NEW PARTNERSHIPS

WestJet and TELUS Join Forces to Redefine Loyalty: Canadians Can Now Earn, Redeem, and Travel Smarter

WestJet and TELUS have partnered to link their loyalty programs, allowing Canadians to earn, redeem, and transfer points between travel and telecom services for greater flexibility and rewards value.

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WestJet

Introduction

In a significant strategic move for consumer loyalty in Canada, WestJet and TELUS have announced a partnership that links their respective loyalty programs: WestJet Rewards and TELUS Rewards. As of October 15, 2025, members of both programs who choose to link their accounts can earn, redeem, and transfer points across the two platforms.

This move signals a growing trend of cross-industry loyalty partnerships—bringing together travel and telecommunications under one rewards umbrella.

What the Partnership Offers

Here are the key features of the integration:

• Members of WestJet Rewards and TELUS Rewards can link their accounts.

• After linking:

  • You can earn WestJet points when you pay your TELUS bills.

  • You can redeem WestJet points toward TELUS services or through the TELUS Rewards catalogue.

  • You can convert TELUS Rewards points into WestJet points, opening access to flights, vacation packages, and more via a new WestJet Rewards eStore.

• Additional perks for linking before November 30, 2025 include: free entry into a contest for a WestJet all-inclusive vacation for two to Mexico.

• Existing areas of joint benefit: WestJet’s narrow-body aircraft fleet is being outfitted with high-speed WiFi powered by TELUS, enhancing the travel-connectivity overlap.

Why This Partnership Matters

This integration is impressive for several reasons:

1. Cross-sector loyalty blending: Travel loyalty meets telecommunications loyalty. By combining these two seemingly different industries, both companies are giving members more flexibility and value.

2. Increased value proposition: For members, the ability to earn points for flight travel via their telecom bill, or to use points for connectivity services, adds real practical utility.

3. Competitive advantage in Canadian market: For WestJet, aligning with a major national telecom like TELUS helps deepen customer ties. For TELUS, the travel perk adds a compelling differentiator for its rewards programme.

4. Customer retention and engagement: By linking services, both companies are likely hoping to reduce churn—members who invest in one programme become more embedded via the other.

5. Signals larger loyalty strategy shift: As loyalty programmes evolve, we’re seeing more focus not just on earning points but on building ecosystems—this move is a strong example of that.

What It Means for Customers

If you’re a member of either programme (or both), here’s how you can make the most of this:

• Link your accounts: You’ll need to link WestJet Rewards with TELUS Rewards via the designated site.

• Earn more broadly: If you’re a TELUS customer, paying your bill could now earn points that convert into travel opportunities. Conversely, if you fly WestJet often, you have another axis of value (connectivity & TELUS services).

• Redeem flexibly: You’re not limited to “flight only” or “telecom only” redemption—your points become more fungible across services.

• Watch for promotions: The contest for linking before November 30 is an example—these introductions often come with launch-offer incentives.

• Check tiers and status benefits: TELUS’ Rewards programme launched a tier-based model in May 2025, which sets up further perks as you engage more services.

• Travel + connectivity synergy: If you travel (especially on WestJet’s narrow-body aircraft) the fact that TELUS provides onboard WiFi is a notable benefit.

Challenges & Considerations

No partnership is without caveats. Here are a few things to keep in mind:

• Complexity of integration: Linking programmes often involves ensuring points conversion rates are fair, transparent, and well communicated.

• User awareness: For many customers, loyalty programmes sit in the background—maximising value requires awareness of how to leverage the new flexibility.

• Redemption valuation: Is one type of reward (travel flight vs telecom service) better value than the other? Members will need to assess which redemption route gives strongest value.

• Expiry / rules differences: Each programme may have its own expiry, blackout periods, or restrictions—linking doesn’t always mean full parity.

• Brand fit and long-term commitment: Will this be a long-term partnership or a limited-time offering? The depth of integration (system-to-system, full tech mediation) matters for durability.

The Bigger Picture: Loyalty in Canada

This move fits into broader patterns:

• Loyalty programmes are increasingly ecosystem-driven, not confined to one industry.

• Canadian companies are recognising that collaboration can enhance value rather than purely compete.

• As consumers expect more seamless, flexible rewards, companies that deliver multi-domain benefits (travel + telecom) stand out.

• For the industry, the next frontier may be more cross-brand and cross-industry alliances (e.g., hospitality + retail + travel + connectivity).

Outlook & What to Watch

In the coming months, it’ll be interesting to monitor:

• Adoption rate of linked accounts: How many members of each programme enrol in the linked scheme?

• Usage patterns: Are members converting TELUS points into flights? Or using flight-earned points for telecom services?

• Member satisfaction: Do customers feel they’re getting more value? Are redemption options clear and accessible?

• Program expansion: Will WestJet and TELUS invite further partners, or expand perks beyond the initial offerings (e.g., more travel destinations, enhanced connectivity services)?

• Competitive response: Will other Canadian companies launch similar cross-industry loyalty partnerships?

GLO Take:

The linking of WestJet Rewards and TELUS Rewards represents a forward-looking loyalty strategy for both companies: one that emphasises flexibility, membership value, and ecosystem thinking. For Canadian consumers, it offers a more seamless way to convert everyday spending (such as telecom bills) into travel experiences, and vice versa.

As loyalty programmes evolve, this kind of partnership might become a template for others: travel meets telecom, connectivity meets consumption, and rewards cross boundaries. Time will tell how deeply members engage with the new combined offering—and whether this leads the way for broader loyalty innovation in Canada.

About WestJet: WestJet took to the skies in 1996 with just over 200 employees and three aircraft operating service to five destinations. Since then, WestJet has pioneered low-cost travel in Canada, cutting airfares in half, and increasing the flying population in Canada by more than 50 per cent. Following integration with Sunwing in 2025, more than 14,000 WestJetters support nearly 200 aircraft and connect guests to more than 100 destinations across North America, Central America, the Caribbean, Europe and Asia.  As a major Canadian employer that includes WestJet Airlines, Sunwing Vacations Group and WestJet Cargo, the WestJet Group is Canada’s leading low-cost airline and largest vacation provider, with a united purpose of providing affordable and accessible air and vacation travel to Canadians.  Learn more about WestJet at westjet.com/en-ca/who-we-are (also available in French)