Porter Airlines is launching a new direct route to Turks and Caicos from Ottawa.
The airline announced Thursday that, starting Dec. 12, it will fly twice a week between the Ottawa International Airport and Providenciales International Airport in the Caicos Islands.
It’s the fifth new sun destination added to Porter’s winter seasonal network, which has included multiple new routes through Ottawa introduced over the past year.
“We’re excited that Porter Airlines is adding Providenciales (Provo) to its growing list of non-stop sunshine destinations from YOW,” Joel Tkach, vice-president of business development and marketing at the Ottawa International Airport Authority, said in a release.
“Given Canada’s long-standing relationship with Turks and Caicos, this new service will resonate strongly with travellers across Ottawa-Gatineau, thanks to the island’s standout beaches and wide range of adventure activities.”
In April, the carrier announced that service between the YOW and Aruba will begin Nov. 7, followed by Montego Bay, Jamaica Nov. 25 and Los Cabos, Mexico Dec. 18. All three routes will operate twice weekly.
It also said it would be increasing the frequency of the three sun destinations it launched in December 2025: Cancun, Miami and Nassau, Bahamas.
Starting Nov. 6, Porter will also add a route to Turks and Caicos from Toronto Pearson International Airport, with flights five times a week.
“Canada has become one of our most valuable tourism markets, and the addition of Porter Airlines service from both Toronto and Ottawa represents a significant investment in the future of the Turks and Caicos Islands,” said Turks and Caicos tourism minister Zhavargo Jolly in the release. “These new flights provide additional opportunities to build on that momentum and welcome even more Canadian visitors to our shores.”
Earlier this year, senior vice-president and chief commercial officer Edmond Eldebs told OBJ that Ottawa travellers had embraced the new southern routes over the winter. Overall, he said the airline is operating at an 85 per cent load factor across its Ottawa offerings.
Porter currently operates more flights through the capital than any other airline. According to Eldebs, the city has become a cornerstone of its strategy.
“We’re very optimistic about Ottawa and we’re here for the long term,” Eldebs said at the time. “When you look at the business case, we’ve proven it out, that it’s a success. The fact that the catchment area of Ottawa is a million people and many of those people work across the public sector and, on average, the income is higher — these are people that want to fly. They want to travel and they want to travel from an airport that’s convenient to them.”
Also on Thursday, Porter began its non-stop service between YOW and Deer Lake Regional Airport in western Newfoundland. The seasonal route starts with four weekly roundtrips and ends in early September.
