Virgin Atlantic and WestJet have just rolled out loyalty reciprocity, something that I’m excited about on the surface. However, the single thing that I was most hoping for doesn’t seem to be terribly useful in practice.
Continue reading: Redeem Virgin Atlantic Points On WestJet: Exciting On The Surface, But…
Share your questions, experiences, and thoughts below.
WestJet does not have a lot of J seats in its 787, and their cash fares are also relatively low. I expect they are having no issues filling the cabin with cash revenue tickets! If you want to fly it, there are plenty of dates with cash J fares from YYZ to ICN for approx. $2,000 USD.
That’d be far more advantageous to Westjet status holders than other SE+ members because I’m pretty sure Westjet only has a single lounge at YYC, unless there was some other angle you were going for.
Ben, is it just me or has award availability via VS become really limited and hard to find? Even searching some very basic routes (NY to LHR, FCO, CDG, and so on) over a huge amount of dates for later this year, I couldn't find anything on Delta. They would offer El Al via TLV, if anything.
I did a quick search on the virgin Atlantic website but found no rewards do we have to call to book any rewards in Economy?
There aren't any partners that can book partner premium/business class on WestJet - QF, DL and AF/KL can't either. I don't think that WestJet has a booking class for these to book into. In economy, partner awards book into V class.
I agree that it's disappointing that they don't offer premium/business awards, and that VS says that you can despite not being able to.
Given their unwillingness to actually release the space, I really wish Westjet's partners would openly de-list Business/Premium award space.
(Then again, Virgin Australia basically didn't release business award space to Virgin America for LAX-BNE/SYD, but I managed to bag a business award seat there back in 2016...like two days before the flight.)
Is it only me who get an error on Virgin site trying to check a WestJet route?
Update - economy class redemptions are also blocked. Virgin reps are able to see the inventory, and they can reserve it. However, it doesn't price (this is an internal Virgin Atlantic problem) so nothing can be booked. The representatives have a knowledge base article which basically tells them to shrug and have you call back to waste your time again in a couple of days.
I just booked 4 tickets LAX-YEG and YYC-LAX. was able to get tickted and booked into member exclusive booking class, which come with carry on. Tax and fees from US are just $5.6, However from Canada to US is around $65. SO yes this can be done, and awesome redeemption rate.