Porter Airlines’ new service in and out of London, Ontario YXU marks another step in its program of regional airport expansion in eastern Canada. Officials say it could even attract American fliers from across the border.
Porter and London International Airport officials held a joint press conference at YXU today (August 25) to announce Porter this fall will begin flights from London to Cancun, Montego Bay, Orlando and Fort Lauderdale.
The Fort Lauderdale route will start on Nov. 18, 2026, with four weekly flights (Monday,Wednesday, Friday and Sunday), while flights to Orlando start Nov. 19, with three weekly flights (Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday).
Flights between London and Cancun begin Dec. 17, 2026, with four flights a week (Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday), while flights between London and Montego Bay, Jamaica start Dec. 18, with two weekly flights (Monday and Friday).
Customers can book flights now at www.flyporter.com, or by calling their travel agent.
Half Moon is a lovely property near Montego Bay. JIM BYERS PHOTO
“We’re launching with four seasonal route but we believe their is a lot more potential out of London,” Porter president and CEO Michael Deluce said at the press event. Porter in the coming months will announce year-round domestic flights out of YXU.
“We intend to make this a very substantial service across the country,” he said.
In an interview, Deluce declined to outline potential future airport expansion. He also politely avoided giving away the news about Porter’s domestic flights, saying only that their will be extensive Canadian coverage out of YXU.
“It’ll be broad and it’ll be significant and people in the London area will be able to access all parts of the country,” he said.
Deluce said the Canadian domestic routes will launch in the 2027 summer season, which he said begins in April.
It might be a tough time to sell flights to the States, but Deluce doesn’t sound overly worried about a lack of US-bound customers.
Porter felt “some negative impact” after Trump launched his PR war on Canada in early 2025, he said. “That’s maintained, but Porter’s growing within that slightly smaller pie, and the pie for travel to the US is still very large, and the two destinations we launched today are extremely popular, even if in a slightly reduced state.”
Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. JIM BYERS PHOTO
“These are very strong markets. Orlando and Fort Lauderdale. They’re extremely popular. during the winter months, which is when we’re serving it, when Canadians like to travel somewhere sunny. Obviously that complements Cancun and Montego Bay, which are also very popular sun destinations.”
Porter also hopes to lure pax to YXU with its new Embraer jets, which feature no aisle seats, free wine and beer, and free Wi-Fi.
Asked about Porter’s regional airport/smaller airport programs, including YTZ, YHM, and, as of a few weeks ago, MET in suburban Montreal, Deluce said it’s normal for large population centres to have multiple airports.
“In the case of London, there’s two million people within the catchment area that would love to use this airport if served properly. The Embraer 195-E2 Is the perfect size for markets like this, and allows us to come in and offer service to a broad range of destinations and with frequency, when otherwise that wouldn’t be possible.
London airport officials and local politicians were positively giddy at the news of the raccoon mascot’s arrival.
“Today is an historic day for London International Airport. More importantly it’s an historic day for London and for Southwestern Ontario,” said YXU President and CEO Scott McFadzean. “For years, our region has been underserved when it comes to air service, with residents and businesses often travelling outside the region to access the connectivity they need.”
Porter Airlines’ president and CEO Michael Deluce at London International Airport.
London Mayor Josh Morgan said it will be great to have flights to other Canadian destinations next year “because accessing this beautiful country from southwestern Ontario is something that we’ve had in the past but something that has deteriorated over the past few years.”
YXU will be a popular airport for not just residents of London, but also Windsor, Sarnia, Chatham and the Kitchener-Waterloo-Guelph region, he said. Detroit residents also might want to cross the border to reach sun destinations or Canadian cities.
Morgan said two and-a-half million people live within an hour of London International Airport. He also said 36% of area residents now “leak out” to Detroit Wayne Airport, so keeping those pax in Canada is a major win.
