Porter launching daily non-stop Windsor–Ottawa flights May 1

New non-stop flights between Windsor and Ottawa amid CUSMA and auto talks. CTV Windsor’s Chris Campbell looks at who is flying.

Porter Airlines will launch daily non-stop flights between Windsor and Ottawa this spring, restoring a direct air link airport officials say has been driven by steadily rising demand from both business and leisure travellers.

The airline says the Windsor–Ottawa route will begin May 1, with seven flights per week, as part of its expanded summer schedule across Canada and the United States.

Mark Galvin, president and chief executive officer of Windsor International Airport, said discussions with Porter about Ottawa have been ongoing for some time, as passenger interest continued to climb.

“We’ve been talking to Porter about Ottawa for a while, and we’ve seen our numbers, our demand for Ottawa steadily increasing, I’d say for the last year and a half or so, or maybe even two years,” Galvin explained. “So it’s great to have a direct connection to a city that people want to go to.”

Galvin said demand for Ottawa travel has grown for a variety of reasons, including Porter’s expanding presence in the national capital and the additional onward connections available through the airline’s network.

“Porter’s network in Ottawa — they’re investing a lot in their network,” he said. “So there’s a lot of connections that Windsor and Essex County can connect to right from Ottawa… and we’ve seen it steadily increasing, and obviously they see that demand as well.”

Porter says the Windsor route is part of its broader investment in Ottawa as a key hub, while also adjusting its Windsor service by phasing out flights to Toronto’s Billy Bishop Airport in favour of the Ottawa connection. Galvin said the change reflects shifting travel patterns.

“They’re just seeing much more demand on the Ottawa route,” he said. “Obviously, we’re still well served to Toronto with Air Canada, but Porter is looking at this as a great route for them to Ottawa.”

Galvin said the Ottawa service is being fueled by a mix of business travel — including federal government-related trips — and leisure travel, as more Canadians opt to vacation within the country.

“We’re seeing a lot more businesspeople wanting to go to Ottawa dealing with the federal government,” he said. “We’re seeing leisure travel… and Ottawa is a wonderful destination, particularly in the summertime.”

He added that the direct connection could also benefit the region by making it easier for visitors to reach Windsor and Essex County.

“We’re obviously hoping that people will come here and enjoy the things that Essex County has to offer as well,” Galvin told CTV News.

Airport officials say early reaction to the announcement has been overwhelmingly positive, and that strong passenger uptake could help open the door to additional routes in the future.

“If we use the route and they see that it’s being embraced, it’s much easier for us to meet again and say, ‘What about this route? What about that route?’” Galvin said.

Daily non-stop service between Windsor and Ottawa is scheduled to begin May 1.