catarina

Get the flight benefits of Gold with proof of top tier status in another Canadian airline’s frequent flyer program before January 31, 2015.*

Just email us with:

Your first and last name.
Your 9-digit WestJet ID (provided to you upon joining WestJet Rewards). If you’re not already a member you can join now.
A scanned copy of your membership card in the other Canadian airline's frequent flyer program showing your name and 2014 or 2015 top tier status. Or, send us a copy of a recent boarding pass from travel taken on the same airline showing your status.

More details here: http://www.westjet.com/guest/en/rewards/get-gold.shtml

YXUhomebase

what are the benefits of Gold? who is westjet allied with in US and overseas?

catarina

Westjet is a different animal altogether than AC. No business class, no alliance (other than with AA). No seat upgrades to Plus at this time. BUT, you do get:

Flight Benefits with Gold Status Match or Fast Track
2 free checked bags
No fee to change to an earlier/later flight on travel day
Priority security screening (at select airports)
Advance boarding
4 advance seat selection vouchers
10 airport lounge vouchers

After you have flown enough $$'s with them you earn the Westjet Dollars additional % and Companion Flights at Silver and Gold levels respectively.
You do not receive these right away it you are Status Matching or Fast Tracking.

But, if you are part of their previous program already, your current status with them will be based on last year (or this year)'s current spend, so you may have earned Silver or Gold already.

Full details on their website, with info on Status Match and Fast Tracking.

Absolute

Thanks for the link - just submitted my match!

bt_yyz

Anyone know if it's possible to use these WS lounge passes while also crediting miles to AAdvantage?

I already have AA miles (not a lot, no status), but I don't want to spread miles everywhere.

Or, alternatively, how USEFUL are WS dollars? Better value than AP or M+? There's a chance I might book a vacation package through them so more points.

(Now is the time to ALSO research WS on top of UA and CX.)

ffsim

Thanks for this, my request is in!

LockheedElectra

Me too! Hilarious to see all the familiar names over here now. So would be great if they joined OO, (I know i had asked for Skyteam in a previous post, but cancel that!). Submitted my status match to Chairman's on US yesterday.

Wpgjetse

This is a major downgrade from AC. The 10 Lounge vouchers should last 1 month, then what? Only 2 bags, not 3. Like the no change fee for same day changes, but the 4 vouchers for advance seat selection is a joke.

Shareholder

Get yourself an AmexPlat and you'll have unlimited access to these lounges as they're the same ones Amex has deal with. (Or get the premium PriorityPass.) How often do you check three bags? As for advance seat selection, by not paying Flex fares you're already saving enough to fork out a few dollars more for advance seat selection...or else wait until OLCI and buy up to one of the front Plus seats.

But as others have pointed out, WS has a very different culture than AC and I doubt you'd be happy with it. Stick with AC.

Wpgjetse

I have 3 bags around 35%- 40% of the time. I do not pay for seat selection on any fare and Plus seats are not J seats.

ffsim

Maybe it's a downgrade for you.

Lounge vouchers? Don't need them -- I have an Amex Platinum.
2 bags? Plenty -- much to your dismay, I travel with a carry-on. And I won't have to transfer a sock from my roll-aboard to my laptop bag at WS.
SDC at no fees? Huge improvement.
Advanced seat selection? Pay for them with the savings over Flex.

I'm not suggesting WS is suddenly the greatest airline in the world, but for me, between OneWorld status courtesy of Amex, Star Alliance Gold through AC and now WS, I've just bought myself a whole lot of time to figure out what's best for me as of 2016.

WestJet

Great to hear, Absolute! We look forward to welcoming you on board soon.

Sopwith

Tried several times, keep getting an error message. I guess WS is not immune to the AC-like IT glitches.

WR Cage

Westjet company rep,

Is there any hope of a status match from a US based airline, or would I be just wasting everyone's time?

KCOLLIS

I just did the same and as well my first ever WestJet flight is on Monday, YYT-YYZ.