For nearly a decade now I have heard from hundreds of Canadians that the sole reason they have the WestJet RBC World Elite Mastercard is for the first checked bag free benefit. And rightfully so, that benefit can provide huge savings for individuals, families, infrequent or frequent flyers who check bags when they travel. For most, the savings easily eclipse the card’s $119 annual fee and everything else the card offers is just icing on the cake.
When Air Canada relaunched the Aeroplan program in late 2020 it included a revamp of their co-brand cards. This revamp saw all premium and ultra premium Aeroplan cards also receive a first checked bag free benefit. For the premium cards (those with $120 to $139 annual fees) you now have a benefit that easily pays for the annual fees and more. Once again, I started hearing from people who were getting these cards just for the free bag benefit.
Think about it, you are a family of four that only goes on vacation once per year and like most families who travel – whether it’s to Los Angeles or Orlando for a Disney vacation, Mexico or Hawaii for some beach time or wherever else in the world – you check a bag for each traveller. Nowadays, checked bags run at least $30 a piece, if not more and that’s in each direction which would make for a total outlay of at least $240 on a family vacation. So you can see why paying the $119 fee on the WestJet card or $120 to $139 fees on the Aeroplan cards can be worthwhile even if you only travel once per year.
As great as the first checked bag free benefit is, there is one limitation to it that many of these credit card holders are not aware of. This limitation isn’t publicized very well and the fact it isn’t widely mentioned has led to me hearing a fair share of comments from credit card holders about how they ended having to pay for checked baggage even though they had the WestJet or Aeroplan cards and booked their flights directly with either of the airlines.
When a credit card first checked bag free benefit isn’t free
So when isn’t a first checked bag free? It’s typically when either Air Canada or WestJet’s partner airlines end up as part of your itinerary. That is, even though you may have completed your entire booking on WestJet.com or AirCanada.com (and your tickets are issued by them respectively) your itinerary may consist of WestJet and Delta flights, or Air Canada and United flights or any other combination of partner airlines and it is these mixed carrier itineraries that throw us for a loop with the benefit.
To better understand this why don’t we look at how the airlines word the first checked bag free benefit themselves:
Air Canada
“Benefit only applies when checking in with Air Canada, for a flight operated by Air Canada, Air Canada Rouge or under the Air Canada Express brand. Benefit is not available if check-in is with another airline.”
WestJet
“Valid on itineraries marketed and wholly operated by WestJet; not valid when travelling with WestJet’s code-share or interline partners.”
Examples of when your first checked bag won’t be free
WestJet’s rule is pretty straight forward – entire itineraries must be operated by WestJet to receive the first checked bag free. If you buy a ticket from WestJet to travel from Calgary to Savannah where you fly on WestJet from Calgary to Atlanta and then connect to a WestJet codeshare flight on Delta from Atlanta to Savannah, you’ll have to pay for your checked bags (unless you purchased a more expensive fare class that includes baggage but that’s going against the idea of this first checked bag free benefit which allows you to buy cheaper tickets)
Air Canada’s benefit on the other hand is at least available for part of a similar itinerary as their rule is based on checking in with Air Canada for an Air Canada, Air Canada Rouge or Air Canada Express flight. If you buy a ticket from Air Canada to travel from Toronto to Savannah where you fly Air Canada from Toronto to Washington Dulles and connect to United Express for the flight from D.C. to Savannah you would receive your first checked bag free since you would have checked in with Air Canada for your Air Canada operated flight.
But as mentioned above only part of the itinerary is covered. That’s because on the return you would be checking in with United for the United Express/Mesa operated flight. As you are not checking in with Air Canada for an Air Canada operated flight you would have to pay for your checked baggage.
These are just two brief examples – some others would include flights purchased with Air Canada or WestJet’s that are operated entirely by their partner airlines. For example, with WestJet you can purchase non-stop flights from Vancouver to Tokyo which are operated by Japan Airlines with a WestJet codeshare flight number. In the case of this flight you would have to pay for your checked bag. Same thing goes for Air Canada with many of their codeshare flights.
To ensure you do get your checked bag free benefit you’ll need to specifically look at the airline operating the flight(s) when you are booking online or by asking the agent when reserving by phone and select the flights that are operated by WestJet or Air Canada.
Unfortunately, there will be itineraries that require travel on partner airlines, Savannah, as shown above is one such case. And as such, your first checked bag free benefit may be limited or may not apply at all.
Note: I have heard of instances where WestJet RBC World Elite Mastercard holders did get their first checked bag free when they checked in with WestJet and had the first flight operated by WestJet before connecting to a partner airline. However, as this is not the stated policy there is no guarantee this can or will happen for you so be prepared to pay for baggage on a mixed carrier itinerary unless you purchase a higher fare class that provides checked baggage.
Wrapping it up
Without a doubt the first checked bag free benefit is a key reason many Canadians have one of these cards in their credit card portfolios. It is an extremely valuable feature that can pay for the card’s annual fee many times over without taking into account all the other rewards and benefits these cards offer. However, the Loyalty Lesson here is that it is good to know the limitations of the first checked bag benefit so that you don’t end up with a surprise hit to your wallet when you are asked to pay for your baggage because your itinerary includes partner airlines.
Cards that offer the first checked bag free benefit
Air Canada:
- American Express Aeroplan Card
- American Express Aeroplan Reserve Card
- American Express Aeroplan Business Reserve Card
- CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card
- CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege Card
- CIBC Aeroplan Visa Business Card
- TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card
- TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege Card
- TD® Aeroplan Visa Business Card
WestJet:
Images via WestJet & Air Canada