Whereas frequent vacationers are most definitely acquainted with Air Canada and its loyalty program, Aeroplan, one under-the-radar provider that you could be need to turn into acquainted with is WestJet. Although WestJet isn’t affiliated with any airline alliance, Canada’s second-largest airline at the moment has 20 codeshare companions. With WestJet’s partnerships, you may simply earn the airline’s forex, WestJet {dollars} (equal to 1 Canadian greenback), when flying on associate airways. WestJet {dollars} can then be used to ebook flights or trip packages via the airline.
So, why would you need to fly with this explicit provider?
As some could deem WestJet a “finances” Canadian airline, the provider soars above U.S.-based carriers Frontier Airways and Spirit Airways. Working routes throughout the U.S., Canada, South America and Europe, WestJet could also be a superb (and typically cheaper) airline different.
Apart from discovering nice offers — just like the round-trip, nonstop flight I booked from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood Worldwide Airport (FLL) to Calgary Worldwide Airport (YYC) in Alberta for simply $292 — you can even use your factors and miles to ebook WestJet flights. Maintain studying to study extra about how one can ebook WestJet flights utilizing your factors and miles.
E-book WestJet flights utilizing a journey portal
Not like different airline loyalty applications, you can’t switch your transferable bank card rewards to your WestJet account and ebook flights utilizing factors and miles. Nevertheless, there are a number of methods to make use of your hard-earned rewards on WestJet flights.
E-book WestJet flights utilizing the Chase Journey portal
Although it is not going to get you the very best redemption in your Chase Final Rewards factors, you may ebook WestJet flights via the Chase Journey℠ portal. TPG values Chase factors at 2.05 cents apiece when transferring to associate airline and resort applications. If you redeem via the journey portal, you get a set worth of 1.25 or 1.5 cents per level, relying on which Chase bank card you may have.
Since I’ve the Chase Sapphire Reserve®, I can ebook WestJet flights via the journey portal at 1.5 cents apiece.
For instance, this round-trip flight from FLL to YYC is at the moment $593 in primary economic system when reserving via the Chase Journey portal. Since my Final Rewards factors may be redeemed at a set worth of 1.5 cents per level, it would value me 39,501 factors.
With WestJet’s dynamic pricing mannequin and this journey being nonrefundable, I counsel you store round and/or await a greater redemption (i.e., the value of the ticket reducing) if you wish to lower your expenses.
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Associated: Who’re the Chase switch companions? All the pieces to know
E-book WestJet flights utilizing the American Categorical Journey portal
Just like reserving with the Chase Journey portal, you may ebook WestJet flights utilizing the Amex Journey portal. TPG values Amex factors at 2.0 cents per level when transferring the factors to associate lodges and airways. If you redeem your factors via the Amex portal, you get a set worth of 1 cent per level. Due to this fact, you might not be maximizing your Amex factors by reserving through the journey portal.
For instance, if I wished to ebook this round-trip WestJet flight, it will value me $719.50 or 71,950 Membership Rewards factors.
Associated: Finest American Categorical bank cards
E-book WestJet flights utilizing Delta SkyMiles
One probably helpful option to ebook WestJet flights utilizing factors and miles is thru the Delta SkyMiles program. Whereas most associate airways booked with SkyMiles value dynamically, WestJet itineraries nonetheless comply with a set value: 12,500 miles every approach for flights from the U.S. to Canada (or vice versa).
Even higher? Availability tends to be fairly good.
For instance, this is a one-way seek for 4 passengers from Orlando Worldwide Airport (MCO) to Toronto Pearson Airport (YYZ) from mid-July to mid-August.
And this is the identical date vary in the wrong way.
These flights may be fairly dear, so you might even see redemption values considerably larger than our present valuation of Delta miles at 1.2 cents apiece.
This weeklong journey from Orlando to Toronto in June would set you again 25,000 SkyMiles plus $62.18 per passenger. The identical flights via WestJet could be $681.91, supplying you with a redemption worth of almost 2.5 cents per mile.
These costs even maintain for connecting flights — like this one from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta Worldwide Airport (ATL) to Kelowna Worldwide Airport (YLW) in British Columbia’s wine nation.
You may as well use Delta miles on WestJet’s worldwide flights, however they’re priced considerably larger than itineraries inside North America. For instance, round-trip flights from Toronto to the UK are priced at 84,000 miles plus $200, whereas round-trip, nonstop flights from Calgary Worldwide Airport (YYC) to Seoul, South Korea’s Incheon Worldwide Airport (ICN) begin at 140,000 miles.
Keep in mind that, as of Jan. 1, associate award tickets booked with Delta SkyMiles rely towards incomes elite standing. You will obtain 1 Medallion Qualification Greenback for each 100 miles redeemed — so a round-trip flight from the U.S. to Canada on WestJet would earn 250 MQDs. Sadly, these reservations aren’t eligible for the TakeOff 15 low cost for reserving Delta-operated award flights if in case you have sure Delta bank cards.
If you have already got Medallion standing, you are eligible for a number of perks when touring on WestJet, together with precedence check-in and further baggage allowance. Gold, Platinum and Diamond Medallion members may even choose most popular seats at no extra value.
Use Capital One miles to cowl your WestJet flight
Capital One has greater than 15 airline and resort companions, and one perk of holding a Capital One bank card is the choice to redeem your miles to cowl your current journey purchases. Sure, you may ebook a flight together with your Capital One bank card after which redeem your miles at a set worth of 1 cent per mile.
If you wish to redeem your Capital One miles for current journey, click on on “Cowl journey purchases,” and you will be taken to a display screen with your whole eligible journey purchases made throughout the final 90 days. Then, resolve which journey bills you wish to offset together with your miles.
You’ll be able to select to both approve the redemption totally or edit the quantity of miles you wish to use to cowl a part of your journey.
Finest bank cards to ebook WestJet flights
For those who’re not a Canadian citizen, you can’t open a cobranded WestJet bank card. Nevertheless, there are transferable rewards bank cards that you should utilize to ebook a WestJet flight. Listed below are a number of of our favourite playing cards:
Chase Sapphire Reserve® ($550 annual charge):
- Present supply: Earn 60,000 Final Rewards factors after you spend $4,000 within the first three months of account opening.
- Obtain a $300 annual journey credit score.
- Earn 5 factors per greenback spent on flights booked via Chase Journey℠.
- Redeem Final Rewards factors on the Chase Journey portal for 1.5 cents per level.
Chase Sapphire Most well-liked® Card ($95 annual charge):
- Present supply: Earn 60,000 Final Rewards factors after you spend $4,000 within the first three months of account opening.
- Earn 5 factors per greenback spent on flights booked via Chase Journey.
- Redeem Final Rewards factors on the Chase Journey portal for 1.25 cents per level.
The Platinum Card® from American Categorical: ($695 annual charge; see charges and costs)
- Present supply: Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards factors after you spend $8,000 in purchases within the first six months of card membership.
- Earn 5 factors per greenback spent on flights booked instantly with the airline or via American Categorical Journey (on as much as $500,000 on these purchases per calendar 12 months, then 1 level per greenback).
- Redeem Membership Rewards factors on the Amex Journey portal for 1 cent per level.
Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Categorical Card: ($0 introductory annual charge for the primary 12 months, then $150; see charges and costs)
- Present supply: Earn 70,000 SkyMiles after you spend $3,000 in purchases within the first six months of card membership.
- Obtain a $200 Delta flight credit score after spending $10,000 in eligible purchases in a calendar 12 months (phrases apply).
- Redeem Delta SkyMiles for WestJet flights.
Capital One Enterprise X Rewards Credit score Card: ($395 annual charge; see charges and costs)
- Present supply: Earn 75,000 Capital One miles after you spend $4,000 on purchases throughout the first three months from account opening.
- Obtain a $300 annual journey credit score for bookings made via Capital One Journey.
- Obtain 10,000 bonus miles every year in your account anniversary.
- Redeem miles as an announcement credit score at a price of 1 cent per mile; subsequently, you may pay to your WestJet flight utilizing your miles.
Backside line
WestJet could also be a Canadian airline, however this provider has routes throughout the U.S., Europe and even South America. Like most airways, WestJet’s costs can fluctuate and are typically borderline abysmal. Fortunately, you should utilize your factors and miles to assist minimize the price of the flight and even discover offers that may get you to a world location for a fraction of the fee.
Whether or not you are trying to head to a Canadian vacation spot, comparable to Toronto or Calgary, and even fly to widespread European cities like Dublin and Rome, WestJet is a provider that needs to be in your radar. Plus, since you may redeem your Delta SkyMiles, reserve flights via a journey portal or redeem miles as an announcement credit score to cowl your airfare, you may simply ebook your subsequent journey journey utilizing your factors and miles.
For charges and costs of the Delta Gold Amex, please click on right here.
For charges and costs of the Amex Platinum, click on right here.
