New Status Match and Challenge Available With WestJet

If you have airline status with another carrier, West Jet currently has a three-part status match / status challenge to Gold or Silver with WestJet Rewards. Benefits include complimentary upgrades, priority services and lounge access (don’t get too excited), and you have the option to extend your elite benefits to June 20, 2021.

To participate in the status match challenge, you must first join WestJet RewardsÂ and then complete the “Challenges”.

Challenge 1 is essentially a status trial/match that will extend WestJet status benefits until March 30, 2020. I assume the majority of readers will be stopping at this level.

To match, you’ll need to submit the form at the bottom of this page by December 15, 2019, including the following information:

1. Your first and last name
2. Your 9-digit WestJet Rewards ID (provided to you upon joining WestJet Rewards)
3. Email and phone number on your WestJet Rewards account
4. A scanned copy or photo of your top-tier membership card from Altitude, VIPorter, AAdvantage, United MileagePlus, Alaska Mileage Plan or British Airways Executive Club showing your name, current 2019 status valid through to a minimum December 31, 2019.

a screenshot of a website

Challenge 2 allows you to extend your elite status for another 90 days, until June 30, 2020 by taking one WestJet flight between November 15, 2019 and March 31, 2020. Keep in mind that US carriers will need to take a minimum of one US transborder flight to qualify.

AC Altitude and Porter members must take minimum one WestJet flight anywhere
US carriers: AA, Alaska and UA must take minimum one U.S.transborder flight
British Airways members must take minimum one transatlantic flight

Challenge 3 allows you to extend your benefits all the way through June 30, 2021 by meeting spending thresholds.

Gold members with a minimum qualifying spend of $3,000 between the date of upgrade in Challenge 1 and June 30, 2020 can retain Gold status for another year, until June 30, 2021.

Silver members that have a minimum qualifying spend of $1,500 between the date of upgrade in Challenge 1 and June 30, 2020 can retain Silver status for another year until June 30, 2021.

Gold Benefits at a Glance

Eligibility for complimentary upgrade to Premium with EconoFlex fares
Early access to purchase an upgrade to Premium or Business
Advance seat selection vouchers
Unlimited airport lounge access
No fee for same-day flight changes at check-in
First and second checked bags free

Silver Benefits at a Glance

Eligibility for complimentary upgrade to Premium with EconoFlex fares
Advance seat selection access
Airport lounge access
First and second checked bags free
Priority check-in

Bottom Line

WestJet is independent of the three major airline alliances, so the lounge benefits are limited to privately-owned lounges in a small group of select cities.

I don’t travel to Canada often (in fact, I don’t think I’ve even taken a WestJet flight before), and while I personally don’t see myself going out of my way to complete any of the two challenges beyond the initial match, WestJet does have frequent nonstop service between New York and Toronto with inexpensive round-trip fares if a transborder flight happens to be in your future.

a screenshot of a flight schedule Either way, I will be status matching my United Premier 1K to WestJet Gold. Status match opportunities are always welcome as it never hurts to have status on another carrier – especially if you can somehow leverage it towards something else down the road.