WestJet Rewards is the loyalty program of Canada’s second-largest carrier. Part of the program are its elite status tiers, which allow its most loyal members to advance progressively and enjoy the associated privileges at each tier.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through the elite tiers of WestJet Rewards, including how to qualify and how to benefit from the privileges that come with each tier.
In This Post
- How to Qualify for WestJet Rewards Elite Tiers
- WestJet Rewards Tier Benefits
- Milestone Awards
- Conclusion
How to Qualify for WestJet Rewards Elite Tiers
As a revenue-based status program, WestJet Rewards bases elite tier qualification solely on how much you spend on WestJet-marketed flights and vacation packages.
For WestJet-marketed flights, 100% of the base fare counts towards tier qualification. WestJet-marketed flights include codeshare flights operated by partner airlines with a WS flight code.
If another airline, such as Delta, issues your ticket, despite the flights being operated by WestJet, it won’t count towards tier qualification.
Also, Basic fares, Member Exclusive Fares, contracted fares, tour operator fares, and tickets paid for with WestJet Dollars are excluded from tier qualification.
Keep in mind that the base fare eligible for tier qualification excludes taxes, fees, and charges. In the fare breakdown, this is anything aside from the base fare.
It’s worth noting that many discounted tickets base fares that are lower than the cost of “Other Air Transportation Charges (ATC)”, so those tickets would count less towards tier qualification than, say, a premium cabin fare.
Meanwhile, for WestJet Vacations packages, 20% of the base package price counts towards tier qualification. WestJet divides the cost of a package into “flights and hotel” and “taxes and fees”, so only 20% of the former counts towards tier qualification.
Furthermore, you’ll only be awarded 20% of the proportionate share of the base package price, if there’s more than one passenger on the booking.
Status Lift
Status Lift accelerates your tier qualification by contributing up to $1,500 (all figures in CAD) towards your qualifying spend. To be eligible, you must hold the WestJet RBC® World Elite Mastercard.
How Status Lift works is that you’ll receive $500 in WestJet Rewards tier qualifying spend for every $15,000 in eligible expenses charged to your WestJet RBC® World Elite Mastercard.
You may earn up to three Status Lifts per calendar year. In other words, you may receive up to $1,500 in qualifying spend if you charge $45,000 or more to your card. This would get you halfway towards the lowest tier, Silver, without ever having set foot in a plane.
Tier Requirements
There are four tiers under WestJet Rewards: Teal, Silver, Gold, and Platinum.
All members start at the Teal tier. To advance to the higher tiers, you must satisfy the following annual spending requirement in a qualifying year:
- Silver: $3,000–4,999
- Gold: $5,000–7,999
- Platinum: $8,000+
For example, to qualify for the Gold tier, your tier qualifying spend must be between $5,000 and $7,999 from January 1 to December 31, since WestJet defines a “qualifying year” as a calendar year.
Once you advance to the next tier, you’ll stay on that tier for the remainder of the calendar year and the succeeding calendar year. For clarity, this means if you reach Platinum by, say, August 25, 2024, you’ll hold Platinum for the remainder of 2024 and through to the end of 2025.
WestJet Rewards Tier Benefits
Once you’ve satisfied the spending required for the one of the elite tiers, it’s time to enjoy its associated privileges, which we’ll detail below.
General Benefits for Elite Tier Members
There are general benefits applicable to all WestJet Rewards elite tier members, though elite members may receive them at varying degrees, depending on their tier.
Upgrades: As a higher-tier member, you may receive complimentary upgrades at the gate, when available.
You may receive upgrades from Economy to Premium, or from Premium to Business Class, except when flying on Basic and Member Exclusive Fares.
Complimentary upgrades at the gate from Economy to Premium aren’t available on flights to or from Europe and Asia, and gate upgrades from Premium to Business Class are only available for domestic flights.
You may also receive complimentary upgrades from Economy to Premium prior to check-in, excluding flights to/from Europe and Asia.
With these upgrades, members are prioritized by tier, meaning you’ll have a better chance as a Platinum member than a Gold member. In addition, you, as the elite member, must be the only one on the ticket; you won’t qualify if someone else is listed on the same ticket.
To be eligible for an upgrade, make sure to attach your WestJet Rewards ID to your booking. Furthermore, if you want to be considered for a last-minute gate upgrade, you must check-in at least 75 minutes before the flight.
Advance seat selection vouchers: You may use advanced seat selection vouchers to select seats that you’d otherwise be charged for. However, you may not use them to upgrade to a higher cabin.
One voucher is valid per one-way bound, including connections, so if you’re travelling round-trip, you need two vouchers. You may use the vouchers for yourself and/or your guests.
Note that seat selection vouchers must be used prior to check-in.
Member lounge vouchers: You may use lounge vouchers only for yourself, as the elite member, and they’re valid throughout your qualifying year and the following qualifying year.
Access with these vouchers isn’t limited to the Elevation Lounge in Calgary. You may use them on partner lounges, including the Air France Lounge in Montreal and the Plaza Premium Lounge in London.
A full list of partner lounges can be found on the WestJet website.
Guest lounge vouchers: You’ll also receive a smaller number of vouchers that your guests can use to access WestJet’s partner lounges.
Free checked bags: You’ll receive free checked bags weighing up to 23kg or 50lbs. The number of free bags depends on your tier, which we’ll explore below.
The free checked bags apply to the elite member, as well as up to eight other passengers travelling on the same reservation, regardless of tier.
You must be travelling on an itinerary with flights marketed and operated by WestJet. The free baggage allowance doesn’t apply to codeshare flights.
Priority boarding: As an elite member, you’ll get to board with premium cabin customers, even if you’re flying economy. Your priority boarding zone depends on your tier.
Priority handling: Priority check-in applies to the three higher elite tiers, while priority security screening, baggage, and support hotlines are applicable to Gold and Platinum members only.
No fee for same-day flight changes: As a Gold or Platinum member, you may change your flight for an earlier or later departure on the same calendar day for free, except when travelling on a Basic fare.
To change your flight, you must do so starting 24 hours before your scheduled departure. The new flight must have the same origin and destination, and the change will only apply if there are available seats in the same cabin on the flight of your choice.
Early access to purchase an upgrade: Gold and Platinum members may purchase an upgrade to premium or business 24–48 hours prior to departure, except when flying on a Basic ticket.
Upgrades may be purchased for the elite member and up to 8 passengers travelling on the same reservation, subject to availability. Regular upgrade fees apply.
Silver
Let’s now summarize the privileges of each elite tier. Silver, the first among the three elite tiers, is achieved upon reaching $3,000 in tier-qualifying spend – up to half of which can be achieved with Status Lift. It comes with the following benefits:
- Eligible for complimentary upgrades prior to check-in
- Eligible for complimentary upgrades at the gate
- Two free checked bags of 23kg/50lbs each
- Four advanced seat selection vouchers
- Four airport lounge access vouchers
- Two guest airport lounge access vouchers
- Zone 2 priority boarding
- Priority check-in
In addition to the benefits above, the Silver tier earns WestJet Dollars as follows:
- 3% in WestJet Dollars on WestJet flights
- 1% in WestJet Dollars on WestJet Vacations packages
- 1% in WestJet Dollars on car rentals, hotel stays, meal plans, attractions, and transfers booked through WestJet Vacations
Gold
Gold is achieved upon reaching $5,000 in tier-qualifying spend, and it comes with the following benefits:
- Higher priority for complimentary upgrades prior to check-in
- Higher priority for complimentary upgrades at the gate
- Two free checked bags of 23kg/50lbs each
- Six advanced seat selection vouchers
- Unlimited airport lounge access for member and immediate family
- Two guest airport lounge access vouchers
- Zone 1 priority boarding
- Priority check-in, baggage, security screening, and support hotline
- No fee for same-day flight changes
- Early access to purchase an upgrade
In addition to the benefits above, the Gold tier earns WestJet Dollars as follows:
- 5% in WestJet Dollars on WestJet flights
- 1.5% in WestJet Dollars on WestJet Vacations packages
- 1% in WestJet Dollars on car rentals, hotel stays, meal plans, attractions, and transfers booked through WestJet Vacations
Platinum
Platinum, the highest elite tier, is achieved upon reaching $8,000 in tier-qualifying spend, and it comes with the following benefits:
- Highest priority for complimentary upgrades prior to check-in
- Highest priority for complimentary upgrades at the gate
- Three free checked bags of 23kg/50lbs each
- Unlimited advanced seat selection plus six vouchers for guests
- Unlimited airport lounge access for member and immediate family
- Two guest airport lounge access vouchers
- Zone 1 priority boarding
- Priority check-in, baggage, security screening, and support hotline
- No fee for same-day flight changes
- Early access to purchase an upgrade
In addition to the benefits above, the Platinum tier earns WestJet Dollars as follows:
- 8% in WestJet Dollars on WestJet flights
- 2% in WestJet Dollars on WestJet Vacations packages
- 1% in WestJet Dollars on car rentals, hotel stays, meal plans, attractions, and transfers booked through WestJet Vacations
Elite Tier Benefits on Delta Air Lines
Since 2021, WestJet Rewards and Delta SkyMiles Medallion Elite members have enjoyed reciprocal privileges on both airlines.
Through the partnership, WestJet Rewards members may earn and redeem WestJet Dollars on Delta flights, and elite members may also expect the following perks when flying with Delta:
Note that Delta Sky Club access only applies when flying on an itinerary involving a US/Canada transborder flight operated by WestJet or Delta. Itineraries wholly within the US don’t qualify.
To receive benefits with Delta, make sure to attach your WestJet Rewards ID to your booking.
Milestone Awards
In addition to the WestJet Dollars and privileges you’ll receive as an elite member, you’ll also be given Milestone Awards upon reaching qualifying spend thresholds.
Milestone qualifying spend is tracked separately from tier qualifying spend, but what counts under both categories is the same:
- 100% of the base fare for WestJet-marketed flights
- 20% of the base package price for WestJet Vacations
You’ll receive Milestone Awards as follows:
WestJet Companion Vouchers are used such that the second passenger on the same reservation pays only taxes, fees, and Other ATC (air transportation charges), making their base fare effectively free.
On the other hand, Gift of Gold vouchers may be used by a guest, so that they’ll receive Gold tier perks on their next round-trip flight, even if they’re not travelling with you.
Conclusion
The top status tiers under WestJet Rewards incentivize the airline’s most loyal customers with a range of benefits, as well as accelerated WestJet Dollars earning rates.
To qualify for a higher tier, you must meet qualifying spend requirements.
To help you reach those thresholds, you may take advantage of Status Lift, a benefit exclusive to holders of the WestJet RBC® World Elite Mastercard.
The card also comes with a range of other meaningful benefits for WestJet travellers, including an annual companion voucher, so it’s a must-have for any frequent WestJet flyer.
Top-tier privileges include upgrade eligibility, free bags, and priority handling. In addition, higher-tier members receive benefits when flying with Delta Air Lines, such as free bags and Sky Club access.
Aside from these privileges, higher-tier members also receive Milestone Awards upon reaching certain spend thresholds. Among the perks you may receive are companion vouchers and gifting of Gold status to a guest for them to use on a round-trip flight.
If you fly with WestJet frequently, be sure to quote your WestJet Rewards ID, so that you can reach its top status tiers and enjoy the privileges that follow.
ATC the biggest scam of WestJet and Air Transat. Did not realize they also are excluded amounts for going up tier levels. Another reason not to book with WestJet.