mjjhorto

I am new to the RBC Mastercard, and I am looking for clarification as to how the free 1st bag (and up to 8 guests) works in real life. Some questions as follows:

1. The WestJet website doesn't seem to acknowledge it when booking a flight. Can someone confirm that?
2. What fare would you want to book (Basic, Econo, EconoFlex) in order to use this benefit? EconoFlex already includes a bag, so I would assume you wouldn't want to choose that one. Would you book Econo, pay to pick your seats, and not pay for a bag?
3. Does this benefit get recognized when you try and check in online, like 24 hours before? And if not, would you just say you don't have any bags when you check in?
4. If you have to do this when you get to the terminal, on one of the machines, what happens? How do you communicate that you want to use this free benefit and get the free checked bag for my group (wife and two sons). Is there a "Do you have the RBC Mastercard button" you have to push?
5. Do you have to use the credit card when making the reservation for it to work?
6. What if you pay for the flight using westjet dollars or credits? Will is still work?

Thanks for advance for your help. I haven't been able to find any information online about the actual steps you need in order to use it.

Jono

1. The website doesn't acknowledge free bag when booking a flight - your ticket will list baggage fees applicable, but say that it may not apply based on status or credit card etc.
2. No real benefit if booking a fare class that includes bags, but choice of fare class may be due to other reasons
3. When you check in online and select the number of bags, there should be no charge indicated for 1 bag
4. Same as when checking in online - no fee indicated when you say you are checking one bag - no other steps required
5. Don't have to use the credit card to make the reservation - having the credit card puts a notation on your Westjet rewards account that entitles you to the benefit regardless of how your ticket is paid for.
6. Yes - see response to #5

Only caveat is that while all other passengers (up to 8 guests) on your reservation get one free bag each, if you book tickets for others but you aren't flying with them, the benefit does not apply. For that reason, my spouse and I both got our own cards in case one of us flies separately with our kids.

armeee

First of all, make sure you create a WS account. From there you can see items like your travel bank and the yearly companion voucher.
Last time I flew the counter person knew that everyone in my party got their checked bag free as I paid for it on my RBC WS visa.

As well, I forget to mention that you would be eligible for members exclusive deals in which you can pay with WS dollars and cash.

Welcome aboard.

Ace Cdn

Paying with the credit card does not give you the free bag it's attached to your Westjet rewards number. If the others were on the same file as you then they would get the benefit
if not then you found someone extremely generous or they didn't understand the rules.

Merlin666

Will be interesting to see if the free bags remain attached to flights that were cancelled and put in the travel bank.

zappy312

It doesn't matter how the ticket is booked, all that matters is that you hold the credit card at the time of check-in and you have your WestJet Member ID on the booking at check-in.

tobiashenry

I am also quite confused with the information. I have a WestJet RBC World Mastercard . When I flew from YVR to LGW via YYZ. It seems like the baggage fee wasn't being charged in Jan 2022. Not sure about now whether they have changed the rules.

It seems like only the specific Westjet RBC Elite Mastercard would be entitled to free baggage.

mxqisit

https://www.westjet.com/en-ca/flights/fees

Denguin

Have you ever held the WE credit card? I had a glitch once where the "no fee" baggage code somehow got left on my account indefinitely. I didn't have to pay for bags for a year or so after I cancelled my WE card.

You are correct, though, that only the WE version is eligible for free bags. Oh well - no complaints!

tobiashenry

Well I do hold the cheaper version of WE credit card. Miraclely at check in from YVR to YYZ, it was free. I believed I booked a basic fare that should not come with luggage. anyway, they gave me free baggage at that time. I guess I will pray my luck to see if I will be getting charged this time.

robsaw

You may want to familiarize yourself with the correct terms to avoid confusion when asking questions:
There are two and only two versions of RBC Westjet Mastercards:
- The WestJet RBC World Elite (WE) Mastercard (includes free bags and annual world-wide companion voucher)
- The WestJet RBC Mastercard (NO free bags, and comes with annual Canada-US companion voucher)
- There is no "World" version.

Which card do you actually hold?

tobiashenry

For some reason, I thought WE means WestJet. Apologies for my clumsiness, what I meant is the WestJet RBC MasterCard (the cheaper Annual fee one)

J. Leslie

Does anyone have any recent experience trying to cancel this now almost useless card?
I can't do it online, and the wait times on the phone are insane.
Mine renews next month, and I don't want it anymore since Westjet started playing silly buggers with the Companion certs.

YXUFlyboy

You can product switch this card online.

If you're YYC based, they just gave all cardholders priority lane access. Sigh.

robsaw

What do you mean "can't do it online"? I recently did just that (and have done similar with other RBC Cards and bank accounts several times).
- Login in and click on the "Messages/Alerts",
- Click on "Send a Secure Message"
- Select To dropdown "RBC Royal Bank",
- Select Subject dropdown "Credit Cards"
- Fill in your request to please cancel RBC Westjet Mastercard ending in XXXX,
- Wait for reply in 1 - 3 days
- Confirm yes really, address, done.