Porter Adds Phoenix, Miami & Nassau – Plus More Sun From Canada
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Porter Airlines is turning up the heat for winter/spring 2026 with four new nonstop routes to the U.S. and Caribbean — and a wave of frequency boosts to popular “sun” destinations. The big first: Vancouver–Phoenix, Porter’s first-ever U.S. route from the West Coast. The expansion arrives days after Porter and American Airlines unveiled a new codeshare, and several of these routes plug neatly into American’s hubs.
What’s launching (and when)
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Vancouver (YVR) ↔ Phoenix (PHX) — Daily from Feb 2, 2026
Porter’s first U.S. route from YVR, tapping winter demand to Arizona and AA’s PHX hub. -
Ottawa (YOW) ↔ Miami (MIA) — 3x weekly from Jan 24, 2026
New nonstop into AA’s South Florida hub for cruises, beaches, and Latin America connections. -
Ottawa (YOW) ↔ Phoenix (PHX) — 3x weekly from Feb 7, 2026
A capital-to-desert link aimed at leisure and VFR traffic, with onward AA connectivity. -
Montréal (YUL) ↔ Nassau (NAS) — 3x weekly from Feb 5, 2026
Porter’s first nonstop Caribbean service from Montréal, timed for prime winter escapes.
Porter is also adding winter capacity on existing warm-weather routes, including: Hamilton–Fort Lauderdale; Ottawa–Grand Cayman / Liberia (CR); Ottawa–Puerto Vallarta; Toronto–Cancún / Fort Lauderdale / Liberia.
Aircraft & onboard experience
All new and expanded routes use Porter’s Embraer E195-E2 — a quiet, fuel-efficient jet with a 2-2 layout (no middle seats). Expect:
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Free, fast Wi-Fi for all guests
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Complimentary beer & wine served in glassware, plus soft drinks
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Premium snacks for purchase and power at every seat
It’s a short-haul product built to feel long-haul nice, and a clear differentiator in crowded leisure markets.
Why these routes make sense
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Codeshare leverage with American: Phoenix and Miami are AA hubs; Porter’s new flights neatly feed AA’s network for one-stop access deeper into the U.S., Latin America, and the Caribbean — while giving Americans an easy hop into Canada on a familiar ticket.
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Diversifying beyond the East: Vancouver–Phoenix plants Porter’s flag out West, where winter demand is reliable and competition is rational.
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Montreal’s Caribbean gap: A nonstop to Nassau gives YUL a high-appeal leisure option under Porter’s brand, broadening its identity beyond Eastern Canada trunk routes.
Competitive landscape (quick read)
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YVR–PHX: Competes with entrenched players but daily service + AA codeshare give Porter relevance fast.
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YOW–MIA / PHX: Ottawa often gets ignored in long-haul leisure; these are rare, time-saving nonstops.
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YUL–NAS: Seasonal Caribbean capacity is fragmented across charters and legacies — Porter adds a boutique, tech-forward option.
Booking tips
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Lock peak weeks early: Presidents’ Day and spring break periods price up quickly on sun routes.
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Check AA codeshare: If you’re connecting beyond PHX/MIA, compare AA-coded and PD-coded fares/crediting.
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Mind the days: With 3x-weekly patterns, aligning trip length to flight days can save a connection.
Bottom line
Porter’s early-2026 schedule adds four targeted, leisure-heavy nonstops — YVR–PHX, YOW–MIA, YOW–PHX, and YUL–NAS — while boosting capacity to Florida, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central America. Backed by its American Airlines codeshare and the E195-E2’s passenger-pleasing cabin (free Wi-Fi, no middle seats, complimentary drinks), Porter is quietly stitching together a transborder footprint that punches above its weight — and gives Canadians more nonstop sunshine, with style.
