The RBC WestJet World Elite Mastercard is the definitive card for Canadians who fly WestJet regularly with family or a travel companion. Its annual companion voucher, free first checked bag for up to nine travellers, and simple WestJet dollar rewards currency create a clear, calculable value proposition. For households that take one or two WestJet trips per year and check bags, the benefits can easily deliver $400–$800 in value against a $119 annual fee.
Quick Verdict
Best for: Canadians who fly WestJet at least once per year with a partner, friend, or family member and want to use the annual companion voucher and free checked bag benefits to recover well above the annual fee.
Not ideal for: Solo travellers (the companion voucher goes unused), those who prefer airline-agnostic travel flexibility, Air Canada loyalists, or those below the $80,000 income threshold.
Key Card Details
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Annual fee | $119 |
| Additional cardholder fee | $69 |
| Purchase interest rate | 20.99% |
| Cash advance rate | 22.99% |
| Foreign transaction fee | 2.5% |
| Income requirement | $80,000 personal or $150,000 household |
| Network | Mastercard |
| Welcome bonus | Verify current offer with RBC |
Welcome bonus offers, earn rates, companion voucher terms, and annual fee are subject to change. Always verify current terms at rbc.com and westjet.com before applying.
Welcome Bonus
RBC periodically offers welcome bonuses on the WestJet World Elite Mastercard, typically as a WestJet dollar bonus after meeting a spend threshold in the first few months. First-year annual fee waivers are sometimes offered during promotional periods.
Always verify the current welcome bonus directly with RBC before applying.
A welcome bonus of $250 WestJet dollars would offset more than two years of the $119 annual fee — making promotional periods a particularly strong time to apply.
Earn Rates
The RBC WestJet World Elite Mastercard earns WestJet dollars across two tiers.
| Category | Earn Rate |
|---|---|
| WestJet flights and WestJet Vacations purchases | 2% WestJet dollars |
| All other eligible purchases | 1.5% WestJet dollars |
Annual spend calculation
Based on a household spending $2,000/month (not counting WestJet bookings):
| Category | Monthly Spend | Rate | Monthly Earn | Annual Earn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WestJet flights/vacations | $200 | 2% | $4.00 | $48 |
| All other purchases | $1,800 | 1.5% | $27.00 | $324 |
| Total | $2,000 | $31 | $372 |
$372 in WestJet dollars per year plus the companion voucher value.
At a conservative companion voucher value of $300 (a domestic round-trip at the fixed companion fare with taxes), total annual value is approximately $672.
After the $119 annual fee, net annual value is approximately $553 — and this does not include the free first checked bag savings.
WestJet Dollars: Value and Redemption
WestJet dollars are the simplest rewards currency in the Canadian airline space:
- Fixed value: 1 WestJet dollar = $1 toward WestJet purchases
- No blackout dates
- No minimum redemption amount — apply as many or as few dollars as you want at checkout
- Redemption: Applied directly at checkout on westjet.com or through the WestJet app
- What you can buy: WestJet flights, WestJet Vacations packages, seat upgrades, and ancillary fees
Because the value is fixed at 1 cent per WestJet dollar (not a fluctuating points programme), there are no strategies to “maximise” redemptions — you simply spend them like cash on WestJet purchases. This predictability is a significant appeal for travellers who want rewards they understand.
Companion Voucher: The Card’s Signature Benefit
Every year upon card renewal, you receive a round-trip companion voucher entitling a second traveller to fly with you on any WestJet-operated round-trip flight at a fixed base fare.
How it works:
- Book a round-trip WestJet flight for yourself at the regular fare
- Add a companion to the same booking using the voucher
- The companion pays a fixed base fare (verify current amount at westjet.com — typically $99 CAD for North American destinations)
- Both travellers pay applicable taxes and fees on top
Value example: A round-trip from Toronto to Calgary for $450. With the companion voucher, the second seat costs $99 + taxes (approximately $140–$180 total). Savings: approximately $270–$310 on the companion’s ticket.
Important: The companion voucher must be used before the expiry date (typically one year from issuance). Unused vouchers cannot be rolled over or transferred. Always verify current companion voucher terms at westjet.com, including eligible routes, fare classes, and blackout periods.
Free First Checked Bag
The primary cardholder and up to eight travelling companions on the same WestJet reservation each receive their first checked bag free on WestJet-operated flights.
Value per trip: At WestJet’s standard first checked bag fee of approximately $30 per bag:
- Solo traveller: $30 saved per one-way flight ($60 round trip)
- Family of four: $120 saved per one-way flight ($240 round trip)
A single round-trip family flight recovers $240 of the $119 annual fee in bag savings alone — before counting the companion voucher or WestJet dollar earnings.
Travel Insurance
Travel emergency medical insurance
Emergency medical coverage for eligible cardholders and immediate family members when travelling outside their home province.
Trip cancellation and interruption insurance
Coverage for non-refundable pre-paid trip expenses when a trip is cancelled or interrupted due to a covered reason. Limits apply — review the Certificate of Insurance at rbc.com.
Travel accident insurance
Coverage for accidental death or dismemberment when travelling as a passenger on a common carrier with the full fare charged to the card.
Flight delay insurance
Coverage for reasonable out-of-pocket expenses when a flight is delayed by a specified number of hours.
Baggage insurance
Coverage for lost, stolen, or damaged baggage and essential purchases when baggage is delayed.
Rental car collision/loss damage insurance
Coverage for collision damage or theft of rental vehicles when the full rental cost is charged to the card.
Purchase security and extended warranty
- Purchase protection: 90 days against loss, theft, or accidental damage
- Extended warranty: Doubles the manufacturer’s warranty up to one additional year
Fees and Rates
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Annual fee (primary) | $119 |
| Annual fee (additional) | $69 |
| Purchase interest rate | 20.99% |
| Cash advance rate | 22.99% |
| Foreign transaction fee | 2.5% |
Who Is the RBC WestJet World Elite Mastercard Best For?
Ideal cardholders:
- WestJet loyalists who fly at least once per year with a companion and will use the annual companion voucher
- Families that regularly check bags on WestJet flights and benefit from the free first checked bag for up to nine travellers
- Canadians who prefer WestJet’s route network (strong in Western Canada, Caribbean, and cross-Canada routes)
- Those who want a simple, fixed-value rewards currency without complex redemption rules
Less suitable if:
- You travel solo — the companion voucher’s value is lost entirely
- You primarily fly Air Canada and would benefit more from an Aeroplan card
- You want airline-agnostic travel flexibility — WestJet dollars only work on WestJet purchases
- Your income is below $80,000 personal — consider the standard RBC WestJet Mastercard instead
RBC WestJet World Elite vs. TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite
| Feature | RBC WestJet World Elite | TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite |
|---|---|---|
| Airline | WestJet | Air Canada |
| Companion benefit | Annual voucher ($99 base fare) | None |
| Free checked bag | Yes (up to 9 passengers) | Yes (up to 9 passengers) |
| Earn rate | 1.5–2% WestJet dollars | 1.5x Aeroplan on groceries/gas |
| Annual fee | $119 | $139 |
| Income requirement | $80,000 personal | $60,000 personal |
| NEXUS credit | No | Yes |
Choose WestJet if you fly WestJet with a companion and value the companion voucher.
Choose Aeroplan if you fly Air Canada and want Aeroplan points redeemable on Star Alliance partners.
Bottom Line
The RBC WestJet World Elite Mastercard delivers exceptional value for WestJet loyalists who travel with a companion. The companion voucher alone — worth $300–$600+ depending on the route — typically more than covers the $119 annual fee, and the free first checked bag adds hundreds more in savings for families. The WestJet dollar earn rate is simple and straightforward, if not the highest in the market.
The card’s biggest limitation is its lock-in: WestJet dollars are only useful for WestJet purchases. If your travel plans shift toward other airlines or flexible redemptions, the card’s value diminishes. But for consistent WestJet travellers with a travel companion, it is one of the clearest value propositions in the Canadian credit card market.
Card terms, earn rates, companion voucher terms, welcome bonus offers, and annual fees are subject to change. Always verify current details at rbc.com and westjet.com before applying.