How you can use the WestJet RBC® World Elite Mastercard‡: 3 real traveller scenarios
This post is sponsored by RBC.
The WestJet RBC® World Elite Mastercard‡ is designed with WestJet travellers in mind, with perks that can help make your trip more convenient—and maybe even more affordable. To help you evaluate whether this credit card could be the right choice for you, we’re breaking down how the benefits may play out across three real-life scenarios.
A couple using a companion voucher5 to book a sun destination
Let’s start with a couple in Vancouver who are planning a winter getaway to a WestJet sun destination, like Cabo San Lucas. Since they’re booking their flights together, it’s the perfect opportunity to make use of the annual companion voucher5.
The primary cardholder of the WestJet RBC® World Elite Mastercard‡ will pay the full fare, but can use the companion voucher to book a travel partner on the same itinerary at a companion fare. For a sun destination, that’s $399 for UltraBasic, Econo, and EconoFlex fares and $499 for Premium or Premium Flex fares.
It’s not a completely free flight since they’re still responsible for paying taxes and fees for the second traveller. But depending on the destination, fare, and timing of the booking, there’s the potential for substantial savings.
A family flying from Calgary to Toronto
How about a family of two parents and two kids flying from Calgary? The companion voucher5 here will allow the adult partner to fly for just $119 for UltraBasic, Econo, or EconoFlex and $219 for Premium and premium Flex.
But the savings stretch beyond the companion voucher. A family of four, each traveling roundtrip with a checked bag, would incur domestic baggage fees of $55 to $65 per person per way, for a total of $440 to $520 for the trip. With the WestJet RBC® World Elite Mastercard‡, first-bag fees are covered for the cardholder and up to eight people on the same reservation4—resulting in savings that far outweigh the $139 annual fee for the card.
A business traveller flying within Canada
Business travellers can also benefit from the card—especially if they travel frequently for work. Traveling alone most of the time means there’s less opportunity to use the companion voucher, but you can swap it for two complimentary lounge visits at WestJet’s flagship lounge in Calgary10. The card also offers paid lounge visits within the extensive DragonPass12 network for $32 USD per visit.
Flying frequently with WestJet is the best way to take advantage of boosted earn rates on WestJet bookings, so business travellers will see WestJet points add up quickly and enjoy status lift to reach elite status (and all its perks!) even faster.
Which WestJet RBC card is right for you?
The WestJet RBC® World Elite Mastercard‡ is one of three branded card options, alongside the entry-level card and a WestJet RBC® World Elite Mastercard for Business‡.
While the entry-level card might appeal to less-frequent travellers who still want access to select WestJet benefits, the WestJet RBC® World Elite Mastercard‡ offers far more in the way of travel perks if you’re on the road (er, in the air) more often. Plus, the card has a purchase interest rate of 20.99% and additional cards, if you want them, are just $59.
The business card is ideal for business owners and their spending and travel needs, but it doesn’t include the biggest perk of the WestJet RBC® World Elite Mastercard‡: the annual companion voucher5.
The right choice ultimately comes down to how often you fly, who you travel with, and which benefits you’re likely to use.
Is the WestJet RBC® World Elite Mastercard‡ worth it for you?
Whether the WestJet RBC® WorldElite Mastercard‡ is worth it for you depends on whether you get enough value to justify the annual fee. For couples, the companion voucher helps reduce the cost of traveling together and can result in significant savings for pricier routes. Families can use it to offset the cost of one passenger and cover baggage fees that can quickly add up when you’re traveling with multiple people. And for business travelers, the companion voucher could be useful for a colleague—or turned into a comfortable pre-flight experience with complimentary lounge visits.
based on spending $2,200/mo after $139 annual fee
- Earn rewards
1.5pts – 2pts / dollar spent
- Welcome bonus
Earn up to 70,000 points (a $700 value)
- Annual credits
Up to $119 in annual credits
- Annual fee
$139
Consider the benefits as a package. If you regularly fly WestJet and can make use of the companion voucher and other perks, the WestJet RBC® World Elite Mastercard‡ will probably offer enough value to more than justify its annual fee.