Westjet Rewards launches Platinum Status
 

Rewards Canada: WestJet Rewards introduces a new top elite tier - Platinum

As part of WestJet's global strategy which included the unveiling of their 787 routes today, they have also announced a new elite tier in the WestJet Rewards program. The new tier is Platinum and it marks a new top tier level for the frequent flyer program.

Here are the details of the new Platinum tier (along with the other tiers for comparison)
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To reach the new Platinum status level you will need to spend $8,000 (before taxes/fees) with WestJet during your 12 month qualification period which based on the day you joined WestJet Rewards. For example if you joined May 12, 2018 you would need to reach $8,000 in spending by May 12, 2019 to receive Platinum status for the remainder of your qualifying year and the entire next qualifying year.

The key benefits of the new Platinum tier are:

• 8% earn rate on WestJet flights. That's a pretty big return that only gets bigger if you tie that in with the 2% earned on the WestJet World Elite Mastercard for a total return of 10%!
• Double the WestJet dollars on partner flights (Delta, Air France, KLM etc.)
• 3 free checked bags
• Unlimited advance seat selection
• 10 lounge access vouchers (word is this will be changed to unlimited in the New Year for both Platinum and Gold)
• Highest Priority for complimentary upgrades to Premium (not including Europe flights which is too bad!)

The new Platinum tier and changes to other tiers will come into place later this year or early in 2019. We are advised to keep an eye out on westjet.com/platinum for all the details.

Along with the Platinum announcement comes some changes to the other tiers. Those changes are as follows:

Teal members will lose 1/2 a percent earn on WestJet flights - currently they earn 1% but that will drop to 0.5% when all these changes take effect. This is unfortunate seeing that we figure most of the 5 million+ WestJet Rewards members are only Teal and fly very irregularly but I guess that has been put in place so cover the 8% that will be earned by Platinum members.

Silver members see the addition of these benefits over and above what they currently receive:

• An additional checked bag, for a total of two free checked bags
• Priority check-in and bag drop
• Zone 2 boarding privileges
• Access to complimentary upgrades to Premium with the purchase of
  EconoFlex fares

Gold members will now receive the following including what they are already used to:

• Two additional advance seat selection vouchers
• Early access to purchase an upgrade to Premium as an ongoing benefit
• Higher priority for complimentary upgrades to Premium with the purchase
  of EconoFlex fares

Finally, Milestone awards will also get an improvement. The first award will continue to be issued at $4,000 in qualifying spend, however, it will be expanded for travel to anywhere in WestJet’s network, instead of only within Canada. Subsequent milestone awards will be issued at every $2,000 thereafter, meaning you’ll be receiving milestone rewards faster than ever before. All milestone awards issued will be WestJet-wide companion vouchers, valid for travel in Economy or Premium.

YUCK. Pathetic.

Worse than DL in every way, even when comparing to mid-tier Gold. And they didn't even get rid of the shoddy voucher system. Thoroughly unimpressed.

So the new Platinum status is basically equivalent to AC's E75K in terms of earning, but with AC, you get eupgrades that you can use across the network well ahead of check in, unlimited lounge access throughout the *A system (plus all the other *G perks), and free preferred seats on most fares..... needless to say, I'll stick to AC for the most part.

WestJet must be very confident that Air Canada's new loyalty program is really going to suck.

I guess next flight I'll have my platinum status! Interesting that qualification period is on a rolling calendar now! Edit: Looks like I'm well into platinum territory, didn't realize it was a low $8K to qualify!

I do like that they are doing complimentary upgrades on flex fares, it was an unspoken perk I received in the past, and now it's a bit formalized. Wish they would add several systemwide upgrade certs for the few times my travel agent gets a cheap econo fare.

If they're already going to be stingy enough to keep upgrades to Flex-only fares (as per current practice), I highly doubt any kind of new feature is going to be generous or groundbreaking. Maybe one (1) free drink if you are flying in Economy!

Received a call from WS's Corporate program the other day and gave them an earful about how their corporate services is a complete joke compared to Skybonus and AC Corporate Rewards

Agreed.. very soft, unlimited seat selection is useless and it's a nice bump on earn rate but would prefer auto upgrades for all Platinum members and unlimited vouchers

They need more lounge access if they want people to spend $8,000 bones. We'll see in 2019 right along with the unicorns of 2 X 2 seats across the fleet.
The rest are all who cares if you buy Plus Flex - luggage (who checks three bags?), upgrades, priority all included in Plus.

I think that's something we're all confident about.

Are you serious? I didn't know it was even an unpublished benefit. Certainly I was never offered as a Gold when flying in Y, hahahaha