Travelling is so expensive right now, so it’s nice when a great deal comes your way. But these deals are tough to come by these days. Luckily, WestJet is helping make travel more accessible with its WestJet dollars. They’re easy to earn and can be redeemed for airfare and vacation packages.
The question is, do WestJet dollars expire?
Do WestJet Dollars Expire?
Base WestJet dollars don’t expire. That includes any dollars that you earn when booking flights and vacations through WestJet. But WestJet dollars that are given to you as part of a refund or compensation may expire.
When Can Westjet Dollars Expire?
That said, there are some situations where they would, such as when WestJet dollars are issued through promotions or compensation.
For instance, the recent Covid pandemic led to several refunds on WestJet Vacations that were returned as WestJet dollars. These compensations come with an expiry date. You can find out the expiry dates on these WestJet dollars by logging into your WestJet Rewards account and visiting the Expiring WestJet dollars page.
What Is The Value Of A WestJet Dollar?
One WestJet dollar is equal to one Canadian dollar. That means these “dollars” can be redeemed at face value towards WestJet flights and vacations. But how much money do you need to spend to earn 1 Westjet dollar?
If you’re a member of the WestJet Rewards, you can earn 0.5% to 8% on eligible travel purchases depending on your membership tier level. So you’ll need to spend up to $200 to earn 1 Westjet dollar.
Similarly, if you use your WestJet RBC World Elite Mastercard, you’ll earn 1% to 2% in WestJet dollars on eligible purchases. In this case, you’ll need to spend up to $100 to earn 1 WestJet dollar.
What Can You Redeem WestJet Dollars On?
You can redeem your WestJet dollars on any flights or vacations booked and marketed by WestJet. However, they cannot be redeemed for any other form of travel, such as hotels or rental cars.
WestJet dollars may also be redeemed towards flights operated by WestJet’s partner airlines, including the following:
- Air France
- Air Transat
- Cathay Pacific
- Delta Airlines
- Emirates
- KLM
- Qantas
You will find these codeshare partner flights online when searching on WestJet.com.
Can You Use Your Westjet Dollars Toward Taxes, Fees And Charges?
No, WestJet dollars can only be used to cover the base fare of eligible flights and vacations. Taxes, fees, and other charges must be paid with a credit card when you make a booking. However, if you prefer to spread out these charges further, you can get a small personal loan to pay off your credit card. Then simply pay off the personal loan in smaller payments.
This can be a better option if you planned to carry your credit card balance forward. Personal loans generally come with lower interest rates and longer terms making it cheaper and more affordable. Moreover, if you have good credit, you’ll have a higher chance of securing a lower rate.
Where Can You Earn WestJet Dollars?
There are two ways to earn WestJet dollars:
Earn Through Your WestJet ID
One way to earn WestJet dollars is to become a member of WestJet Rewards. Signing up is quick and easy and just requires that you fill out a form online with your personal information.
Once you join, you’ll receive a unique ID, which you’ll need to provide on qualifying transactions to earn WestJet dollars. As a member of WestJet Rewards, you’ll be able to earn WestJet dollars on flights and vacations, then redeem them with no restricting blackouts dates.
You can also use your membership to store your personal information for faster bookings and check-in, and to change or cancel your reservations. Plus, you may be eligible for discounts when you select fares exclusive to WestJet Rewards members.
There are different tiers associated with your WestJet Rewards membership. The more WestJet dollars you earn, the faster you’ll earn your way to top tiers with more benefits:
| Teal | Silver | Gold | Platinum | |
| WestJet Flight earn rate | 0.5% | 3% | 5% | 8% |
| WestJet Vacations earn rate | 0.5% | 1% | 1.5% | 2% |
| Car rental/hotel booking earn rate | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% |
| WestJet RBC World Elite Mastercard earn rate on WestJet purchases | 2% | 2% | 2% | 2% |
| WestJet RBC World Elite Mastercard earn rate on everyday purchases | 1.5% | 1.5% | 1.5% | 1.5% |
| Free checked bags | N/A | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| Advance seat selection | N/A | 4 vouchers | 6 vouchers | Unlimited + 6 vouchers |
| Priority check-in (yes or no) | N/A | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Priority security screening | N/A | N/A | Yes | Yes |
| No fee for same-day flight changes | N/A | N/A | Yes | Yes |
Earn With Credit Cards
You can also earn WestJet dollars when you spend using your WestJet Mastercard. Plus, you can take advantage of exclusive offers as a WestJet Mastercard holder. WestJet dollars earned on credit card expenditures are in addition to WestJet dollars earned with WestJet.
Choose from one of two credit cards:
WestJet RBC Mastercard
- Up to 100 welcome WestJet dollars when you spend $1,000 within the first three months
- 1.5% earning rate on WestJet travel and 1% on everyday purchases
- $0 delivery fees for 3 months with DoorDash (a nearly $30 value)
- 50 Be Well points from Rexall for every dollar spent on eligible purchases
- Travel insurance coverage, including accident, car rental collision, and hotel/motel burglary insurance
Costs and eligibility requirements:
- Annual fee: $39
- Purchase rate: 20.99% (21.99% in Quebec)
- Cash advance rate: 22.99%
- Minimum income: Not specified
WestJet RBC World Elite Mastercard
- 2% earning rate on WestJet travel and 1.5% on everyday purchases
- Annual round-trip companion voucher starting at $119 with no minimum spend
- Up to 450 welcome WestJet dollars with a minimum spend
- Free first checked bags
- Gasoline savings at Petro-Canada when you link your Petro-Points card to your WestJet MasterCard
- $0 delivery fees for 12 months with DoorDash (a nearly $120.10 value)
- Access to over 1,300 airport lounges through the Mastercard Travel Pass Program
- Travel insurance coverage, similar to the WestJet RBC Mastercard
Costs and eligibility requirements:
- Annual fee: $119
- Purchase rate: 20.99% (21.99% in Quebec)
- Cash advance rate: 22.99%
- Minimum income: $80,000 for individuals or $150,000 for households
Final Thoughts
Unless you were awarded WestJet dollars through some sort of promotion or compensation, then you don’t have to worry about them expiring. Once you’ve accumulated enough WestJet dollars, put them to good use on your next holiday to help you save.
