WestJet Bag Fees 2026: New Checked Bag Prices, Air Canada Comparison and How to Pay Less

WestJet bag fees went up again in 2026. For bookings made on or after 23 April 2026, WestJet raised the fee for the first and second checked bag by $5 if you pay in advance and by $10 if you pay at the airport, and excess, overweight and oversized bag fees rose by $50. It was the airline’s second increase in less than a year.

Air Canada raised its bag fees ten days earlier, so travellers in Canada are paying more for a checked bag whichever airline they choose. This guide sets out the new WestJet baggage fees and each WestJet checked bag fee by route, how they compare with Air Canada baggage fees, and the best ways to pay less. Facts are checked against the sources listed at the end.

WestJet Bag Fees at a Glance

Detail	What you need to know
Effective date	Bookings made on or after 23 April 2026
Prepaid first and second bag	$5 more than before
First and second bag paid at the airport	$10 more than before
Excess, overweight and oversized bags	$50 more than before
Previous increase	September 2025, for the first bag on UltraBasic and Econo fares
Reason given	Industry revenue trends and global conditions, including high jet fuel prices
Free bags	EconoFlex includes one; Premium and Business include two

What Changed on 23 April 2026

WestJet’s increase applies to new bookings, not to trips you had already booked before 23 April 2026. The changes were:

• Pay in advance: the first and second checked bag each cost $5 more.
• Pay at the airport: the first and second checked bag each cost $10 more, widening the gap between prepaying and paying on the day.
• Excess, overweight and oversized bags: fees rose by $50.

WestJet said the change reflected industry revenue trends and global conditions. Jet fuel prices rose sharply in 2026, and fuel became the airline’s largest operating cost. WestJet also trimmed capacity by about 1% in April, 3% in May and nearly 6% in June, and added a temporary $60 fuel surcharge to companion voucher bookings.

WestJet Checked Bag Fees by Fare and Route

Fees depend on your fare, your route and whether you pay in advance or at the airport. As reported by Daily Hive, the 2026 ranges for a WestJet checked bag look like this:

Fare and route	First bag	Second bag
UltraBasic, Canada and US	$60–93	$75–111
Econo, Canada, US, Caribbean and Mexico	$50–81	$65–99
UltraBasic, Europe and Asia	$85–123	$115–158
Econo, Europe	$50–81	$115–158
Econo, Asia	Free	$115–158

The lower figure in each range applies when you pay ahead, and the higher one when you pay at the airport. Exact amounts also depend on taxes and the specific route, so always check the price shown in your booking.

Fares That Include Free Bags

• EconoFlex: includes one free checked bag.
• Premium: includes two free checked bags.
• Business: includes two free checked bags.

Air Canada Baggage Fees Went Up Too

Air Canada raised its bag fees for Economy Basic and Standard fares bought on or after 13 April 2026, on domestic and transborder flights:

Air Canada bag	Before	From 13 April 2026
First checked bag	$35	$45
Second checked bag	$50	$60
Long-haul international, first bag	$75	Unchanged
Long-haul international, second bag	$100	Unchanged

Flexible Economy on Air Canada still includes one checked bag, and higher fares such as Comfort, Latitude, Premium Economy and Business include two. Because both of Canada’s largest airlines raised fees within ten days, switching airlines will not always avoid higher bag costs.

How the Two Airlines Compare

Feature	WestJet	Air Canada
Latest increase	23 April 2026	13 April 2026
First checked bag (domestic, basic fares)	About $50–81 on Econo	$45
Lowest fare with a free bag	EconoFlex	Flexible Economy
Credit card with free first bag	WestJet RBC World Elite Mastercard	Aeroplan co-branded cards

On many routes, the cheapest option depends on how many bags you need and whether you have a co-branded card or elite status. Compare the total price for your trip, including bags, on both airlines and on Porter Airlines where it flies.

Worked Example: What Bag Fees Cost a Family

To see how much bag fees add up, imagine a family of four flying a return trip within Canada on Econo fares, each checking one bag. Using the Econo range reported for 2026:

How they pay	Bags	Approximate cost
Prepaid online at about $50 per bag	8 (4 each way)	About $400
Paid at the airport at about $81 per bag	8 (4 each way)	About $648
WestJet RBC World Elite Mastercard holder on the booking	8 (4 each way)	$0 in bag fees, plus the $139 annual card fee

Prepaying saves the family around $250 compared with paying at the airport, and the co-branded card saves even more if they fly more than once a year. These are estimates, because exact WestJet baggage fees vary by route and taxes, but they show why planning ahead matters.

Credit Cards That Waive Bag Fees

A co-branded credit card can quickly pay for itself if you check bags often:

Card	Bag benefit	Annual fee
WestJet RBC World Elite Mastercard	First checked bag free for the cardholder and up to 8 others on the same booking	$139
TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite	First checked bag free on Air Canada for the cardholder and up to 8 others	$139 (first year waived at the time of reporting)
BMO VIPorter World Elite Mastercard	One free checked bag and one free carry-on on Porter flights for the cardholder and up to 8 guests	$199 (first year waived at the time of reporting)

For WestJet, the free bag only applies when your WestJet Rewards ID is linked to the booking. A family of four checking one bag each on a return trip could save several hundred dollars a year, which is far more than the annual fee.

Elite Status and Bag Fees

Frequent flyers with elite status also get free checked bags. On Air Canada, Aeroplan 25K and 35K members get two free bags, and higher tiers get more. WestJet Rewards tiers also include baggage benefits, so check your tier’s allowance before you pay for a bag.

Bag Fees on Other Canadian Airlines

WestJet and Air Canada were not the only airlines under pressure in 2026. At the time of reporting, Porter Airlines had not announced an increase in bag fees, while Air Transat said it would cut capacity by about 6% from May to October, with fewer flights to Europe and the Caribbean, without announcing new bag fees.

Ultra low-cost airlines usually charge for both carry-on and checked bags, so their headline fares can look cheaper than they really are. Always add the cost of the bags you need before comparing airlines, and check whether a carry-on bag is included in your fare.

Bag Fees on Connecting and Partner Flights

If your trip includes more than one airline, the bag rules can be confusing. On a single ticket, one airline’s baggage rules usually apply to the whole journey, but which airline that is depends on the route and the ticket. When you book separate tickets, you will normally pay each airline’s bag fees separately and may need to collect and recheck your bag between flights.

• Check your itinerary: the baggage allowance shown in your booking is the one that applies.
• Watch separate tickets: two tickets can mean paying bag fees twice.
• Ask before you fly: if anything is unclear, contact the airline that sold you the ticket.

Sports Equipment and Special Items

Golf clubs, skis, snowboards, bikes and other sports equipment usually count towards your checked bag allowance, and some items may be charged as oversized. Because oversized and overweight fees rose by $50 in April 2026, it is worth checking the rules for your item before you fly. Air Canada, for example, carries skis and snowboards free on some routes to Europe, the Middle East and Africa on fares other than Basic Economy, and counts a golf bag under 23 kg as a standard bag.

Travelling Light: Is Carry-On Only Worth It?

The simplest way to avoid bag fees is not to check a bag at all. For short trips, a carry-on and a personal item are often enough. Check the size and weight limits for your fare before you go, because a cabin bag that is too big may have to be checked at the gate, which can cost more than paying in advance.

For longer holidays, ski trips or family travel, checking a bag is often unavoidable. In that case, prepaying, sharing bags and using a card or fare that includes bags are the best ways to keep the cost down.

How to Prepay Your Bags

Prepaying is the easiest saving, and it only takes a few minutes:

1. Add your bags when you book, if you already know how many you need.
2. If you decide later, open your booking in the airline’s website or app and choose the option to add baggage.
3. Add the bags before you check in, as the price usually goes up once you reach the airport.
4. Save the receipt and check that the bags appear on your booking.
5. At the airport, go to the bag drop with your boarding pass and ID.

Your Rights If a Bag Is Delayed, Lost or Damaged

Paying for a checked bag also gives you some protection. Under Canada’s Air Passenger Protection Regulations, airlines must compensate passengers for lost or damaged baggage on flights to, from and within Canada, within the limits set by international rules, and refund any fee you paid for that bag.

• Report it straight away: file a report at the airport before you leave the baggage hall.
• Keep receipts: save receipts for essential items you buy while your bag is delayed.
• Claim in writing: send your claim to the airline within the time limits shown on its website.
• Escalate if needed: if the airline does not resolve your claim, you can complain to the Canadian Transportation Agency.

Why Bag Fees Keep Rising

Bag fees are an important source of income for airlines, and they are one of the easiest charges to raise when costs go up. In 2026, the main driver was fuel. Jet fuel prices surged because of global supply problems, and airlines around the world added surcharges, cut capacity and increased fees to cover the cost.

Separating bags from the base fare also lets airlines advertise lower headline prices. For travellers, that means the cheapest fare is not always the cheapest trip, especially if you need to check a bag.

Canada is not alone. In the United States, most large airlines also charge for a checked bag on their cheapest fares, and several, including Delta, announced higher baggage charges in 2026 as fuel costs climbed. Paying for bags has become a normal part of flying on economy fares across North America, so the best defence is to plan ahead: decide how many bags you really need, choose the fare that suits your trip and pay for bags before you get to the airport.

7 Best Ways to Pay Less for Checked Bags

1. Prepay online: paying in advance is cheaper than paying at the airport, and the gap grew in April 2026.
2. Compare fare types: EconoFlex with a free bag can cost less overall than Econo plus a paid bag.
3. Use a co-branded card: the WestJet RBC World Elite Mastercard waives the first bag for you and up to 8 others on the same booking.
4. Weigh your bag at home: overweight fees rose by $50, so a cheap luggage scale can save money.
5. Travel carry-on only: if your fare includes a cabin bag, packing light avoids checked bag fees completely.
6. Share a bag: couples and families can often fit into one checked bag instead of two.
7. Compare airlines: check the total price with bags on WestJet, Air Canada and Porter before you book.

Packing Tips to Avoid Extra Charges

• Know the limits: check the weight and size limits for checked bags on your fare before you pack.
• Wear your heaviest items: boots and jackets add a lot of weight to a suitcase.
• Pack smart: rolling clothes and using packing cubes can help everything fit into one bag.
• Keep essentials with you: medicines, valuables and electronics should travel in your cabin bag.
• Power banks go in the cabin: never pack them in checked bags. See our power bank rules guide.

What This Means for Your Next Trip

For most travellers, the increase adds $5 to $10 per bag each way, or more if your bag is overweight or oversized. On a return trip with two checked bags paid at the airport, that can add $40 or more compared with before. Prepaying and choosing the right fare can recover much of that cost.

If you fly WestJet regularly and check bags, the co-branded card or a fare with bags included is likely to be the best value. If you only fly occasionally, prepaying online and packing carefully are the simplest ways to keep costs down.

It is also worth checking your booking again a few days before you fly. Airlines sometimes change schedules, aircraft or fare rules, and travellers with connections, sports equipment or extra luggage are most likely to be affected. Confirm how many bags your fare includes, whether you have already paid for any extra bags, and the weight limit for each one. Doing this at home, rather than at the check-in desk, gives you time to add bags at the lower online price, repack an overweight suitcase or decide to travel lighter. A few minutes of planning before you leave can easily save more than the cost of the increase itself, especially on a family trip or a long holiday with several bags.

See our WestJet guide for fares, carry-on rules and WestJet Rewards, and compare fares on the FlightSelects flight search.

WestJet Bag Fees FAQs

Facts checked in October 2026 against Daily Hive on WestJet’s April 2026 fee increase, creditcardGenius on the increase and card benefits and Milesopedia on Air Canada baggage fees. Fees vary by route, taxes and when you pay, so check the airline’s baggage page for your exact fee.