VIPorter is a straightforward points rewards program offered by Porter Airlines. Every time you fly Porter, you earn points to spend on future flights. You can either pay entirely in VIPorter points or combine payment with a credit card. And they aren't just for flying on Porter, either – you can redeem VIPorter points for flights on Air Transat and Alaska Airlines.
Key Takeaways
- VIPorter is a points rewards program offered exclusively through Porter Airlines.
- VIPorter points can only be earned and spent on flights (and related services) through Porter Airlines.
- The VIPorter program is free to join but you can only unlock advanced membership, rewards rates, and benefits by spending a certain amount each year.
- VIPorter doesn’t have an official partner credit card, but other cards will let you earn other rewards on Porter flights.
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What is VIPorter?
VIPorter is an airline points rewards program. It’s free to join but you can only earn and spend points on flights offered through Porter Airlines, an award-winning, short-haul, Toronto-based company established in 2006.
Porter’s hubs at Billy Bishop (YTZ) and Pearson International Airport (YYZ) fly to over 30 year-round destinations across Canada and the US. The company’s four-star service is divided into two categories with multiple fare options:
- Complimentary snacks, beer, wine, soft drinks, coffee, and tea are standard
- You’ll have to pay extra for legroom, checked bags, ticket flexibility, or the all-inclusive experience
How do you earn VIPorter points?
There are a few ways you can earn VIPorter points. Obviously, flying with Porter is one way – but you can also earn them when you fly Alaska Airlines. Porter also offers a pair of credit cards so you can earn points everywhere.
Porter Airlines
VIPorter members earn points on purchases made through Porter Airlines. Sign up, book a flight using flyporter.com or the Porter Call Centre, provide your VIPorter membership number, and be on your way.
You'll start out earning 5 points per $1 spent on Porter purchases, which increases to 7 points per $1 when you reach VIPorter First status.
Here’s the full list of when your dollars count and for how much:
- On flights booked through Porter: Depending on your membership level, you can earn 5 – 7 VIPorter points on every Canadian or US dollar of your base fare.
- On flight-related services: Every dollar spent on seat selection, checked bags, and other extras (think in-flight meals and cocktails) earns 5 – 7 VIPorter points.
- On flight fees: Every dollar spent on change fees, cancellation fees, and other administrative processes earns 5 – 7 VIPorter points.
- On bulk flight passes: Porter Flight Passes give frequent flyers the chance to pre-purchase one-way flights at a fixed low price in bundles of 10, 20, 50, or 100. Your VIPorter points earn rate depends on your membership level at the time of booking.
- On group fares: Group members earn as many VIPorter points for their individual accounts as they would if they were flying solo.
- On interline journeys: Every dollar you spend on an interline journey booked through Porter earns 5 – 7 VIPorter points – even the legs on non-Porter airlines.
- On vacation packages: PorterEscapes offers curated flight, hotel, and activity packages to select destinations and awards 750 – 2,800 points based on where you fly.
It wouldn’t be a rewards program without some exclusions. Here are the purchases that don’t add anything to your VIPorter account:
- Flight taxes and third-party fees
- Flights on other airlines on an interline journey not booked through Porter
- Non-air-travel-related purchases on a PorterEscapes getaway
Alaska Airlines
When you fly with Alaska Airlines, you can choose to earn VIPorter points instead of Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan. How you earn points varies with who you book with.
If you book your flight with Porter, your Alaska Airlines flight(s) will earn points as you normally would with Porter – starting at 5 points per $1 spent, excluding taxes and fees paid.
Book your flight through Alaska Airlines and the points you'll earn will vary with the actual length of your flight in miles, with a multiplier tacked on. If you're an Avid Traveller, you'll get a 20% or 40% bonus tacked on.
BMO VIPorter Mastercards
BMO issues a pair of credit cards that allow members to earn points everywhere they shop. Both cards offer automatic advanced VIPorter status, discounts on flights, and more.
| Welcome bonus | Earn rates | VIPorter status | Annual fee + income requirements | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BMO VIPorter Mastercard |  $100 GeniusCash + Up to 40,000 bonus points, 35% flight discount, first year free (terms) | * 2 points per $1 spent on Porter * 1 point per $1 spent on gas, transit, groceries, restaurants, and hotels * 0.5 points per $1 spent on all other purchases | Passport | * $89 * None |
| BMO VIPorter World Elite Mastercard | $150 GeniusCash + Up to 70,000 bonus points, companion pass, first year free (terms) | * 3 points per $1 spent on Porter * 2 point per $1 spent on gas, transit, groceries, restaurants, and hotels * 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases | Venture | * $199 * $80K personal or $150K household |
The BMO VIPorter Mastercard is the entry-level card. For an annual fee of $89, you'll earn up to 2 points per $1 spent on purchases. With this card, you'll get VIPorter Passport status, which includes priority check-in, boarding, and security at select airports.
You can also save on flights with Porter. Spend $25,000 on your card in a year, and you'll get a voucher to save 35% on the base airfare of a flight for yourself and up to 3 others travelling with you.
GC: $100
The BMO VIPorter World Elite Mastercard kicks things up a notch with an annual fee of $199 and up to 3 points per $1 spent on purchases. This card includes Venture status, which increases the perks you'll get on Porter, including freebies like free checked bags, free seat selection, and 1 Porter Reserve upgrade certificate per year.
It also offers an annual companion pass. It's hard to earn, though – you'll need to spend $50,000 per year on your card, but it allows you to take someone else with you on a trip for just the taxes and fees. Unlike all other companion vouchers in Canada, you don't have to pay a fee to use it.
GC: $150
VIPorter membership levels
The five VIPorter membership levels determine how fast you earn points, how you can redeem them, and the benefits you enjoy.
Your membership level is determined by how much you spend on qualifying purchases from January 1 through December 31. Spend enough and VIPorter will immediately bump you up to the relevant membership level, which you’ll enjoy for the rest of the year plus the next calendar year.
To make sure you get the most out of your travels, we’ve put together a guide on VIPorter membership essentials:
| VIPorter Member | VIPorter Passport | VIPorter Venture | VIPorter Ascent | VIPorter First | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yearly spending required | $0 | $2,000 | $3,000 | $6,000 | $10,000+ |
| Points earned per dollar | 5 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 7 |
| Complimentary carry-on | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Complimentary checked bag | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| Complimentary seat selection | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| One upgrade to the PorterReserve flight experience after spending $3,000 (and every $2,000 spent thereafter) | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Complimentary upgrades to seats with extra legroom when available | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Free same-day changes | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Guaranteed next flight re-accommodation | No | No | No | No | Yes |
| Guaranteed reservation on a sold-out flight | No | No | No | No | Yes |
Qualifying for any of the top four membership levels makes you an "Avid Traveller" and unlocks several advantages, including:
- Dedicated Porter Call Centre service
- Dedicated check-in, priority security, and early boarding
- Priority re-accommodation after flight delays
- Priority standby listings
- Head Start: If the dollars you spend don’t carry you to the next membership level in one year, up to $3,000 will roll over to the next calendar year.
- Parental leave: You can request an extension for your current membership level for up to 18 months if you’re welcoming a new child to the family.
Plus, if 2 - 9 Avid Travellers book together, they can share the benefits of the person with the highest membership level.
Redeeming VIPorter points
When it comes to redeeming VIPorter points, you're not just limited to flights on Porter. You can also use them for flights on Air Transat and Alaska Airlines. To book flights with these airlines, you must use Porter’s website or call centre.
VIPorter points have varying values. Based on our research of 14 various flights within the Porter network, they're worth between 0.5 to 3.5 cents each, with an overall average of 1.5 cents.
We looked at 14 one-way flights on Porter, all leaving on a Friday 2 months in advance. There's no real rhyme or reason to their value. Case in point – our lowest value was on a flight from Toronto to Calgary, where a point was only worth 0.5 cents. But on a flight from Montreal to Vancouver, we got 3.5 cents per point.
Remember: To keep your account active, you need to fly once every 24 months.
As for the fine print, we read all the boring stuff so you don’t have to. Here are the need-to-know limitations on VIPorter points:
- Points can’t be transferred (except after death) or divided between accounts
- Points can’t be redeemed on flight taxes or third-party fees
- Points can’t be redeemed on interline journeys, codeshare fares, tour operator fares, flights on other airlines (except Alaska and Air Transat), or PorterEscapes group bookings
- Points expire if you don’t redeem them or make a new purchase within 2 years
- Points must be redeemed on a fare at the Standard level of PorterClassic or above (i.e., no "Basic" flights with no extras)
- Membership is only available to individual people – not corporations or households
- Minors can join VIPorter but their accounts must be managed by a parent or guardian
Want to see our Porter Airlines flight research?
FAQ
Does VIPorter have a credit card to earn more points?
BMO issues a pair of credit cards that earn VIPorter points everywhere – the BMO VIPorter Mastercard and the BMO VIPorter World Elite Mastercard. These cards include automatic avid traveller status with Porter and discounts on flights.
What can you redeem VIPorter points for?
You can redeem VIPorter points towards flights on Porter Airlines, Air Transat, and Alaska Airlines. You can either pay the entire base fare of your flight in points or combine them with payment on a credit card.
Do VIPorter points expire?
VIPorter points will expire if you don’t redeem them (or buy another flight) within 2 years. If your account is inactive for 4 years, it might be deactivated.
How much are VIPorter points worth?
VIPorter points are worth 1.5 cents CAD each on flights on Porter Airlines.
Is VIPorter free?
Becoming a VIPorter member is free but you’ll have to spend at least $2,000 in 1 year to advance to the next membership level and unlock better earning rates and travel benefits.
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