WestJet World Elite MasterCard Cost Savings

[cdnSpinalTap]

Hello,

For the benefit of anyone contemplating getting this credit card, I thought I would provide a real world example of the cost savings you can achieve with the yearly companion voucher. We are a family of 5 and we have 2 WJ World Elite MasterCard accounts, one in my name and one in my wife's name. We use other cards for points (MBNA MasterCard, Rogers WE Mastercard) and never use the WestJet MasterCard.

We are flying to Orlando on January 29th, returning February 12th.




So you can see the savings are pretty substantial for a family of 5. This does not include also getting free first bag check. Now that the kids are older, we all check bags. At $25 for the 4 people (5th person would not be included), that is another savings of $200 - bringing the total for us to $684.42.

Not too bad for have a piece of plastic sit in my drawer.

 

[DisneyRookie2007]

Considering that BMO World Elite Air Miles M/C cut the cost savings for airmiles needed to book a flight from 25% to 15% has me looking at alternative cards right now

 

[efrant]

The card gives you the first checked bag free for up to 8 people travelling on the same itinerary, so I would add another $25 in savings to your pot!

 

[cdnSpinalTap]

The card gives you the first checked bag free for up to 8 people travelling on the same itinerary, so I would add another $25 in savings to your pot!

Nice!

 

[FigmentSpark]

Hello,

For the benefit of anyone contemplating getting this credit card, I thought I would provide a real world example of the cost savings you can achieve with the yearly companion voucher. We are a family of 5 and we have 2 WJ World Elite MasterCard accounts, one in my name and one in my wife's name. We use other cards for points (MBNA MasterCard, Rogers WE Mastercard) and never use the WestJet MasterCard.

We are flying to Orlando on January 29th, returning February 12th.

View attachment 320522


So you can see the savings are pretty substantial for a family of 5. This does not include also getting free first bag check. Now that the kids are older, we all check bags. At $25 for the 4 people (5th person would not be included), that is another savings of $200 - bringing the total for us to $684.42.

Not too bad for have a piece of plastic sit in my drawer.

Just to clarify - your item (d) is regular fare + companion fare? So, $590.67+$229.46 ?

I thought the companion fare was only $99, but then went to their website and it says "Receive an annual round-trip companion voucher and go anywhere WestJet flies — starting at $99 (plus taxes, fees and charges)." So is it $99 each way or were there other fees and charges?

Also, I thought you had to use the card to receive the benefit. There's no minimum spend?

 

[tlcdoula]

I also have the West Jet Elite MC and used it to book our trip for December.

Full fare for my hubby and myself was $626.12 each.

I ended up using a companion fare for him and his ticket came to $221.87 with taxes so we saved $404.25 for this trip plus the free checked baggage fee of $100 round trip if we both check a suitcase which I am sure will happen

I have been using my card to buy groceries, gas anything I can and was able to use my west jet dollars against the actual ticket fare prices. You can not use the West Jet dollars on the taxes or fees. So in total the trip just cost us around $265 out of pocket.

 

[cdnSpinalTap]

Just to clarify - your item (d) is regular fare + companion fare? So, $590.67+$229.46 ?

I thought the companion fare was only $99, but then went to their website and it says "Receive an annual round-trip companion voucher and go anywhere WestJet flies — starting at $99 (plus taxes, fees and charges)." So is it $99 each way or were there other fees and charges?

Also, I thought you had to use the card to receive the benefit. There's no minimum spend?

Yes, item (d) is the regular fare + the companion fare, return flights. The companion voucher can only go toward the price of the ticket and does not go towards other taxes and fees. So $229.46 - $99.00 = $130.46 in taxes and fees (it's not $99 each way).

You do not need to use the card to get the companion flights - mine literally sits in the drawer all year. I use other credit cards that have a better cash return value on all purchases. The WJ Mastercard only gives you 1.5% in WJ dollars back on everyday purchases, whereas my MBNA gives me 2% cash back on all purchases. I could use my WJ Mastercard to pay for my WJ flight and get 2% back, but that would still only be in WJ dollars and would have to be used toward WJ flights, whereas I can use my MBNA cash back on anything.

 

[ebharris]

Even a better deal than the companion flights are the member exclusive fares using WestJet dollars - you can’t beat $60 cash per person return from Winnipeg to California!

 

[FigmentSpark]

Yes, item (d) is the regular fare + the companion fare, return flights. The companion voucher can only go toward the price of the ticket and does not go towards other taxes and fees. So $229.46 - $99.00 = $130.46 in taxes and fees (it's not $99 each way).

You do not need to use the card to get the companion flights - mine literally sits in the drawer all year. I use other credit cards that have a better cash return value on all purchases. The WJ Mastercard only gives you 1.5% in WJ dollars back on everyday purchases, whereas my MBNA gives me 2% cash back on all purchases. I could use my WJ Mastercard to pay for my WJ flight and get 2% back, but that would still only be in WJ dollars and would have to be used toward WJ flights, whereas I can use my MBNA cash back on anything.

Wow! Taxes were more than the ticket! I guess you still have to pay tax on the actual fee, not the discounted deal, so that's how that ends up being more. In order to claim the companion ticket, you use the WJ card for that or do they send you a voucher and you don't even have to use the card to get the ticket?

Even a better deal than the companion flights are the member exclusive fares using WestJet dollars - you can’t beat $60 cash per person return from Winnipeg to California!

I don't suppose those are posted anywhere a prospective cardholder might be able to peruse and compare, are they? When Air Canada and Aeroplan finally get their divorce, I (like a LOT of people) will be in the market for something new.

 

[kuhltiffany]

So far we haven't found the love for this one. I'm considering cancelling it, actually. We often fly at peak times, so to get the first release price before it goes up, have to book 2 one-way trips (it's only valid on return). Big trips we often fly into one airport and out a different one, can't do that either. Not too many options for flying in Europe. It's also in my husband's name and I do take trips without him with the kids (he hates WDW), so can't use it for that either. We have a Capital One Aspire card with travel credits, that's the one I use the most, so I'm not sure if it's worth paying for this one anymore...

 

[efrant]

[snip]

You do not need to use the card to get the companion flights - mine literally sits in the drawer all year. I use other credit cards that have a better cash return value on all purchases. The WJ Mastercard only gives you 1.5% in WJ dollars back on everyday purchases, whereas my MBNA gives me 2% cash back on all purchases. I could use my WJ Mastercard to pay for my WJ flight and get 2% back, but that would still only be in WJ dollars and would have to be used toward WJ flights, whereas I can use my MBNA cash back on anything.

Yeah, the MBNA Rewards WE card gives you the same 2% as the WestJet card does for WestJet purchases and in cashback rather than WS dollars, but you have to keep in mind that you are giving up almost all your travel insurance (cancellation, interruption, flight and baggage delay, etc.) if you pay with the MBNA card. And given that you have the WestJet card specifically for WestJet flights, it's not like you'll be giving up anything by accepting the 2% return in WS dollars rather than cash. Travel insurance is very important to me, so that's why I never pay for travel with an MBNA card, but if insurance isn't important to you, I agree, you're better off paying with the MBNA WE card.

 

[bookbabe626]

DH and I each have separate cards, so we also double-up on the companion vouchers. However, since it's usually just the two of us traveling, we can apply the savings to two separate trips. I'm a teacher, and thus we travel a lot during peak season. We try to plot out which two trips have the most expensive fares and use the vouchers for those. A flight to the Caribbean over Christmas or March Break is usually somewhere around $1000 per person, so that $299 voucher generates a huge savings.

 

[cdnSpinalTap]

In order to claim the companion ticket, you use the WJ card for that or do they send you a voucher and you don't even have to use the card to get the ticket?

No, you do not need to use the WJ card. The voucher is attached to your WJ rewards account.

So far we haven't found the love for this one. I'm considering cancelling it, actually. We often fly at peak times, so to get the first release price before it goes up, have to book 2 one-way trips (it's only valid on return). Big trips we often fly into one airport and out a different one, can't do that either. Not too many options for flying in Europe. It's also in my husband's name and I do take trips without him with the kids (he hates WDW), so can't use it for that either. We have a Capital One Aspire card with travel credits, that's the one I use the most, so I'm not sure if it's worth paying for this one anymore...

Agreed - as soon as we are not seeing the same value from the cards (travel habits change, kids get older), then we will cancel or adjust.

Travel insurance is very important to me, so that's why I never pay for travel with an MBNA card, but if insurance isn't important to you, I agree, you're better off paying with the MBNA WE card.

Totally makes sense - you have to use the card that is best suited to your needs!

 

[ebharris]

Wow! Taxes were more than the ticket! I guess you still have to pay tax on the actual fee, not the discounted deal, so that's how that ends up being more. In order to claim the companion ticket, you use the WJ card for that or do they send you a voucher and you don't even have to use the card to get the ticket?


I don't suppose those are posted anywhere a prospective cardholder might be able to peruse and compare, are they? When Air Canada and Aeroplan finally get their divorce, I (like a LOT of people) will be in the market for something new.

Sure you can - go on West Jet’s website and click on “Member Exclusive Fares” when you search. Pretty certain you don’t have to be a member to see the prices.

I feel like the companion flights are best used within Canada on a usually expensive flight - I’m in Winnipeg so everywhere is expensive! But, I’m saving mine for a trip to the Maritimes. Or, they’re a great deal for a European flight.

You have to figure out what the value is to you. We used last years voucher for a family wedding to Toronto, and saved about $250. That was worth the cost of the yearly fee alone - not to mention we had $900 in WJ dollars that we were able to use towards member exclusive fares, therefore paying less than $250 cash for all of us to fly to California.

I also have the AM World elite and will get rid of it before it renews in July- it has not been worth it for us.

 

[ilovetotravel1977]

But do you include the annual costs of the two cards into your "savings"?

 

[cdnSpinalTap]

But do you include the annual costs of the two cards into your "savings"?

Yes, it is item (j) in the spreadsheet above. So the savings are all over and above paying the annual fees.

 

[mort1331]

we use this as well. Plus for new members they have a $250 welcome bonus. So the first year flight is even less. They also have reduced fares to Europe or Hawaii where we plan next year.

 

[sherilaine]

Both my husband and I have had these cards since they were introduced and as a family of 4 we have saved well over $10,000 - and that is likely a low estimate.

Just to add that we both use these cards for almost all our purchases so we build up a lot of Westjet dollars.

 

[mab2012]

So far we haven't found the love for this one. I'm considering cancelling it, actually. We often fly at peak times, so to get the first release price before it goes up, have to book 2 one-way trips (it's only valid on return). Big trips we often fly into one airport and out a different one, can't do that either. Not too many options for flying in Europe. It's also in my husband's name and I do take trips without him with the kids (he hates WDW), so can't use it for that either. We have a Capital One Aspire card with travel credits, that's the one I use the most, so I'm not sure if it's worth paying for this one anymore...

It does depend on how you use it. Not only do you have to fly WestJet often enough to be sure you'll use the vouchers, you also have to be flying moderately expensive routes to really see the value.

I love my WestJet MC and we fly WestJet pretty often, but $460 (OP's base fare) is pretty pricey for a North American base fare. I can usually do better than that if I'm careful about when I book the tickets or have any schedule flexibility, even during busier times. I just pulled up a couple of recent WestJet invoices. The base fare for our recent March Break flight to Orlando (from Ottawa) was $280. Even at my grandfathered annual fee of $99, the savings on that flight would be less than $100 after the companion fare and annual fee are accounted for. Our flight to Halifax last Christmas was $202 before taxes and fees. Companion voucher there literally saves me nothing. Base fare on our flight to Gatwick this summer is $700, and the companion fare on that flight would be $400. So I might have saved a few hundred there, but my extended stopover in Halifax means I can't use the voucher at all.

I don't mean to argue against the card at all, but the value is definitely subjective. For us, it's mostly in the free bags, which we usually use multiple times each year. I do use the card for most of my everyday purchases, and I like (and regularly use) the build-up of WestJet dollars, but I'm aware I could do as well or better than that with another credit card. For someone who flies more expensive routes or is just not interested in shopping around or watching flight prices until something cheaper comes up, I could see a lot more potential value in the vouchers.

 

[bookbabe626]

It does depend on how you use it. Not only do you have to fly WestJet often enough to be sure you'll use the vouchers, you also have to be flying moderately expensive routes to really see the value.

:this:

We absolutely fall into that category, which is why we see so much benefit from our cards. We fly almost exclusively WestJet, and do an average of ten trips a year. The majority of those trips are Toronto to Grand Cayman, flying on school holidays, and for much of the year there's only one direct flight a week. Prices are always brutal on that flight for our travel dates, and using the vouchers for Christmas and March Break flights saves us a ton, especially since we usually fly Plus. (The voucher gives you a matching ticket to the paid one, so is great for Plus travel.) The rest of our trips are generally to either Orlando or Vegas, and we use WJ$ for those.

We've checked out other credit cards, and none seem like they'd work as well for us as the Westjet one does. But you've got to do your own math to see if it would work for you.