The Airline
WestJet is Canada’s second-largest airline and began operating in 1996. It started as a low-cost carrier, but its rapid growth in recent years has gradually moved it beyond that label.
WestJet is headquartered in Calgary, Alberta. Its larger operating cities include Edmonton, Toronto Pearson, Vancouver, and Winnipeg. Its IATA code is WS.
WestJet is not a member of an international airline alliance, but it has close partnerships with Delta, Air France, KLM, Qantas, and Virgin Atlantic.
Related reading: The three major airline alliances: Star Alliance, oneworld, and SkyTeam
1.1 Destinations and Routes
See WestJet’s destination list for its nonstop cities around the world, including Central and North America, the Caribbean, Europe, the United States, Mexico, and Japan.
【April 27, 2024 update】After launching its Calgary–Seoul route, WestJet expanded its cooperation with Korean Air. Starting May 17, it added codeshare flights connecting six Asian cities:
These flights can now be found in the booking results. Hopefully more flights to East Asia will follow and bring prices down.
1.2 Fleet
According to Wikipedia, WestJet currently has 133 Boeing aircraft of various types.
According to Wikipedia, WestJet has 133 Boeing aircraft
| Aircraft | In service |
Orders | Passengers | Notes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| J | W | Y | Total | ||||
| Boeing 737-700 | 40 | — | — | 12 | 120 | 132 | |
| Boeing 737-800 | 41 | — | — | 12 | 162 | 174 | |
| 10 | — | — | 189 | 189 | Former Swoop aircraft | ||
| Boeing 737 MAX 7 | — | 32 | TBA | ||||
| Boeing 737 MAX 8 | 25 | 16 | — | 12 | 162 | 174 | |
| 6 | — | — | — | 189 | 189 | Former Swoop aircraft | |
| Boeing 737 MAX 10 | — | 54 | — | 12 | 200 | 212 | Ordered with 22 options |
| Boeing 787-9 | 7 | 16 | 28 | 276 | 320 | Remaining 2 orders cancelled | |
| WestJet Cargo fleet | |||||||
| Boeing 737-800BCF | 4 | — | Cargo | ||||
| Total | 133 | 105 |
Elite Status
WestJet Rewards has four tiers: entry-level Teal, Silver, Gold, and Platinum.
Status is based on tier qualifying spend, including:
- 100% of the base fare for eligible WestJet-marketed flights flown, plus 100% of upgrades, seat selection, and checked-bag fees.
- 20% of the base package price for completed eligible WestJet Vacations packages.
- The WestJet RBC World Elite Mastercard earns one $200 Status Lift for every $5,000 spent, up to 50 Status Lifts each year.
In other words, spending enough on a co-branded credit card alone can reach the highest tier. Fifty Status Lifts equal $10,000 in tier qualifying spend, enough for Platinum status.
$100,000 spend, 20 Lifts ➡️ Silver
$150,000 spend, 30 Lifts ➡️ Gold
$250,000 spend, 50 Lifts ➡️ Platinum
2.1 Qualification Thresholds
| Tier / Qualifying Spend ($) | Before April 30, 2025 | After April 30, 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Teal | 0–2,999 | 0–3,999 |
| Silver | 3,000–4,999 | 4,000–5,999 |
| Gold | 5,000–7,999 | 6,000–9,999 |
| Platinum | 8,000+ | 10,000+ |
2.2 Benefits
The new program introduced in mid-2025 raised the qualification requirements, but it also improved the benefits for higher tiers:
Platinum members can transfer seat-selection and lounge vouchers. Platinum members can transfer their guest lounge and seat-selection vouchers to other WestJet Rewards members.
Gold members can transfer lounge vouchers. Gold members can transfer their guest lounge vouchers to other WestJet Rewards members.
Silver members’ seat-selection vouchers earned by achieving Silver during the remainder of the 2025 qualifying year and beyond can now select only standard Economy seats; Extended Comfort and exit-row seats are excluded. Previously issued seat-selection vouchers for current Silver members remain eligible for any Economy seat.
2.3 Milestone Rewards
The milestone rewards under the new program introduced in mid-2025 are listed below. Note that milestone qualifying spend does not include Status Lift from co-branded credit-card spending; it includes 100% of eligible flight-related spending and 20% of all-inclusive vacation spending.
With higher elite status or milestone rewards, various vouchers become transferable, including seat-selection, companion, and lounge vouchers. The Gold voucher changed from a single use to a full-year benefit.
| 2K milestone award | 2,000 WestJet points 200 CAD bonus to tier qualifying spend $25 Skip gift card |
|---|---|
| 8K milestone award | 20,000 WestJet points 500 CAD bonus to tier qualifying spend WestJet-wide companion voucher (Economy or Premium cabin) 4 seat-selection vouchers (including Extended Comfort) |
| 12K milestone award | 10,000 WestJet points $1,000 tier-qualifying-spend head start for next year WestJet-wide companion voucher Gift of Gold for a full year (one person) |
| 16K milestone award | 10,000 WestJet points 40% off any Premium fare for you and a guest $250 vacation-package credit Merchandise from the WestJet Rewards eStore |
| 20K milestone award | 10,000 WestJet points Transferable WestJet-wide companion voucher 4 transferable seat-selection vouchers Merchandise from the WestJet Rewards eStore |
| 30K milestone award | 25,000 WestJet points $500 vacation-package credit Gift of Gold for a full year (one person) Merchandise from the WestJet Rewards eStore |
| 40K milestone award | 25,000 WestJet points 40% off any Business fare for you and a guest 8 transferable lounge vouchers Merchandise from the WestJet Rewards eStore |
| 50K milestone award | 25,000 WestJet points Transferable WestJet-wide companion voucher $1,000 Fairmont Hotels & Resorts gift card Toronto Blue Jays VIP experience (the first member to reach 50K has first choice of the VIP experience) |
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WestJet-wide companion voucher
This voucher is valid for one round-trip WestJet flight anywhere WestJet flies. To use it, purchase one WestJet-marketed and operated Economy or Premium flight to a destination in North America, Central America, the Caribbean, Europe, or Asia. The second guest on the same itinerary pays only taxes, fees, charges, and other ATC (Air Transportation Charges).
Detailed instructions: How to use a WestJet-wide companion voucher
The Frequent-Flyer Program
WestJet’s frequent-flyer program is called WestJet Rewards, and its currency is WestJet rewards points. They are used at a fixed rate of 100 points = $1.
WestJet rewards points never expire.
3.1 Earning WestJet Points
The earning ability varies slightly by tier and earning method, as summarized below:
| Earning method | Teal | Silver | Gold | Platinum |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WestJet flights and related purchases (upgrades, seats, bags) | 1x | 3x | 5x | 8x |
| WestJet Vacation packages | 1x | 1x | 1x | 1x |
| WestJet Hotels | 2x | 2x | 2x | 2x |
| Car rentals (Avis, Budget, Enterprise, National, Alamo) | 1.5x | 1.5x | 1.5x | 1.5x |
| Car rentals (Hertz, Thrifty, Dollar) | 1x | 1x | 1x | 1x |
| Partner flights | Based on mileage and class of service | Based on mileage and class of service, plus 50% more | Based on mileage and class of service, plus 75% more | Based on mileage and class of service, plus 100% more |
| WestJet RBC Mastercard | 1.5x: dining, subscriptions, and WestJet purchases 1x: everything else |
Same | Same | Same |
| WestJet RBC World Elite Mastercard | 2x: gas, groceries, commuting, charging, rideshare, and WestJet purchases 1.5x: everything else |
Same | Same | Same |
Partner Airlines
WestJet elite members earn a bonus when booking and flying directly with partner airlines:
- Silver members earn 50% more WestJet dollars.
- Gold members earn 75% more WestJet dollars.
- Platinum members earn 100% more WestJet dollars.
The WestJet points charts differ by airline.
1. Delta Air Lines
WestJet points on Delta flights: Economy, Business, and First
| Distance flown (miles) | Class of service | Fare class purchased | WestJet dollars awarded |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0–500 | Economy | Y, B, M, S, H, Q, K, L, U, T, X, V, E | 3 |
| 501–1,000 | Economy | Y, B, M, S, H, Q, K, L, U, T, X, V, E | 5 |
| 1,001–2,000 | Economy | Y, B, M, S, H, Q, K, L, U, T, X, V, E | 7 |
| 2,001+ | Economy | Y, B, M, S, H, Q, K, L, U, T, X, V, E | 10 |
| Distance flown (miles) | Class of service | Fare class purchased | WestJet dollars awarded |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0–500 | Business | J, C, D, I, Z | 4 |
| 501–1,000 | Business | J, C, D, I, Z | 6 |
| 1,001–2,000 | Business | J, C, D, I, Z | 9 |
| 2,001+ | Business | J, C, D, I, Z | 13 |
| Distance flown (miles) | Class of service | Fare class purchased | WestJet dollars awarded |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0–500 | First | F, P, A, G | 5 |
| 501–1,000 | First | F, P, A, G | 8 |
| 1,001–2,000 | First | F, P, A, G | 11 |
| 2,001+ | First | F, P, A, G | 15 |
2. Air France
WestJet points on Air France flights: Economy, Premium Economy, Business, and La Première
| Distance flown (miles) | Class of service | Fare class purchased | WestJet dollars awarded |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0–750 | Economy | Y, B, M, U, K, H, L, Q, T, E, N, V, G, R | 3 |
| 751–1,500 | Economy | Y, B, M, U, K, H, L, Q, T, E, N, V, G, R | 5 |
| 1,501–3,000 | Economy | Y, B, M, U, K, H, L, Q, T, E, N, V, G, R | 7 |
| 3,001+ | Economy | Y, B, M, U, K, H, L, Q, T, E, N, V, G, R | 10 |
| Distance flown (miles) | Class of service | Fare class purchased | WestJet dollars awarded |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0–750 | Premium Economy | W, S, A | 3 |
| 751–1,500 | Premium Economy | W, S, A | 5 |
| 1,501–3,000 | Premium Economy | W, S, A | 7 |
| 3,001+ | Premium Economy | W, S, A | 10 |
| Distance flown (miles) | Class of service | Fare class purchased | WestJet dollars awarded |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0–750 | Business | J, C, D, I, Z | 5 |
| 751–1,500 | Business | J, C, D, I, Z | 7 |
| 1,501–3,000 | Business | J, C, D, I, Z | 9 |
| 3,001+ | Business | J, C, D, I, Z | 15 |
| Distance flown (miles) | Class of service | Fare class purchased | WestJet dollars awarded |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0–750 | La Première | F, P | 5 |
| 751–1,500 | La Première | F, P | 7 |
| 1,501–3,000 | La Première | F, P | 9 |
| 3,001+ | La Première | F, P | 15 |
3. KLM
WestJet points on KLM flights: Economy and Business
| Distance flown (miles) | Class of service | Fare class purchased | WestJet dollars awarded |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0–750 | Economy | Y, B, M, P, U, F, K, W, H, L, Q, S, A, T, E, N, V, G, R | 3 |
| 751–1,500 | Economy | Y, B, M, P, U, F, K, W, H, L, Q, S, A, T, E, N, V, G, R | 5 |
| 1,501–3,000 | Economy | Y, B, M, P, U, F, K, W, H, L, Q, S, A, T, E, N, V, G, R | 7 |
| 3,001+ | Economy | Y, B, M, P, U, F, K, W, H, L, Q, S, A, T, E, N, V, G, R | 10 |
| Distance flown (miles) | Class of service | Fare class purchased | WestJet dollars awarded |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0–750 | Business | J, C, D, I, Z | 5 |
| 751–1,500 | Business | J, C, D, I, Z | 7 |
| 1,501–3,000 | Business | J, C, D, I, Z | 9 |
| 3,001+ | Business | J, C, D, I, Z | 15 |
4. Qantas Airways
WestJet points on Qantas flights: Economy, Business, and First
| Distance flown (miles) | Class of service | Fare class purchased | WestJet dollars awarded |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0–500 | Economy | N, O, Q, K, M, L, V, S, Y, B, H, W, R, T | 3 |
| 501–1,000 | Economy | N, O, Q, K, M, L, V, S, Y, B, H, W, R, T | 5 |
| 1,001–2,000 | Economy | N, O, Q, K, M, L, V, S, Y, B, H, W, R, T | 7 |
| 2,001–3,000 | Economy | N, O, Q, K, M, L, V, S, Y, B, H, W, R, T | 10 |
| 3,001–4,000 | Economy | N, O, Q, K, M, L, V, S, Y, B, H, W, R, T | 13 |
| 4,000+ | Economy | N, O, Q, K, M, L, V, S, Y, B, H, W, R, T | 16 |
| Distance flown (miles) | Class of service | Fare class purchased | WestJet dollars awarded |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0–500 | Business | J, C, D, I | 4 |
| 501–1,000 | Business | J, C, D, I | 6 |
| 1,001–2,000 | Business | J, C, D, I | 9 |
| 2,001–3,000 | Business | J, C, D, I | 12 |
| 3,001–4,000 | Business | J, C, D, I | 15 |
| 4,000+ | Business | J, C, D, I | 18 |
| Distance flown (miles) | Class of service | Fare class purchased | WestJet dollars awarded |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0–500 | First | F, A | 4 |
| 501–1,000 | First | F, A | 6 |
| 1,001–2,000 | First | F, A | 11 |
| 2,001–3,000 | First | F, A | 14 |
| 3,001–4,000 | First | F, A | 18 |
| 4,000+ | First | F, A | 22 |
5. Virgin Atlantic
WestJet points on Virgin Atlantic flights: Economy, Premium, and Upper Class
| Distance flown (miles) | Class of service | Fare class purchased | WestJet points awarded |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0–750 | Economy | V, Y, B, R, L, U, M, O, N, X, Q, E, T | 300 |
| 751–1,500 | Economy | V, Y, B, R, L, U, M, O, N, X, Q, E, T | 500 |
| 1,501–3,000 | Economy | V, Y, B, R, L, U, M, O, N, X, Q, E, T | 700 |
| 3,001+ | Economy | V, Y, B, R, L, U, M, O, N, X, Q, E, T | 1,000 |
| Distance flown (miles) | Class of service | Fare class purchased | WestJet points awarded |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0–750 | Premium | W, S, H, K | 300 |
| 751–1,500 | Premium | W, S, H, K | 500 |
| 1,501–3,000 | Premium | W, S, H, K | 700 |
| 3,001+ | Premium | W, S, H, K | 1,000 |
| Distance flown (miles) | Class of service | Fare class purchased | WestJet points awarded |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0–750 | Upper Class | J, C, D, I, Z | 500 |
| 751–1,500 | Upper Class | J, C, D, I, Z | 700 |
| 1,501–3,000 | Upper Class | J, C, D, I, Z | 900 |
| 3,001+ | Upper Class | J, C, D, I, Z | 1,500 |
Everyday Partners
1. Triangle Rewards
Link your WestJet Rewards and Triangle Rewards accounts to earn rewards in both programs:
- WestJet-related purchases earn an additional 0.4% in Canadian Tire Money.
- Spending at Triangle stores earns one WestJet rewards point per $2.
2. Skip
After linking WestJet Rewards and Skip, you can receive:
- 500 points
- Six months of free Skip+ membership
- Weekly promotions
- The ability to redeem points on Skip
Skip is a Canadian food-delivery platform that runs promotions from time to time.
Use my referral link to sign up for a $3 reward.
3. TELUS
After linking the two accounts, you can select WestJet points as a reward in your TELUS account. The number of points depends on the service. Benefits include:
- The ability to earn WestJet points on eligible TELUS activity
- The option to redeem WestJet points toward TELUS bill credits
- The ability to convert points between TELUS Rewards and WestJet Rewards
- Complimentary standard seat-selection voucher(s)
- Complimentary TELUS three-day roaming pass(es)
4. Petro-Canada
A partnership with Petro-Canada is expected to launch in 2027.
Other Ways to Earn
1. Online shopping
2. Transfers from Avion
Transferring Avion points to WestJet is not a good value. See the blog article about Avion Rewards.
3. Buy points directly
You can buy WestJet points on the WestJet website, with a minimum purchase of $25 and a maximum of $3,000 per calendar year.
Based on reader data points, Canadian credit cards may be charged tax. You may want to consider a U.S. or Chinese credit card to avoid sales tax.
3.2 Using WestJet Dollars
Unlike many other mileage programs, WestJet points work almost like cash: 100 points = $1. The major changes in 2025 greatly expanded the ways points can be redeemed, with very few restrictions.
Save on travel when redeeming for flights
| Base fare + surcharges | Checked bags | Seat selection | Cabin upgrade purchases | Taxes + fees | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WestJet flights | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Partner flights | ✔ | N/A | N/A | N/A | ✔ |
| WestJet Vacations | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Sunwing Vacations | ✔ | ✔ | N/A | N/A | ✔ |
Everyday partners
This is generally not recommended; the value drops quickly.
- Triangle Rewards
120 WestJet points = $1 Canadian Tire Money
- Skip
3,100 WestJet points = $25 Skip credit
- TELUS
100 WestJet points = 700 TELUS Rewards points
Other redemption options
These are also not recommended because the value is below 1 cpp:
- Redeeming for merchandise in the eStore
- Redeeming for gift cards in the eStore
- Redeeming for hotels through WestJet Vacations
Other Updates
【June 4, 2024 update】WestJet changed its basic fare to the low-cost UltraBasic fare.
UltraBasic
- No carry-on bag permitted
- Seat selection costs more
- One personal item included
- Checked bags cost more
- No changes or cancellations
- No WestJet Rewards earning
- Last to board
The experience is comparable to a low-cost carrier. For a rough price comparison:
YYC–YVR: Flair is around $70–$80, while WestJet UltraBasic is just over $100.
YVR–YYZ: Flair is roughly $160–$200, while WestJet UltraBasic costs $240 or more.
Related Reading
- Flying Blue can be used for WestJet flights; see the redemption section.
Flying Blue (Air France/KLM) loyalty program explained
- Delta miles can be used for WestJet flights; see the Canadian redemption examples.
Delta Air Lines SkyMiles explained
- WestJet co-branded credit cards
🇨🇦 WestJet RBC World Elite Mastercard
- WestJet lounge at Calgary Airport
WestJet Elevation Lounge at YYC: Calgary Airport’s best Priority Pass lounge
