The Complete Porter Airlines VIPorter Status Guide

While many Canadians may default to Air Canada when thinking about which airline they are going to fly with on their next adventure, Porter Airlines has been steadily increasing its routes across North America and deserves consideration. 

I actually fly Porter quite a bit out of either Toronto-Pearson (YYZ) or Toronto-City Billy Bishop (YTZ)! When I head up to see family back home in Sault Ste. Marie, Porter offers competitive pricing compared to our old friend Air Canada. 

Like other airlines, Porter has its own loyalty program, which is cleverly named VIPorter (I love a good play on words). Let’s take a dive into the VIPorter program and see if trying to get elite status is worth it for us Frugal Flyers!

What is Porter Airlines VIPorter Status?

VIPorter is Porter Airlines’ frequent flyer program. Like virtually every other program out there, you can gain status by flying with Porter Airlines (or partners). Climbing the status ladder leads to benefits that can help elevate your flying experience with Porter!

The good news is that the bar to entry into VIPorter is low – you can simply head over to VIPorter’s signup page, fill in some information and you’re all set with your new VIPorter account! 

Unlike programs like Air Canada Aeroplan, there is no shortcut to earning VIPorter points or status without spending money and flying with Porter Airlines. Unfortunately, while this makes it one of the harder frequent flyer programs to earn status with, it is a similar approach to WestJet Rewards elite status and many other frequent flyer programs in North America.

How Long Does Porter Airlines VIPorter Status Last?

If you spend enough money with Porter to earn VIPorter status, it will last until December 31st of the following calendar year. For example, I earned VIPorter Passport status in February 2025, so my status would last until December 2026.

The same rules apply if you move up a rung on the status ladder. Using the same case as above, if I spent more money with Porter and upgraded to VIPorter Venture status in April 2025, my status will last until December 2026. 

Regardless of status level, your VIPorter points expire if there is no points activity (earning or redeeming) in your account in 24 months. If you are sitting on a large pile of VIPorter points and find yourself having not flown Porter in 24 months, make sure you book and fly an itinerary to keep your points alive!

How Do I Qualify for Porter Airlines VIPorter Status?

The only way to qualify for VIPorter status is to spend money with Porter Airlines or any of their partner airlines. While Porter is not a member of any airline alliances, they do have 10 partner airlines.

There are 5 tiers of VIPorter status in the program. Each rung on the status ladder is tied to the amount of money spent on Porter or partner airlines booked through Porter. There are no modifiers on minimum qualifying spend based on the fare class purchased, and qualifying spending includes purchases such as base fares, checked baggage fees, change fees, and other eligible purchases.

Since status is only earned based on spending money with Porter Airlines, it does make earning status a bit harder since there are no shortcuts. However, it is definitely less complicated than other programs where you have to keep track of dollars spent, segments flown, and other variables (Looking at you, Aeroplan status).

VIPorter Status Tier-Specific Benefits

There are five elite status tiers within the VIPorter loyalty program that each offer different benefits for passengers.

VIPorter Member Status

All you need for VIPorter Member status is the internet – simply go to Porter’s website and sign up for free. You’ll earn 5 points per dollar spent with Porter and an additional 500 points for your first flight as an entry-level status member.

You’ll also open up the opportunity to pay with a combination of points and dollars. This is often the best way to get the most value from your VIPorter points. We’ve seen instances of VIPorter points being worth as much as 6 cents per point.

Since VIPorter Member status has no requirement to earn, there aren’t any meaningful benefits tied to this status level. In order to gain valuable benefits for your next flight on Porter Airlines, you’ll have to start your journey up the VIPorter status ladder.

VIPorter Passport Status

After spending $2,000 in a calendar year, you’ll move up the status ladder to VIPorter Passport status. You’ll earn 6 points per dollar spent with Porter and a 20% Avid Traveller boost on points earned with partners if you choose to credit your points to VIPorter. 

VIPorter Passport members will enjoy dedicated check-in, priority security, and early boarding on the day of their flight. These benefits get extended to anyone traveling with you for up to 9 additional guests. If you like to fly standby, you’ll get priority over lower-tiered members. You’ll also get priority to be rebooked for flight changes, delays, and cancellations as well as front-of-the-line service when calling customer service. 

New to VIPorter is Head Start, which is a benefit that is available for Passport and above status levels. You will be able to roll over your dollars spent above your current status level into the following year, effectively giving you a “head start” toward status. For example, if I spend $2,750 in a calendar year, I will get a $750 head start towards requalifying for status in the following year.

Another cool feature of VIPorter Passport status (and above) is a status extension for parental leave.

If you are expecting a child soon or just had a child, you can request to extend your elite status benefits until you return to the skies!

VIPorter Venture Status

After spending $3,000 in a calendar year, you’ll reach VIPorter Venture status. 

Along with everything you got with Passport, you’ll receive complimentary seat selection, a complimentary carry-on (if booking the barebones PorterClassic Basic fare), and 1 complimentary checked bag for you and your travel companions (which is a great way to save on Porter Airlines baggage fees). You’ll also earn a PorterReserve certificate – more on that below!

VIPorter Ascent Status

When you spend $6,000 in a calendar year, you’ll reach VIPorter Ascent status, their penultimate status. In addition to everything at Venture, you’ll earn an increased 7 points per dollar spent on Porter and a 40% increase in points earned with partner airlines when credited to VIPorter. 

Additionally, you will receive two complimentary checked bags and free same-day flight changes. When booking a PorterClassic flight, you’ll be able to select their Stretch seats for more legroom free of charge.

VIPorter First Status

For those spending $10,000 or more in a calendar year on Porter Airlines, you’ll reach VIPorter First status, their highest status level. 

This level is quite similar to the previous Ascent status, except for being able to secure a guaranteed seat on sold-out Porter flights and if your flight gets canceled, you’ll be guaranteed a seat on the next flight to your destination.

PorterReserve Certificates

One of the perks that you earn at VIPorter Venture status and above is the PorterReserve Certificate. This certificate allows you to upgrade a PorterClassic Standard fare to a PorterReserve fare for free.

Think of PorterReserve as the airline’s version of business class. In addition to flying in style at the front of the cabin like the Porter Raccoon, you’ll get a meal (or a better snack) and 2 complimentary checked bags on PorterReserve. You can redeem the certificate for anyone that you want, not just yourself!

You earn a PorterReserve certificate once you reach VIPorter Venture status after $3,000 spent in a calendar year. After that, you’ll earn a PorterReserve certificate after each $2,000 spent in the calendar year. 

Is Chasing Porter Airlines VIPorter Status Worth It?

I’ll preface my opinion on whether chasing status is worth it with this: I love flying with Porter – as I said before, it’s one of the few ways I can get home to see family in Sault Ste. Marie. You also get free alcohol and their snacks and customer service are usually pretty good. 

However, The main drawback to VIPorter status is that you must spend money on Porter (or partners) to earn status. With no other way to earn status or points, this makes it very difficult to achieve status. Additionally, as of writing this article, they only fly to select destinations in North America, making it even harder to earn status (unless you decide to book a partner flight through Porter). 

Thus, in my opinion, VIPorter is not worth chasing. The ironic part of this is that Porter’s flights are generally priced quite fair – it’s going to be hard to spend over $2,000 unless you’re in the air quite a bit or travel for work. Plus, VIPorter Passport status itself is quite unremarkable. You really need to get to Venture status or above to get tangible perks like free checked bags. 

Lastly, they don’t have any formal status partnerships with other airlines because they are not in an alliance, meaning that your VIPorter status is confined to a smaller airline. 

I don’t think you should be discouraged from flying Porter though! As I said, they offer great service for a reasonable cost, and you can give our Porter Airlines Economy review a read for more details. If you need to pay an out-of-pocket cash fare and looking to get there for as cheap as possible, it’s worth giving Porter a search!

Conclusion

I am a well-known fan of Porter Airlines, however, I just don’t think chasing VIPorter status is worth it for the regular Frugal Flyer. A huge limitation of the program is being only able to earn points and status through spending cash on flights. Additionally, the perks and benefits that come with status aren’t anything mindblowing. However, just because you can’t earn status doesn’t mean you shouldn’t consider Porter for your next flight! 

For a more in-depth look at Porter Airlines and their VIPorter program, check out our dedicated VIPorter loyalty page where you will find all the information you’ll need!