Is WestJet Prolonged Consolation Value It?

Final 12 months, WestJet debuted Prolonged Consolation as a paid possibility for passengers within the economic system cabin to think about.

In alternate for a price, anybody who opts in may benefit from precedence boarding, a bit of additional house, a complimentary beverage, and preferential entry to overhead bin house (amongst different inclusions).

On a latest work journey from Toronto again to my residence on Vancouver Island, I made a decision to check out WestJet’s Prolonged Consolation to see what the fuss was all about.

When WestJet launched Prolonged Consolation in Spring 2024, it was largely only a fast makeover and rebranding for what it used to name Most well-liked seats.

In case you’re not acquainted, these are seats within the first couple of rows of the economic system cabin, which have a bit of additional legroom (3–6 inches, relying on the plane).

Many different airways additionally characteristic these Most well-liked seats, which anybody pays for prematurely, they usually’re additionally typically assigned to passengers with elite standing for free of charge or included with greater fares.

What’s completely different about Prolonged Consolation is that along with a barely roomier seat, passengers get the next inclusions:

• Precedence safety in some airports
• Precedence Zone 2 boarding
• Early entry to overhead bin house (by the use of Zone 2 boarding)
• A complimentary alcoholic beverage throughout inflight service (based mostly on flight period, plane kind, and vacation spot)
• Faster exit upon arrival (because you’re on the entrance of the economic system cabin)

In different phrases, apart from a seat with a bit of additional legroom (which hadn’t modified from earlier than), you’ll be within the second group to board, offering coveted entry to the overhead bin house earlier than everybody else takes it up. Plus, you’ll get a drink (typically), and also you’ll be in your manner at your vacation spot earlier than everybody else behind the bus.

The beginning price for Prolonged Consolation is listed as $30 (CAD), and varies based mostly on the fare you bought, the size of your flight, and so forth.

In my case, I booked a one-way flight from Toronto to Comox by way of Edmonton on an UltraBasic fare ($183.58 CAD, of which $95 CAD was the fare and the remainder taxes and charges). I opted for Prolonged Consolation on the primary leg of my journey from Toronto to Edmonton, which price me about $95 (CAD).

Provided that the flight from Edmonton to Comox is comparatively brief, I made a decision to not pay for Prolonged Consolation on each legs, opting as a substitute to take in the genuine UltraBasic expertise for a change.

For essentially the most half, my overwhelmingly sturdy desire is to fly with Air Canada or Porter Airways (or Pacific Coastal, for that matter); nevertheless, Porter doesn’t fly to my neck of the woods, and the one possibility for Air Canada’s connecting flight in Vancouver that day would get me residence too late (I needed to be residence within the early afternoon for an important lunch date with my spouse). 

And so, I bid my in-laws farewell in Toronto and headed to Terminal 3 for a change, curious to see if Prolonged Consolation lived as much as the hype of “enhancing my journey from begin to end” and “including further consolation and comfort,” as per WestJet’s advertising materials.

My Expertise with WestJet Prolonged Consolation

Previous to analyzing whether or not or not I feel Prolonged Consolation is price it, I ought to point out that I in all probability don’t match the avatar for somebody who could be within the product within the first place: 

• I’m not notably tall (so further legroom in economic system doesn’t transfer the needle for me)
• I checked my carry-on bag and simply took my backpack on the aircraft (I’d been gifted a bottle of Georgian wine to carry residence, and I’ve a free checked bag as a cardholder of the WestJet RBC World Elite Mastercard)
• It was a morning flight (so a free drink wasn’t crucial)
• I had a snug connection time (so being on the entrance of the economic system cabin didn’t actually matter)

After breezing via precedence safety (which I loved with my NEXUS card, and never Prolonged Consolation), I paid a short go to to the Plaza Premium Lounge (which I loved entry to with my Enterprise Platinum Card from American Categorical and never Prolonged Consolation) after which waltzed over to Gate B24 to queue up for my fancy Zone 2 precedence boarding.

After passing by the passengers within the Premium cabin, envious of their ample legroom and no center seats, I quickly discovered myself on the Prolonged Consolation seats, marked with a teal flap of material to visually distinguish themselves from the usual seats.

For comparability, right here’s what WestJet’s normal seats appear to be on the identical aircraft (Boeing 737-800).

At first, I tossed my backpack into the delightfully empty overhead bin, solely to appreciate moments later that I’d reasonably have it beneath my seat for comfort throughout the flight.

Happily, no person occupied the center seat, which meant I had ample elbow room for the flight, along with the couple further inches of legroom that I didn’t really want.

I spent the overwhelming majority of the roughly four-and-a-half-hour flight getting forward on some writing work.

When the flight attendants got here round for final name, I had a fast look via the menu and opted for a personal-sized bottle of prosecco – which was included with my Prolonged Consolation fare.

In spite of everything, the Plaza Premium Lounge in Edmonton doesn’t precisely have the most effective popularity, and I believed I’d take pleasure in some bubbles earlier than stretching my legs throughout my layover.

Once we arrived in Edmonton, I used to be amongst the primary passengers in economic system to deplane, and I headed into the terminal to move a while earlier than my connecting flight again to Comox.

For what it’s price, there was ample overhead bin house on each the Toronto–Edmonton and Edmonton–Comox legs, because the flights weren’t notably full. My flight was additionally not throughout peak journey season.

Whereas I used to be amongst the final to board my second flight with Zone 9 boarding on account of my UltraBasic fare, the expertise was in any other case vastly comparable, albeit with a bit much less legroom.

There wouldn’t have been any points discovering overhead bin house, and deplaning first didn’t actually matter to me since I needed to wait a couple of minutes to gather my bag anyway.

Once I arrived at my residence airport, my checked bag promptly arrived, and I headed off for my lunch date no worse for put on after a visit throughout the nation.

Is WestJet Prolonged Consolation Value It?

In my view, I don’t actually see the worth provided with WestJet’s Prolonged Consolation product, and there’s a powerful probability that I gained’t go for it once more ought to I select to fly with WestJet.

In actual fact, I actually solely see the advantage of having a seat with some further house, because the different Prolonged Consolation perks could be accessed by completely different means or occur by probability to start with.

Along with getting precedence safety with my NEXUS card, many different Canadian bank cards provide the identical profit. For those who don’t have standing with an airline and journey usually sufficient, the perks provided via premium bank cards can usually justify the playing cards’ greater annual charges.

Plus, with providers like Categorical accessible in most airports, you may in all probability get via safety rapidly with out having to pay for it (both via an Prolonged Consolation fare or with a bank card’s annual price). 

In terms of Zone 2 boarding, the one time this actually issues is when flights are full and overhead bin house truly turns into a problem. Until you’re travelling on an UltraBasic fare – which doesn’t enable for a carry-on bag and has Zone 9 boarding – it’s best to be capable of find overhead bin house typically.

Alternatively, you may skirt the psychological trouble of jostling for overhead bin house by checking a bag (which you may get for “free” with a co-branded bank card).

In case your bag doesn’t arrive at your vacation spot as deliberate, you’re additionally coated by the Air Passenger Safety Laws, the Montreal Conference, and/or bank card insurance coverage, which implies you may improve your wardrobe with some new stuff till your bag arrives.

For those who’re a taller particular person travelling in economic system, then the additional 3–6 inches of legroom might be the distinction between arriving comfortably or in discomfort. Simply remember to verify the plane kind previous to paying for Prolonged Consolation (since there’s loads of variability in WestJet’s fleet, together with legacy ultra-low-cost provider planes), and in addition look to see if there’s an exit row seat accessible for a lower cost.

Alcoholic drinks price (at most) $10.99 on WestJet flights, so if you happen to’re thirsty, contemplate simply getting assigned a daily seat and paying for a drink as a substitute.

If deplaning first is essential to you (which actually solely means on a good connection or needing to depart the airport instantly), contemplate paying for a seat simply behind Prolonged Consolation. The additional minute or so probably gained’t make a distinction (and with minimal connection occasions, you’re in all probability going to make your connection typically anyway). 

Conclusion

In 2024, WestJet launched Prolonged Consolation as an possibility for passengers travelling in economic system.

For those who select to pay for it, you’ll profit from a handful of additional perks, together with precedence safety (at some airports), precedence Zone 2 boarding, a bit of additional legroom, a drink, and fewer hassles in terms of overhead bin house and deplaning.

Primarily based on my expertise, I don’t actually see a number of worth provided by the product, and I don’t see myself paying for it once more sooner or later. 

Until you’re a taller particular person for whom legroom is a vital consideration, remember to crunch the numbers and analyze whether or not or not this product is an effective match for you.