Comparison shows Air Canada leads short-haul legroom; WestJet excels on long-haul routes

Porter Airlines started operations in 2006 and currently flies a fleet of De Havilland Canada Dash 8-400 turboprops and Embraer E195-E2 jets to more than thirty destinations within Canada and the United States. Legroom for both aircraft types stands at around 30 inches in economy class. The Embraer E195-E2 offers slightly wider seats at over eighteen inches compared to seventeen inches on the Dash-8.

In business class cabins, Air Canada and WestJet provide lie-flat beds on select long-haul flights operated by widebody jets such as the Boeing 787s, Boeing 777s, or Airbus A330-300s. Air Canada's longest flight runs between Vancouver International Airport (YVR) and Singapore Changi Airport (SIN), while WestJet’s longest scheduled route connects Calgary International Airport (YYC) with Rome Fiumicino Airport (FCO). Porter does not fly any widebody or long-haul services but offers limited short-haul business seating on its Embraer E195-E2 with a seat pitch of thirty-six inches.

Comparatively, Air Transat—the country’s fourth-largest carrier—offers slightly more generous legroom than many competitors. For example, its Airbus A321neos feature a seat pitch of thirty-one inches with an eighteen-inch width in economy class. The company will soon expand service to Brazil using its Airbus A330-200 fleet; these planes typically offer up to thirty-two inches of legroom for long-haul travelers.

Overall analysis shows that for short-haul narrowbody flights within Canada, Air Canada's A320 family provides up to thirty-three inches of legroom—the most among major Canadian carriers. For longer journeys aboard widebodies, WestJet's Boeing Dreamliners have some seats offering up to thirty-five inches if passengers opt for extra-legroom options.

The level of comfort offered by these airlines aligns closely with global industry standards but can exceed those provided by ultra-low-cost carriers elsewhere.