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Canada’s third-largest airline is doubling down on the country’s capital, Ottawa, with five new sun-soaked routes set to take off this week. Porter Airlines will launch its new winter schedule this week, adding five destinations in Mexico, Costa Rica, the Bahamas, and the Cayman Islands. What makes it even better is that Porter Airlines’ Embraer E195-E2 operating these flights are configured in a four-abreast layout – meaning no middle seat.
Porter Airlines has, in recent years, catapulted itself to become the largest airline by number of destinations served at Ottawa Macdonald–Cartier International Airport (YOW), and with these five new services, will bring the airline’s total number to 24 non-stop routes, more than any other airline, including the flag carrier, 
Air Canada, or low-cost-carrier WestJet.
Investing In The Capital Region
Diplomats and local destination representatives have met at YOW this week to celebrate the commencement of these new services and have thanked the airline for its continued investment in the Ottawa region. The airline also maintains a maintenance base at YOW with two large hangars for servicing the airline’s fleet of Embraer E195-E2 and Bombardier Dash 8-400 airplanes.
All of the new routes are set to be served by the airlines Embraer E195-E2, an aircraft that has revolutionized the Porter Airlines network, and enabled it to expand from a small turboprop airline, to a trans-Canadian carrier. All passengers onboard enjoy complimentary snacks, as well as free beer and wine, all served in glassware. Free fast Wi-Fi is also available to keep travelers connected. Porter Airlines president, Kevin Jackson, explained as per the airlines media release:
“The launch of these routes is a celebration of our growth to new regions and another demonstration of Porter’s commitment to Ottawa-Gatineau. This winter, Porter is offering more flights from YOW than any other carrier, serving 24 non-stop routes. We are giving local travellers more options than ever, while enjoying the elevated level of service and style that only Porter provides.”
Escaping The Winter Blues
As the capital region bunkers down for the chilling conditions of the Northern Hemisphere winter season, Porter is offering more choices than ever before for locals to make the most of new services to the south. This week, new services will launch from YOW, with services ranging from daily to once weekly.
Nassau Lynden Pindling International Airport (NAS) will kick off first, taking flight on Saturday, December 13, with a once-weekly service to the Bahamas, followed the same day by a six-times-weekly flight to Puerto Vallarta Licenciado Gustavo Díaz Ordaz International Airport (PVR).
Cancun International Airport (CUN) is up next, launching on December 17 with a six-weekly service, the same day non-stop flights to Liberia Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport (LIR), which will operate daily. Grand Cayman’s Owen Roberts International Airport (GCM) will kick off on December 19 with a twice-weekly service.
Porter Airlines Announces Several New Routes To The Caribbean, Mexico & Costa Rica
These will be the carrier’s first non-US international destinations.
More Destinations Coming Soon
Porter Airlines Ottawa network expansion doesn’t stop there, with the carrier planning to launch new services to Miami (from January 24) and Phoenix (from February 7), rounding out the airline’s network expansion for the winter season. Porter also offers international services from Ottawa to destinations including Boston, Newark, and Orlando year-round, while Fort Myers and Tampa are additional seasonal services.
Passengers departing from Ottawa destined for the United States can also make the most of U.S Preclearance, which is available at the airport, enabling travellers to pass through immigration formalities before even getting on the plane. This is ahuge benefit for travelers, as it means they arrive in the United States as domestic passengers, bypassing long lines and waits at immigration.
This week, Porter also expanded its network at Hamilton’s John C. Munro International Airport (YHM), with the airline launching new non-stop services to Florida and Mexico. The inaugural flight from Hamilton to Orlando took off on Friday, December 12, while Orlando will take flight on Saturday, December 13. A new service from Hamilton to Cancun will also take flight from December 17, and Puerto Vallarta will be up next with non-stop flights beginning on December 18.
Additional domestic services from Hamilton offered by Porter include year-round flights to Calgary and Edmonton, served five times weekly, and Halifax and Vancouver, which are served once daily.
