polyesther

Hi everyone, I’ve searched the internet and read through all the fine print on the WestJet website and am still confused about something. We have the WestJet RBC® World Elite Mastercard which would get us the first checked bag free for the primary cardholder and up to 8 additional guests on the same reservation when we use the WestJet Mastercard to purchase our flights.

However, do I still get the free checked bag perk if I book the flight on Expedia (or another third-party site) but pay for the flight with my WestJet Mastercard?

This is what the fine print on the WestJet website says:

†Valid for primary cardholders of the WestJet RBC World Elite Mastercard and up to eight (8) additional guests travelling on the same reservation; not valid for companions when travelling on a group booking (10+ guests on the same reservation). Eligible member's 9-digit WestJet Rewards ID must be on the reservation at the time of check-in. Valid on itineraries marketed and wholly operated by WestJet; not valid when travelling with WestJet's code-share or interline partners. Size and weight of baggage must comply with WestJet’s standard checked baggage allowance. Any piece of baggage exceeding the size or weight allowance is subject to all applicable oversized weight and size restrictions and fees. More details. May only be used as described and has no monetary or other exchange value.

Jono

I think the key element is that your WestJet ID is on the reservation, as this is how they track that you are a cardholder. It is not necessary to pay for the flight using the WestJet Mastercard as long your WestJet ID is on the reservation when you check-in.

CanuckFlyHigh

You are fine, you get the benefit .

jljr1

You just have to have it tied to your WestJet ID and have that added to your booking. The only catch is that the 8 people MUST be on the same booking ID otherwise they won't get it. Also the primary card holder MUST be traveling also, if not you don't get it. Even though my wife and I have a joint card I am considered the primary card, so if she books a flight without me she has to pay for her bags if they aren't included in the fare.

robsaw

Your added text that isn't found anywhere in the desciption of card benefits is the source of your confusion.

Ontariotraveller

So,if I am flying on a delta flight (booked through Airmiles) and have the Westjet WE AM card could I show it for free baggage??

mahasamatman

No.

sofasurfer

I may be taking a round trip itinerary with WS during which time I may be cancelling the card.

​​​​​​Any data points wrt getting away with getting bag fees waived a few days after cancelling the card?

Or would RBC waive the fee if I was a few days late in cancelling...? ISTR some card issuers ok with that if you do it before the first billing month of the renewal.

jljr1

Firstly why cancel one of the best cards out there?

Secondly they most likely will not refund the amount. Especially if you were to have used any of the benefits during that year.

mahasamatman

I suspect he, like many of us, do not consider it to be one of the best cards out there.

jljr1

If you use it right it is! Free companion fare, free checked bags, and free dollars for flights. If you use it right you should be able to fly once per year just paying taxes! And if you have another RBC premium card with the VIP banking package you pay half of the fee.

we fly each year paying about $500 for 3 of us using this card. We have the Avion Infinite card for the extra insurance.

sofasurfer

I'm well aware of the benefits of the card. Given my travel plans for the coming year, the numbers don't make it a card worth keeping.

That said, it's been a card that's on our household churn list - although the "enhancements" have made it less attractive, and as mahasamatman notes, there are better cards out there (for our needs, at least - YMMV, and in the case of jljr1, it sounds like they can maximize the value from it). We've done OK in the past, I'm just about to clear out my account for a quick March Break trip to FL which certainly makes me feel I've got my value from the year I'll have held this card. I'll double-check the card renewal date, as I *think* our dates will straddle our itin, but even if we have two bags to check coming back, I'm fine with paying that and holding fire on getting the card further down the line, so the companion ticket has a longer lifetime.

mahasamatman

Again, valuable to some, but not others.

jljr1

You are looking at it all wrong! The fee pays for your yearly insurance which includes medical, trip interruption, loss of baggage, car rental, hotel break in/theft, etc. So you cannot compare that against the companion fare. And yes that is basically what you are paying the yearly fee as that is coming right from RBC.

As for the yearly fee you can get the card for free is you are an RBC VIP banking customer. Or you can get it for half the fee if you have another RBC premium card. So for us we get our Avion Infinite Visa card for free and pay half of the yearly fee for the WestJet World Elite MasterCard.

Most people check bags when traveling, especially to Mexico, Jamaica, Cuba, Vegas, etc. as most don't just stay for 1 or 2 days. Plus with more and more airlines now starting to enforce carry on size and weight restrictions you will see people check more and more. Air Canada, Delta, United, and a few others are meeting people just before security and checking the bags, if they don't meet you are sent back to pay for a checked bag. In talking with people that I know at WestJet in the management areas they are looking at this too.

And it is actually not 1% it is more:

1.5% back in WestJet dollars on everyday purchases
2% back in WestJet dollars on WestJet flights or WestJet Vacations‡ packages using your card

That is actually comparable or better than your "cash back" cards which only put money back onto your card nothing else. Most cash back cards are 1-2% at best with a yearly cap on how much you can get back usually around $250.

Now just to put this into perspective we earn between $800-1000/year on the WJ World Elite card. Add on the companion fare that saves us on average $300-500/year when used to travel south (which is your best deal to use it on). We save about $250/trip on travel insurance, this doesn't count the fact that you should have travel insurance whenever you travel even between provinces or driving the to USA. And then we save on 1 trip 3 bags at $25 each times 2 directions, or $150. So that means in 1 year we save between $1500-1900/year using this card. Now take off the fees, which seems to be a big deal to some, of $178 (not our discounted price from above) and we are still saving $1300-1700/year without even trying. There is also the added savings of 3 cents at Petro Canada with an additional 20% Petro Points. The Lounge Key access which does save some on lounge access, it is the best thing if you have never tried I recommend using it. And then the concierge services which is great because they can usually get you into places last minute even when the place says no to you directly.

But if it doesn't work for you well not sure what I can say. Maybe try the TD or CIBC Air Canada card, BMO Air Miles card (good luck booking flights with Air Miles it is horrible), or any of the others and you will see what we are saying about this card being one of, if not, the best card for flying out there.

Heffeh41

The card is great, but the downside is you have to fly on WS to enjoy some of these benefits. WS doesn't fly everywhere on the planet and therefore it is not for everyone.