About the WestJet RBC World Elite Mastercard
If you want to save big on your next flight, then take a look at the WestJet RBC World Elite Mastercard. For starters, the welcome offer is worth up to 700¹ in WestJet dollars. The card’s standard earn rate is another way to help you save. Earn 2% back in WestJet dollars on WestJet flights or WestJet Vacations packages using your card⁸. Earn 1.5% back in WestJet dollars for everyday purchases you make on your card⁸. Given that 1 WJ dollar equals $1 CAD, your rewards can go a long way. Redeeming West Jet dollars is also easy, as you don’t need to worry about redemption charts, blackout dates, or seat availability.
Even though the card has an annual fee of $119, you get some pretty good annual benefits. It includes a free first checked bag for the primary cardholder on WestJet flights and up to eight additional guests on the same reservation⁴ (valid for primary cardholders of the WestJet RBC World Elite Mastercard and up to eight (8) additional guests travelling on the same reservation. Additional terms and conditions apply). You also get an annual companion voucher³, which can save you a fair amount if you’re travelling with another person.
As for the potential rewards you can earn, let’s say you spend $2,000 on flights with WestJet and a total of $18,000 on all other purchases every year. This would earn you 310 in WestJet dollars. When you add in the welcome bonus worth up to 700¹ in WestJet dollars, you’ll get 1,010 WestJet dollars in the first year.
And there’s more: Remember those free checked bags? The cost of a checked bag starts at $30 each way. Let’s say you’re taking four flights a year. That’s eight segments total. In other words, with the WestJet RBC World Elite Mastercard, you’d save $240 on checked bag fees. When you add everything up, you’re getting a total of over $1,000 in value in the first year.
RBC WestJet World Elite Mastercard benefits and features
As WestJet’s premium credit card, the WestJet RBC World Elite Mastercard looks to please its primary customer base. That said, even if you don’t fly WestJet regularly, the features included might be enough to get you to sign up. To qualify, there’s an annual income requirement of Personal: $80,000 or Household: $150,000. If you meet the requirements, you can look forward to the following WestJet Mastercard benefits:
- Lucrative welcome offer: Get up to 300¹ welcome WestJet dollars (a value of up to $300 CAD) upon your first purchase; 300 WestJet dollars when you spend $5,000 in the first 3 months¹; 100 WestJet dollar one-time anniversary bonus¹
- Robust earn rates: Earn 2% back in WestJet dollars on WestJet flights or WestJet Vacations packages using your card⁸. Earn 1.5% back in WestJet dollars for everyday purchases you make on your card⁸.
- Free checked bags⁴: The first checked bag is free for the primary cardholder on WestJet flights and up to eight additional guests on the same reservation. Valid for primary cardholders of the WestJet RBC World Elite Mastercard and up to eight (8) additional guests travelling on the same reservation. Additional terms and conditions apply.
- Easy redemptions: Your WestJet dollars can be used to pay for WestJet flights and vacation packages with no blackout dates.
- DragonPass Airport Lounge access: This RBC WestJet World Elite Mastercard entitles you to a complimentary membership to DragonPass Airport Lounges Program as long as you remain a World Elite Mastercard cardholder.
- Purchase security insurance. The WestJet RBC World Elite Mastercard also comes with Purchase Security Insurance, which provides up to a maximum coverage amount of $50,000 coverage for direct accidental physical loss or damage to property purchased with the card. Plus, the card's Extended Warranty Insurance automatically doubles your original manufacturer’s warranty on purchased items for up to a maximum of one year.
- Additional insurance. The WestJet RBC World Elite Mastercard features the following additional insurance protection: emergency purchases and flight delay insurance, auto rental collision/damage loss insurance, hotel/motel burglary insurance, travel accident insurance, out of country/province emergency medical insurance and trip interruption insurance.
- Get up to 700 WestJet dollars1: with the WestJet RBC World Elite Mastercard
- Plus get a Round-Trip Companion Voucher every year
Where can 700 WestJet dollars take you? It can cover a round-trip fare to many WestJet destinations, that's up to $700 in savings! (pay the taxes, fees, charges and other ATC).31
- Sun and Sand: Fly round-trip from Toronto (YYZ) to Cancun (CUN)
- Lights and Glamour: Fly round-trip from Calgary (YYC) to Las Vegas (LAS)
- Fresh Ocean Air: Fly round-trip from Vancouver (YVR) to Los Cabos (SJD)
Plus, you can reach higher with WestJet Rewards Status Lift. Now everyday purchases on the WestJet RBC World Elite Mastercard can bring you closer to achieving status with WestJet5. Learn more at www.westjet.com/statuslift
WestJet RBC World Elite Mastercard: Pros and cons
Pros
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A generous welcome offer of up to 700¹ welcome WestJet dollars (a value of up to $700 CAD)
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Good earn rate of up to 2% back in WestJet dollars
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Good travel insurance coverage
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Includes free Boingo Wi-Fi¹¹
Cons
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High annual income requirement: Personal: $80,000 or Household: $150,000
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Insurance doesn't include trip cancellation coverage or delayed/lost baggage
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Reward redemptions are restricted to WestJet
Other perks
This premium travel credit card comes with a decent amount of extra perks.
- Insurance coverage: The WestJet RBC World Elite Mastercard includes emergency medical²⁰, trip interruption²¹, hotel/motel burglary¹⁸, and rental car insurance¹⁹. You also get purchase security and extended warranty insurance¹⁸. Terms and conditions apply.
- Companion voucher³: Get an annual round-trip companion voucher.
- Free Boingo Wi-Fi¹¹: Register your card and get free Wi-Fi at more than 1 million Boingo hotspots.
- 3 ways to get airport lounge benefits: Enjoy Mastercard Travel Pass Program provided by DragonPass(opens to external site)¹⁴ and benefit from access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide, plus valuable airport dining and spa offers.
How the WestJet RBC World Elite Mastercard compares
While there’s no doubt that the WestJet RBC World Elite Mastercard is a great credit card, you should consider the competition before you sign up. The most logical comparison would be the TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card. Aeroplan is the loyalty program of Air Canada, so you can quickly compare the earn rate and benefits.
TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card
Best Offer yet for the TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card: Earn up to $1,200 in value† including up to 50,000 Aeroplan points†. Conditions Apply. Account must be approved by June 3, 2024.
The TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card has a slightly higher annual fee of $139. Earn 1.5 points† for every $1 spent on eligible gas, grocery and direct through Air Canada® purchases (including Air Canada Vacations®) made with your card. Earn 1 Aeroplan point† for every $1 spent on all other purchases made with your card. Redeeming points is arguably easier with Air Canada since they have more flights and airline partners. However, Aeroplan also uses dynamic pricing, which means during peak seasons, the cost for a free flight could cost you more points.
With both cards, you get free checked bags†. While the WestJet RBC World Elite Mastercard gives you an annual round-trip companion voucher, the TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card has the advantage in the travel insurance department since it includes trip cancellation† and delayed/lost baggage insurance†.
While the earn rate and benefits are important, you could argue your travel preferences are more important. If you like to fly WestJet, get the WestJet RBC World Elite Mastercard. If flexibility is more important, then the TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card might be the better pick. But there are plenty of other travel rewards credit cards to consider too.
| Feature | WestJet RBC World Elite Mastercard | TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card |
|---|---|---|
| Welcome bonus | Get up to 700¹ welcome WestJet dollars (a value of up to $700 CAD) when you spend a minimum of $5,000 in the first 3 months on your card¹. | Best Offer yet for the TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card: Earn up to $1,200 in value† including up to 50,000 Aeroplan points†. Conditions Apply. Account must be approved by June 3, 2024. |
| Annual fee | $119 | $139 |
| Travel insurance | Emergency medical²⁰, trip interruption²¹, hotel/motel burglary¹⁸, and rental car insurance¹⁹ | Travel medical†, cancellation/interruption†, flight/trip delay†, delayed/lost baggage†, hotel burglary†, rental car†, trip accident† |
| Other perks | Free checked bags⁴, companion voucher³, free Boingo Wi-Fi¹¹, get up to 700 WestJet dollars1 with the WestJet RBC World Elite Mastercard, plus get a Round-Trip Companion Voucher Every Year | Free checked bags†, mobile device insurance†, NEXUS rebate† |
| More info | Visit site | Visit site |
†Terms and conditions apply.
The offer for the TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card is not available for residents of Quebec. For Quebec residents, please click here.
The bottom line: WestJet RBC World Elite Mastercard review
The WestJet RBC World Elite Mastercard is an excellent card for frequent WestJet flyers. The welcome bonus is impressive, and you only need to make a single purchase to get it. The earn rate and additional benefits, including free checked bags⁴, will also be useful.
There’s no denying the card’s benefits, but you’re still restricted to WestJet or Delta code-share flights with your redemptions. This may not be an issue for some people, but those who prefer flexibility may want to see what other travel cards are out there. And if you're looking for a similar card from RBC and WestJet with less features and a lower annual fee, consider the WestJet RBC Mastercard instead.
Refer to the RBC Page for up to date offer terms and conditions.
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