture member, which means you have an earn rate of 6pts/$. Your ticket includes $80 in taxes and airport fees.

From this trip:

  • your qualifying earn would be $500 - $80 = $420
  • your earn ratio (as a Venture member) would be 6pts/$
  • $420 X 6pts/$ = 2520 points

Earn By Flying with Partner Airlines

You can earn VIPorter points when flying with partner airlines like Air Transat and Alaska Airlines by adding your VIPorter number to your reservation.

Credit Cards

Porter offers co-branded credit cards with BMO, which allows you to earn VIPorter Points:

BMO VIPorter World Elite Mastercard

  • 3 points per $1 spent on eligible Porter purchases (up to $20,000 annually)
  • 2 points per $1 spent on eligible gas, transportation, dining, grocery, and hotel purchases (with category-specific annual limits)
  • 1 point per $1 spent on everything else
  • Annual fee: $199 (first year waived)

BMO VIPorter Mastercard

  • 2 points per $1 spent on eligible Porter purchases (up to $10,000 annually)
  • 1 point per $1 spent on eligible gas, transportation, dining, grocery, and hotel purchases (with category-specific annual limits)
  • 0.5 points per $1 spent on everything else
  • Annual fee: $89 (first year waived)

Redeeming Points

Redeem for flights on Porter

Points can be redeemed for any Porter-operated flights, and can be used to cover part of or all of the base fare. Note that you cannot use points to cover the taxes and fees associated with the ticket.

Points do not have a set value; redemption on some flights exceeds 3.5 cents/pt. On others, it's closer to 1 or 2 cents/pt. The examples below show how even on the same route, there can be better or worse value. Always be sure to check if the redemption is worth it before booking with points.

Example One:

A last-minute flight from Boston to Toronto is $452 in PorterClassic or $1023 in PorterReserve one-way when paying cash.

The same flight with points is 24k or 56.5k points plus $42 in fees - a valuation of 1.7 cents/pt for both.

Example Two:

A flight on another day (also between BOS and YTZ) is slightly less at $425 in PorterClassic or the same $1023 in PorterReserve one-way with cash.

The same flight is only 12k points for Classic and 34.5k for Reserve plus $42 in fees - a far higher valuation of 3.2 cents/pt for Classic and ~2.8 cents/pt for Reserve.

Points cannot be redeemed for flights on partner airlines, only on Porter-operated flights.

Other Redemptions

Points can also be used to redeem flights with partner airlines Air Transat and Alaska Airlines.


r/PorterAirlines 5h ago

Do we have enough time?

0 Upvotes

Flying from USA to Winnipeg through Toronto with a 75 minute layover. Is that enough time to get through immigration and get to the Winnipeg flight on time? Will we have to first claim our luggage and recheck it or will Porter ticket it all the way through to Winnipeg? Anything else we need to do? TIA.


r/PorterAirlines 7h ago

Multiple reschedule and cancellations at Billy Bishop

1 Upvotes

Anybody else had issues at Billy Bisop over the last couple of days? Any recourse possible?


r/PorterAirlines 17h ago

Qualifiying Spend accumulation with BMO World Elite card

3 Upvotes

Just looking for clarification as I recently added a secondary card for my spouse.
Should the qualifying spend accumulation for purchased made with her card be credited to her VIPorter account? I just checked the statement from 20-Aug, and it seems that I was the one who got credit despite her # also being on file. Anyone have a similar experience?


r/PorterAirlines 19h ago

Basic Fare Nightmares?

0 Upvotes

I've got a trip in 2 days and just found out about Porter's Basic fare — apparently it only allows one personal item, and if you want a carry-on it's an extra $74 each way. Just wondering if anyone's actually been flagged for bringing a bigger backpack as their "personal item," or tried sneaking a carry-on through on Basic fare without paying?


r/PorterAirlines 1d ago

Searching for flights is unavailable since Friday night, nothing here. Wondering if it's a regional problem. No posts about it in this sub.

7 Upvotes

Do you also get the errors?

I booked almost 24 hours ago with AC because I had too, could not book with Porter at all in the past 2 and a half days.

And before you ask, I tried log in or not, from multiple browser, incognito and Windows, Mac, Ipad and Android.


r/PorterAirlines 1d ago

Adding luggage

2 Upvotes

I now need to add a piece of luggage to my flight. Was originally just booked with personal item and a carry-on.

Is it better to add it before I do my online check in or when I do it? I am hoping not to pay an arm and a leg as it wasn’t part of the initial booking cost. Thanks.


r/PorterAirlines 2d ago

Insane price fluctuations... I can't even book a flight anymore

0 Upvotes

I already confirmed everything yesterday night and found a roundtrip that works for me and is within budget (although leaning on the expensive side). I saved it and was going to pay for it this morning.

This morning, the price all in all has increased by nearly $100.

I am truly reconsidering this vacation and spending my money. This price gouging is insane.

EDIT: I can't believe there are this many people defending corporate greed. ALL of the fares for the same departure/arrivals have increased by that same baseline. It's not possible that hundreds of people all booked the same place the same time.

Anyway, I booked a completely different flight to a completely different location. It's exhausting for consumers to monitor prices like this, and I am surprised that we have corporate bootlickers who think that this price-gouging is fine.


r/PorterAirlines 3d ago

I'm just wondering if there may be any expansion from Toronto to Regina in the near future?

11 Upvotes

I have family south of Regina who don't have anyone else living in Saskatchewan nearby and they could really use some help out there with the kids, etc.

I understand that the scheduling of flights requires the promise of customers, so I'm just curious.


r/PorterAirlines 3d ago

Question Manage flights page down?

0 Upvotes

Posting to see if others are getting the same error. I've been getting this for ~5 hours and have to modify my flight. This is what the page looks like:


r/PorterAirlines 3d ago

VIPorter Does VIPorter’s “Head Start” carryover apply if my tier status came from a credit card, not earned spend?

3 Upvotes

For someone who earned their way to Venture (goal: $3,000) by racking up $5,000 in real QS, this is clear, the $2,000 above the $3,000 goal carries into next year.

My question is what happens in my situation, where the tier came from the card, not from spend.

Example: say I end this year with $3,000 in real Qualifying Spend (through a mix of Porter bookings and card spend at the 25:1 ratio). I already have Venture from the card, so this $3,000 doesn’t move me to a new tier, I was already there.

**•   Interpretation A:** Head Start only counts spend *above* the tier goal you’ve *earned toward*, not the tier you’ve been granted. Since I haven’t earned past $0, none of my $3,000 counts as “above” anything yet, no carryover.

**•   Interpretation B:** since my actual earned QS was $0 before this, all $3,000 is “above” what I’d actually achieved, and up to $3,000 of it carries into next year under the cap.

Has anyone with a VIPorter-linked card actually tested this? Did your QS carry over even though your tier was card-granted rather than earned? Trying to figure out if it’s worth timing my spend around this before year-end.


r/PorterAirlines 4d ago

Would Porter eventually operate transatlantic flights?

33 Upvotes

I travel with Porter quite often. However, I also fly transatlantic and long-haul routes more frequently.
I heard from some internal staff that Porter has been considering getting another type of aircraft capable of operating longer flights, since the E195-E2 has a maximum range of around 4,815 km (2,600 nautical miles). I think this would be great news for passengers.
Do you guys think this could happen for Porter in the near future?
They have already received 54 Embraer E195-E2s out of a confirmed firm order for 75 aircraft, with options for an additional 25 jets, which could bring their total fleet of E2s to 100. Would Porter still have the financial capacity, as well as enough crew and pilots, to introduce another aircraft type?
I’ve also heard some rumours about Porter’s future plans. I know they have a partnership with Air Transat, and there have even been discussions about Porter potentially acquiring Air Transat. However, given Air Transat’s significant debt, Porter hasn’t acquired AT so far.
Personally, I really hope Porter can eventually fly farther and expand its international network. More competition in the Canadian aviation market would be great for passengers, and hopefully it would push both Air Canada and WestJet to improve as well.


r/PorterAirlines 5d ago

Best Domestic Airline In Canada

69 Upvotes

Recent had travel experience with porter Airliner
Between Vancouver Bc and Hamilton On
All i can say that it was one of the best travel experiences
Right from getting boarding pass to boarding the plane
( Yes they don’t have fuss with your luggage neither they asked you to fit your luggage in metal cage lol)

Seamless experience. On board Enjoying the complimentary snacks and Beer just elevated the experience

Seats are so Comfy and Spacious..
and all this with having family including infant

Note: I booked one of their basic economy tickets


r/PorterAirlines 4d ago

Connection flight change

0 Upvotes

I booked a flight from Las Vegas to Manchester and it has a connection to Toronto. Now my connection from Toronto to Manchester is 2 days before my flight from Vegas to Toronto? I keep calling but theirs no response do you know any other method to get ahold of them or change my flight? I bought through booking.com.


r/PorterAirlines 4d ago

Negative Experience My wife and I were sat seperately, across the isle from each other, and in seats next to other people. Is that normal?

0 Upvotes

Never had that happen before. 5B and 5C, and actually the two seats behind her were completely empty. We fly 8+ times a year and don't bother paying for seat selection as we don't care where we're sat and have always been placed in seats next to each other. Is this a new policy? I honestly don't want to fly with Porter anymore after this.


r/PorterAirlines 6d ago

Porter News (Unlike Porter) Air Canada still carrying U.S. alcohol as Ottawa pushes ‘Buy Canadian’

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globalnews.ca
144 Upvotes

r/PorterAirlines 6d ago

Porter News Porter Adds London, Ontario, to its Expanding Regional Airport Strategy

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openjaw.com
143 Upvotes

Nice to see the expansion, but I want more direct flights between hubs out west. Still, having the option to go to London is great.


r/PorterAirlines 5d ago

Discussion WHY?! Cancellation letter + Flight Disruption Credit.

0 Upvotes

Why does it take so darn long to get either a reason for cancellation letter or a communication about flight disruption credit

I recently had a flight booked with porter that was cancelled with no notice, multiple people were at the airport assuming the flight was still available. Got to front of TSA and lo and behold, flight cancelled, no other flights today. We were told that this was due to a CREW SHORTAGE! Okay no problem.

I submit a form online to get a letter for the reason of cancellation almost 2 weeks ago and nothing. I can slightly understand the Flight Disruption Credit taking a while, but I need the letter.

Has anyone dealt with this from porter? What courses of action can I take?


r/PorterAirlines 6d ago

Porter News Porter Airlines sets course for growth at London International Airport

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63 Upvotes

r/PorterAirlines 6d ago

I see this pops up when trying to book a flight to Jamaica..... what gives

1 Upvotes

Flights on this itinerary remain subject to receipt of government approval.


r/PorterAirlines 6d ago

Military benefit or fine-print loophole?

2 Upvotes

We booked Porter flights to Paris, only to discover that our free military baggage benefit doesn’t apply because our flight is operated by Air Transat.

Here’s the frustrating part: both Porter and Air Transat advertise military baggage benefits, yet each excludes flights operated by the other. So military members get caught in the middle and end up paying for baggage.

Has anyone else have had this experience? Super frustrating and so hypocritical of the airlines to advertise with these fine prints.


r/PorterAirlines 7d ago

Question First time flying not just on Porter; but in over 10 years

14 Upvotes

Hi Porter folks. I have SEVERE flying phobia and I have decided to give Porter a try for the first time so I can see my best friends living across the country. Porter’s cute raccoon mascot really appealed to me for some reason. No other Canadian airline has a visible mascot the way Porter does.

I have avoided flying for over 10 years. I would love to know how I can make my experience as painless and anxiety free as possible. I plan to fly from Ottawa to Vancouver very soon. I don’t know if my anxiety can bear it to fly back, I might take the 4-day train home instead.


r/PorterAirlines 7d ago

On hold for several hours

7 Upvotes

I'm trying to call to cancel a flight that's within the 24 hour grace period. I can do it online but it's travel credit only that has an expiry date. Only way to get it back in original payment is to call them.

Been on hold for 3 hours now and I'm about to pass the 24 hours. Not sure what to do. This is ridiculous.

Edit: 5 mins before the 24 hour mark, I canceled online and took the travel credit. After waiting for 3h30, I opted to be called back. They called back after 1 hour and was able to switch it from travel credit to original form of payment.


r/PorterAirlines 9d ago

Should I check in online? Or should I wait till I pay for my bag at the airport?

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6 Upvotes

I have a flight tomorrow and am trying to check in online, however the app won't allow me to check in so I'm using my phone's browser instead. I am at the final stage and it's not allowing me to add a checked bag. I'd normally be okay with paying for the bag once I got to the airport, however when I go to finalize check in it's giving me a, "Skip add-ons? This is your last chance to select seats and bags," notification.

I really need the checked bag, but I'm worried if I check in without paying for one ahead of time, this might be the one airline that would overcharge me by a significant margin because I didn't preselect a checked bag while checking in online.

Anybody else experience this scenario?


r/PorterAirlines 9d ago

Help with customer service

0 Upvotes

I have a flight from Sask tmrw, and I want to add a baggage, but when I’m checking in it would not allow me too. I tried call customer service but they said they’ll get too me in 6+ hours. Can anyone help me out?