The joy of flying with a new airline is that you never truly know what to expect. Sure, you can read the airline’s website – and flight reviews, like this one. But that maiden voyage comes with a sense of mystery. What’s the seat like? Is it a newer plane? How’s the service? That was me, before booking WestJet Premium on the airline’s Boeing 737. When you travel for a living, it’s not every day that you get to take that maiden flight with a new airline. But today is that day.

Before we dive into the details, I’ll also let you in on a little secret. Firstly, you can book WestJet Economy flights using Qantas Points (okay, that’s not the secret). The secret is that once you’ve done that, you may be able to upgrade to WestJet Premium during online check-in, and that on these points-based bookings, the asking price can be minimal.

As I complete online check-in the day before travel, I’m pleasantly surprised to see an upgrade offer pop up. Just CA$51.45 to swap my Economy Class seat booked on points for the full WestJet Premium experience, you say? In the name of ‘research’ (and Prosecco…), I acquiesced.

Qantas Premier Platinum

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  • Sign-up Bonus: Up to 90,000 bonus Qantas Points
  • Rewards Earn Rate: 1 Qantas Point per whole AU$1 on Domestic Spend up to $10,000 per statement period and 0.5 thereafter. 1.5 Qantas Points per whole AU$1 equivalent on international spend plus 1 additional Qantas Point per whole AU$1 on selected Qantas spend. 
  • Annual Fee: $349 for the first year and $399 p.a. ongoing

The Qantas Premier Platinum card offers 50,000 bonus Qantas Points for new cardholders who spend $5,000 or more on eligible purchases within 3 months from approval, and an additional 40,000 bonus Qantas Points for those who haven’t earned Qantas Points with a credit or charge card in the last 12 months. The card also includes a discounted first-year annual fee, two complimentary airport lounge passes, and 0% p.a. interest for 6 months on Balance Transfers (a 2% Balance Transfer fee applies).

Departing Calgary

With my upgrade secured to WestJet’s Premium cabin on the Boeing 737, I can waltz straight to priority check-in. I try to use one of the nearby kiosks first, out of pure curiosity. But something in the system doesn’t like either my Qantas-issued ticket or my upgrade during check-in, so it’s a no-go. Fortunately, an agent is available quick-smart and I’m on my way.

Just to note, checked baggage isn’t included as part of the upgrade. But if you are indeed flying with a bag (and paying for the privilege), you’ll get a priority tag. My Economy ticket booked with Qantas Points doesn’t include any baggage. I add this to my WestJet reservation for CA$35 after booking the ticket.

With baggage sorted, I make use of priority security screening. That’s another perk included in the mix. There’s still a bit of a wait, around 15 minutes or so. I sail past the beginning of the main line, at least. But here’s where WestJet Premium differs from Air Canada Business. Unlike Air Canada, WestJet doesn’t give lounge access to domestic passengers in that better-than-Economy cabin. It is, after all, called ‘Premium’ – short for Premium Economy.

So, what are your options? In Calgary, WestJet has a sparkling new Elevation Lounge. Qantas status doesn’t get you in the door, but Priority Pass does. Well, supposedly. It’s listed on the Priority Pass website, but today, it’s a no-go. ‘Capacity’ restrictions, it seems. Staff suggest I visit the airport’s Aspire Lounge as an alternative. But Aspire’s own Priority Pass restrictions only allow entry when taking an international flight from the international concourse.

Instead, I wander off to Tim Hortons for coffee. I ask for a latte, and the staff reply, “we don’t have that here”. Given it’s available at the brand’s other locations, I can’t help but be reminded of the airport coffee shop on Come Fly With Me. An airport coffee shop with no coffee – at least, I’ve found it and can laugh.

Tired from an early start and still in need of coffee, I find a cup elsewhere. Then, it’s time to fly, and priority boarding works well. Huzzah, my journey is back on-track.

Premium seating on the WestJet Boeing 737

There’s no Business cabin on WestJet’s domestic flights. Instead, WestJet Boeing 737 flights within Canada have Premium and Economy. My seat in row one offers solid stretch-friendly legroom at the bulkhead and a generously sized recliner. It is, in effect, a domestic Business Class seat by another name.

There’s a handy cocktail table to keep your drinks close. You can also fold out a full-sized table. Add to that, AC and USB-A power comes in handy. But I particularly like the little storage net, which lives just below that centre table. It’s large enough to store a water bottle and cables, yet small enough that it’s not in the way.

It’s worth highlighting that WestJet is actively expanding its Boeing 737 fleet to keep up with demand. Because of that, WestJet has been acquiring some Boeing 737 jets from other airlines, with a different seating configuration. While WestJet is reconfiguring them all to have proper Premium seats, some of these planes are currently flying with only Economy seats.

I’m lucky that today, my flight has the ‘real’ Premium seat. But if you’re booking (or upgrading) on the WestJet website, watch out for flights sold as Premium, but marked as ‘Economy seating only’. WestJet will generally give you a travel voucher as compensation for the switch, but that process is only automatic with a WestJet Rewards number on the ticket. If, like most travelling Aussies, you list your Qantas number, you’d have to contact WestJet to arrange.

Food, beverage and service in WestJet Boeing 737 Premium

Dining options in WestJet Boeing 737 Premium vary by flight length. On journeys of 2.5 hours or more, you can expect a proper meal as part of the parcel. Today’s flight from Calgary to Vancouver is instead just over 1.5 hours. That’s akin to a typical Sydney-Melbourne hop in Australia. It also means that today is a ‘snack’ flight, rather than a ‘meal’ flight.

We begin with bottled water before take-off – which pleasingly fits in that side pouch for take-off. Once we’re in the air, nibbles and all drinks are complimentary. I start with a glass of Prosecco. Bonus points for having Italian wine on board. Less so, for serving it on a napkin with an advertisement for McDonald’s (okay, McCafe, but still…).

A snack basket comes past. I grab a packet of honey roasted sesame chips, but the passenger next to me – seemingly, a frequent WestJet flyer – has a suggestion. The salted caramel cashews are, apparently, a local frequent flyer favourite. To the level that if they run out in the Premium basket, crew will happily fetch more from a storage area behind Economy. Okay, you’ve twisted my arm. Yum!

Cabin crew are in a great mood and are eager to please. I’m offered another Prosecco in a plastic cup for landing. It seems, my upgrade just paid for itself.

Entertainment in Premium on the WestJet Boeing 737

One key difference between Air Canada and WestJet is the approach to inflight entertainment. Air Canada is big on having seatback screens. Whereas on WestJet, it’s more of a ‘bring your own device’ scenario. The aircraft’s Wi-Fi network allows you to stream an array of titles from WestJet’s catalogue via your browser at no charge. It works well.

But today, I’ve selected a window seat – and for good reason. Flying out of Calgary is picturesque. Ditto, landing in Vancouver. And the route between the two cities has us flying over snow-capped mountains. Why stare at a screen when you have this to look at?

My prized row-one pick in WestJet’s Boeing 737 Premium cabin means I have three windows for enjoying the view. Happy days.

The verdict

This flight caught me by surprise. Already, my expectations had been lowered by the product name alone. Clearly, if an experience were on-par with Business, it wouldn’t have a lesser name. But then, in the United States, you’d be calling the same thing ‘First Class’ – so let’s forget the name.

For barely more than $50, I’ve managed to switch my standard, run-of-the-mill Economy Class ticket for a seat in row one. Complete with all the perks afforded to those paying full fare for the same experience. Particularly when I’ve already paid as little as possible by booking my initial journey with frequent flyer points, that’s quite a win.

Sure, it’s frustrating that Priority Pass didn’t work for the lounge, as advertised. But that was never part of the Premium offering – merely, an extra for those who might qualify. Ditto, the airport coffee shop not being able to make a coffee. It’s part of the journey, but not part of WestJet Premium, per se.

Still, it’s not ideal that the partnership between Qantas and WestJet only allows for spending Qantas Points on WestJet Economy flights. You simply can’t use Qantas Points to book a ticket in WestJet Premium from the get-go. (The same is true of WestJet Business on the airline’s long-haul flights). As Qantas expands its redemption options within North America to include Hawaiian Airlines, WestJet Premium would be another welcome addition.

Even so, when you can book Economy and upgrade during online check-in for around $50, as I did right here, that’s a pretty good deal. I’ll save those extra points for another day.

Also read: Air Canada Airbus A330 Economy (Los Angeles – Toronto)

All photography by Chris Chamberlin, who travelled at his own expense using Qantas Points with a paid upgrade.


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WestJet Boeing 737 Premium (Calgary – Vancouver) was last modified: March 27th, 2025 by Chris Chamberlin