How WestJet check-in and documents work
Online check-in, the documents you need, and how your fare shapes the day, in plain language.
Check in on westjet.com or the WestJet app to get your boarding pass and confirm your seat, which is the easiest way in and saves time at the airport. Check-in windows can vary, so confirm the opening time for your specific flight rather than assuming it. If you are checking a bag, get to the airport with time to spare.
WestJet does not publish its own passport and visa tables. It points you to your destination's entry requirements, to Travel.gc.ca, and to a documents tool for what your trip needs. Passport validity and any visa are enforced by a border officer, not the check-in desk, so confirm them well before you fly rather than at the counter.
US Visa Waiver travellers need an ESTA approved before flying to the United States, and other destinations have their own entry rules. Sort any travel authorization days ahead, not at the airport, because a missing one is a reason to be turned away at the gate even with a valid ticket.
WestJet notes that a child who appears to be under 12 may be denied boarding if they cannot present proof of age. If you are travelling with a young child, especially one who looks older or younger than their age, carry a document that shows their date of birth, so a gate agent's judgment call does not become a problem.
If a child is flying on WestJet's unaccompanied-minor service, the guardian must arrive at the airport at least 90 minutes before departure to complete the hand-off paperwork. That is more time than a normal check-in, so build it into your morning. Our minors guide covers the full process.
What you can bring and when you board tracks your fare. UltraBasic is a personal item only on many routes and boards last, while higher fares include a carry-on and, further up, checked bags. If you want a smoother check-in with less to sort at the gate, that is a fare conversation we can have before you buy.
Check-in itself is free and easy at westjet.com, and you never need us for it. Where we help is before that, making sure your fare, seats, bags and documents line up so nothing surprises you at the airport. Call us anytime, 24/7, and we will read your exact itinerary with you.
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- Check in online at westjet.com or in the WestJet app to get your boarding pass
- Confirm your passport is valid far enough beyond your return date
- Sort an ESTA days ahead if you are a US Visa Waiver traveller
- Carry proof of age for a child who might look under 12
- For an unaccompanied minor, the guardian arrives at least 90 minutes early
- Know your fare's boarding and bag allowance so nothing surprises you
The proof-of-age rule is the one families forget. WestJet can deny boarding to a child who appears under 12 without proof of age, so a birth certificate or passport in your bag removes a gate agent's doubt in seconds. Pair that with an ESTA sorted days ahead for any US trip, and the two most common document surprises are handled before you leave home. Call us if you are unsure what your route needs.
Frequently asked
How do I check in for a WestJet flight?+
What documents do I need for a WestJet flight abroad?+
My child looks young, do I need to prove their age?+
Does WestJet have US preclearance?+
Does my fare change how check-in and boarding go?+
Contact options
Reach WestJet directly, or let us handle it.
Contact WestJet directly
The airline's own official channels, free.