Our Guide To The Calgary WestJet Lounge

No matter your airline, if you’re waiting for a domestic or international flight at the Calgary International Airport (YYC), you can visit the WestJet Elevation Lounge. You’ll need to pay an entry fee to enjoy the complimentary food, beverages, and relaxation – or use the right boarding pass, membership, or credit card to get in for free.

How to access the WestJet Elevation Lounge

The Calgary WestJet Elevation Lounge is located in the Domestic Terminal in Concourse B, near the entry to the B gates. It’s open daily from 5:00 AM – 10:15 PM MT to travellers departing from Concourses A, B, C, or D.

If your flight leaves from Concourse D, you must pass security checkpoints B or C and visit the lounge before proceeding to your flight. Unfortunately, guests on a US transborder flight can’t visit the lounge.

To enter, you must present a valid boarding pass for a flight departing within 3 hours and one of the following:

• Entry fee: The Lounge welcomes travellers from any airline for $65 + GST per adult and $33 + GST per child (from 2–17 years old). Children under 2 are free, while guests with a WestJet boarding pass save 10%.
• Flight class: Unless the flight was upgraded within the past 24 hours or with an airport agent, WestJet customers in Business Class on a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner can enter the lounge for free. Delta One ticket holders may access the lounge for free if the Calgary Airport is part of their same-day international itinerary.
• Membership: Gold, Platinum, or Diamond Medallion status Delta Sky Miles members and Silver, Gold, or Platinum status WestJet Rewards members can use a voucher or their membership benefits to enter for free. Diner’s Club, DragonPass, LOUNGE CLUB, or Priority Pass members can use a voucher or pay $35 USD to enter, saving 25%!
• Premium credit card: The best credit cards with lounge access are generally select Visa Infinite, Visa Infinite Privilege, or World Elite Mastercards, which provide up to 6 free airport lounge visits per year (see below).

If you qualify for entry through your flight class or WestJet Rewards membership (and you don’t have a travelling companion), scan your boarding pass at the kiosk on the left. All other guests should speak to the WestJet agent at the front desk.

Premium credit cards with lounge access

American Express, Mastercard, and Visa all offer credit cards with zero, limited, and unlimited airport lounge access through the Amex Global Lounge Collection, Mastercard Travel Pass, and Visa Airport Companion programs.

Even a credit card in the "0 visits" category can be useful. Each one includes a complimentary DragonPass or Priority Pass membership that you can use to access the WestJet Lounge for just $32–$35 USD per visit, respectively.

In total, there are 18 credit cards in Canada that you can use to enter the Calgary WestJet Lounge:

0 lounge visits included*

• American Express^® Gold Rewards Card
• BMO AIR MILES World Elite Mastercard
• BMO CashBack World Elite Mastercard
• Desjardins Cash Back World Mastercard
• Desjardins Odyssey World Elite Mastercard
• RBC Cash Back Preferred World Elite Mastercard
• Tangerine World Mastercard
• Vancity enviro Visa Infinite Card

4 lounge visits included*

• BMO Ascend World Elite Mastercard
• CIBC Aventura Visa Infinite Card
• WestJet RBC World Elite Mastercard

6 lounge visits included*

• BMO eclipse Visa Infinite Privilege Card
• CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege Card
• CIBC Aventura Visa Infinite Privilege Card
• Desjardins Odyssey Visa Infinite Privilege
• RBC Avion Visa Infinite Privilege
• Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Card
• TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege Credit Card
• Vancity enviro Visa Infinite Privilege

10 lounge visits included*

• Scotiabank American Express Platinum Card

Unlimited lounge visits included*

• American Express Platinum^® Card
• The Business Platinum Card^® from American Express

* Credit cardholders must manually register for DragonPass through the Mastercard Travel Pass or Visa Airport Companion website.

An eligible boarding pass, membership, or premium credit card does not guarantee entry to the WestJet Lounge.

The WestJet Lounge experience

Hours: Monday – Sunday, from 5:00 AM – 10:15 PM MT

Location: Domestic Terminal, Level 2, Concourse B, near entry to B gates

Maximum stay: 3 hours

Payment forms accepted: American Express, Interac, Mastercard, Visa

Amenities:

• Accessible showers and washrooms
• Bar service available
• Children’s play area
• Complimentary beverages, food, and snacks
• Complimentary Wi-Fi
• Concierge desk and services
• Conference rooms available
• Dedicated workspaces
• Flight monitors
• Printing and photocopying services
• Television
• Meeting rooms*
• Showers*

* Subject to additional fees and a maximum duration of 45 minutes. Book with the front desk upon arrival. WestJet Rewards Platinum and Gold members may reserve a meeting room or shower up to 7 days in advance by calling priority customer support.

Atmosphere

The 9,300-square-foot WestJet Elevation Lounge is your home away from home with warm leather seating, a fireplace by the bar, and bright, cozy lighting. Architecture firm Gensler wanted to create a space where "the design, colour palette and materials create a contemporary mountain-inspired retreat where guests can replenish, refresh and refocus for their next journey."

Don’t forget to point your smartphone at the paintings by local artist Mandy Stobo to discover their augmented reality elements.

"Dare I say, this is the best Airport Lounge that I have been to in Canada and it easily beats out Air Canada’s Maple Leaf Lounge in Montreal by a long shot. I truly hope they keep up this quality of service." —Hyder Sea Travels (September 17, 2023)

Comfort

The WestJet Lounge features 5 separate seating areas furnished by Cappellini, Cassina, Haworth, and Poltrona Frau. Relax in your choice of:

• Terminal lounge area: Take the first right after the entrance to find a semi-private seating area facing the rest of the terminal, but don’t worry: the glass is one-way. Choose from 9 leather chaise lounges, 6 banquette seats, or 2 pairs of upright leather club/dining chairs.
• Secondary lounge area: If you can’t find a free chair around the windows, head down the hallway and past the bar to find 6 more leather chaise loungers tucked away at the top.
• Dining hall: The sitting area directly across the cafeteria seats 28 at vinyl banquettes or the long table in the center. You can grab a bite individually or in pairs. (Psst – follow the emergency exit signs to find one more pair of chairs tucked off to the side.)
• Bar: The WestJet Bar seats 5 people at the counter, 2 on either side of the fireplace, and 2 more at the back. Space is limited so you might struggle to balance anything more than a snack and a drink on the table in front of you.
• Multi-purpose sitting area: If you like to people-watch, head for one of the 6 yellow armchairs or 5 bar seats on the far side of the dining hall from the cafeteria.
• Quiet area: Separated from the hubbub by a wall, the quiet area is on the far side of the lounge from the entrance. It features a dozen high-walled leather chairs with extendable table tops, in-seat outlets, and USB chargers; and 2 closed focus spaces with a leather chair and ottoman inside. Each focus space sports a glass door, so while you may not have complete privacy, you will have some quiet.
• Meeting spaces: The WestJet Lounge has two 4-person meeting rooms available to reserve at the front desk, each with a television inside.
• Family room: Head down the entrance hallway past the bar and turn the corner to the right to access a pair of closed, carpeted rooms that are perfect for playful or overstimulated youngsters.

Dining

The WestJet Lounge features a full selection of complimentary alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, hot and cold foods, and snacks. At the time of writing, the table service implemented during the pandemic is still in effect – all you have to do is scan the QR code at your table and whatever you order from the menu will be delivered to your table.

Visit for breakfast and you’ll find homestyle favourites like french toast, fruit bowls, home fries, and poached eggs. Lunch and dinner range further abroad with aloo gobi, chicken katsu, and meatballs marinara sharing the menu with Alberta beef brisket and chicken noodle soup. And for dessert, where would we be without an authentic West Coast Nanaimo bar?

Pair your choice with a coffee by Fratello Coffee Roasters or one of the classics or specialties offered at the bar. The lounge’s signature cocktail mixes dry gin with the sweet, fruity notes of blue curaçao, lime juice, beer syrup, lime bitters, and green melon liqueur. Local offerings include a WestJet Elevation beer by The Dandy Brewing Company and an XPA by Annex Ale Project, both on tap.

"We were super impressed by the food menu and even more impressed by the execution… The drinks selection is also quite expansive with wine, cocktails, hard liquor, beer, cider, and non-alcoholic cocktails. WestJet even has its own Elevation beer; a nice light and crisp thirst-quenching lager!" —WeLeaveToday (March 29, 2022)

Entertainment

Perhaps owing to its unusual floorplan, the WestJet Lounge doesn’t have many televisions outside of the meeting rooms. Adult guests can use the magazine rack near the bar while children can play with a pair of touchscreen stations in the family room.

Rules and restrictions

All the usual airport lounge DON’Ts apply in the WestJet Lounge:

• DON’T bring outside food or beverages
• DON’T carry food or beverages outside
• DON’T dress inappropriately
• DON’T leave minors unattended
• DON’T smoke
• DON’T watch videos or listen to music without a pair of headphones

Service animals and service dogs in training are welcome in the lounge but all other pets should remain in an approved cabin carrier for your whole stay.

Is the WestJet Elevation Lounge worth it?

The WestJet Lounge has earned both its positive press and reviews. It’s new, thoughtfully designed, well-serviced, and uses its unusual floor plan to maximum efficiency. For comparison, the Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge (the only other airport lounge in YYC) measures a measly 1,076 square feet.

"In Canada, at least, it's one of the best [lounges] that is available to the masses. It's on par if not better than most Plaza Premium Lounges across the country, arguably better than the Aspire lounges in YYC concourse D and E, better than many Maple Leaf Lounges, and gives the ones that are better a good run for their money." —Reddit user (November 2023)

Our biggest complaints are the lack of entertainment, natural lighting, and privacy. There are few truly private seating areas, even fewer that aren’t facing a wall, and there’s not much to do outside of eating and relaxing – which (let’s be honest) is fine for most of us.

But you’ll probably spend more time worrying about how to get into the lounge rather than what you’ll do inside it. According to Google, the busiest times are Monday and Friday mornings and Thursday afternoons – and a significant number of credit cardholders, DragonPass members, and Priority Pass users claimed they were denied entry from 4:30 PM – 6:30 PM.

In response to a similar complaint on Reddit in May 2024, a reply explained the lounge probably reserves space for Business Class customers and Platinum WestJet Rewards members departing on late afternoon and evening flights.

Unless you have a Business Class flight, a Platinum WestJet Rewards membership, or a flight leaving in the morning or early afternoon, we suggest approaching the WestJet Elevation Lounge with a backup plan.

Have you visited the WestJet Elevation Lounge?

If you’ve visited (or tried to visit) the Elevation Lounge, share your experience with us and other readers by leaving a comment below!

FAQ

How can you access the Calgary WestJet Lounge for free?

Domestic and international travellers with a same-day WestJet Business Class flight or a Silver, Gold, or Platinum WestJet Rewards membership can access the WestJet Lounge for free. You may also be eligible for free entry if you have a Delta SkyMiles membership or a premium credit card with DragonPass or Priority Pass.

How do I use a WestJet lounge pass?

WestJet lounge vouchers are automatically loaded onto your WestJet Rewards account. All you have to do is scan your boarding pass at the front desk or self-service kiosk to use any lounge vouchers on your account.

How much does the WestJet lounge cost?

The WestJet Lounge accepts passengers from other airlines for $65 + GST per adult and $33 + GST per child from 2–17. WestJet passengers can enter for $59 + GST per adult and $30 + GST per child. Children under 2 are always free.

Does the RBC WestJet credit card include lounge access?

While the RBC WestJet Mastercard credit card doesn’t include lounge access, you can convert the companion voucher included with the RBC WestJet World Elite Mastercard into 4 free lounge vouchers per year.