WestJet Rewards is raising the bar for elite status. Starting January 1, 2027, you will need up to 50% more Tier Qualifying Spend (TQS) to earn Silver, Gold or Platinum, and Platinum alone now takes $15,000 TQS. If you fly WestJet for work and sit near a status line today, you may need to spend a lot more next year just to keep what you have.
What is changing with WestJet Rewards status in 2027?
The spend you need for each WestJet Rewards tier goes up on January 1, 2027. According to Prince of Travel, the increase is up to 50%, and the top tier, Platinum, now requires $15,000 in Tier Qualifying Spend.
Tier Qualifying Spend is the money you spend on WestJet flights that counts toward status. It is how WestJet decides who is Silver, who is Gold and who is Platinum. When that number goes up, every flight you take does less to move you toward a tier.
The key words are "up to." Not every tier rises by the full 50%. But every tier above the base level now costs more, and that is the part that matters.
Who wins and who loses?
WestJet wins, plainly. Status keeps you loyal, and now loyalty costs you more. The airline gets more of your money for the same perks.
The flyers who blow past the new thresholds may win a little too. This part is our opinion, but when fewer people hold a tier, the perks tied to it can feel less crowded. If you spend well over $15,000 a year with WestJet, this change may barely touch you.
The big loser is the middle. That is the business owner who flies WestJet often, but not constantly, and just made a tier this year. Same trips, same routes, and in 2027 you could land one level lower. If you were sitting right at a line, the new rules may push you below it.
Honestly, this is a devaluation. Nothing about the perks got better in this news. The price of getting them just went up.
Is WestJet status still worth chasing?
It depends on how close you already are. If your normal flying gets you to a tier with no extra effort, keep it. Status you earn by accident is pure upside.
If you would have to book extra flights or pick pricier fares just to hit the new number, think hard. That is often a bad trade. You end up paying more for travel so you can get perks on future travel. Run the math on what the tier actually saves you, then compare it to what the extra spend costs.
This is also a good moment to ask a bigger question. If you fly from a city with real choice, look at which airline actually serves your routes best. Loyalty should follow your trips, not the other way around.
What should you do before January 1, 2027?
Add up your WestJet spend for 2026 first. You need a clear number before you can make any choice.
Then sort yourself into one of three groups. Well above the new bar? Do nothing. Close to it? Plan your 2027 flying so the trips you already need count toward status. Far below it? Stop chasing status and book each trip on price, schedule and comfort.
The worst move is to keep flying the same way and hope it still works. The rules changed, so your plan should too.
If you run a business, your company spending may already be worth more travel than you think. You can see what your spending buys in business class trips, without chasing a status line that just moved.