WestJet just sweetened the pot on their WestJet RBC World Elite Mastercard by taking a direct line of attack on Air Canada. Now WestJet is offering a limited time promotional voucher that is just like the Buddy Pass that is being offered on several Air Canada Aeroplan co-brand credit cards. And to make things even better their keeping the current welcome bonus of 450 WestJet Dollars as part of the deal!
New cardholders who apply and are approved for the card will receive a companion voucher where you will only have to pay the taxes, fees and charges on economy class bookings for WestJet flights in Canada, to the U.S., Caribbean or Mexico. That means the majority of WestJet’s network is covered by this voucher. The only destinations not included are their Transatlantic routes to Europe. Cardholders can also choose to use the voucher for premium or Transatlantic bookings and pay the standard $119 to $399 fee. The voucher must be used within one year of card open date which is the same rule that we have become accustomed for the regular vouchers that comes on this card.
If you choose to use it to on flights to the Caribbean, Hawaii or Mexico this new promotional voucher provides the cardholder with an additional savings of $399 as that is the typical fee when using vouchers to those destinations. Add this to the 450 WestJet dollars you can earn for spending $5,000 on the card in the first three months and you have no less than $730 in value ($849 – $119 annual fee). I say ‘no less’ as that’s not taking into the savings already provided by the voucher on the actual ticket price. For example if you book a flight to the Caribbean which is $500 per person before taxes and fees that second voucher is saving you the full $500. On top of that you can always look at getting a second card in your household, especially if you travel as a group of four or more as you’ll can take advantage of using two vouchers. (see Why my wife and I each grabbed our own WestJet RBC World Elite Mastercards)
Ideally you’ll want to apply for the card between now and March 31 as WestJet let us know the 450 WestJet dollar offer will only be available until then. After that date it will be lower but the promotional voucher will continue to be offered until May 31. That’s where you might need to do some planning – get the card now or wait so that you have more time to use the voucher. If you know you won’t be travelling for sometime yet you’ll want to push you application back closer to the end of March or even gamble to see what the bonus WestJet dollars will be as of April 1. My guess is 250 or 350 WestJet dollars with a lower or even no spend requirement outside of the first purchase you make on the card.