Qatar Airways Just Found a Way to St. John’s and Thunder Bay

Qatar Airways flies to just two Canadian cities, Toronto and Montreal, but a new partnership is about to stretch its reach much further. The Doha-based carrier has signed a codeshare agreement with Porter Airlines that places the Qatar Airways code on selected Porter flights. Codeshare tickets can be booked for travel from November 16, 2026, through Qatar Airways’ website and app, turning a two-gateway operation into something closer to a national network.

The practical effect is easier one-ticket journeys between Doha and Canadian cities that Qatar Airways does not serve. Passengers arriving at Toronto Pearson or Montréal-Trudeau will be able to connect onto Porter services to destinations including Ottawa, Halifax, Edmonton, St. John’s and Thunder Bay. Porter’s network is especially dense in Eastern Canada, which is where the agreement adds the most new options. The announcement did not include specific schedules or fares for the connecting flights.

The traffic runs in both directions. Travelers starting in smaller Canadian cities can now build an itinerary that feeds into Qatar Airways’ daily flights from Toronto and Montreal, which together total 14 weekly departures, and then on through Hamad International Airport in Doha to more than 170 destinations. That includes major markets for Canadian diaspora travel such as Delhi and Manila, along with Dubai and Addis Ababa, all on a single booking with through-checked bags.

The deal also gives Porter, which has grown quickly into a challenger to Air Canada and WestJet, another long-haul partner feeding its domestic routes. For Qatar Airways, which is limited in how many Canadian flights it can operate, partnering is a way to grow without adding frequencies. Travelers should still compare the codeshare price with booking the legs separately, and check minimum connection times at Toronto and Montreal, particularly in winter when weather delays can be tight.

Sources: Travel Monitor, Qatar Airways