The Informed Traveler
The Informed Traveler
Disaster Travel, Revelstoke Mountain Resort & Rewards Canada
In the wake of the devasting hurricane in Jamaica and other parts of the Caribbean, when is it ok to head to those places who rely so much on tourism. In other words, how soon is too soon to visit after a disaster? Travel Expert Onanta Forbes will join me on this week's show to tackle that question. Then we'll chat with the folks from the Revelstoke Mountain Resort as they gear up for the coming ski season. And we've got a bonus segment for you this week as we begin a new monthly feature with Rewards Canada founder Patrick Sojka. Once a month he'll stop by to give us the latest news and advice on what's going on in the world of travel rewards.
Well, hello and welcome to the Informed Traveler Podcast, a weekly travel podcast where our goal is to help you become a more informed traveler. I'm your host, Randy Charman. In the wake of the devastating hurricane in Jamaica and other parts of the Caribbean, the question comes up is when is it okay to head back to those places who rely so much on tourism? In other words, how soon is too soon to visit after a disaster? Well, travel expert Onanta Forbes will join me in a few seconds to tackle that question. Then we'll chat with the folks from Revelstoke Mountain Resort as they gear up for the coming ski season. And we've got a bonus segment for you this week as we begin a new monthly feature with Rewards Canada founder Patrick Soika. Once a month, he'll stop by to give us the latest news and advice on what's going on in the world of travel rewards. But first, let's kick things off chatting with travel expert Onanta Forbes, who joins us each week to discuss some of the travel news and travel trends. You can follow her adventures on Instagram, Facebook, and ex at Onanta Forbes. OnantaForbes.com is her website. Hello, Onanta.
SPEAKER_00:Hi, Randy. How are you?
SPEAKER_02:I'm well, thank you. If uh I'm looking at the calendar correctly, uh you're supposed to be somewhere in Jamaica today, but that's not happening. So this all ties into our topic today. Uh how soon is too soon to go to these places that have just experienced a natural disaster, and this uh hits close to home for you. So explain all the details for us.
SPEAKER_00:Right. So I was booked to go to Jamaica, um leaving on November 4th for a week. But uh Hurricane Melissa had other plans. Um, a category five hurricane that hit the island, um, the biggest ever, hardest hit by Jamaica. So um definitely had to look at what to do uh if I should go, where basically at the end of the day, um I couldn't go because the flights were canceled and the airports were closed as well as it just wasn't the right time to go because it's it's just it wasn't like you have to think about the residents who are there, number one, because they need to um, I guess, you know, adjust and have to react to what's going on in their world. So it's it sometimes can be a tough call. There's no one size answer, there's lots of solid guidelines that you can follow to assess the risk and make a smart decision. And so the first thing I did, you know, um, was to check the government of Canada's travel advisory, and it says do not travel to Jamaica. So that's that's huge. And then if it's and if it does say avoid non-essential travel, that's a strong single, but it said do not go. So it wasn't even non-essential, it was just don't go. And um the hurricane, when it hit, um it was a very slow-moving hurricane because it it took its time to get there, and we didn't really know where where it was going to hit. But Jamaica really is a small island at the end of the day. And then you have to consider the after effects of infrastructure damage, power outage, and transport disruptions. And that um is huge because right now a lot of people in Jamaica don't have power, and this is like almost a week later. So you have to consider if you're there, um, you know, what would be an evacuation route, emergency shelters, hospital power, backups. So um it's uh and if what happens if like the roads are affected, which they were, as well as um the airports that was affected. And then when the airports did open, it was to get people out of the country and then to get supplies in. So it was it was pretty huge with that. And then you have to also consider um, you know, did you have insurance? Will the insurance cover? Like if you cancel, can you get refunds, cut your short your your trip short? And then how flexible are the flights? So West Jetnair Canada um did have flexible booking policies. Uh but the interesting thing was you had like we we weren't going to a certain date, so we almost had to wait to see our date come up before we saw what our options were, whether to cancel, rebook to a different destination, or um reschedule for later. So it's it there's a lot of moving parts. And um being a travel agent, I was I have the resources and the tools, and I guess the scope of past scenarios to know what to do. But if you book, if you are on your own and you haven't booked with somebody that could be your advocate, that's a bit tricky, especially if you're at destination and there's no power. Like, how are you gonna get Wi-Fi or how are you gonna get your phone working or get a hold of somebody to help you, right? Or get a hold of the airline. And this is what um I want to share with you. Even though I'm a travel agent and I have a different line than a normal consumer to get through to the airline, the weights were huge. And they were you do have self um booking tools online, but sometimes you need to talk to somebody about options. And that's where your travel agent can come in and help you, and you don't have to go through that that stress of waiting online, or very popular at times. I don't know if you've ever encountered it, you wait online to different suppliers or companies and then they disconnect you, which is really not not the thing to do, right?
SPEAKER_02:No, exactly. You can start all over again. Uh yeah. So yeah, so the with the question of how soon is too soon, it was pretty easy for you to answer that one. It was too soon because it was so close to after the the uh hurricane hit. Uh it's it's this ethical dilemma though, that eventually uh do you want to be the first person to go back to uh Jamaica, for example, uh when they give the all-clear signal. And yeah, the the government of Jamaica may say, yeah, we're we want you to come back, but there's still people uh uh still struggling with that uh uh disaster, right?
SPEAKER_00:Absolutely. Um and and you have to recognize too, how soon is too soon is um when can they accommodate you? Because right now a lot of hotels aren't able to accommodate you at the destination because they need to clean up, they need to do some um work on their properties to be able to manage new tourism. So again, you'd have to check with the resort that you're going to, or if you're thinking of another resort, when they're available to be open for you, because like a lot of hotels aren't open, they're trying to get ready for Christmas, which is their high season, right? Because at the end of the day, um finances also take effect because they want to get ready so that they can mitigate some of the financial loss that they've had and to be back in, you know, to be a destination of choice for clients. Um, so you have to um some resorts may be functioning well, but others may be isolated and isolated from the worst damage. But others, other local communities, especially rural, may still be in a recovery mode. And so you have to consider um, I guess, like you say, ethical timing is like uh if you can, if if they can manage it. Um, and the tourism industry is a vital lifeline for a lot of Jamaican residents. So in principle, visiting a well-prepared resort or tourism business could provide meaningful support, but that depends heavily on where you go, how you stay, and what your interaction is with the local community and economy. So if you um it it just depends. Like if you stay in some place that's luxury, that it has minimal connection um uh to to the local workers or services, like your benefit to a wider community might be limited. And then you have to think of the risk of negative optics or unintended harm if tourism resumes too quickly in an area still in substantial like distress. Um residents may need primary recovery and basic services rather than visitor services ramping back up. So you I I would suggest that you consider how the best way is to support that community. There's lots of ways you can donate to the countries affected and not just Jamaica, too, because there's other islands that were affected by the hurricanes.
SPEAKER_04:Exactly, yes.
SPEAKER_00:So we have to recognize um it's a it's a broad Caribbean uh situation. And so, you know, do you support them by sending products? Like I just got an email from the Sandals Foundation, and you know, they're looking for canned goods, for sanitary products, um, for um different things that are really necessary, or do you support them by giving money to different credible organizations that can that know how to use the money well in that destination? Um so there's a lot of things to consider. Um, and then um I think Jamaica will rebound because they've been hit by hurricanes before. They're in their company. My aunt's from Jamaica, and she says, and she was born and she was raised the majority of her adult life there, and they said, you know what, we grew up in this kind of scenario. So you know, they she's she's a strong Caribbean woman that will rebound.
SPEAKER_02:Mm-hmm. Absolutely. Well, it is that ethical dilemma, right? You want to help out the economy, uh, and at the same time, there are still people hurting there. So you that's a delicate balance, and it's a good suggestion. Some of those, you know, if you want to instead of, you know, uh taking a vacation there, help out by donating to some of the organizations that can help the locals and get them back on their feet. And when they are back on their feet, then you can go visit and then uh spend money locally and help them out that way.
SPEAKER_00:Yes, absolutely. Because I think at the end of the day, the most important people are the residents of Jamaica. They need to um, you know, if you're we we've seen it in different ways, like in Jasper, when the unfortunate situation of those fires, um, they need to just assess first um and get back on their feet because it it's a very traumatic experience losing your either your business or your home. Um that's your sanctuary. And if they're um your home's gone and your memories are you know impacted, you have to rebuild. Um and you you don't want to be disrespectful to the people by being a tour by being a tourist and not supporting them in a way that they need to be supported.
SPEAKER_02:Well said. Onantha Forbes is a travel expert. You can follow her on Instagram, Facebook, and ex at Onanta Forbes. OnantaForbes.com is her website. Uh always good to chat, Onanta. Thank you.
SPEAKER_00:Take care.
SPEAKER_02:Well, ski season is almost underway, and one place that is gearing up for it is the Revelstoke Mountain Resort in Revelstoke, BC. The resort was recently named the best ski resort for powder in the 2025 Snomad Ski Resort Awards. So joining us now to share what the Revelstoke Mountain Resort has to offer is Laura Meggs, PR and Communications Manager for the Revelstoke Mountain Resort. Revelstoke Mountain Resort.com is their website. Hi, Laura. How are you? I'm very well, thank you. Thank you for doing this. Um I am looking on your website, Revelstoke Mountain Resort. Big video of uh skiing and powder. So we gotta say congratulations on being named the world's best ski resort for powder for the 2025 Snomad Ski Resort Awards. I'm not into the ski world, uh, but it sounds like a big deal. Is this like the Academy Awards for uh ski resorts?
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, I mean, we're really it's it's a great award. One thing that's super unique about the Snomad Awards is that it's voted on by people who have visited the resort. So it's a true indication of where we perform well, and it's no secret that uh powder is one of our strengths throughout the winter. So it was a great honor to have uh the title handed over to us this year. Um, so yeah, you'll have to come out and check it out. I know you're not a skier, but I could change your mind.
SPEAKER_02:I used to ski. And but I'm I would and when I did ski, I was a lazy skier. I would call myself a lazy skier. So I need groomed runs. Uh powder, I would just sort of sink right in there and not move.
SPEAKER_01:Well, you know, along with powder, we do have amazing groomed runs too. I might be biased, but honestly, you would I know you would have fun. Lazy or not, we can make it work for you.
SPEAKER_02:Well, let's talk about the uh the ski season coming up. Uh I understand it it's not quite open yet. It's still quite early, but um uh what do you have planned? Is uh like if someone had been skiing there maybe uh a couple years ago or something like that, would they notice new things, added things?
SPEAKER_01:It's definitely just the arrival experience itself has changed. So absolutely, if you've been gone for a couple years, you would come into the resort and notice a lot of things happening around the base, which is really exciting. Um, on the mountain, we've really worked to develop our intermediate skiing terrain. Obviously, Revelstoke, we have a reputation for extreme um terrain that speaks to our advanced fears, but we do actually have a softer side, and we're pretty proud to see um it's turned into more than a five-year plan. But um, over the past five years and now into the sixth, we're working really hard to um create an experience from the start that you can progress through the mountain and never feel like it's too big of a mountain for you. It's too challenging. So um I think if you haven't been here in a couple of years, you would come up to the top of the gondola and recognize that there is a huge expansion in that world. So yeah.
SPEAKER_02:Nice. And while you mentioned the base, that it that really is where the action is, uh, where the uh Sutton Place Hotel is, which we'll talk about in a moment. But uh just for people who haven't been there, yeah, you take the gondola ride up to the mountain, and it really is spectacular.
SPEAKER_01:Absolutely. I think um the one thing that we're known for here is our vertical descent. Our mountain is huge. So if you arrive at the resort, the first thing you do is hop on the gondola. You'd stick two gondolas up to basically the start of our terrain. Um, and then from there, that's where that progressive terrain starts. So we have a magic carpet where people can start to learn. You head over to the stellar chair and the ripper chair, which is a lot of green, blue and green runs. Um, and then from there you progress onto the stoke side, which gives you access to um 1,713 meters of vertical. So wow, it is yes, it's a lot. Um, and on top of that, we actually have a green run off the stoke. So the stoke is known to be steeper and it gives you access to all of our bowls. But the beauty of the stoke chair is whether or not you're an advanced skier, intermediate, or beginner, we have a green run called the last spike that is 15.2 kilometers long that runs from the top of the stoke right down to the village base. So there really is a run for everybody, no matter where you end up on the resort, which is cool. Yeah.
SPEAKER_02:That's that's what you call the last run of the day, and it probably takes you half a day to do it.
SPEAKER_01:There's a couple spots along the way you can stop and uh grab a beer or a beverage and uh enjoy the ride.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, see, now you're talking. Now you're talking about skiing. That's so I would just do that one run and I'd be good.
SPEAKER_01:Honestly, right?
SPEAKER_02:That's 15 kilometers long.
SPEAKER_01:Yes. Exactly.
unknown:Yeah.
SPEAKER_02:Well, that's good. So yeah, uh, it doesn't matter what level of uh ability you are, you're gonna have fun at the Rebel Stope Mountain Resort, right?
SPEAKER_01:Absolutely. Yeah, and that's the goal. We want families to come, we want you to come with your friends who might not be as good as you and be able to provide an experience that's special for everybody that comes. So yeah, we're quite proud of that expansion.
SPEAKER_02:Uh and now you're you're located um I wouldn't say out of to the the main town area, but but um it's not as uh as what people might think. You're not right in Revelstoke, right?
SPEAKER_01:Well, yeah, you know, uh we are about a seven minute now. If there's traffic, it might be a little longer on a Powder Day, but we're it's around a seven-minute drive from the downtown core. So that's another unique feature to Revelstoke, because a lot of times when you go to go to ski towns, you're looking at um a longer commute, sometimes 30 minutes, sometimes 45. So it is really convenient that no matter where you stay in town, you are quite close to the resort. Um so that's feedback we hear all the time is people just love how accessible the resort is, whether you're doing the ski and ski out or you're opting to stay in town, um, where there's more access to retail shopping, great restaurants, and a little more um of the nightlife scene. Yeah, there's there's an option for everybody in Revy.
SPEAKER_02:So let's talk about the uh Sutton Place Hotel. I have stayed there. Again, it was in the summertime. It is absolutely gorgeous. The thing I like about it is it's all apartment style units, right?
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, yeah, that's exactly how we describe them. So it's the only true ski-in-skiote um hotel available at the resort. Um, it's all the rooms are condo style, exactly as you say. So they come equipped with a kitchen, a living room area, and um laundry included. So you can come and make that your home base and feel like you're at home. So yeah, it's a beautiful, beautiful uh hotel. And uh we are actually looking forward to adding another hotel to the base of the resort in the coming years. So um, yeah, there'll be some great options available at the resort for ski and ski out.
SPEAKER_02:Nice. And um like I said, it it can accommodate uh larger groups, larger families. So it's it's um it's it's unique that way. And there's restaurants on site and all the other amenities that you need, right?
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, exactly. So the rooms you can start at a studio room if it's just gonna be yourself or you and a partner, and it goes all the way up to a three three-bedroom suite. So lots of opportunity to travel with friends or your full family, um, which is really nice. And then as you mentioned, the resort um pretty much has everything that you need. Um, we have a couple of restaurants at the base, we have a cafe, we have retail shops, we have rental shops, we have repair shops. So we're fully equipped. You could come and just stay at the resort and really just spend your time bouncing between skiing and enjoying the luxury of the hotel.
SPEAKER_02:So are there other activities uh offered as well? Like I'm thinking like snowshoeing and and those types of uh activities.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, and that's another unique point for Revelstoke, is um because everything's so close, we have so many extra activities that you can add on to your trip. Like you said, there's snowshoeing, there's dog sledding, there's um snowmobile tours, there's heli skiing, there's um lots of great spas in town, there's hot springs that are just outside of town. So there's a lot of ways that you can um add on to your trip to make it a full winter experience, which is is really nice.
SPEAKER_02:Um so when is the ski season starting? What what date do you have circled on the calendar?
SPEAKER_01:We are ready to go for November 29th. We've been really lucky so far. There's been a lot of snow accumulating. We had our first snowfall in town yesterday, so we're starting the hype is starting around town and we're all uh ready for November 29th. Some people will even camp out the night before to ensure they get the fruit tracks, which is really fun.
SPEAKER_02:Are you equipped for night skiing too?
SPEAKER_01:We are not. No.
unknown:No.
SPEAKER_02:I would think that though um being on a mountain at nighttime, because the you know, the the hotel is is still on the mountain, uh, it would just be spectacular in the winter. Quiet. Absolutely. Yeah, yeah. Magical, I guess, is the word.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, super peaceful. Yep, yep. When it's snowing, it is just a whole, you feel like you're in a snow globe. You feel like you're in a Hallmark movie. There has been a Hallmark movie that uh that was shot in Revelstoke. So it truly is like a really unique experience when you come to Revelstoke.
SPEAKER_02:Uh so what are the other events? I know uh in there will be the opening day and that kind of thing, but uh events around the corner, uh, obviously Christmas, New Year's, and the holidays. Uh, you must have some celebrations planned.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, we have a really great lineup of holiday events that will run throughout December. We do fireworks on New Year's Eve, which is always a hit. Um, and then from there we really run into like we have rail jams throughout the winter. We host IFSA competitions, which is pretty high-level freestyle riding. Um, we host the natural selection snowboarding event, which is the top snowboarding event in all of I think globally, actually. It's it's a pretty cool one that we're proud to partner with them on that one. We have Valentine's Day weddings, which um we offer free weddings on February 14th to couples at the top of the mountain. And there's something just so special about that. Seeing the love of the sport bring people together is just incredible. Um yeah, there's just a huge lineup of great events that you can check out on our website. So never a dull moment in Revelstoke.
SPEAKER_02:And when the snow all melts, you can still stay there and uh, you know, do the mountain coaster and and other activities as well.
SPEAKER_01:Absolutely. Yeah, so you know, it used to be that Revelstoke was a one season destination, which was great. Winter was our strong suit, but we've really worked hard to level up our, I'm not gonna call it shoulder season anymore, but our summer offering. Um, we pretty much run all year round now with a few months to to switch over. But like you said, we have the Pipe Mountain coaster, which is there's no other way to describe it. It's just a thrilling ride down the mountains. Like you go through glades, you go across ski runs, and I scream really loud when I do it. So it's quite exhilarating. Um, we have great hiking trails, we have mountain bike trails. Um and we also this year added the Revelstoke High Line, which is just I think I might be biased again, but the best views in Revelstoke. It's a suspension bridge and a cantilever viewing deck that's you have to go, you have to go in to understand yeah, the experience. It's it's pretty amazing. If you want to come out, I'll get you a ticket. It's uh so it's only open in the summer, it's not available to see in the winter, but it is a really it's just one of those things that we realize that a lot of our summer offerings are activities and for people who are adventure seekers, and that rounds out the product. So you can come up with your family, grab a burger at the top, and take a nice walk down to this high line and get the most incredible views of the Monashi Mountain Range and the Columbia River below. So it's it's really unique and and quite special.
SPEAKER_02:Mm-hmm. Well, it sounds really amazing. Uh and plus the the the town of Rivalstoke itself has uh lots to offer even like I I'm a big railway buff. They got an amazing railway museum there.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, yeah. So that's the other thing too, is this town is just steeped in history. We have the CP Rail, we have forestry, and there's so many incredible museums um to check out. Like you said, that we have the railway, we have the Revelstoke Museum, we have the dam, which really provides energy to most of Interior BC. So there's a lot of cool experiences beyond the extreme activities in Revelstoke.
SPEAKER_02:So where's the majority of your guests come from? Are they um uh people from Western Canada, the US, uh or do you get a lot of Europeans now?
SPEAKER_01:Uh you know, it's a great mix. We get obviously a lot of people that come out on weekends. We're a short drive from Calgary, Kelowna, Vernon, those areas, so super accessible to our neighbors, but we see a lot of people coming out from eastern Canada. So obviously, we have mountain and snow that they just don't get out there. We see a ton of people coming from the states, especially we're part of the Icon Pass and Mountain Collective Pass. So that gives you access to hundreds of ski resorts throughout North America and globally. So it really has made a difference on how people make their travel decisions. And then, like you said, there are tons of people that come over from Europe. So we see a lot of visitors from the UK. Um we actually see a lot of people come from Australia and New Zealand as well. So it's a good mix. It's hard to really say who brings the most, but there's always it's really interesting to sit down on a chairlift and just start to chat with your neighbor to find out where they come coming from and how they heard about Revelstoke and what they love about the resort. You know, it's it's cool. The sport definitely brings the world together, which is that's for sure.
SPEAKER_02:Is there anything you want to add that I might have uh missed?
SPEAKER_01:Well, I think there's only I mean, you need to come and try Revelstoke. Obviously, we are a mountain for all skill sets and a very special one for families. If you have plans to come out, we are running a campaign called Kids Ski Free. So from March 15th to April 12th with the purchase of an adult ticket, kids 12 and under ski free. So it's a great opportunity to come out with the family, check out the resort, and shed a bit of the cost that kids tend to bring.
SPEAKER_02:So Laura Meggs is the PR and communications manager for Revelstoke Mountain Resort. Revelstokemountainresort.com is the website. It was uh great chatting with you, uh Laura. Here's the good ski season.
SPEAKER_01:Thank you. Hopefully, we'll see you out there on the groomers.
SPEAKER_02:This is the Informed Traveler Podcast. I'm Randy Sharman. Just want to remind you of our website, theinformedraveler.org. That's where you can find our contact page if you have any questions or comments about the podcast. You can also email me too with any questions you might have. My email address is randy at the informedtraveler.org, and check out our social media pages too at facebook.com slash informed traveler, Instagram at informed traveler, or on X at Informed Traveler. That's where you'll find a number of videos and reels on our past visits throughout the year and posts from other adventures. Plus, you can now sign up for our monthly newsletter. It's released at the beginning of every month. Our November issue is now available. Just go to our website, the informtraveler.org, click on the newsletter button, and it'll take you right there. Or better yet, you can subscribe to it and have it arrive in your inbox each month. Well, we've got a bonus segment for you this week as we begin a new monthly feature with Rewards Canada. Once a month, the founder of Rewards Canada, Patrick Soika, will stop by to give us the latest news and advice on what's going on in the world of travel rewards. And this month we're going to wade into the recent and it appears a bit confusing changes with WestJet Rewards. Hi, Patrick.
SPEAKER_03:Hey Randy, thanks for having me back on your show.
SPEAKER_02:You know, I'm looking on your website at rewardscanada.ca, and there is just so much, I don't know how you keep up with plans out there. So this is why we're kind of gonna tap in with your uh expertise uh once a month and and just uh go over well the latest news of what's happening uh with uh rewards, travel rewards, and and those types of things. Um the one that stuck out for me, though, that we're gonna talk about are the uh Westjet rewards, the RBC WestJet uh rewards credit card uh changes. to that. Um it seems they did they now correct me if I'm wrong they went from a dollar to dollar uh idea to points right that's correct yes they they are now Westjet rewards points that was as of what was it April 30th yeah April 30th it changed to dollar from dollars to points that's yeah so my big question is what is it more advantageous for WestJet or RBC or whatever to have a dollar for dollar plan or a points plan in your mind?
SPEAKER_03:So points plan allows for a lot more flexibility in the program. Dollars made it tough because number one it was hard you know it's hard to earn um because they didn't run with cents so you know so things had to be rounded up or down. So there was potential that uh customers would not be earning as much as they could be with a different program or they'd be you know they'd be earning more or less depending on trying to remember I think WestJet rounded up in certain you know if you have if you're at 0.5 they round it up if it was less you they round it down. So so there's advantages and disadvantages each way. But it allows you know them to expand the program for just more partnerships. With with points based makes it a lot easier or you know they have this new partnership with TELUS where you can earn points. They were start launching one with Skip one with Canadian Tire. So it's just it it just opens the door because points are just I guess easier because you you do basically get down to that one penny level you know in terms of rewarding points whereas on the dollars level it it was it was harder for them to do that.
SPEAKER_02:Well yeah that makes sense if you wanted to get partnership it's it's easier it seems to me it's uh also easier that uh if I'm looking on the WestJet uh site to book a flight and I don't know it's five hundred dollars and I have five hundred dollars then I know I can get that flight whereas now it's like well you may not have enough points for that$500 flight right yeah yeah so I mean yeah so basically you just have to shift the shift the decimal point over by two now um because the good thing is that they they kept the value to points.
SPEAKER_03:So 100 points equals$1. They haven't really adjusted that. Now there is a slight difference when you redeem for um government taxes and fees you have to pay you you get a little bit less uh like a worse redemption rate it's anywhere from 105 to 115 points per dollar. So it's it's a little bit worse but not not not terrible. Or if you redeem for um extras like seat selection and luggage but this is after you're booking if you pick seats you know seat selection if you do your seat selection book uh and book your bags all at the same time you're booking your original flight you will get the better 100 points to$1 redemption rate for for those so it's so it's actually pretty decent. So that part has actually stayed actually I would say it's better because in the old program you could only redeem dollars for the base fare. Now you can redeem for 100% of your fare um 90% of it is covered 100 to 1 unless it's one of those or no that it is even I was going to say unless it's one of those dreaded flights to Europe but sorry the even the carrier surcharges is is at the good redemption rate. It is strictly the government fees and taxes which I mean you know on on flights actually aren't I mean I guess it depends where you're flying to they can add up to a bit more but um yeah I'd say if anything 85 to 95% of your actual entire airfare you can cover at the good 100 points to$1 redemption rate.
SPEAKER_02:Hmm excellent um obviously I don't have a WestJet rewards card because I'm asking all these questions about it. So if someone uh does have uh accumulated a um number of points and now what changes would they notice um so basically it is just it's that shift in the in in that decimal point like people some people ask me they're like you know I have 5000 points what's that worth it's like well it's$500.
SPEAKER_03:You know but they they you know maybe that hasn't been communicated that well that you know it's basically you still have the same value. You know they did change so like in the old program the minimum redemption rate was$15 West dollars but that was per direction per person and they've changed it to 2500 points as your minimum redemption. So that's actually$25 but that is across um as many people booked on your reservation it can be one way it can be round trip. So before you know if you had a round trip for um say four people you would be redeeming what would be 15 times what$460 you'd have to have$120 Wesha dollars to redeem um because it was per person per direction I believe. Whereas now it's just a flat$2,500 points. It doesn't matter how many people you're booking for so as long as you have that$2500 or$2500 points for$25 you can redeem that towards your airfares. So that's gotten a little bit better in that regard. I guess maybe for solo travel solo travelers might be a little bit worse because now you if you could redeem$15 before now you have to redeem$25. I think that's really more more of a moot point not a huge difference there. So what's the deal with companion vouchers now I am looking on your uh website uh rewardscanada.ca people can sign up for your newsletter by the way uh so it seems to be some confusion over the companion voucher uh yeah so so so right now we kind of what we just talked about was more the the general WestJet rewards program so there are changes to the WestJet RBC World Elite Mastercard and WestJet RBC Mastercard and that's kind of where that companion voucher comes in uh so these changes actually just are are gonna kick in on November 5th 2025 uh they were announced back in uh what was that in early September I don't remember now uh it's been a little while since I covered it but uh yeah so there's some good and bad changes to it and the the the changes to the companion vouchers um depending on the the individual some people are seeing it as bad changes and others are seeing it as good changes um so that so what they've done with the companion voucher up until that you know up until these uh changes kick in on November 5th you can use it for you know to redeem for a companion to fly with you and that hasn't changed that that's still there nothing has changed with that um what has changed is there was an option to convert the voucher to four lounge passes um and a lot of solo travelers would use that because they never had a need for the companion voucher because they never traveled with anybody else um so that's changing that's going to change to two lounge passes so they've lowered that um if you want to convert to lounge passes now WestJet did tell me that affects I believe less than five percent of people who um redeem for voucher yeah I have it right in front of me here less than five percent of card holders actually do that so so not a huge amount but it seems like it's a lot of rewards Canada community who are because the my the the feedback I got on my Facebook group everybody was like I I'm gonna you know go redeem right now so I get my four passes because you can redeem right up till November 4th and get four passes as of November 50th two passes. But so what they did so they had they lowered that to two but then they added a couple additional options that you can use now. So you can convert the lounge uh or sorry you can convert the companion voucher to a 30% flight discount. So this is good for solo travelers because again if you couldn't use that companion voucher now you can use it for a 30% flight discount for economy class fares only um that they don't allow for premium or business. But you know so you can get some good savings there. Or you can convert it now as well this is new a$200 West shed vacation or sun wing vacations credit. So that's kind of good for family travelers or all inclusive travelers. What I like about that one is that it gives you a solid value. You know this card costs$139 a year. That's the other one of the other changes it used to be$119 a year and then as of November 5th it bumps up to$139 uh which is competitive most most world elite or Visa infinites in the market are now$139 to$150. So they were actually on the cheaper end of things so they just kind of caught up to the to the rest of the pack there. But yeah so you know that you can get basically$200 of value from your companion voucher each and every year and you're paying basically$139 for it if you're not using your credit card for anything else. So that's actually not a bad thing. A few people I talk to say that's awesome because they do they do take Westjet vacations or sun wing vacations flights. So to get that$200 off is great. Now the other change which people are not happy about is that there's a new annual spend requirement kicking in. So what happens right now with the WestJet vouchers is you get it free every each and every year with the card.
SPEAKER_04:Okay.
SPEAKER_03:Going forward as of November 5th you'll get it free the first year you have your card but then you have to spend$5,000 on your card over the course of a year to get any future companion vouchers each and every year. You have to spend$5,000. So it's not a huge amount of spending but no it's still you know when you've been used to it for what I think they introduced companion vouchers at least 10 or 12 years ago. So even myself I've been getting a voucher every year for 10 or 12 years for doing nothing. Now you have to spend$5,000. So I think for a lot of people that's not a huge issue but it's but definitely I've heard a bit of complaints about it, you know, that people say the good thing is that really doesn't kick in for almost another year. Okay. You know like I just got my my I just actually got my email a couple days ago I said your new companion voucher is here and based on that I still I think get one more next year but then starting November of next year I believe it is but so there's a little bit of breeding space in there. But just know that going forward um just to be safe I would you know make sure you spend five thousand dollars on your card every year and you're gonna get that companion voucher.
SPEAKER_02:Is the companion voucher easy to use?
SPEAKER_03:Yes I mean it's it's it's easy to use but there's a copay right you have to pay like uh what is it one I don't know do I have the pricing in front of me I don't even have it in front of me but I think it's like$399 for international flights and$119$119 I believe for like uh Canada and US but then Hawaii Sun Den Sun Destinations place like that's$399. So it really depends on the fare you're paying for your flight whether it's if whether it works out but they'll tell you that on the WestJet on the WestJet site now when you book and you click the little box to use companion voucher it'll tell you whether it's worth it to use it or not whether you're getting value for it. The biggest complaint I've heard around it is mainly flights to Europe because the companion voucher only covers base fares. And as we know as a lot of us know flights to Europe have very low base fares like Air Trans I think charges like$2 and the rest is surcharges. You know so you know same thing kind of with with West they're not that bad but WestJet you know if it's like a$1200 flight to Europe the base fare might only be two or three hundred dollars and then the rest is surcharges. So you'd use a you'd have to pay four hundred dollars to use a voucher to save two hundred dollars so that's not worth it you know and that's a good thing I hear a lot is is that yeah that's probably another we should talk about that maybe in another podcast is just the the whole issue around flights to Europe because it's not just Westjet there's issues with air miles, avion aventure that Europe that whole low base fare is a killer for some loyalty programs.
SPEAKER_02:Hmm interesting yeah um so yeah I I guess it's it's like it's not like it's a free flight it's a voucher so you can pay yeah and it just yeah it can make it cheaper.
SPEAKER_03:I've always used them you know like we have a family of four so my wife has a West it card I have a West card so we have you know a couple vouchers to use each time so we can fly our kids for free and we've gotten huge value out of them booking last minute flights. You know where they're really expensive. It's like oh you know what let's go to Palm Springs this weekend and it's a Wednesday you know it's a Wednesday and you know and it's like$1500 round trip per person, you know,$6,000 of flights you know we've cut that down to probably like$3500 in the past you know when we wanted to do it. So that is you know they're they are really good for that kind of last minute thing or flights are expensive. You know if you want to book flights you know during spring break when when always the prices are a little higher that's where you can get some really good value from. But if you're buying the ultra basic like really cheap$50$60 varies there's no value in those vouchers at all.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah exactly now what about the first checked bag free benefit changes what's going on with that that's another one again again the Rewards Canada community was not happy about this because we know the trick with the card.
SPEAKER_03:So so basically that benefit when you've had this card um you've always gotten the first check bag free uh on West ship flights and it didn't matter which card you paid with so you can pay with an American Express card you can go pay with a TD Aeroplan card if you wanted you know for your West ship flight and you still get your first check bag free just by having the credit card associated with your account. So they're they're curbing that a little you now have to pay for your West ship flights with the West check credit card to make sure you get your first check bag free. So so some people are not happy about that. Of course most people that are not kind of um I would say points and miles um addicts like weren't even aware you gotta use the word geeks geeks geeks yeah so like I would say most people who are not points and miles geeks um didn't weren't aware that they did they didn't have to use the WestJet card. A lot of people just use their WestJet card no matter what. And I mean they they probably should have because you get more points you know you get two points per dollar for buying WestJet flights with the card so it wasn't a bad deal. But yeah so so for but some people this I guess a smaller subset of the population we knew that you didn't have to use the card so you know we'd use other cards. So so that changes and yeah so now that's as of so that's for new bookings as of November 5th. If you book any flights before November 5th um you could still use a different card. You know so not I again not a huge deal. I think again it's kind of that subset of people who who are more annoyed with this. I think a lot of people who have the card were booking flights with WestJet anyways to get their first check or with with the WestJet card to get their first check bag free. They weren't aware that you didn't have to so but again yeah there's there's a like there's a few people who were upset with that because I know um one thing I wrote about a lot is the American Express Platinum card actually gives discounts on Westjet flights when you book it through Amex travel. So you could actually save on your Westjet flights using your platinum card but now as of November 5th that savings may be eaten up because now you won't get your first check bag free.
SPEAKER_02:See I did not know that I'm one of those people that did not know that.
SPEAKER_03:And it's the same thing so if people aren't aware TD Aeroplan like when you or not even TD AeroPlan any of the aeroplan co-brand cards whether it's American TD or CIBC the ones that have the first check bag free same rule you actually don't have to pay for the flight with that card. Yeah so so they'll they'll have that little bit of advantage over WestJet but I wouldn't be surprised if um you know Air Canada follows suits the airlines love and even loyalty programs love to follow each other they play follow the leader once one person makes it definitely change yeah yeah anything uh else that people should be aware of with the changes coming to the WestJet RBC Mastercard? Yeah so I mean those were the what we basically talk about there's more the world elite mascard so the lower level Westjet RBC MasterCard um that one that one also comes with a companion voucher but that one theirs has always just been that's only for North America you can't use it on their international flights. Same thing they give a couple more conversion options now you can redeem it for like a 25% flight discount or you can convert it for 5,000 WestJet points. So 5,000 WestJet points are worth$50 and that card costs$39 a year. So right away again just kind of like that$200 sun wing credit for the other card this one gives you a little more value than what you just paid for the cards. So so pretty good there. Yeah so pros and cons. You know the card they they even added uh excel new earn rates on the card or up updated some of the earn rates so it earns uh two points like the World League card will earn two points per dollar on grocery purchases instead of one and a half earns two points per dollar on gas EV charging transit ride share and they've also thrown sunwing in to the to the West shed accelerator so two points per dollar on sunwing vacation purchases. So you have the potential to earn more on the cards and it's still a one and a half points on everything else you know um you know a key a key thing to know about those earn rates is they're unlimited. You know uh other cards like uh Porter Airlines their credit cards are capped on their accelerated earn rates even TD like the Aeroplan Visa Infinite card has an overall spending cap of$80,000 on their accelerated earn rates which I mean for most people 80,000 is not a ton but there are people out there who get these cards for their businesses and I know people who are putting they're putting five six figures on their card a month I could see where they'd want to cap that yeah yeah so the good so it's I would like to charter a check please and use my point. Yeah so what so West Jet does not cap them so that's kind of yeah so those are the kind of changes I mean it's definitely depending on who you are and your travel habits and spending habits these are good um and for others they're not so good.
SPEAKER_02:Hmm yeah I guess it all depends on your individual needs right exactly yeah well people can uh learn all about they can become a uh uh rewards card geek by going to your website rewardscanada.ca subscribe to the newsletter check out all the stuff and and uh you know learn to your heart's contents and and now I I I feel like I've missed out because I didn't have a WestJet card with the companion voucher with the companion voucher well you can still get it but just know you'll have to start spending five yeah Patrick Soika is the uh founder of Rewards Canada again the website rewardscanada.ca it's uh always great to chat with you Patrick was always great thanks again so much Randy Welcome to our show for this week if you want comments or questions we'd love to hear from you or if you have a show idea send that alarm as well for my email is Randy Feedinform Traveler dot O R G for us if you like what you heard tell our friends we informed travelers dot ORG in the meantime travel and we can inform travelers