Safety above all
Get travel ready
As travel gets simpler, our commitment to keep your Safety Above All remains the same. Discover what you need to know before you go, with tips for what to expect in the airport, in the air, in destination and more.
Check your itinerary
Destination requirements
Travel requirements vary, depending on your origin and destination, as well as your vaccination status and what passport you hold. Use the tool below to determine the travel requirements for your itinerary. We recommend reviewing this before you book your trip, and prior to travelling.
Disclaimer: The travel requirements information provided here does not replace specific information provided by official government sources. See additional terms and conditions1.
Requirements, COVID rules and travel restrictions vary depending on the type of passport you hold, and whether you are vaccinated or not.
Some exemptions are based on criteria such as age or marital status.
Some destinations may require COVID testing or proof of recovery if you are unvaccinated.
Each destination that requires a COVID test will also require a specific type of test. Be sure you know which one(s) you need.
Each destination also specifies how long a COVID test is valid for.
Some destinations will require you to complete a set of documents before you arrive.
- Review location-specific or event-specific advisories on our Travel Advisories page
For travellers returning to Canada:
- The use of ArriveCAN is optional and can be used to answer customs and immigration questions before your flight lands in Canada.
ID requirements
- Guests of all ages require identification that matches the name and spelling on their ticket. You are responsible for making sure that you, and any child travelling with you, have the proper identification and travel documentation required to enter or connect through each country on your itinerary. Visit our Identification requirements page to learn more.
Prepare for your journey
Be travel ready
Prepare for takeoff
We’re excited to connect you to the people and places you love. We’ve compiled some helpful travel tips to ensure your next journey with us is as smooth and enjoyable as possible. We look forward to seeing you onboard soon.
As you get ready for your flight, here are a few things you can do to prepare at home and get travel ready.
Check your passport or Government-issued ID to make sure it’s not expired, and meets current ID requirements
Download the WestJet app
Review any baggage allowances and fees that may apply to your itinerary
Check your pre-departure emails for important information and updates
Pack a mask (or two), as some destinations may still have mask requirements
Pack hand sanitizer
Double check the destination requirements for each stop on your itinerary
Book any required COVID-19 tests
Check security wait times at your departing airport and plan your arrival time accordingly, since lines may be longer than usual
Visit your hotel’s website to learn about their health and safety protocols, operational guidelines, and facility availability.
Some of our hotel partners offer in-destination COVID-19 testing. Be sure to arrange your test early in your trip if necessary.
Start your trip earlier to ensure you make it through airport security on time. For all WestJet departures, we suggest you arrive at the airport 120 minutes before departure if you are traveling within Canada and 150 minutes for international travel.
While there may be some changes at the airport, one thing hasn’t changed, our WestJetters will be there to assist you.
Arrive at the airport earlier than usual
Enhanced cleaning measures and physical distancing are in place
Use the WestJet app for added convenience and to reduce touchpoints on your journey
Check-in, get your electronic boarding pass and enjoy Connect – our inflight entertainment system
Depending on your destination requirements you may need to have your COVID-19 proof of vaccination and test results handy
Make sure your devices are charged before you board
Window or aisle? Movie or Podcast? Here are some things to help you enjoy your flight.
We're excited to partner with Calm so you can focus on your wellbeing while inflight. Explore a collection of meditations, relaxation exercises and Sleep Stories, now available on WestJet Connect.
Our inflight menus can be viewed online prior to your flight, and through the WestJet app. Depending on your flight, the snack or meal options might be different.
Baggage Information
Baggage can be an important part of your travel experience. Review information on our baggage guidelines such as size and weight allowances, and baggage fees to help you pack and plan according to your needs.
Make sure your carry-on conforms to our size and weight allowances
Keep your toiletries/liquids together in a clear plastic bag, so they are easy to take out when going through security
Only bring liquids, aerosols and gels that are packaged in containers with a capacity of 100 ml / 100 grams or less
All of your prescription medicine should be in your carry-on, and if you are travelling out of country it should be in original pill bottles
Pack an empty water bottle to fill up at the airport on the other side of security
Pack travel-size high protein snacks like trail mix and protein bars while travelling for long hours or in case of delays
Put earrings in the holes of spare buttons. Pairs will stay together and they also won’t get as tangled
Use packing cubes and organize clothes into categories such as daytime, evening, dirty
Roll your clothes instead of folding them, to take up less room
View additional carry-on packing tips from the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority
We understand lost baggage makes travel frustrating and stressful. We will do everything we can to find your bag and return it to you as quickly as possible. If you find yourself in this situation, please follow these steps:
Notify a WestJet Customer Service Agent at the airport or create a baggage report here
Once your report has been created, you can check the status here
Your report will be updated when the bag is received at the destination airport, and when it is out for delivery. Email notifications with this information may also be sent as well. Make sure to check junk/spam emails.
Should you incur out-of-pocket expenses for a delayed or damaged baggage incident within our control, you may submit a request to WestJet for reimbursement
You've got options
Testing resources
A few destinations still require COVID testing for unvaccinated travelers, and each of those destinations has different COVID test requirements. Depending on when you are flying from and to, the type of test may be different.
Note: We do our best to ensure all our content is as up-to-date as possible for you, but please note that testing information and requirements found on westjet.com are not intended to replace the information provided by official government resources. It is your responsibility to ensure you meet all requirements for travel.
COVID testing options
Use our travel requirements tool to understand your COVID testing requirements for each flight in your itinerary, including your return trip. You’ll have a variety of options depending on your location, dates of travel and the type of COVID test required.
Options for COVID-19 lab testing in Canada
For labs that provide COVID testing, check your provincial healthcare website, or speak with a local medical professional.
Testing FAQs
Each country decides their own window of acceptance for COVID tests, with some being longer than others. Use our travel requirements tool to confirm your COVID testing requirements.
We do not recommend air travel if you have tested positive for COVID. Please consider rescheduling your flight at a future date when you expect to be well again. If your flight departs in more than 24 hours, please visit our Manage Trips page or use the WestJet app, find your flight and select ‘change flight’. If your flight departs in less than 24 hours, please contact us. Our standard change/cancel policy conditions apply. If you are flying to a destination outside of Canada, review any destination-specific requirements around testing.
Government of Canada official testing information
When plans change
Changes, insurance and refunds
Fares with flexibility
We understand travel plans can change. For your peace of mind we have a variety of fare options, some with flexibility included, so you can select the fare that is best for you. Fare options, along with comprehensive travel insurance plans and our change/cancel policies are another way we're putting your Safety Above All.
Protect your travel plans when you book vacation packages or land-only bookings to destinations in Mexico, the Caribbean, Canada, and the United States.
For travel affected by a travel advisory
Sometimes a travel advisory in a destination will interrupt your travel plans. Guest-impacting events like extreme weather, airport closures, and disease outbreaks can happen. While the travel advisory is in effect, we apply our change/cancel guidelines until it is lifted, and normal operations resume.
If there’s a current travel advisory for your destination on your trip dates, you have options. WestJet will waive the applicable change or cancellation fee, and you have the option to:
- Change your travel dates to and/or from the same destination. If there’s a difference in fares, you won’t be charged. Blackout dates may apply.
- Change your destination with or without changing your travel dates. If you’re going to a close airport like Vancouver (YVR) instead of Abbotsford (YXX), you won’t be charged for any fare difference.
- If you choose to go to an airport that isn’t geographically close, you’ll pay the fare difference.
- If the new fare is less, the refund guidelines for fare types apply.
- Cancel your trip. You’ll get a refund according to the guidelines for the original fare bundle.
Travel insurance
Travel with confidence in Canada and around the world with insurance solutions administered by Allianz Global Assistance. Protect your wellbeing and finances with benefits to cover costs related to emergency medical care and the cancellation or interruption of your trip.
Refunds eligibility
You are eligible for a refund to the original form of payment if your flight is cancelled, or if you are otherwise delayed by more than 3 hours in relation to your original departure or arrival time, or if we add a connection to your itinerary.
If your reservation was part of Air Group booking or a WestJet Vacations group booking, please contact your travel agent or your group specialist to submit a request for a refund.
If you booked through a Travel Agent (online or directly), third-party like Expedia or Airmiles, Corporate Travel arranger, or another airline, please contact them directly.
Guests looking to discuss a refund due to other circumstances are required to contact us.
Our top priority
Your health and safety
The safety of our guests and WestJetters is and continues to be our top priority. Our teams have been working diligently to ensure extensive aircraft cleaning onboard and have been implementing new safety processes and measures across your journey. Here’s what we’re doing to keep you and your WestJet crew safe.
Aircraft cleaning and sanitization
Window or aisle? Movie or Podcast? You can travel with peace of mind knowing our aircraft are cleaned extensively and frequently and are equipped with HEPA filters, so you can breathe a little easier as you fly with us.
HEPA filters
A common misconception with aircraft is that the air on board is recirculated. But that’s not the case.
All WestJet aircraft are equipped with an industry-leading air circulation system containing a HEPA filter, similar to what’s used in hospitals.
Not only do these filters introduce fresh air into the cabin every 2 to 3 minutes, but they also capture and filter 99.99% of all airborne particles so you can breathe a little easier.
On board cleaning and sanitization
We clean our aircraft extensively and frequently. We continue to clean with aviation-approved products, including Sanicide (disinfectant) for galleys and lavatories, along with EX3 Disinfecting Spray for:
- tray tables
- general seating areas
- galleys
- lavatories and door handles
- tray tables
- seat armrests and headrests
- seatbelt buckles
- overhead lights and control buttons
- overhead-bin door latches
to ensure all guest contact surfaces are thoroughly disinfected.
Safety above all
Taking off may look a little different these days, but our commitment to care and safety is the same as ever.