The Differences Between Porter Airlines Fare Classes

When you book flights, there are distinct fare classes available at different price points. Fare classes offer various tiers of benefits within the overarching class of service. 

For example, not all Economy class tickets are the same, as passengers can select a fare class within the economy family that offers additional benefits above a standard economy ticket. Understanding the ins and outs of these fare classes will ensure that you can pick the right one for your travel needs without overspending.

Let’s take a look at Porter Airlines fare classes and their differences to help you make the right decision when booking your next Porter Airlines flight.

What are Porter Airlines Fare Classes?

As with most airlines, Porter Airlines offers different fare classes to provide products that can meet a wide range of passenger needs. Whether you are a traveler who is fine with the absolute basics and zero flexibility, or one who wants a premium experience, Porter Airlines offers a fare class that can meet your travel needs.

Depending on the fare class that you purchase, you may just be happy to have a seat on a plane versus having free checked baggage or additional flexibility in being able to cancel your ticket in advance of your flight and receive a full refund.

For example, the screenshot below captures what passengers can expect regarding baggage allowance and boarding, depending on the specific Economy fare class they select:

Ticket prices do increase as passengers select a higher fare class, and as a result, they will need to make sure that they are getting the value and benefits they require if they are choosing a more expensive fare class. Higher fare classes are not necessarily universally better for all passengers when you consider the cost, as passengers can have different travel needs.

The Differences Between Porter Airlines Fare Classes

Porter Airlines has two fare families in which all fare classes live: PorterClassic and PorterReserve. There are four fare classes within the PorterClassic fare family and two fare classes within the PorterReserve fare family. 

These fare classes offer varying amounts of flexibility and benefits at contrasting price points, making it easy for consumers to choose which one is the best fit for their needs. All fare classes typically improve on what the previous one offers, making moving up a fare class typically an upgrade in what you can expect to receive.

All Porter Airlines fare classes will receive complimentary premium snacks, beer and wine, free in-flight WiFi, and in-flight entertainment. If you want to see what it is like to fly on Porter Airlines, check out our Porter Airlines review.

Additionally, all customers, regardless of purchased fare class, can also cancel their ticket within 24 hours of booking and receive a full refund to their original payment method.

While I’ve focused on the differences in the sections below, you can assume that if for example, a lower fare class received a free checked bag, the higher one will as well unless otherwise specified.

PorterClassic (Basic)

The PorterClassic (Basic) fare class is very similar to the likes of WestJet UltraBasic and Air Canada Basic fares, which is essentially a no-frills bare-bones fare that will ensure that you get to your destination, but not much more.

Passengers flying in this fare class can only bring a personal item aboard, and all other items must be checked. This means that you cannot bring a carry-on bag, so if that is how you tend to travel, definitely avoid booking this fare class. If you attempt to bring a carry-on bag, the customer service representative will make you pay to check it when you go to pick up your tickets at the airport check-in counter.

PorterClassic (Basic) fares also have the least flexibility, which makes sense as they are the cheapest Porter fare you can purchase. While customers can cancel their flight within 24 hours of booking, they cannot make any other changes or cancellations past this period. That means that there is no way to refund a booking, so only ever book a Basic fare if you don’t require any flexibility and are ok with just having a seat on the plane and nothing more.

PorterClassic (Standard)

The PorterClassic (Standard) is the fare class that I would recommend most passengers consider when they are initially looking to book a ticket, as it is considered the main fare class that consists of what the average traveler should require.

Passengers can bring one personal item and one piece of carry-on luggage at no charge, however they will be charged for any checked luggage. They are also eligible to receive an electronic boarding pass, meaning you can skip the check-in desk if you are flying with carry-on only which is a great time saver at the airport.

The PorterClassic (Standard) fare class does not include seat selection, so that will be an additional cost if you want to choose your seat in advance.

Changes and cancellations, including same-day changes, will have an additional fee tied to them (above and beyond the applicable fare difference and taxes) and if a refund is required, only a travel credit will be issued for future use on Porter Airlines.

However, passengers flying on a Standard Economy fare are able to make a same-day change to an earlier flight between Toronto and Newark, or a same-day change to an earlier flight (at the airport) between Toronto and Montreal or Ottawa at no cost.

PorterClassic (Flexible)

The PorterClassic (Flexible) fare class is where things start to get more interesting, as there are now significant additional benefits available to ticket holders.

Passengers who book a Flexible fare will receive one complimentary checked piece of luggage and can select their seat in advance at no charge. However, suppose they are interested in selecting a PorterClassic Stretch seat which comes with 34 inches of legroom and is only available on the Embraer E195-E2 aircraft. In that case, they will need to pay to select that seat.

The other big addition and benefit of booking the Flexible fare class is that changes and cancellations have no additional charges tied to them, and passengers will only need to pay the applicable fare difference and taxes and fees. Same-day changes may still have fees attached, and if a passenger cancels their ticket, they will receive the refund as a travel credit for use on Porter Airlines in the future.

PorterClassic (Freedom)

The PorterClassic (Freedom) fare class is the highest Economy fare class and thus it comes with the greatest benefits.

Passengers who book this fare class will enjoy all the benefits of the PorterClassic (Flexible) fare, but can also now select a PorterClassic Stretch seat at no additional charge.

The greatest benefit is the unwavering flexibility offered by this fare class. There are no fees to change or cancel flights, even if they are made on the day of departure (up to 1 hour before the flight). Passengers can also receive a full refund to their original method of payment, meaning they won’t need to worry about getting stuck with a pesky travel credit to liquidate in the future.

PorterReserve (Navigate)

PorterReserve fares are closer to what you would experience in a domestic premium class seat, such as WestJet Premium Economy or Air Canada Domestic Business Class. PorterReserve (Navigate) is the entry-level premium fare class that passengers should consider booking if they are interested in an elevated Porter Airlines experience.

PorterReserve Navigate fares come with many benefits including premium liquor, fresh meals (currently available on E195-E2 aircraft only), two complimentary checked bags, dedicated check-in, priority boarding, free seat selection, and access to a PorterReserve seat with additional legroom at the front of the plane.

This premium fare class also offers a high level of flexibility including complimentary flight changes or cancellations where the passenger will only be charged the applicable fare difference and taxes, same-day changes on the day of departure, and the ability to fully refund their fare as a travel credit up to 1 hour before departure.

PorterReserve (Ultimate)

The PorterReserve (Ultimate) fare class is nearly identical to the PorterReserve (Navigate) fare class as it includes the same benefits with one minor difference.

Passengers who book the PorterReserve (Ultimate) fare class can receive a full refund to their original payment method when canceling up to one hour before flight departure. They can also request a refund as a travel credit, but that would be silly as the whole point of paying for the Ultimate fare class is to receive the most flexibility you can have when traveling on Porter.

How to Choose the Right Porter Airlines Fare Class For Your Needs

Like many decisions in the world of miles and points, choosing the right fare class will always depend on the traveler and their specific needs. The right fare class can even change from vacation to vacation, as travel needs can be very different meaning that one fare class might not always be a “one size fits all” solution.

What this means is that you need to examine your travel needs to determine the right fare class that meets your needs as a passenger, factoring in if there are any specific needs for that specific flight. This will always be an individual decision for each passenger, which is why understanding each fare class is important to ensure you are not overpaying for a feature or benefit you don’t require.

For example, perhaps you know you are going to fly with a piece of checked luggage and are looking to save money on Porter Airlines baggage fees. It could make sense to choose the PorterClassic (Flexible) fare class since it comes with one piece of complimentary checked luggage, plus free seat selection and additional flexibility. 

But this elevated fare class will come with an increased cost, and you’ll have to run the calculations to determine if you are coming out ahead versus paying for the checked bag and seat selection separately. Additionally, the added flexibility is hard to put a price tag on, so you would have to consider how certain your travel plans are.

Additionally, if you are a regular Porter Airlines customer and have any level of VIPorter elite status, that may play into your fare class decision. It obviously wouldn’t be worth paying for a higher fare class if you already receive those benefits as a perk of being an elite Porter Airlines VIPorter member.

Conclusion

Educating yourself on the differences between Porter Airlines fare classes will only benefit you as a traveler the next time you are interested in booking a flight on Porter Airlines metal. After all, choosing the right fare class for your needs will ensure you aren’t overspending for benefits you don’t value or require for your upcoming flight.