WestJet RBC World Elite Mastercard

Overview

The WestJet RBC World Elite Mastercard is the premium co-branded WestJet credit card in Canada, designed for frequent WestJet flyers who want to earn points faster and unlock exclusive travel perks. At $139/year, it sits in the mid-tier price range but packs serious value — especially if WestJet is your go-to airline for domestic and sun-destination travel.

The current welcome offer is up to 45,000 WestJet points, worth up to $450 in travel value. Beyond the welcome bonus, the card's strongest features are its 2x earning on WestJet, groceries, gas, and transit, a companion voucher with flexible exchange options, free checked bags for up to 9 travellers, and access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide through Mastercard Travel Pass.

Earning WestJet Points

The card offers an accelerated earning structure that rewards both WestJet loyalty and everyday spending:

• 2 WestJet points per $1 on WestJet flights, WestJet Vacations, and Sunwing Vacations
• 2 WestJet points per $1 at grocery stores, gas stations, EV charging, public transit, and rideshare
• 1.5 WestJet points per $1 on all other everyday purchases

The 2x categories are well-chosen for Canadian spending patterns — groceries, gas, and transit cover a huge share of most households' monthly spend. On $2,000/month in combined spending (with typical grocery/gas/transit allocation), you'd earn approximately 39,000+ WestJet points per year before accounting for any welcome bonus.

WestJet Points Never Expire

A key advantage of the WestJet Rewards program: your points never expire. There's no activity requirement or expiry window — your balance stays intact as long as your WestJet Rewards account is active.

What Are WestJet Points Worth?

WestJet points have a straightforward value when redeemed for travel:

You can start redeeming with as few as 2,500 WestJet points, giving you flexibility to cover the full cost or partial cost of any booking.

Companion Voucher & Flexible Exchanges

The card's headline perk is its companion voucher, which provides real savings on WestJet flights:

Welcome Companion Voucher

After your first purchase on the card, you'll receive a round-trip companion voucher starting from $119 CAD (plus taxes, fees, charges, and other ATC). This lets a travel companion fly with you on a round-trip WestJet flight at a significantly reduced cost.

Annual Companion Voucher

Each year after, when you spend a minimum of $5,000 annually on the card, you'll receive another companion voucher. If a companion voucher doesn't suit your travel plans, you can exchange it for one of the following:

• 30% flight discount for one traveller
• $200 credit towards a WestJet Vacations or Sunwing Vacations package
• Two lounge passes

This flexibility is a major differentiator — you're not locked into using the companion voucher if travelling solo is more your style.

Free Checked Bags

One of the most practical benefits: free first checked bag for you and up to 8 guests on the same reservation when you pay with your WestJet RBC World Elite Mastercard. At WestJet's standard checked bag fee of $35–$75 per flight, this benefit alone can save a family hundreds of dollars per year on luggage fees.

Airport Lounge Access

The card includes access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide through the Mastercard Travel Pass powered by DragonPass. Beyond lounge access, you also get special dining and spa offers at select airports — a nice touch for longer layovers.

WestJet Rewards Status Boost

For every $5,000 you spend on your card, you'll earn $200 in tier qualifying spend towards WestJet Rewards status tiers. Higher status unlocks benefits like complimentary upgrades, priority boarding, and enhanced lounge access — making this card a genuine accelerator for WestJet's loyalty program.

Insurance & Benefits

The World Elite tier comes with a comprehensive insurance package:

• Travel emergency medical insurance — Coverage for unexpected medical emergencies while travelling
• Trip cancellation & interruption insurance — Reimbursement for pre-paid, non-refundable travel costs
• Flight delay insurance — Coverage for expenses when your flight is significantly delayed
• Baggage delay & loss insurance — Coverage for delayed, lost, or damaged baggage
• Car rental collision/loss damage waiver — Decline the rental company's coverage
• Mobile device insurance — Covers your smartphone against accidental damage and theft
• Purchase protection & extended warranty — Protection on eligible purchases

Partner Perks

• Petro-Canada — Save 3¢/L on fuel and earn 20% more Petro-Points when you link your card
• Rexall — Earn 50 Be Well™ points per $1 on eligible purchases
• DoorDash — Free 12-month DashPass subscription with $0 delivery fees on orders of $15+

Drawbacks to Consider

Foreign Transaction Fee (2.5%)

Like most Canadian credit cards, this card charges a 2.5% foreign transaction fee on non-CAD purchases. For international travel outside of WestJet's network, you'll want a no-FX-fee card for purchases abroad.

WestJet-Centric Value

The card's best benefits — companion voucher, free bags, status boost — are all tied to WestJet. If you frequently fly other airlines (Air Canada, international carriers), you won't get the same value from this card. It's a strong pick for WestJet loyalists, but less versatile than flexible points cards.

Income Requirement

As a World Elite Mastercard, it requires a minimum personal income of $80,000 or household income of $150,000 — a higher bar than many mid-tier travel cards.

WestJet RBC World Elite vs. WestJet RBC Mastercard

If you fly WestJet more than a couple of times per year, the World Elite's free bags, better companion voucher, and accelerated earning will quickly pay for the $100 difference in annual fee.

Who Is This Card Best For?

This card is an excellent choice if you:

• Fly WestJet regularly for domestic, transborder, or sun-destination travel
• Want a companion voucher with flexible exchange options (30% discount, $200 vacation credit, or lounge passes)
• Value free checked bags for yourself and your travel group
• Spend significantly on groceries, gas, and transit and want 2x points on those categories
• Want to accelerate WestJet Rewards status through card spending
• Appreciate airport lounge access via Mastercard Travel Pass

It's not the best choice if you:

• Rarely fly WestJet or prefer other airlines
• Spend frequently in foreign currencies and need to avoid FX fees
• Want a flexible points card that works across all airlines and hotels
• Don't meet the $80,000/$150,000 income requirement

Bottom Line

The WestJet RBC World Elite Mastercard is the definitive card for WestJet loyalists in Canada. With up to 45,000 bonus WestJet points on signup, 2x earning on WestJet, groceries, gas, and transit, a companion voucher with flexible exchange options, free checked bags for up to 9 travellers, and 1,300+ lounge access worldwide, it delivers exceptional value at $139/year — especially for families and frequent WestJet flyers.

The combination of strong everyday earning, practical travel perks, and WestJet status acceleration makes it hard to beat if WestJet is your airline of choice. Pair it with a no-FX-fee card for international purchases and you've got a powerful travel wallet.