Both Air Canada and Westjet charge $30 for your first checked bag and $50 for a second one. And just a reminder that Westjet, when this legal rip off fee was first dreamed up and rolled out, stated they wouldn’t be doing that. Well, a few months later – they did…
If you need to check a suitcase, or (like me) bring your golf clubs along) you don’t have a choice. But if you make two flights a year, both airlines now have credit card affiliations that can get you a free checked bag.
Westjet has always had it with the Royal Bank World Elite Mastercard. With Air Canada, it’s on the TD Aeroplan and the CIBC Aerogold card. And now with a number of Amex cards, starting next month! The annual fee for any of these cards is around $100 to $120 a year. However, as you can see online, some will waive the first years’ fee under certain conditions. At two flights a year, you’ll break-even – with three or more flights, you’re ahead, financially. If you do fly enough, check the TD, CIBC, Royal or Amex to see if you have the free bag, or what it’ll cost you to change cards to get something you shouldn’t have to pay for in the first place.
So you’ll excuse me if I’m not a fan of any Westjet or Air Canada government support. They charge a billion plus in legal rip-off fees, are filling the middle seat and still want support. In the U.S. Southwest Airlines still guarantees no middle seat booking and has never charged luggage fees AND they’re profitable!! But that’s another conversation…