Porter Airlines’ new twice-daily service between Hamilton and Montreal—launching June 22—is welcome news for our airport. Montreal Metropolitan Airport provides connections to the Maritimes, and I’ll likely use the service for my next trip to Halifax.
My excitement is tempered however by concerns about the timing of the launch.
Rising fuel prices could undermine the viability of the new route. The cost of everything is increasing as a result of the United States war on Iran, and this will placing pressure on the entire economy.
If an economic slowdown causes fewer people to travel, or decide they cannot afford to fly, the new service could fail.
The Hamilton-Toronto Porter service is somewhat insulated from the immediate pressure of fuel prices.
Porter will serve a specific market segment: travellers seeking the convenience of flying out of Hamilton combined speed of air travel. For these passengers, there are not good alternatives. VIA Rail fares between Toronto and Montreal match or exceed Porter’s prices, rail travel time is significantly longer, and there is the inconvenience of travelling to Union Station first. Megabus offers neither comfort nor speed.
I’m going to borrow from the latest mid-March edition of DePaul University’s Intercity Bus E-News Bulletin, edited by Professor Joseph Schwieterman: (All US dollars, gallons, miles.)
The surge in oil prices has pushed the price of fuel nationwide to around $5.07/gallon, about a $1.40 higher than a month ago and $1.50 higher than a year ago. Filling up a 180-gallon tank on a motorcoach now often tops $800. Motorcoaches achieve roughly 6 – 8 miles per gallon (mpg), so the added cost on a 300-route (based on 7 mpg), is around $64, or $128 roundtrip, versus a year ago. Bus lines have difficulty absorbing this without fare hikes or additional traffic.
Schwieterman notes that motorcoaches deliver an estimated 195 passenger miles per gallon– several times more efficient than air travel or diesel rail, and more than eight times more efficient than personal vehicles. If short-hop flight costs climb steeply, some American passengers may indeed shift to buses.
Porter will not face ground competition. Premium bus service has failed in Ontario. Red Arrow briefly expanded its wide-seat configurations, good wifi, and complimentary snacks model to Ontario, but couldn’t sustain the Toronto-Ottawa route.
Porter’s aircraft and business model are the right size for Hamilton’s airport.
I hope the service is successful.
Production Details
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Published: March 25, 2026
Last updated: March 25, 2026
Author: Joey Coleman
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