How Many VIPorter Points Do You Need For A Free Flight?

This blog post is sponsored by BMO. While Borrowell received compensation for publishing this content, all opinions and information are Borrowell’s own and intended to help readers make informed financial decisions.

VIPorter is the frequent flyer loyalty program for Porter Airlines, allowing travellers to earn and redeem points on their Canadian, U.S., and Caribbean routes. Travellers can also earn and redeem VIPorter points with Porter Airlines partners like Air Transat and Alaska Airlines

If you're collecting VIPorter points, one of the first questions you'll probably ask is: How many points do I actually need for a free flight?

The answer isn't always straightforward. VIPorter uses dynamic pricing, meaning the number of points required depends on the flight you're booking. While some one-way flights start at just 5,000 VIPorter points, others may require significantly more depending on factors like destination, travel dates and demand.

Understanding how VIPorter redemptions work can help you get more value from your points and plan future trips more effectively. And if you're looking to build your balance faster, a travel rewards credit card like the BMO VIPorter Mastercard or BMO VIPorter World Elite Mastercard can help you earn points on everyday spending as well as Porter purchases.

Key Takeaways

• Minimum Points Needed: VIPorter redemptions start at 5,000 points one-way for short-haul routes (e.g., Toronto to Ottawa/Montreal).

• Pricing Model: VIPorter uses dynamic pricing, meaning point costs scale directly with cash ticket prices.

• Taxes & Fees: Points cover the base fare only; taxes and airport fees must be paid in cash.

• Point Value: 1 VIPorter point is generally worth 1.5 to 2.0 cents CAD when redeemed for PorterClassic fares.

How Does VIPorter Flight Redemption Work?

VIPorter allows members to redeem points on Porter flights or Porter partner airlines, Air Transat and Alaska Airlines. Instead of charging a fixed number of points for each route, the points required generally reflect the cash price of the flight.

When redeeming points:

• Flights start from 5,000 VIPorter points one-way on select routes.

• You can redeem points for all or part of the base fare using a combination of cash and points.

• Taxes, airport fees and other government charges must still be paid separately.

• You can potentially book every available seat using points, rather than a limited number of reward seats.

This flexibility means you don't need to wait for special award inventory to become available, although the number of points required will vary.

How Many VIPorter Points Do Flights Typically Cost?

Because VIPorter uses dynamic pricing, there's no fixed number of points required for a flight. The amount you'll need depends on the route, travel dates and the cash price of your ticket.

While eligible one-way flights start from 5,000 VIPorter points, longer routes and flights during busy travel periods often require significantly more.

Instead of focusing on the exact cost of a specific flight, it can be helpful to think about how many points you'll want to save based on the type of trip you're planning.

*Note: Point costs apply to the base fare only. Taxes, airport fees, and government surcharges must be paid separately in cash.

What Affects the Number of Points You Need?

Several factors influence how many VIPorter points a flight costs.

• Destination: Longer routes generally require more points than shorter flights.

• Time of year: Flights during school breaks, holidays and other busy travel periods typically cost more points.

• Demand: As cash fares increase because of demand, the number of points required often increases as well.

• Fare price: Since VIPorter redemptions are tied to the underlying ticket price, lower-priced fares usually require fewer points.

Booking early and remaining flexible with your travel dates can often help reduce the number of points you'll need.

How Everyday Spending Can Help Fund Your Next Flight

You don't have to be a frequent flyer to build up your VIPorter points balance. Everyday purchases can help you earn points toward your next trip, from groceries and dining to gas, transportation and hotel stays.

For example, the BMO VIPorter Mastercard and BMO VIPorter World Elite Mastercard both let you earn VIPorter points on eligible everyday purchases, in addition to points earned on Porter purchases. The World Elite card offers higher earning rates on several everyday spending categories, which can help you reach your travel goals faster.

That means your regular spending could gradually turn into points you can put toward a future flight. Depending on your spending habits and the card you choose, you could build up enough points for a short-haul domestic flight or put a meaningful dent in the cost of a longer trip.

For example, with the BMO VIPorter World Elite Mastercard card, you can earn:

• 3x points on Porter purchases

• 2x points on gas, groceries, dining, transit, and hotels

• 1x points on everything else

How to Earn Enough VIPorter Points Faster

Flying with Porter is one way to build your VIPorter balance, but many travellers earn points much faster through everyday spending.

Two options are the BMO VIPorter Mastercard and the BMO VIPorter World Elite Mastercard, both of which allow you to earn VIPorter points on eligible purchases.

BMO VIPorter Mastercard

The BMO VIPorter Mastercard earns:

• 2 VIPorter points per $1 spent on eligible Porter purchases

• 1 point per $1 on eligible gas and transportation purchases

• 1 point per $1 on eligible grocery and dining purchases

• 1 point per $1 on eligible hotel purchases

• 0.5 points per $1 on all other eligible purchases

BMO VIPorter World Elite Mastercard

For eligible applicants who meet the income requirements ($80,000 for an individual, $150,000 for a household), the BMO VIPorter World Elite Mastercard offers even higher earning rates:

• 3 VIPorter points per $1 on eligible Porter purchases

• 2 points per $1 on eligible gas and transportation

• 2 points per $1 on eligible grocery and dining purchases

• 2 points per $1 on eligible hotel purchases

• 1 point per $1 on all other eligible purchases

Let’s take a look at an example of how those points could add up with a typical spending pattern.

If you're planning to travel with someone else, the BMO VIPorter World Elite Mastercard may help you get there sooner. In addition to earning VIPorter points on eligible purchases, cardholders can earn an annual round-trip companion pass after meeting the annual spend requirement. Rather than saving enough VIPorter points for two full reward flights, you could redeem points for your own ticket and use the companion pass for your travel companion's base fare (taxes, fees and other charges still apply).

Both cards also include welcome bonuses that provide a significant boost toward your first redemption. Both cards also have their annual fee waived in the first year, and the welcome offers include up to 40,000 bonus VIPorter points with the BMO VIPorter Mastercard and 70,000 bonus VIPorter points with the BMO VIPorter World Elite Mastercard.

How to Estimate the Number of Points You'll Need

The easiest way to estimate your redemption is to search for your desired flight while logged into your VIPorter account.

You'll be able to see:

• How many points the flight requires

• Whether you can combine dollars and points

• Any taxes and fees you'll still need to pay

Example: Planning a weekend trip

Say you want to fly from Toronto to Montreal for a weekend. You find a round-trip itinerary requiring 15,000 VIPorter points, plus taxes and fees.

If you currently have 11,000 points, you know you need another 4,000 VIPorter points before you can cover the base fare entirely with points.

You could then use your expected everyday spending and any upcoming Porter purchases to estimate how long it may take to reach your target balance.

The Bottom Line

Because VIPorter uses dynamic pricing, there's no fixed number of points you'll need for a free flight. While eligible one-way flights start from 5,000 VIPorter points, the actual cost depends on factors like your destination, travel dates and the cash price of your ticket.

The best way to estimate how many points you'll need is to search for your desired flight in your VIPorter account before booking. If your balance falls short, earning VIPorter points through everyday spending with the BMO VIPorter Mastercard or BMO VIPorter World Elite Mastercard can help you reach your travel goals faster. Combined with Porter flights and any available welcome offer, these cards can make it easier to save enough points for your next trip.

When you browse for either card in the Borrowell app, we’ll tell you your chances of being approved, based on the information in your unique credit profile, so you can take the guesswork out of your application.