WestJet Will increase Charges for First Checked Luggage

For the third time in lower than two years, WestJet has made amendments to the construction of its baggage charges. This time, WestJet has elevated the quantity you’ll need to pay on your first checked bag in most markets by round $5.

The change was quietly carried out on September 16, 2025, although it’s simply beginning to get consideration within the media.

WestJet Will increase Charges for First Checked Luggage

On September 16, 2025, WestJet quietly elevated its checked baggage charges by $5–6 for passengers travelling on UltraBasic, Econo, and Member Unique Fares to most markets.

As a reminder, WestJet launched an extra $10 payment for checking luggage on the airport in October 2023, and then elevated checked baggage charges by round $5 throughout the board in February 2024.

This newest change is the third such modification to the Calgary-based airline’s baggage coverage within the final two years.

For passengers travelling in Canada and the US, the next desk illustrates the luggage payment will increase:

For passengers travelling to/from Latin Caribbean and Mexico, the next desk illustrates the luggage payment will increase:

For passengers travelling to/from Europe, the next desk illustrates the luggage payment will increase (if any):

For passengers travelling to/from all different places, the next desk illustrates the luggage payment will increase:

As you possibly can see, WestJet has elevated the checked baggage payment by $5–6 (if in any respect) on your first checked bag.

It’s value noting that baggage charges for journey to/from Asia stay unchanged.

Word that the quantity that you should pay for checked baggage (if any) is predicated on the date of buy, not on the date of journey.

Which means should you bought your WestJet ticket on or earlier than September 15, 2025, you’ll be topic to the “outdated” set of charges, which may be discovered on the WestJet web site (or within the above tables).

WestJet Doubles Down on Ancillary Income… Once more

Previously few years, WestJet has discovered artistic methods to generate ancillary income from passengers.

Apart from introducing an additional payment for checking luggage on the airport and growing its checked baggage charges (twice), the airline introduced in UltraBasic fares and launched Prolonged Consolation as an ancillary possibility in 2024.

The previous fare guarantees a low value in alternate for a seat on a airplane (and never a lot else), whereas the latter possibility affords passengers a bit extra legroom, a drink, and Zone 2 boarding.

Prolonged Consolation additionally guarantees passengers early entry to overhead bin area (which comes as a perform of Zone 2 boarding, however solely actually issues if the flight is full or should you board early), in addition to a faster exit upon arrival (which is just because Prolonged Consolation seats are in direction of the entrance of the financial system cabin).

Extra just lately, WestJet introduced a significant cabin reconfiguration that may see (amongst different issues) the introduction of “fixed-recline seats” (e.g., seats that don’t recline) in addition to the addition of an additional row (e.g., much less leg room) within the financial system cabin in comparison with earlier layouts.

Within the press launch, the modifications are described as a mirrored image of the airline’s dedication “to elevating each side of the journey expertise and assembly visitor demand for a broader vary of product choices.”

My learn on these modifications is that they’re simply one other strategy to generate extra income from passengers by charging for issues (baggage, leg room, a seat that reclines) that was once included as a part of the journey expertise or that used to price much less.

In truth, I’d argue that WestJet is adjusting its strategy to financial system journey to be extra aligned with ultra-low-cost provider Aptitude Airways (which additionally options seats that don’t recline), and fewer with the likes of Air Canada and Porter Airways (each of which provide passengers complimentary beer, wine, and snacks, in addition to seats that recline).

In fact, the simplest strategy to skirt WestJet’s growing baggage charges is to carry the WestJet® RBC World Elite Mastercardǂ, which affords a primary free checked bag for the cardholder and as much as eight passengers on the identical reserving†.

Even with the annual payment on the cardboard growing from $119 to $139 as of November 5, 2025, it’s nonetheless a terrific deal for anybody who would in any other case pay to examine a bag on at the very least three WestJet flights in a yr.

Conclusion

WestJet has quietly elevated its checked baggage charges by round $5 in most markets. This variation got here into impact for UltraBasic, Econo, and Member Unique Fares bought on or after September 16, 2025.

That is the third modification to WestJet’s baggage payment construction prior to now two years.

It stays to be seen if Air Canada and/or Porter Airways will observe swimsuit, as was the case in earlier baggage payment hikes.

In any other case, should you’re searching for a WestJet fare and don’t have baggage included by way of standing or bank card advantages, you’ll want to evaluate the value variations between fares that embody baggage and people who don’t. Generally, the price of paying extra for a extra inclusive fare is lower than including issues a la carte after the very fact.

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