Delta SkyMiles Sweet Spot: Fly WestJet to Canada for as Few as 6,000 Miles

WestJet is one of Delta’s underrated SkyMiles partners. This partnership can offer surprisingly strong value for your Delta SkyMiles. SkyMiles redemptions on WestJet began March 28, 2017, opening the door to an often-overlooked sweet spot in Delta’s partner network — which has yet to be devalued.

In case you aren't familiar, WestJet is self-proclaimed as Canada's low-cost carrier, but it's known for great service and an extensive network of North American routes.

While Delta’s own award pricing is notoriously unpredictable, redemptions on WestJet can often be booked for way fewer points, especially for flights between the United States and Canada. If you are looking to make the most of your SkyMiles without draining your balance, WestJet is a partner worth paying attention to. Booking is simple, the taxes are reasonable, and in many cases, the value can far exceed what you would get on a comparable Delta-operated route.

Here's what you need to know about using your Delta SkyMiles to book WestJet flights.

Where Does WestJet Fly?

WestJet flies to 41 destinations across Canada, making it easy to explore everything from coastal cities like Vancouver to cultural hubs like Montreal. But its reach goes far beyond the Canadian border. The airline also serves 79 international destinations across 29 countries, including popular spots in Europe, the Caribbean, and Latin America.

Credit: WestJet

Several U.S. cities serve as major gateways for WestJet flights, offering convenient access to Canada and onward international connections. Key airports include:

• Los Angeles (LAX)
• Las Vegas (LAS)
• Phoenix (PHX)
• Denver (DEN)
• New York (JFK and LGA)
• Boston (BOS)
• Orlando (MCO)
• Fort Lauderdale (FLL)
• Chicago (ORD)
• Seattle (SEA)
• Houston (IAH)
• Miami (MIA)
• Nashville (BNA)

These gateways make it easy to tap into WestJet’s network, whether you're heading north or connecting through Canada to destinations across the globe.

Booking WestJet with Delta SkyMiles

Many Delta partner awards are priced dynamically — in the same way that Delta prices awards on its own flights. However, Delta's award prices for WestJet seem to follow a more predictable award chart with plenty of value-priced award fares between U.S. and Canadian cities or within Canada.

Most nonstop routes can be booked for 12,500 miles each way, but select routes are even lower. For instance, you can fly from Nashville (BNA) to Toronto (YYZ) for as low as 6,000 SkyMiles, or from Los Angeles to Vancouver for only 9,500.

Looking for a Banff ski getaway? We were able to find flights from Houston (IAH) to Calgary (YYC) for the standard 12,500 miles:

Credit: Delta

Some other nonstop routes to consider include:

• Las Vegas (LAS) to Edmonton (YEG)
• San Francisco (SFO) to Calgary (YYC)
• Phoenix (PHX) to Calgary (YYC)
• Miami (MIA) to Montreal (YUL)
• Orlando (MCO) to Winnipeg (WYG)

With taxes and fees totaling just $5.60 on routes from the U.S. to Canada, the value is hard to ignore. For example, the example award below from Orlando to Winnipeg costs $383 in cash or just 12,500 SkyMiles, resulting in a redemption value of over 3 cents per point. That’s well above the 1.34¢ average most AwardWallet users get from their Delta SkyMiles.

Credit: Delta

The best redemption we've seen an AwardWallet member score on WestJet was from Los Angeles (LAX) to Edmonton (YEG) for 12,500 SkyMiles plus $5.60 in taxes and fees. Since it was just four days before departure, the cash cost was a whopping $1,101.95! That nets an incredible 8.77 cents per Delta SkyMiles redemption rate.

Medallion Member Perks on WestJet

Travelers with Delta Medallion status can enjoy a few added benefits when flying WestJet. These include priority check-in, an extra baggage allowance, and, for Gold, Platinum, and Diamond members, access to preferred seating at no additional charge. If you already have elite status with Delta, these perks can make your WestJet redemption even more worthwhile.

Justin Hu/Unsplash

How to Earn Delta SkyMiles

If you're looking to boost your SkyMiles balance, there are several ways to do it. You can, of course, earn miles by flying with Delta or its SkyTeam partners or by using any of the Delta co-branded American Express cards.

Delta SkyMiles^® Gold American Express Card

Welcome Offer Earn 50,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $2,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.

Apply Now

Annual Fee$0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150Rates & Fees
(Terms apply)

Credit ScoreExcellent, Good

• 2X miles per dollar spent on purchases made directly with Delta
• 2X miles per dollar spent at U.S. supermarkets
• 2X miles per dollar at restaurants worldwide, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S.
• 1X miles on all other eligible purchases

Delta SkyMiles^® Platinum American Express Card

Welcome Offer Earn 60,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.

Apply Now

Annual Fee$350Rates & Fees
(Terms apply)

Credit ScoreExcellent, Good

• 3X miles per dollar spent on purchases made directly with Delta
• 3X miles per dollar at hotels
• 2X miles per dollar at U.S. supermarkets
• 2X Miles per dollar at restaurants worldwide, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S.
• 1 mile on every eligible dollar spent on purchases.

Delta SkyMiles^® Reserve American Express Card

Welcome Offer Earn 70,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $5,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.

Apply Now

Annual Fee$650Rates & Fees
(Terms apply)

Credit ScoreExcellent, Good

• 3X miles per dollar spent on purchases made directly with Delta
• 1X miles on every eligible dollar spent on purchases.

You can also transfer American Express Membership Rewards to Delta at a 1:1 ratio or Marriott Bonvoy points at a 3:1 ratio. While this isn't necessarily the best way to use transferable points, in the case of a high-value redemption like the ones listed here, it's a great option if you're short on SkyMiles.

Final Thoughts

If you're sitting on a stash of SkyMiles (or Amex or Marriott points), it’s worth taking a closer look at WestJet. With lower award pricing, minimal taxes and fees, and a solid route network across North America and beyond, this is one of those rare sweet spots that still offers outsized value.

For rates and fees of the cards mentioned in this post, please visit the following links: Delta SkyMiles^® Gold American Express Card (Rates & Fees), Delta SkyMiles^® Platinum American Express Card (Rates & Fees), and Delta SkyMiles^® Reserve American Express Card (Rates & Fees)

AwardWallet Tip of The Day

Did you know that AwardWallet may not be able to update some accounts automatically? You can update those accounts by selecting accounts using an account filter (e.g. 'Updated more than 7 days ago') and clicking the update button.
Show me how

Hide image