Fast Track WestJet Flight Benefits of Elite Statuses

WestJet Rewards is offering an interested fast track option that will allow you to qualify for flight benefits received by its Silver or Gold elite status members. If you qualify now, you will receive the benefits until December 31, 2017. You will have to book all your flights between October 3, 2016 and December 18, 2016.

Conditions

You will need to register for this promotion and achieve one of the two following:

• Earn Silver flight benefits when you spend $1,000 on qualifying flights
  • Normally $4,000 minimum spend requirement
• Earn Gold flight benefits when you spend $1,500 on qualifying flights
  • Normally $6,000 minimum spend requirement

Note that only the base fares on WestJet-marketed flights count towards the minimum spend requirement. This means that the spend requirement does not count spending on

• WestJet Vacations packages
• Partner-marketed flights
• Car or hotel bookings made on westjet.com
• Taxes, fees or charges
• Redemption of WestJet dollars

Flight Benefits

The flights benefits only include very specific items, not all benefits of elite the full elite status. Those flight benefits include:

Silver

• Earn 4 airport lounge vouchers
• Earn 4 advance seat selection vouchers
• Receive first checked bag free

Gold

• Earn 10 airport lounge vouchers
• Earn 4 advance seat selection vouchers
• Receive first and second checked bags free
• No fee for same-day flight changes at check-in
• Priority security screening at select airports
• Advance boarding

Worth a Mileage Run?

I do not know if I would recommend going on a mileage run for this benefit, but if you do have some trips planned next year and you can find a way to squeeze your trip between that time period, the I would make that extra effort to make this work out.

For example, if you are searching for a flight that is just under $1,000 during the October 3, 2016 and December 18, 2016 time frame, it could make sense to find a more expensive flight that pushes you over that $1,000 hump to qualify for the bonus. That extra $100 or so can be worth it to pay if you can take advantage of all the benefits the following year.

It would be much more worthwhile if you were just under the $1,500 requirement, and pay that extra $100 or so dollars for Gold flight benefits. Again, granted that you have some trips planned in 2017.

RBC WestJet World Elite MasterCard Cardholders

You can even super fast track if you have a RBC WestJet World Elite MasterCard. Their requirements are $500 lower for each status:

• Earn Silver flight benefits when you spend $500 on qualifying flights
• Earn Gold flight benefits when you spend $1,000 on qualifying flights

As a credit card holder, it would be way easier to top up your airline ticket to reach these minimum spend requirements instead. There may be time to get this credit card and book your flight during the offer period. If you do so, I would push RBC to rush getting the credit card into your hands, so that you buy yourself more time to book your flight.

Credit Card Highlights

Keep in mind that this credit cards offers some nice perks, below are some of the key highlights of the credit card. I actually highly recommend this credit card for all WestJet fans. Especially if you fly WestJet a few times a year. The annual companion voucher justifies the annual fee year after year.

• $99 annual fee
• $49 annual fee for a supplementary cardholders
• Earn 250 WestJet dollars sign up bonus
• Earn 2% in WestJet Dollars on WestJet flights or WestJet Vacation packages
• Earn 1.5% in WestJet Dollars on all other purchases
• Receive 1 annual companion round-trip voucher ($99 for travel to Canada and the continental U.S.; $299 for travel to/from Hawaii, Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean; $399 for travel to/from Europe) (taxes, fees and charges not included)
• Receive 1 free checked bag for primary cardholder and up to 8 guests on the same reservation