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WestJet has announced an overhaul of its WestJet Rewards loyalty program, effective April 30, 2025.
Two main changes are being made: WestJet dollars have become WestJet points, and members will now be able to use their points to cover the full cost of a flight or vacation package, including taxes and fees.
From April 28 to 30, WestJet will be making changes to the WestJet Rewards system. It will therefore not be possible to perform the following actions:
In addition, account notifications will be paused until May 7.
WestJet has adopted a new currency for its rewards program: WestJet points.
WestJet dollars are automatically being converted into WestJet points at a ratio of 1:100, meaning that each WestJet dollar is now 100 WestJet points, maintaining the same value.
So if you have 234 WestJet dollars, they have become 23,400 WestJet points.
For example, to obtain a $1 discount on a flight, members now use 100 points instead of 1 WestJet dollar.
Plus, WestJet points never expire.
WestJet Rewards members now enjoy greater flexibility with the redesigned program. Before, WestJet dollars could only be used for the base fare of a flight or vacation package. Taxes and fees were always extra.
This could have been a major disadvantage, especially when the base fare was minimal compared to the taxes and other surcharges. As we saw in our article on airline surcharges, WestJet was one of the carriers with the most. With the program overhaul, this is now different, and in a good way.
Under the new program, it is now possible to cover the full cost of WestJet flights and WestJet Vacation packages with points. This includes taxes, fees and extras such as seat selection and checked baggage.
Redemption options will also extend beyond travel with the new eStore WestJet Rewards, where points can be redeemed for merchandise and gift cards starting April 30, 2025.
The minimum redemption requirement for WestJet points is 2,500 points per flight booking and 5,000 points for WestJet vacation bookings.
To diversify the ways to earn these new WestJet points, members will now be able to earn WestJet points on:
As for the WestJet RBC® World Elite Mastercard the accumulation rates will remain the same in the new program.
The card will continue to offer 2 points per dollar spent on WestJet flights and WestJet Vacations packages (equivalent to the previous rate of 2%), as well as 1.5 points per dollar on all other daily purchases (equivalent to the previous rate of 1.5%).
The card also retains its two main benefits: the annual companion voucher for a round-trip flight, and free first checked baggage for the cardholder and up to 8 people travelling on the same reservation.
Interest rates and annual fees will remain unchanged.
The Status Lift program is also getting a makeover. Additionally, members with an eligible WestJet credit card will even be able to reach the Platinum level without ever stepping on a WestJet flight!
One of the improvements is that now, each extra payment such as cabin upgrades, checked baggage, and seat selections will be recognized as expenses to help increase your status level.
Holders of the WestJet RBC® World Elite Mastercard will earn $200 in recognized level spending for every $5,000 in purchases (instead of the current bonus of $500 in recognized level spending for every $15,000 in purchases).
In addition, the limit of 3 Status Lifts per calendar year will be replaced by a new maximum of 50 Status Lifts per year, making it possible to reach Platinum level.
You’ll also get gifts every time you exceed a threshold ($2k, $8k, $12k, etc), like:
Finally, eligible purchases made between January and April 2025 will be recalculated according to the new formula, potentially offering additional Lifts to cardholders.
This enhancement will give members faster access to higher status and earlier travel benefits, including lounge access, upgrades and priority boarding.
Some everyday businesses will partner with WestJet to give you the chance to earn or redeem WestJet points.
You’ll be able to link your WestJet Rewards account to your TELUS and Skip accounts.
The transition to the new program is taking place on April 30, 2025, and there is no action required on your part. WestJet dollars in your account will be automatically converted into WestJet points at a rate of $1 per 100 points.
The advantage of this enhancement is that WestJet points will be awarded in smaller increments, so that they can be accumulated on small expenditures made with WestJet (seat selection, checked baggage, etc.). Conversely, it’s easier to devalue a program when it’s a question of “points” rather than “dollars”.
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