Bonuses & Fees

The standard offer on the WestJet RBC World Elite Mastercard is a signup bonus of 450 WestJet Dollars (WSD), distributed as follows:

• 250 WSD upon first purchase
• 200 WSD upon spending $5,000 in the first three months

There is an annual fee of $119.

Earning Rewards

With the WestJet RBC World Elite MasterCard, you’ll earn 2% back in WSD per dollar spent on WestJet flights and vacations, and 1.5% back in WSD per dollar spent on all other purchases.

Perks & Benefits

The most significant of these benefits is the free checked bag benefit on WestJet flights for the primary cardholder and up to eight other passengers on the same booking.

Checked baggage normally costs $30–35.40 on WestJet, so this benefit alone could be worth up to $100 per trip if travelling as a family of four, or potentially even more if you’re travelling as a larger group.

Other benefits include the ability to save 3¢/L on fuel at PetroCanada whilst earning 20% more PetroPoints, access to airport lounges as part of MasterCard LoungeKey (although fees do apply), and access to the MasterCard Concierge Services for last-minute restaurant and event bookings.

The other major selling point of this card is an annual companion voucher for travel on WestJet. This companion voucher can be redeemed in one of the following three ways:

• $99 for travel within Canada or the Contiguous U.S.,

• $299 for travel to Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean, or

• $399 for travel to Europe

Since it’s a companion voucher, you have to be booking an itinerary for at least two people – the first passenger would pay full price, while the second passenger would enjoy the companion voucher’s promotional price.

• Read more: The Best Credit Cards with Companion Fares

Taking into account the 450 WSD signup bonus and the potential savings of the companion voucher, the $119 annual fee is a relatively small price to pay.

Insurance Coverage

As a World Elite product, this credit card comes with comprehensive premium travel insurance, including:

• Emergency medical insurance for the first 15 consecutive days of any out-of-province trips

• Trip interruption insurance of up to $5,000 per covered person

• Auto rental damage and theft insurance, which can help you save on the insurance fees that rental companies like to impose

• Hotel burglary insurance of up to $2,500 in total

• Travel accident insurance of up to $500,000 against accidental death or dismemberment

You’ll also enjoy top-drawer purchase protection benefits, including an extended warranty that doubles the original manufacturer’s warranty for up to one year, and coverage against accidental loss or damage of personal property for up to 90 days from the date of purchase.