July 28, 2026
Airline NewsPorter Refreshes Its Dash 8-400 Cabins With New Seats and Lighting
Porter Airlines is giving its regional fleet a proper refresh.
The airline is upgrading the cabins across all 29 of its De Havilland Dash 8-400 aircraft with new seats, updated lighting, and a more modern look. The first refreshed planes are already flying, and Porter expects the entire fleet to be finished by this fall.
Here is what is changing, what is staying the same, and why it matters for Canadian travellers on Porter's shorter routes.
Image Header Source: Porter Airlines
What Is Changing
Source: Porter Airlines
The centrepiece of the update is a new seat. Porter is fitting the Dash 8-400s with the latest version of Expliseat's TiSeat 2V, which the company calls the lightest aircraft seat in its category. Porter had the seat and back cushions custom made to its own specifications, and the seats now include updated tray tables and a built in holder for your phone or tablet so you can watch hands free. The first row has also been redesigned with new tray tables and a little more personal space.
There is a practical upside to the lighter seat as well. Its carbon fibre and titanium frame shaves weight off the aircraft, which helps reduce fuel use and emissions over the life of the plane.
The refresh goes beyond the seats. Porter is adding LED mood lighting, LED reading lights, and new carpeting throughout the cabin to bring the overall feel closer to what you find on its larger jets.
What Stays the Same
Source: Porter Airlines
If you already fly the Dash 8-400, the layout will feel familiar. Legroom and seating configuration are not changing. Each aircraft still has 78 seats, with 32 inches of legroom in PorterReserve and 30 inches in PorterClassic.
The two by two layout also stays, which means there is no middle seat anywhere on the plane. That last point is one of the best perks of flying Porter because no matter where you travel, you never end up in a middle seat.
My Thoughts
Source: Porter Airlines
Porter has been growing quickly across Canada, and a lot of that attention has gone toward the Embraer E195-E2 jets that handle the newer, longer routes. So it is good to see the Dash 8-400 fleet getting some love as well.
These are shorter flights across Eastern Canada and the United States, but that is no reason to let the cabins fall behind. Bringing the seats and the look of the Dash up to the same level as the Embraer jets keeps the experience consistent no matter which aircraft shows up at the gate. And if the new seats turn out to be more comfortable on top of all that, even better.
The Bottom Line
Regional flying does not always get the spotlight, so it is nice to see Porter putting real money into the passenger experience on its smaller aircraft. New lightweight seats, refreshed lighting, and updated interiors are rolling out across all 29 Dash 8-400s now, with the full fleet expected to be done by fall.
If you have a Dash 8-400 flight booked this fall, keep an eye out for the refreshed cabin. It may make that short hop feel a little more pleasant.
Happy travels!
