How WestJet baggage generally works
The rules in plain language. Your fare, route and status set the real allowance, so we will confirm yours on the call.
On UltraBasic fares your ticket includes a personal item only, with no carry-on, except on flights to and from Europe and Asia, or if you buy Extended Comfort. If you reach the gate with a carry-on that meets no exception, WestJet requires you to check it and charges a checked-bag fee plus a service fee. The traveler who assumed a carry-on is the one who pays twice, so know this before you pick UltraBasic.
From Econo up you get a personal item plus a standard carry-on. The carry-on must fit 56 x 23 x 36 cm. WestJet publishes no weight limit on it, but the test is practical: you must be able to lift it into the overhead bin without assistance, so a bag you cannot hoist yourself is a problem even if it fits the sizer.
The personal item must fit 41 x 14 x 33 cm. WestJet lists 14 cm as the height on its baggage index and 15 cm on its carry-on page, a small discrepancy in its own pages, so pack to the stricter 14 cm to be safe. This is the only thing you are guaranteed to bring aboard on UltraBasic, so it is worth measuring.
A checked bag can be up to 23 kg (50 lb) and up to 157 cm (62 in) in total, adding length, width and height. You can check up to 4 bags, though WestJet Encore turboprop aircraft take up to 3, and flights to Kingston, Jamaica are capped at 2. That is the same weight ceiling most airlines use, so a bag that flew fine elsewhere fits here too.
The first checked bag is free on EconoFlex, Premium and Business fares, for Silver, Gold and Platinum members, and for a WestJet RBC World Elite Mastercard cardholder plus up to eight guests on the reservation. On UltraBasic and Econo it is paid. That is why the bag decision and the fare decision are really one decision, and we will run both for you.
An oversize bag runs 158 to 203 cm. An overweight bag over 23 kg is accepted up to 45 kg (100 lb), except to and from Europe where the cap is 32 kg (70 lb). Overweight and oversize fees apply. Bag fees also change with when you pay, at booking, in Manage Trips, or at check-in, and are higher at the airport, so adding bags ahead of time is cheaper.
What your ticket includes depends on your fare, route and status, and UltraBasic is the one that surprises people. We never publish bag amounts because yours depends on your exact ticket, an agent quotes the figure, and our service fee, before anything is charged. You can always add bags yourself at westjet.com at no markup.
WestJet bag allowance at a glance
The size and weight limits are fine to plan around; the free-bag count changes with your fare and status.
The UltraBasic fare is the one that catches people. On most routes an UltraBasic ticket is a personal item only, no carry-on, and a bag you bring to the gate is checked for a bag fee plus a service fee. If you are travelling with a carry-on, add the cheap fare plus those two charges before you celebrate the low price, because an Econo or EconoFlex fare that includes the carry-on is often the better deal. Call us and we will do that math with you.
Frequently asked
Does the WestJet UltraBasic fare include a carry-on?+
How big and heavy can my checked bag be?+
Is there a weight limit on the carry-on bag?+
How many free checked bags do I get?+
Do you charge to add a bag for me?+
Contact options
Reach WestJet directly, or let us handle it.
Contact WestJet directly
The airline's own official channels, free.