Get WestJet Gold status with one business class ticket, including award redemption

WestJet has frequently offered status match opportunities for elite members of other loyalty programs. Their latest status offer is unique and presents an opportunity to earn Gold status until September 2020, by purchasing one Business class ticket. An award ticket will qualify as well, read on for details.

Get WestJet Gold status – Business class ticket purchase

Direct link to promotion

Source: WestJet

The current promotion is pretty straight forward – Book and fly a round-trip Business fare between Calgary or Toronto and London (Gatwick), add your WestJet Rewards ID to the booking, and you get Gold tier status within 14 days of travel. The booking conditions are as list below;

• Book a round-trip Business fare
• Register and book between: September 23-30, 2019
• Travel period: October 23, 2019 – March 15, 2020
• Travel between: Calgary or Toronto and London (Gatwick)
• Eligible fares: Business or Business Flex

WestJet Rewards has four tiers: Teal, Silver, Gold and Platinum. Without a promotion, the eligible spend required to earn Gold status is $5000 CDN. With this promotion however, Gold status is possible by purchasing a round-trip Business fare from Toronto to Gatwick for ~$3600. Although a steep price point, WestJet operates their premium product on this route, the Dreamliner 787-9 with new business class pods, reverse herringbone seats in 1-2-1 configuration. The purchase would be worthwhile for someone that uses WestJet as their primary airline and can maximize the Gold benefits accordingly, until Sep 2020. WestJet gold status benefits include;

• 5% Westjet Dollars on WS flights
• Unlimited airport lounge access with family privileges
• No fee for same-day flight changes at check-in
• Zone 1 boarding, Priority baggage, and Security screening (at available airports)

Full list of Gold Tier benefits

Get WestJet Gold status – Business class award redemption

Redeeming a Business class ticket through Amex Fixed Points Travel Program can offer an even better value in this case, since you apply a fixed number of points towards a paid ticket. A business class ticket for a return trip between YYZ-LGW can be booked for 140,000 MR points and $1340 in taxes.

Fixed Amex travel program can be used with Amex Membership Reward Points, earned with cards like Amex Gold Rewards card, The Platinum Card® , or Amex Membership Rewards Select Points earned with the American Express Cobalt™ Card.

Take Away

Under this promotion, the two options to get WestJet Gold status are pay ~$3650 CAD for a business class ticket outright or redeem Amex MR points through Fixed travel program, for 140K points + $1340 CAD in taxes.

If you do not have status with any airline, this promotion may be a good way to get one and start a chain of status matches or status challenges. Based on recent data points, WestJet Gold members have been eligible for AC status challenge (6 segments for 35K and 18 segments for 50K status). YMMV. Once you get your WestJet Gold status, simply email status.challenege@aircanada.com with proof of status and receive a personalized status challenge.

Last but not least, a major Hat-Tip to Points Nerd for alerting me of this WS promotion

Does the WestJet Gold status promotion interest you enough to invest in it?

Terms and Conditions of the WestJet Gold Status promotion:

*Get Gold status until September 30, 2020 when you book a round-trip J class Business fare this fall for travel into 2020

• To participate in the Get Gold promotion (the “Offer”), you must join WestJet Rewards at westjet.com/join, add your 9-digit WestJet Rewards ID on the booking(s) and book a round-trip business fare itinerary between September 21-30, 2019 for travel between Calgary or Toronto and London (Gatwick), for travel dates between October 23, 2019 – March 15, 2020.
• Eligible round-trip flights for this redemption are defined as flights on a WestJet 787-9 Dreamliner with a flight segment, originating in either direction, of:
  • Calgary to/from London (LGW)
  • Toronto to/from London (LGW)
• Flight connections with an itinerary that includes J class fares on the routes specified will qualify. Eg: outbound flight = YEG-YYC-LGW, return flight = LGW-YYC-YEG.
• Open jaw flights in Canada will qualify. Eg: outbound flight = YYC-LGW, return flight = LGW-YYZ.
• Valid for new bookings only. Not valid on existing reservations.
• Your 9-digit WestJet Rewards ID must be included on the booking(s) prior to flight.

• Bookings completed between September 21-30, 2019 and deemed eligible, the Gold status will be applied to the members account within 14 days of travel.
• To qualify for Gold status, you must purchase a Business or Business flex fare on the routes and dates specified above.
• Gold status consists of: 5% WestJet dollar earn rate, unlimited airport lounge access, 2 guest lounge vouchers, high priority eligibility for complimentary upgrades to Premium with EconoFlex fares, early access to purchase an upgrade to Premium or Business, six advance seat selection vouchers, first and second checked bags free, no fee for same-day flight changes at check-in, Zone 1 boarding, priority support number and priority services.
• The eligible member’s tier status will be awarded on a promotional basis and will expire on September 30, 2020. Flight benefits awarded on a promotional basis, including through this Offer, have shorter validity periods than when awarded to a member as a result of regular program activity (ie. achieving $5,000 in qualifying spend on WestJet flights flown within a qualifying year).
• Offer is open to all current Teal, Silver and new members of WestJet Rewards, subject to meeting the Offer requirements. Unfortunately, if you do not meet the above requirements, you are not eligible for our promotional Get Gold Offer.
• Milestone awards are excluded from this Offer. The ability for any member to receive milestone awards, such as companion flights, is directly correlated to a member’s qualifying spend at any point in time and will not change as a result of a member achieving Gold status through any means, including this Offer. Milestone awards will be awarded in step with the normal qualifying spend milestones set out in the WestJet Rewards program.
• Gold status will be issued one time only during a member’s qualifying year, either through regular program activity or through a promotional means such as this Offer. Member may not receive Gold status through multiple promotions.
• WestJet in its sole discretion reserves the right to deny a status upgrade if one-way or both flights are cancelled, or incomplete, inaccurate or fraudulent booking information is provided or missing WestJet Rewards account ID.
• The WestJet Rewards ID provided on the flight reservation must match the name of the passenger.
• All other WestJet Rewards program terms and conditions remain in effect.
• Offer is subject to change without notice.
• The WestJet Get Gold offer is provided by WestJet. WestJet reserves the right to refuse to carry out any promotional status offer if deemed ineligible and WestJet is not required to give an explanation.
• In order to take advantage of the benefits of Gold status, it is recommended that you review your communication consent and opt-ins to receive all communications.