Westjet and Air Canada have taken a bit of a beating lately in the post pandemic return to travel era. As a result of frequent flight cancellations, and reductions of service in Eastern Canada, we are now seeing Westjet return to the market place with an effort to attract some of Canada’s most frequent fliers. Their latest promotion is by offering a status match and challenge to select Canadian frequent fliers.

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Westjet Offering Status Match and Challenge to Westjet Rewards Silver, Gold and Platinum for Air Canada, Porter, and British Airways Elites.

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Westjet Airways has announced a fall promotion that allows for a status match and challenge for its Westjet Rewards program. Every now and then, we see a shortcut being made available to get status, so this offer may help someone out to upgrade their travels.

The Essentials of the Promotion:

Status Match to Westjet Silver / Gold / Platinum for rest of 2022:

Westjet is presently offering a status match to Westjet Silver / Gold or Platinum levels.

The details are as follows:

• The Offer is exclusively available to Elites within the Air Canada Aeroplan, Porter Airways VIP Porter, and British Airways Executive Club programs.
• With proof of status in Aeroplan, VIPorter or British Airways Executive Club you will receive Silver, Gold or Platinum status with WestJet Rewards. You can enjoy benefits such as lounge access, complimentary upgrades and priority services until December 15, 2022.
• Silver will be awarded with proof of Aeroplan 25K, VIPorter Passport, Executive Club Bronze or Executive Club Silver
• Gold will be awarded with proof of Aeroplan 35K, Aeroplan 50K, Aeroplan 75K, VIPorter Priority or Executive Club Gold
• Platinum will be awarded with proof of Aeroplan Super Elite.

Registration needs to be completed by September 30, 2022. Westjet is promising that all applications will be reviewed within 10 days.

It’s hard to say whether this is a “once in a lifetime” offer. While we see sometimes see status match opportunities limited to once in a lifetime, there is no indication on whether Westjet considers this to be limited accordingly.

I generally don’t advocate taking advantage of status match offers, unless you actually plan on using the benefits. There is always the possibility that your travel plans can change into the future, and you might be prevented from accessing a similar opportunity in the future, if you’ve already taken advantage of it in the past.

The full terms and conditions of the promotion are also posted within the registration page.

Status Challenge for Rest of 2023 with a lowered minimum spend:

In addition to the status match promotion for the rest of 2022, Westjet Rewards is offering a status challenge for the 2023 year, with a reduced qualifying spend of 20%.

• Keeping your new status is easy. Extend your status through to the end of 2023 by flying with WestJet between the date your status is approved and December 15, 2022. Your required tier qualifying spend during this timeframe will be 20% of what you would normally need.
• Spend $600 to Obtain Silver Level (Usually $3,000)
• Spend $1,000 to Obtain Gold Level (Usually $5,000)
• Spend $1,600 to Obtain Platinum Level (Usually $8,000)

You must Join Westjet Rewards before completing the registration form and proceeding to sign up for the status match or status challenge.

What Can You Use Westjet Rewards for:

Westjet Rewards can be used as a cash back type program offering dollars off of a cash component of any eligible fare with Westjet. The program markets itself as cash back being an easier method than calculation of points. The higher your status level yields a higher amount of cash back earn rate.

• Platinum benefits are comprised of 8% WestJet dollar earn rate, highest eligibility for complimentary upgrade to Premium and Business with eligible fares, early access to purchase an upgrade, unlimited airport lounge access, unlimited advance seat selection, first, second and third checked bags free, no fee for same-day flight changes, priority security screening at select airports, priority support number, priority check-in, priority baggage and priority boarding will be awarded to the member immediately after achieving Platinum status and noted in the member’s WestJet Rewards account.
• Gold benefits are comprised of 5% WestJet dollar earn rate, higher eligibility for complimentary upgrade to Premium and Business with eligible fares, early access to purchase an upgrade, unlimited airport lounge access, advance seat selection vouchers, first and second checked bags free, no fee for same-day flight changes, priority security screening at select airports, priority support number, priority check-in, priority baggage and priority boarding will be awarded to the member immediately after achieving Gold status and noted in the member’s WestJet Rewards account.
• Silver benefits are comprised of 3% WestJet dollar earn rate, eligibility for complimentary upgrade to Premium and Business with eligible fares, airport lounge access, advance seat selection vouchers, first and second checked bags free, priority check-in and Zone 2 boarding will be awarded to the member immediately after achieving Silver status and noted in the member’s WestJet Rewards account.

My Thoughts on the Promotion:

While I have flown Westjet domestically and internationally, I haven’t found much use for their frequent flier program Westjet Rewards. This is indeed a program that requires you to be “all in”, instead of one that allows for occasional earning.

My goals of a rewards program offers the ability to redeem access to international reward redemptions in business or first class. Westjet Rewards doesn’t participate in any meaningful airline alliance like Star Alliance, One World or Skyteam. It does offer some limited reciprocal relationships with Delta Sky Miles and Air France / KLM Flying Blue, but I haven’t found that these programs deliver a lot of value for my travel needs on the earning and redemption side.

While in our days before the pandemic, we saw Westjet service some unique routes not offered by Air Canada such as Calgary – Comox and Calgary – Brandon. In today’s environment, that advantage has mostly disappeared or has been severely limited by schedule, thanks to the general contraction of routes and frequencies to mostly core, fundamental and profitable routes.

Lastly, while it does offer some international routes on their state of the air Westjet Boeing 787 aircraft, most of these routes are through Calgary to European destinations; a destination that is highly competitive from my home base in Vancouver, Canada.

In addition, the program does not offer much in the way of a lounge network. Aside from Westjet Rewards access to the Westjet Elevation Lounge Calgary, and the Plaza Premium Lounge network. I generally get access to these lounges through Priority Pass courtesy of the American Express Platinum Card.

Despite this, there are some that may be further ahead by simply signing up for this promotion. Perhaps if you’re got travel planned ahead for this fall, there is a slim chance that signing up for this promotion may put you further ahead.

Naturally, if you’re a regular Westjet traveller, or perhaps a Westjet RBC Mastercard holder, you’ll want to take advantage of the program assuming you meet the qualifying terms and conditions as an elite flyer.

In Summary: Westjet Rewards Offering a Status Match.

Westjet Rewards is offering a time limited status match offer for Canadian residents in Elite levels in the Air Canada Aeroplan, Porter VIP and British Airways Executive Club programs. This is a time limited offer and you need to sign up by September 30, 2022.

Registration is easy through the link and demonstrating proof of status through. a photograph of a screen shot of your frequent flier account.

Unfortunately, I haven’t found Westjet Rewards to be super useful for my travel patterns. Their lack of partners for international travel and a meaningful program that offers lounge access and access to premium cabin awards makes this a non starter for me.

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Do you see the value in a current status match over to Westjet ?

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