WestJet: A Free Calgary Stopover for Up to 7 Days

WestJet is launching a stopover program in Calgary, similar to what Icelandair has long offered in Iceland, TAP Air Portugal in Lisbon, or Air France KLM in Paris and Amsterdam via Flying Blue.

Specifically, you can now add up to 7 days in Calgary on an international itinerary, at no additional cost and under a single booking. Already transiting through YYC airport? Why not turn that layover into a real vacation.

In this article, we review the program rules, the differences between itineraries to Europe and Asia, and the booking process. Additionally, we show you how to pay for everything with your WestJet Rewards points and which travel credit cards accelerate point accumulation.

A Calgary Stopover at No Additional Cost

The principle is simple: instead of a two-hour layover at YYC, you stay in Calgary for a few days before continuing your journey. Furthermore, WestJet does not add any stopover fees. You pay for your flight segments, nothing more.

Here’s what the program allows:

Up to 7 days in Calgary: no additional stopover fees on eligible itineraries
Single booking: all your flights and your stop in Calgary are under one confirmation code
Open-jaw itineraries: arrive in Calgary, then depart from another Canadian city to your destination or home
Flexible fares: combine different fare bundles from one segment to another according to your budget
Payment with points: your WestJet points can be used for full or partial payment

WestJet Stopover Program Rules

The program applies to flights marketed and operated by WestJet to all its destinations. However, codeshare, interline, or exclusively domestic itineraries are not eligible. A booking can include a maximum of five one-way segments.

Other details to know:

Currency: the booking currency depends on the origin of the first flight
Promotional codes: unlimited-use codes apply to multi-destination bookings
Modifications: any itinerary change must go through the WestJet contact center
Cancellations: you can cancel a multi-destination booking yourself on westjet.com, via Manage Bookings

Stopovers to or from Europe

For an itinerary to or from Europe, the stopover can last up to 7 days. However, it must take place in the Canadian “gateway” city: the last Canadian city before leaving the country, or the first upon your return from Europe. For many itineraries, this will be Calgary. However, a traveller departing from Toronto or Halifax could, depending on their routing, make their stop in one of those cities.

Stopovers to or from Asia

The rules are more generous for Asia. You can book up to two stopovers in each direction, in any city on the network, for a maximum duration of 21 days each. In both cases, the stopover must correspond to a valid connection offered by WestJet: it is not possible to build a stop on a connection that does not exist in the schedule.

Criteria	Europe	Asia
Maximum Stopover Duration	7 days	21 days
Number of Stopovers	1 (Canadian gateway city)	Up to 2 per direction
Eligible City	Last or first Canadian city on the itinerary	Any city
Eligible Flights	Marketed and operated by WestJet	Marketed and operated by WestJet
Baggage Fees for 2nd Segment	None, with original tags	None, with original tags

Limitations to Know

Domestic flights excluded: an entirely Canadian itinerary is not eligible for the program
Codeshare and interline excluded: only flights marketed and operated by WestJet count
No refunds en route: if you cancel the remaining segments during your stopover, you lose their value
Companion vouchers limited: they do not apply to multi-destination bookings with more than two origins and destinations (excluding connections)

How to Book Your Calgary Stopover

Booking is done directly on westjet.com, using the multi-destination booking tool. Here are the three steps:

1. Choose the “multi-city” trip type: this option allows you to build the full itinerary in a single booking
2. Add your stop in Calgary: select your dates on either side of your stay, then adjust the fare bundle for each segment
3. Confirm everything: your stopover and flights appear under a single confirmation code

A concrete example: you are traveling from Montreal to Tokyo. Instead of a simple connection at YYC, you insert four days in Calgary on the outbound journey. The price of the stopover itself? Zero dollars. You only pay for your accommodation and activities on site.

By the way, WestJet isn’t inventing anything here: several carriers have offered this type of product for years. To compare options, consult our guide on airlines that allow stopover bookings.

Paying for Your Stopover with WestJet Points

WestJet points can be used for full or partial payment on these multi-destination bookings. Consequently, a good reserve of points can cover the entire itinerary, including the stopover.

To accumulate points faster, two credit cards stand out: the WestJet RBC^® World Elite Mastercard‡ and the WestJet RBC Mastercard. The World Elite version adds an annual companion voucher and the first checked bag free. In addition, bookings made via WestJet Hotels earn points on your accommodation, which is convenient for a stay in Calgary.

Finally, if you fly frequently with the Alberta-based carrier, our complete guide to WestJet Rewards elite status will help you get the most out of each segment.

What to Do During a Calgary Stopover

Calgary is easy to explore on foot: trails along the Bow River, farm-to-table restaurants, gourmet food halls, and lively neighborhoods like Kensington or Inglewood. Moreover, the city serves as a gateway to the Rockies. Banff is about a 90-minute drive away, Jasper a little further. Four or five days are enough to combine the city and the mountains.

Before departure, eligible travelers can also enjoy the WestJet Elevation lounge at Calgary Airport, accessible notably to certain credit card holders.

Our Opinion on WestJet’s Calgary Stopover

For travelers already transiting through Calgary on an international itinerary, this program adds flexibility without major inconvenience. A few days in Alberta, zero stopover fees, a single booking: it’s hard to make it simpler. Especially, the rules for Asia, with two stops per direction and 21 days per stopover, open the door to creative itineraries.

However, keep the exclusions in mind: no domestic flights only, no codeshares, and modifications that must go through the contact center. To follow news from WestJet and other programs, subscribe to our newsletter. You can also compare all options on our best credit cards page.

FeaturedCompare

WestJet RBC^® World Elite Mastercard‡

RBC WestJet Rewards

Annual fee: $139
Our valuationMilesopedia first-year estimate First-year valueWelcome bonus$700Total$700Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.: $700
Welcome offerAfter $5,000 in 3 months: Up to 70,000 points; Ends Nov 18, 2026

With the WestJet RBC^® World Elite Mastercard^‡, you can earn up to 70,000 WestJet points as a welcome bonus:

30,000 WestJet points as a welcome bonus with your first purchase
30,000 WestJet points when you charge at least $5,000 in eligible purchases to your card within the first three months
10,000 additional WestJet points after your credit card account’s first anniversary

The offer ends on November 18, 2026.

An annual companion voucher from $119
Charge at least $5,000 in purchases to your card each year and you receive a World Elite Companion Voucher for a round-trip flight, starting at a $119 base fare, plus taxes, fees, surcharges and other air transportation charges. You can exchange it instead for a 30% flight discount for one traveller, a $200 credit towards a WestJet Vacations or Sunwing Vacations package, or airport lounge passes. The exact number of lounge passes granted is to be verified against the RBC terms in force.

A free first checked bag for up to nine people
The first checked bag is free for the primary cardholder and up to 8 guests on the same reservation, on WestJet flights. For a family of four, that is four bags on every leg.

Status Lift: $200 in tier qualifying spend per $5,000
Your everyday purchases move you towards Silver, Gold and even Platinum status. You earn $200 in tier qualifying spend for every $5,000 in purchases charged to the card, up to 50 times per year.

Up to 2 WestJet points per dollar

2 points per dollar on WestJet flights, WestJet Vacations and Sunwing Vacations packages
2 points per dollar at grocery stores and on transportation, including gas, EV charging, public transit and rideshare
1.5 points per dollar on all other everyday purchases

The annual fee is $139, plus $59 per additional card.

Finally, you benefit from extensive insurance coverage: out-of-province or out-of-country emergency medical insurance, travel accident insurance, trip cancellation and trip interruption insurance, flight delay and delayed baggage insurance, hotel or motel burglary insurance, rental vehicle collision and damage insurance.

Legal

^® / MC Trademark(s) of Royal Bank of Canada. RBC and Royal Bank are registered trademarks of Royal Bank of Canada.

‡ All other trademarks are the property of their respective owner(s).

¹ To benefit from this offer, your application must be received and approved by Royal Bank of Canada (“Royal Bank”) between June 16, 2026 and November 4, 2026 (“Offer Period”). This offer only applies to new applications for a WestJet RBC World Elite Mastercard.

You will receive up to 30,000 welcome WestJet points upon your first purchase (“Welcome WestJet Points”) distributed as follows: (i) 25, 000 Welcome WestJet Points up to six (6) weeks after your first purchase transaction date; and (ii) 5,000 Welcome WestJet Points up to twelve (12) weeks after your first purchase transaction date, provided your first purchase gets posted to your WestJet RBC World Elite Mastercard credit card account (“Credit Card Account”) within the first three (3) months of your Credit Card Account opening date (“Period”).

You will receive an additional 30,000 WestJet points (“Additional WestJet Points”) provided a total of $5,000 (“Qualifying Transaction Amount”) or more in qualifying net purchases and/or pre-authorized bill payment transactions (“Qualifying Transaction(s)”) are posted to your Credit Card Account within the Period. The Additional WestJet Points will be awarded approximately six (6) weeks after the date you reach the Qualifying Transaction Amount. Qualifying Transactions exclude cash advances (including balance transfers, cash-like transactions and bill payments that are not pre-authorized charges that you set up with a merchant), interest charges and fees, and credits for returns and adjustments posted to your Credit Card Account during the Period will reduce the amount of your Qualifying Transactions.

The transaction posting date of each Qualifying Transaction, not the transaction date, will determine whether the transaction will count towards the Qualifying Transaction Amount. This means that Qualifying Transactions that take place prior to the last day of the Period will not count towards the Qualifying Transaction Amount if they have not yet been posted or processed by the merchant, the payment network (Mastercard) or Royal Bank by the last day of the Period.

You will receive an additional 10,000 WestJet points (“Anniversary WestJet Points”) up to sixteen (16) weeks after your Credit Card Account has been open for one (1) year.

Welcome WestJet Points, Additional WestJet Points and Anniversary WestJet Points will be awarded to your WestJet Rewards account, accessible at westjet.com/account, and appear on your monthly credit card statement, provided your Credit Card Account is open and in good standing at the time they are awarded to your WestJet Rewards account, “good standing” meaning that your Credit Card Account must not be past due for more than two (2) consecutive Credit Card Account statement periods, closed, charged off or in credit revoked status at that time.

Only the primary cardholder on the Credit Card Account is eligible for this offer. Additional cardholders(s) (co-applicant and authorized user(s)), as well as existing cardholders on any RBC Royal Bank personal credit card account, transferring to a WestJet RBC World Elite Mastercard during the Offer Period, are not eligible for this offer.

If you close your Credit Card Account or change it for another type of RBC Royal Bank credit card before the Welcome WestJet points, Additional Welcome WestJet points or the Anniversary WestJet points have been awarded to your WestJet Rewards account, you may not receive the points. This offer may not be combined or used in conjunction with any other offer. Royal Bank and WestJet reserve the right to modify, cancel or withdraw this offer at any time without notice, even after your application has been approved, including if we suspect that you may be manipulating or abusing it, or engaging in any suspicious or fraudulent activity, as determined by us in our sole discretion.

Annual fee

Primary card$139

Additional card$59

Annual income required

Individual$80,000

Household$150,000

Conversion fees

2.5%

Earning rate

2xGroceries
2xGas & EV
2xTransit
2xWith the partner brand
1.5xAll spending

Value

1st Year Value$1,098

2nd Year Value$263

Travel insurance

Travel medical (under 55)Included

Travel medical (55-64)Included

Travel medical (65+)Included

Trip CancellationUp to $1,500

Trip InterruptionUp to $5,000

Delayed BaggageUp to $500

Flight DelayUp to $500

Hotel BurglaryUp to $2,500

Travel AccidentUp to $500,000

Purchase protection

Purchase ProtectionIncluded

Extended Warranty+1 years

Mobile DeviceIncluded

Auto Rental CollisionUp to $65,000 / 48 days

Calgary Stopover – Frequently Asked Questions

What is WestJet’s Calgary stopover program?

It is an option that allows you to add a multi-day stop in Calgary on a WestJet international itinerary, without additional stopover fees. The entire trip is under a single booking.

How long can a Calgary stopover last?

Up to 7 days for an itinerary to or from Europe. For Asia, each stopover can last up to 21 days, with a maximum of two stops per direction.

How much does it cost to add a stopover?

WestJet does not charge any stopover fees. You pay the price of your flight segments, your accommodation, and your expenses on site, nothing more.

How to book a Calgary stopover with WestJet?

On westjet.com, choose the “multi-city” trip type. Then add Calgary as a stop between your origin and your final destination, with your dates on either side of the stay. Everything is issued under a single confirmation code.

Can I pay with my WestJet points?

Yes. WestJet Rewards program points can be used for full or partial payment on multi-destination bookings, including those with a stopover.

Are domestic flights eligible?

No. Exclusively domestic itineraries do not qualify for the program. Codeshare and interline flights are also excluded: only flights marketed and operated by WestJet count.

Can I use my companion voucher on a stopover booking?

Only on an open-jaw booking with two origins and destinations or fewer, excluding connections. Beyond that, the companion voucher does not apply to multi-destination bookings.

Must the stopover necessarily take place in Calgary?

Not always. For Europe, the stop takes place in the Canadian gateway city of your itinerary, often Calgary, but sometimes Toronto or Halifax depending on the routing. For Asia, the stopover can take place in any city on the network.

WestJet is launching a stopover program in Calgary, similar to what Icelandair has long offered in Iceland, TAP Air Portugal in Lisbon, or Air France KLM in Paris and Amsterdam via Flying Blue.

A Calgary Stopover at No Additional Cost

Here’s what the program allows:

Up to 7 days in Calgary: no additional stopover fees on eligible itineraries
Single booking: all your flights and your stop in Calgary are under one confirmation code
Open-jaw itineraries: arrive in Calgary, then depart from another Canadian city to your destination or home
Flexible fares: combine different fare bundles from one segment to another according to your budget
Payment with points: your WestJet points can be used for full or partial payment