How to Maximize Travel with the RBC WestJet World Elite MasterCard

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Another year, another post on how to get the most out of an RBC credit card!

Today, I'll be focusing how to get the most out of the RBC WestJet World Elite MasterCard. As the name suggests, this card is mostly good for flying on WestJet. There are a few reasons why I've been keen on the card lately:
  1. RBC started marketing this credit card more actively in 2019, including upping the welcome bonus, Silver Elite Status, waiving the annual fee for the first year, and so on.
  2. Cardholders are eligible for a welcome bonus of at least 250 WestJet dollars after first purchase, contrasted with other travel credit cards that require a minimum spend of $1,000-$5,000 in the first 3 months.
Without further ado, let's get into how we maximize everything this card has to offer!

Last Updated: March 19, 2022

WestJet RBC World Elite MasterCard: The Lowdown


Annual Fee: $119
Minimum Welcome Bonus: up to 450 WestJet dollars = 250 WestJet dollars upon first purchase + 200 after spending $5,000 in the first 3 months via the RBC website
If you have access to Perkopolis through work or professional affiliations, you can get 300 WestJet dollars upon first purchase + 200 after $5,000 in the first 3 months
Minimum Income Required: $80,000 personal income or $150,000 household income
Rewards Earned: WestJet dollars and travel perks, including a WestJet companion voucher
Application Link(s): RBC, Perkopolis (up to 500 WestJet dollars)
    If you can manage to snag the card when there's a special promotion going on (e.g. 350 WestJet dollars, first year free, or Silver Elite status), you should be able to take advantage of multiple perks that are not normally offered by other cards.
    1. WestJet Dollars
    2. Free Checked Bags
    3. Annual Round Trip Companion Voucher
    4. Silver Elite Status (select promotional offers only)
    5. Non-Travel Perks

    1. WestJet Dollars (WJD)

    HOW DOES IT WORK?

    Unlike most other loyalty programs which are miles-based, WestJet is dollars-based. That is, you earn WestJet dollars towards flights and vacation packages. So one WestJet dollar is equal to one dollar off your WestJet base fare. This is different from Aeroplan for example, where a fixed number of points will get you a flight, and it's up to award availability.

    To get even more bang for buck, you can redeem WestJet dollars on Member Exclusive fares, which will discount the base fare by up to 35%.

    The good thing about a dollars-based program is that you can apply it to any flight without blackout dates or restrictions. So if you're inflexible about locations or dates, this is a really good program.

    WHEN SHOULD YOU USE THIS REWARD?

    Obviously you should use this perk if you planned on flying WestJet in the first place. Personally, I prefer flying WestJet when it's the cheapest option, or if it offers a better layover than other airlines, e.g. WestJet goes to Hawaii via Vancouver instead of the U.S.

    If you're feeling thrifty, double dip by combining this with Member Exclusive fares or one of WestJet's 15% off promotions or the Perkopolis 15% off WestJet base fares discount.

    One thing to keep in mind is that WestJet dollars apply to the base fare only. Note that WestJet base fares for Europe are typically very low in the first place because there are a lot of airport taxes and fees, e.g. $700 flight to London typically has a base fare of about $150. On the other hand, flights to the U.S. will have much lower taxes and "more" base fare that you can use WJD towards.

    2. Free Checked Bags


    HOW DOES IT WORK?

    At a minimum, every WestJet RBC World Elite offer includes free checked bags for you and up to eight (8) people on the same reservation. As long everyone traveling with you has the same booking number and your WestJet ID is on the reservation, you will all get the first checked bag free.

    WHEN SHOULD YOU USE THIS PERK?

    Definitely use this perk for flights where you would normally have to pay for checked bags. Examples include:
    • Domestic flights, e.g. Vancouver to Toronto
    • Canada to the U.S., e.g. Los Angeles to Toronto
    • Canada to Hawaii
    • Canada to Europe

    3. Annual Round Trip Companion Voucher


    HOW DOES IT WORK?

    Every RBC WestJet World Elite cardholder receives an annual roundtrip companion voucher. This means that if you pay regular price for a round trip ticket, you can get a second round trip ticket for:
    • $119 + taxes for a flight to/from Canada and the continental U.S. (currently $0 if you apply before May 2, 2022)
    • $399 + taxes to anywhere else WestJet flies (Mexico, Hawaii, the Caribbean, and Europe) (currently $0 if you apply before May 2, 2022)
    You can book one-way travel instead of a roundtrip, but you will be charged the full base fare ($119 or $399), including the taxes.

    The redemption isn't just limited to Economy class seats; you can redeem for Premium class seats which is basically Premium Economy.

    WHEN SHOULD YOU USE THIS PERK?

    If you want to experience Premium Economy, the companion voucher is a great way to get a discount on a cash fare.

    If you're fine with Economy class, the sweet spot here is $119 + taxes round trip within Canada and the continental U.S. As an example, an already reasonable $485 round trip from Toronto to Vancouver ($970 total for two people) gets reduced to $339 per person with the companion voucher ($678 for two people), saving almost $300:



    The $399 + taxes to Europe is the worst use of the companion voucher. Europe flights sneak in an "Other ATC" charge that is neither base fare nor taxes and completely ineligible for WestJet dollars or companion voucher redemptions. Most WestJet fares to Europe will have around $100-$150 base fare anyway, unless you are booking really last minute during peak travel season.

    4. Silver Elite Status (select promotional offers only)


    HOW DOES IT WORK?

    WestJet had a promotion in summer 2019 and fall 2019 which included Silver Elite Status along with the card, though they were available for a limited time only. The perks of Silver Elite status include:
    • Six (6) lounge passes (4 for you and 2 for guests) as long as you're all on a WestJet flight
    • Four (4) advance seat selection vouchers, which can be used towards seats with extra leg room in Economy such as exit rows
    • First and second checked bags free
    • Complimentary upgrade prior to check-in and at the gate
    • Zone 2 boarding
    • Access to priority check-in line at the airport

    WHEN SHOULD YOU USE THIS PERK?

    As soon you as can, of course! The lounge passes come with certain restrictions so I would recommend reading my other post on credit cards with lounge access if you're big on lounges.

    My favourite perk is the advance seat selection vouchers, which come in handy on long flights (think four hours or more) where the extra leg room is immensely appreciated.

    Currently, RBC is offering a Status Lift perk, where they will add $500 of tier qualifying spend for every $15,000 in every day purchases on the World Elite card. Unfortunately, it seems like the Silver Elite Status hasn't been offered in a few years...but we can always hope RBC will bring it back!

    5. Non-Flight Perks

    As with all RBC credit cards, you also get some nice non-travel perks:
    • Access to RBC offers (special discounts)
    • Save 3 cents per litre of gas with Petro Canada

    CONCLUSION

    The RBC WestJet World Elite MasterCard is a great option for saving on domestic flights, as long as you plan on traveling wherever WestJet flies (pretty much anywhere in Canada). There are a lot of perks offered by RBC and WestJet with this card that Air Canada/Aeroplan doesn't necessarily offer, which can come in super handy if you need it!



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