John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport (YHM) has officially unveiled its 2025/26 Winter Program, and it features non-stop flights to multiple “sun destinations,” including Florida, the Caribbean, and Mexico.
Porter Airlines, which recently began flying out of Hamilton, announced that they will be operating new routes to Orlando International Airport (MCO) and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) beginning in December.
Flights to Orlando begin on Dec. 12, while Fort Lauderdale service begins on Dec. 13. Both destinations will have three weekly roundtrips, operating seasonally until April.
Top attractions in or near Orlando include Walt Disney World Resort, Universal Orlando Resort, SeaWorld, ICON Park, LEGOLAND Florida Resort, and the Kennedy Space Centre.
Meanwhile, Fort Lauderdale, on Florida’s east coast, is known for its beaches and canals. The city is also near Miami.
Flights leaving Hamilton to Orlando will take off at 7:05 a.m. on Tuesdays and Fridays and 3:15 p.m. on Sundays.
Meanwhile, flights to Fort Lauderdale will take off at 7:25 a.m. on Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.
Porter will also be flying to Nassau, Bahamas (NAS) starting on Dec. 14, Cancun, Mexico (CUN) starting Dec. 17, and Puerto Vallarta, Mexico (PVR) starting Dec. 18.
Their service to Calgary, Edmonton, Halifax, and Vancouver also continues during the winter months.
“We are continuing to grow our presence in Hamilton, announcing nine nonstop routes this year,” said Andrew Pierce, Vice President of Network Planning and Reporting with Porter Airlines.
“This is part of our commitment to taking travellers where they want to go, and we’re pleased to offer Hamiltonians the elevated economy flying experience they deserve.”
Flights will be operated on Porter’s Embraer E195-E2 aircraft, which features a two-by-two seat configuration.
All passengers reportedly receive complimentary beer and wine, a selection of Canadian snacks, and free WiFi.
The WestJet Group will also be offering vacation packages out of Hamilton this winter through Sunwing Vacation Group’s tour operating and retail brands.
Weekly service to Cancun, Mexico, and Punta Cana, Dominican Republic returns in December.
WestJet also continues to operate non-stop service to Calgary five times a week from Hamilton.
In another big development, Hamilton International will be adding passenger jet bridges, which will be in operation “just in time for the winter season.”
Passengers will no longer have to walk on the tarmac to board planes as the bridges provide direct, weather-protected access from the terminal to the aircraft.
The jet bridges are part of a series of enhancements at Hamilton International, with previous upgrades unveiled in June, including a refreshed passenger terminal building, expanded exterior frontage, and a new YHM sign.
There have also been upgrades to check-in, baggage claim, and departure gate areas, and the integration of contemporary finishes, new digital signage, and lighting upgrades.
Ed Ratuski, Executive Managing Director of Hamilton International, says that the airport is “building on the ‘travel refreshed’ momentum of this past summer, with more terminal enhancements and new Canada Customs and NEXUS kiosks to make the international arrivals experience seamless and more convenient for our guests.”
Based in Hamilton, he reaches hundreds of thousands of people monthly on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter. He has been published in The Hamilton Spectator, Stoney Creek News, and Bay Observer. He has also been a segment host with Cable 14 Hamilton. In 2017, he received the Chancellor Full Tuition Scholarship from the University of Ottawa (BA, 2022). He has also received the Governor General’s Academic Medal. He formerly worked in a non-partisan role on Parliament Hill in Ottawa.
