Porter Airlines has been steadily expanding its footprint over the past year, rolling out new routes and forming strategic partnerships with both Air Transat and Alaska Airlines.
As part of this broader growth, VIPorter members can now redeem VIPorter points for flights operated by these partner airlines, unlocking more opportunities for travel across North America, Europe, and beyond.
While this is a welcome development, the program is still evolving—and with that comes a few quirks and unknowns.
In this guide, we’ll walk through the partner airlines you can currently redeem VIPorter points for, highlight some example redemptions, and discuss the strengths and growing pains of this new offering.
In This Post
- Which Airlines Can You Book with VIPorter Points?
- How Do Partner Airline Redemptions with VIPorter Points Work?
- Examples VIPorter Redemptions with Partner Airlines
- How Could VIPorter Points Become Even More Valuable?
- Boost Your VIPorter Balance & Flight Experience with a BMO Credit Card
- Conclusion
Which Airlines Can You Book with VIPorter Points?
With the new redemption options, VIPorter points are no longer confined to Porter-operated flights. You now have access to partner-operated routes on both Air Transat and Alaska Airlines.
That includes international leisure routes to Europe, the Caribbean, and select destinations in South America and North Africa with Air Transat, as well as transborder and domestic US flights with Alaska Airlines.
Porter advertises starting redemptions from 9,500 points for Alaska Airlines flights, 21,500 points for Air Transat flights to the Caribbean, and 25,000 points for flights to Europe.
All bookings must be made through flyporter.com or via Porter’s contact centre.
How Do Partner Airline Redemptions with VIPorter Points Work?
Porter hasn’t published an official award chart, but based on current searches, redemptions appear to follow a dynamic pricing model with a lower limit. While some redemptions offer solid value, others appear less compelling, as we’ll explore below.
There seems to be an absolute floor that redemptions don’t drop below (so-called “Starting at” prices), though the full pricing structure remains unclear as the program continues to evolve.
There are several restrictions travellers should be aware of when attempting to redeem VIPorter points on partner flights.
As it stands, Alaska Airlines redemptions must include a Porter-operated leg; you cannot book a standalone Alaska Airlines itinerary using points.
This reduces flexibility, especially for travellers who only want a short domestic hop within the US.
Additionally, baggage rules depend on which airline operates the first flight. If the journey begins with Porter, their baggage policy applies. If the itinerary starts with Alaska Airlines, Alaska’s baggage rules will apply to the entire trip.
Availability on Air Transat appears broader but still inconsistent. Some routes don’t show up despite being available for cash purchase.
Others are only offered with extra Porter legs added, even when a non-stop Air Transat flight is the more logical option. These issues may be the result of system limitations or simply early growing pains in the integration.
While Porter’s terms indicate their baggage policy on Standard fares should apply to Air Transat bookings as long as they’re booked on Porter’s website, some travellers have reported seeing baggage fees at checkout, suggesting there may be nuances in how baggage benefits are applied when flying with partners.
It’s also worth managing expectations for cabin class. Air Transat doesn’t operate a traditional business class cabin. While it does offer a premium product called Club Class, it’s more comparable to a domestic premium economy experience than to long-haul lie-flat seats.
That means these redemptions may not appeal to travellers looking for high-end, aspirational flight experiences.
Examples VIPorter Redemptions with Partner Airlines
Based on live searches, here are some sample redemptions currently available on partner airlines.
VIPorter Redemptions for Alaska Airlines Flights
For Alaska Airlines, travellers can book a Toronto (YYZ) – Vancouver (YVR) – Seattle (SEA) itinerary for 9,500 points. Although Alaska operates a non-stop flight between Toronto and Seattle, VIPorter requires a connecting Porter segment, meaning you’ll need to route through cities like Vancouver (YVR) or Los Angeles (LAX).
A similar itinerary from Hamilton (YHM) to Seattle (SEA) via Vancouver (YVR) also prices out at 9,500 points, which is a handy option for those based in Hamilton who want to avoid driving to Toronto Pearson.
Travelling from Montreal (YUL) to Los Angeles (LAX) via Toronto (YYZ) is available for 10,500 points.
VIPorter Redemptions for Air Transat Flights
For Air Transat, a non-stop flight from Toronto (YYZ) to London Gatwick (LGW) costs 25,000 points.
Travellers departing from Thunder Bay (YQT) can also redeem 30,500 points to fly to London Gatwick (LGW), which is notable given the smaller origin city.
Non-stop flights to Paris (CDG) from either Toronto (YYZ) or Montreal (YUL) are available at 25,000 points.
Amsterdam (AMS) also prices at 25,000 points from Toronto (YYZ), while a redemption from Toronto (YYZ) to Barcelona (BCN) via Montreal (YUL) comes in at 32,500 points.
Toronto (YYZ) to Rome (FCO) is now also bookable—a route that wasn’t initially available when partner redemptions first launched.
These examples fall broadly within the advertised starting points range. That said, there are clear inconsistencies when it comes to availability.
Flights to the Caribbean and South America are either missing entirely or priced significantly higher than expected.
Searches for some cities, like Dublin and Marrakech, return error messages indicating that a partner airline isn’t available. In several cases, itineraries that should be available as non-stop Air Transat flights are only shown with a forced Porter connection in Toronto or Montreal.
How Could VIPorter Points Become Even More Valuable?
Now that VIPorter points can be used for flights across North America and Europe, a natural next step for Porter’s loyalty program would be adding a transpacific airline partner.
This would help close a major gap in their current redemption map and offer members more long-haul value.
For example, partnering with a carrier like T’way Air, which recently launched flights from Vancouver to Seoul, could offer an affordable option to East Asia.
Another possibility might be Hong Kong Airlines, which operates flights between Vancouver and Hong Kong. Either partnership could give VIPorter members access to Asia using points—a great alternative, especially for travellers in Western Canada.
While nothing has been announced yet, adding a transpacific partner would be a logical way for Porter to round out its international offerings and make VIPorter a more well-rounded loyalty program.
Boost Your VIPorter Balance & Flight Experience with a BMO Credit Card
With the launch of the BMO VIPorter World Elite®* Mastercard®* and the BMO VIPorter Mastercard®* , earning VIPorter points has never been more accessible.
The BMO VIPorter World Elite® Mastercard®* earns 3 VIPorter points per dollar spent on Porter purchases, and 2 points per dollar on eligible categories like gas, transit, dining, groceries, and hotels.
Cardholders also receive VIPorter Venture Avid Traveller status, which comes with priority check-in, early boarding, and a free carry-on and checked bag for the cardholder and up to eight guests on the same booking.
For those who don’t meet the income requirement for the World Elite card, the BMO VIPorter Mastercard®* offers a lower annual fee and no minimum income requirement.
It earns 2 points per dollar on Porter purchases and 1 point per dollar on other travel, dining, and grocery purchases.
This version comes with VIPorter Passport Avid Traveller status and similar access to priority services.
Insurance coverage is another benefit. The BMO VIPorter World Elite®* Mastercard®* offers travel insurance on award redemptions, as long as taxes and fees are charged to the card.
Conclusion
The ability to redeem VIPorter points on Air Transat and Alaska Airlines adds meaningful flexibility to the loyalty program.
It opens up more destinations, particularly across Europe and the US, and signals Porter’s ongoing ambition to grow its network and loyalty appeal.
That said, the system isn’t perfect. Forced connections, limited partner availability, and vague pricing rules show that there’s still work to be done.
If these areas are improved, VIPorter could become a more compelling option for Canadian travellers looking for a broader—and potentially more valuable—range of redemption opportunities.
