PorterReserve Certificates: Everything You Need To Know

If you ask anyone who knows me, you’ll know how much I love Porter. Whether it be travelling back to Sault Ste. Marie to visit family or across the country for my medical school elective rotations, I have been flying Porter more and more lately. It has become increasingly easy to fly with Porter because they have been rapidly expanding their fleet and routes across North America. 

Another reason to love the airline is the PorterReserve Certificates. Unlike other upgrade options with other airlines that require you to wait to find out if you have been successful, PorterReserve Certificates provide you with instant peace of mind right when checking out.

Here is everything you need to know about PorterReserve Certificates, including how they work, how to earn them, what the onboard experience looks like, and whether they are actually worth going out of your way to acquire.

What Are PorterReserve Certificates?

The PorterReserve Certificate is a perk offered through the VIPorter loyalty program that allows you to upgrade a standard fare ticket to a PorterReserve fare for free.

If you aren’t familiar, PorterReserve is Porter’s version of “business class.” On a PorterReserve flight, you can expect: 

• Larger, comfier seat at the front of the cabin with extra leg room
• Complimentary beer, wine, and premium liquor 
• Fresh meal or enhanced snacks depending on the length of your flight
• Priority dedicated check-in, priority security (at select airports), and priority boarding 
• 2 free checked bags 

Check out our review of PorterReserve on the Embraer 195-E2 for everything you need to know about the product! 

The key features of PorterReserve Certificates include: 

• Confirmed at Booking: As long as there is an available seat in the PorterReserve cabin, your upgrade is confirmed immediately upon applying the certificate to your booking. 
• Flexible Application: You can apply certificates to new or existing bookings made on Porter’s website.
  • Note that you cannot apply PorterReserve certificates to bookings made with VIPorter points, Porter Passes, or a flight voucher.
• Transferable to travel companions: You don’t have to fly yourself to use a certificate. You can apply the certificate from your account to upgrade a family member or friend.

Each PorterReserve certificate is valid for one-way travel per passenger. This means that if you want to fly PorterReserve on a round-trip, you will require 2 PorterReserve Certificates per passenger. They also expire one year from the date of issuance and must be used before the expiry date.

How Are PorterReserve Certificates Earned?

PorterReserve Certificates are intrinsically tied to the airline’s loyalty program, VIPorter. You will unlock your first PorterReserve Certificate when you reach $3,000 in qualifying spend within a calendar year, and additional certificates at every $2,000 in qualifying spend thereafter. Qualifying spend includes base fares and ancillary options (such as seat selection fees and baggage fees), but excludes taxes and airport fees.

You can also earn qualifying spend when you use one of their co-branded credit cards. The BMO VIPorter World Elite Mastercard gives $1 of qualifying spend for every $25 spent on the credit card. 

BMO VIPorter World Elite Mastercard

$200

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BMO VIPorter World Elite Mastercard

The BMO VIPorter World Elite Mastercard, Canada’s most valuable airline credit card^*, offers benefits including VIPorter Venture membership and the opportunity to earn an annual round-trip companion pass through spending.

Earn $200 in FlyerFunds when you apply through Frugal Flyer.

OFFER
70,000 VIPorter points

MINSPEND
$18,000

EST. VALUE
$1,250+

ANNUAL FEE
$199 (FYF)

FOREX FEES
Yes

EXPIRY
Oct 31, 2026

Is It Worth Chasing PorterReserve Certificates?

“Is it worth it?” That’s the million (well, maybe accurately $3,000) dollar question. If you naturally hit $3,000+ in annual spend with Porter, receiving PorterReserve Certificates is a fantastic, high-value bonus. 

This can be very feasible if you have to fly with your work and find that Porter serves both your home airport and destination. However, going out of your way or spending extra money to chase these certificates is probably not worth it. 

Unlike other airlines where business class tickets can cost up to 10 times more than economy, Porter often prices PorterReserve fares quite reasonably compared to PorterClassic. This is especially true when factoring in included checked bags and seat selection. The cash gap is often modest enough that buying PorterReserve outright makes more sense than mattress-running or manufactured spending for a certificate.

Additionally, earning certificates takes quite a bit of cash investment. The first certificate comes at $3,000 in qualifying spend and $2,000 thereafter. If you do rough math on the return on your spending versus paying for the cash upgrade, you’re getting maybe 5-10%. While this is decent, I’m not sure it’s lucrative enough to justify going out of your way to spend on Porter flights if you don’t have to.

Lastly, to be honest, Porter seats are pretty comfy, even in economy. Their fleet only has 2×2 seating, so you’ll never be stuck in a middle seat.

You also get free Wi-Fi and complimentary beer/wine served in a glass. Since the baseline PorterClassic experience is already significantly better than economy on other airlines, and it’s not that much different than PorterReserve, the marginal jump in space and comfort isn’t that dramatic. 

Conclusion

PorterReserve Certificates are a welcome feature of the VIPorter program, offering a transparent, guaranteed way to upgrade your travel experience. If you frequently fly Porter and can naturally hit the $3,000 threshold in qualifying spend, this is a great perk, but don’t feel compelled to spend extra cash out of pocket just to chase the next certificate.

Travelling with a partner on Porter Airlines? Check out our in-depth guide on Porter Companion Passes for everything you need to know about the program and how to make the most of your BMO VIPorter World Elite Mastercard!