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WestJet and Copa Airlines: New Interline Partnership in Canada

6 min read
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WestJet and Copa Airlines: New Interline Partnership in Canada
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As of April 8, 2026, WestJet Rewards now lets you book further. The Canadian carrier now allows you to book interline WestJet and Copa Airlines itineraries directly on WestJet.com, the mobile app, or through the call center. For Canadian travellers targeting Latin America, this change opens up 37 new destinations across 18 countries, all in a single booking. Check out our selection of the best credit cards to maximize your points on these purchases.

Copa Airlines, based in Panama City, serves an extensive network across Central and South America. Through this partnership, WestJet Rewards members earn and redeem points on their entire journey, including Copa segments. Here is what this means in practical terms.

What is an Interline Partnership?

An interline agreement allows two airlines to sell combined tickets across their respective networks. In practice, you book a single ticket that includes segments operated by WestJet and others by Copa Airlines. At the first stage of check-in, you receive all your boarding passes as well as baggage tags for your final destination.

According to WestJet, passengers who book an interline itinerary directly through its channels benefit from the same advantages as on a codeshare itinerary or one operated by WestJet, with the added benefit of a wider choice of destinations. The result: a single booking and unified management of changes and cancellations.

What this changes for WestJet Rewards

The WestJet Rewards program expands meaningfully with this agreement. WestJet already has nearly 50 interline partners. The new development as of April 8, 2026, is direct channel booking (WestJet.com, app, call center), previously reserved for travel agencies. Until now, point accumulation was limited to flights operated by WestJet and a few codeshare partners. The interline agreement with Copa expands this scope.

  • Accumulation across the entire itinerary: You accumulate WestJet Rewards points on Copa segments, not just on WestJet flights
  • Point redemption: You can use your WestJet points as payment for the entire interline ticket
  • Centralized management: Changes and cancellations are handled directly with WestJet, just like for a regular flight
  • Simplified check-in: All boarding passes and baggage tags are issued from the first check-in point
  • Direct booking: Book on WestJet.com, the WestJet app, or through the call center, without going through an agency

To maximize your points on your ticket purchase, consider using the WestJet RBC® World Elite Mastercard‡. By paying for your interline booking with this card, you earn additional WestJet points in addition to those credited by the flight.

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WestJet RBC® World Elite Mastercard‡

RBCWestJet Rewards
Annual fee
$139
Our valuation
$700
Milesopedia first-year estimateFirst-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.
Welcome offer
Up to 70,000 points
Ends Nov 4, 2026
Apply Now

on RBC's website

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 4, 2026.

The benefits in numbers

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

Copa Destinations from Canada

Copa Airlines serves 37 destinations in 18 countries across Central and South America. Connections are made via four WestJet Mexican destinations as well as Panama City (PTY), Copa’s main hub. Among the countries mentioned are Uruguay, Guatemala, Ecuador, Chile, Argentina, Peru, and Brazil.

This solves a real problem for Canadians: it is now possible to book an itinerary to several destinations in Latin America in a single reservation, while benefiting from centralized management through WestJet.

How to Book an Interline Flight

Booking works the same way as a regular WestJet flight. Three channels are available.

  • WestJet.com: Search for your destination (e.g., Montreal → Lima). The site displays combined WestJet + Copa itineraries with connections via Mexico or Panama City.
  • WestJet App: Same functionality as the website, with gate change notifications and mobile boarding passes.
  • WestJet Call Centre: For complex itineraries or special requests (special baggage, assistance).

Once the booking is confirmed, you receive a single confirmation number. During check-in, all boarding passes are issued at the same time, including for Copa segments. Your baggage travels to the final destination without you having to retrieve it in transit.

Point Accumulation on the Flight

As a WestJet Rewards member, you earn points on WestJet segments and on Copa segments.

The earn rate depends on your status and the fare purchased. To earn even more points, pay for your ticket with the WestJet RBC Mastercard or the WestJet RBC® World Elite Mastercard‡.

Who is This Partnership For?

This interline partnership primarily targets three profiles of Canadian travelers.

  • Travelers to Latin America: Those who regularly visit Peru, Colombia, Argentina, or Chile gain direct access via WestJet without separate booking
  • Active WestJet Rewards members: Earning points on Copa segments adds value to the program, especially for those who hold a WestJet RBC® World Elite Mastercard‡
  • Snowbirds and retirees: Canadians who spend winters in Central America (Costa Rica, Panama) now have a simplified itinerary with a single ticket

Limitations to Be Aware Of

Despite its advantages, the interline partnership has a few nuances to keep in mind before booking.

  • This is not a codeshare: Copa flights do not carry a WestJet flight number. In-flight service standards (meals, entertainment, class) are those of Copa, not WestJet.
  • Connections via Mexico or Panama: No direct Canada → South America flights. You must transit through Cancun, Puerto Vallarta, Los Cabos, Mexico City, or Panama City
  • WestJet Elite Status: Elite status benefits (upgrades, priority boarding) may not apply on Copa segments

Conclusion

The interline partnership between WestJet and Copa Airlines gives Canadian travellers direct access to Latin America. Booking a Montreal → Lima flight on a single ticket, earning WestJet Rewards points on the entire journey, and managing your trip from WestJet.com.

For holders of a WestJet RBC® World Elite Mastercard‡, this is an opportunity to get more value from their points. For others, compare options on our best travel credit cards page.

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to follow upcoming interline partner additions planned by the end of 2026.

Featured

WestJet RBC® World Elite Mastercard‡

RBCWestJet Rewards
Annual fee
$139
Our valuation
$700
Milesopedia first-year estimateFirst-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.
Welcome offer
Up to 70,000 points
Ends Nov 4, 2026
Apply Now

on RBC's website

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 4, 2026.

The benefits in numbers

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

WestJet Copa Airlines Interline — Frequently Asked Questions

What is an interline partnership between WestJet and Copa Airlines?

An interline partnership allows you to book an itinerary combining WestJet and Copa Airlines flights on a single ticket. Your baggage is checked through to the final destination, and you receive all your boarding passes upon check-in.

Can WestJet Rewards points be earned on Copa flights?

Yes. WestJet Rewards members earn points on the entire interline itinerary, including segments operated by Copa Airlines.

Can WestJet points be used to pay for an interline flight with Copa?

Yes. You can use your WestJet points as payment for the entire interline ticket, including Copa segments.

Which Copa destinations are accessible from Canada?

Copa Airlines serves 37 destinations in 18 countries. Connections are made via WestJet’s Mexican destinations and Panama City. Accessible cities include: Lima, Bogota, Buenos Aires, Santiago, Quito, Medellín, Montevideo, and Guatemala City.

How to book a WestJet and Copa interline flight?

Search for your destination on WestJet.com, the WestJet app, or call the contact center. The system automatically displays combined WestJet + Copa itineraries with available connections.

What is the difference between an interline and a codeshare?

In a codeshare, a flight is sold under two airlines’ numbers. In an interline, each airline operates its own flights, but booking and baggage management are coordinated. The passenger benefits from a single record in both cases.

Do WestJet elite status benefits apply on Copa?

Not necessarily. WestJet elite status benefits (upgrades, priority boarding) may not apply on segments operated by Copa Airlines. Onboard service standards are those of Copa.

Which credit card should I use to maximize my WestJet points?

The WestJet RBC® World Elite Mastercard‡ offers the best accumulation rate on WestJet purchases. For an option with no annual fee, the WestJet RBC Mastercard remains a valid alternative.

Will other interline partners be added?

Yes. WestJet plans to add more than 10 interline partners by the end of 2026, including Korean Air, Japan Airlines, Kenya Airways, LATAM Airlines, and Saudia. These additions will open more than 100 new destinations.


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American ExpressMarriott Bonvoy
Annual fee
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Our valuation
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Milesopedia first-year estimateFirst-year valueWelcome bonus$990Total$990Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
Welcome offer
Up to 110,000 points
Ends Sep 22, 2026
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This offer ends on September 22, 2026. The annual fee is $120, and there is no annual fee on Additional Cards, so you can add a partner or a family member at no extra cost.

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American Express is not responsible for maintaining or monitoring the accuracy of information on this website. For full details and current product information, click the Apply Now link. If you apply and get approved for an American Express Card, we may receive compensation from American Express, which can be in the form of monetary payment.

Annual fee

Primary card$120
Additional card$0

Annual income required

Individual$0
Household$0

Conversion fees

2.5%

Earning rate

  • 5xMarriott Bonvoy hotels
  • 2xAll spending

Value

1st Year Value$1,437
2nd Year Value$312

Travel insurance

Delayed BaggageUp to $500
Lost BaggageUp to $500
Flight DelayUp to $500
Hotel BurglaryUp to $500
Travel AccidentUp to $500,000

Purchase protection

Purchase ProtectionIncluded
Extended Warranty+1 years
Auto Rental Collision (primary)Up to $85,000 / 48 days

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