WestJet enters the radar

210 Award — Airlines, Americas · WestJet Rewards

The 210 Award exists because size shouldn’t automatically win elections.

To qualify, a program must score exceptionally well while being named by fewer than ten percent of voters in the category.

Think of it as the Freddie radar.

WestJet Rewards appeared on it in 2023.

The Canadian carrier has long occupied an interesting position beside Air Canada. It began in 1996 as a western Canadian low-cost airline and gradually became something much larger.

Its loyalty proposition grew along with it.

WestJet Rewards has also taken a somewhat different approach from traditional mileage programs, historically making the value of rewards easier for members to understand through a dollar-based system.

Less aspirational algebra.

More: this is what your reward is worth.

There’s something to be said for that.

Especially after you’ve spent 20 minutes trying to explain to a relative why 100,000 points might be worth $600 or $6,000 depending upon what day it is and whether Jupiter is in retrograde.

The 210 Award says WestJet’s members were noticing.

And historically, programs winning this award are worth watching.

Just ask Aeroplan.