Is WestJet Extended Comfort Worth It?

Last year, WestJet debuted Extended Comfort as a paid option for passengers in the economy cabin to consider.

In exchange for a fee, anyone who opts in could benefit from priority boarding, a bit of extra space, a complimentary beverage, and preferential access to overhead bin space (amongst other inclusions).

On a recent work trip from Toronto back to my home on Vancouver Island, I decided to test out WestJet’s Extended Comfort to see what the fuss was all about.

When WestJet introduced Extended Comfort in Spring 2024, it was mostly just a quick makeover and rebranding for what it used to call Preferred seats.

In case you’re not familiar, these are seats in the first couple of rows of the economy cabin, which have a bit of extra legroom (3–6 inches, depending on the aircraft).

Many other airlines also feature these Preferred seats, which anyone can pay for in advance, and they’re also sometimes assigned to passengers with elite status at no cost or included with higher fares.

What’s different about Extended Comfort is that in addition to a slightly roomier seat, passengers get the following inclusions:

• Priority security in some airports
• Priority Zone 2 boarding
• Early access to overhead bin space (by way of Zone 2 boarding)
• A complimentary alcoholic beverage during inflight service (based on flight duration, aircraft type, and destination)
• Quicker exit upon arrival (since you’re at the front of the economy cabin)

In other words, aside from a seat with a bit of extra legroom (which hadn’t changed from before), you’ll be in the second group to board, providing coveted access to the overhead bin space before everyone else takes it up. Plus, you’ll get a drink (in most cases), and you’ll be on your way at your destination before everyone else at the back of the bus.

The starting cost for Extended Comfort is listed as $30 (CAD), and varies based on the fare you purchased, the length of your flight, and so on.

In my case, I booked a one-way flight from Toronto to Comox via Edmonton on an UltraBasic fare ($183.58 CAD, of which $95 CAD was the fare and the rest taxes and fees). I opted for Extended Comfort on the first leg of my trip from Toronto to Edmonton, which cost me about $95 (CAD).

Given that the flight from Edmonton to Comox is relatively short, I decided not to pay for Extended Comfort on both legs, opting instead to soak up the authentic UltraBasic experience for a change.

For the most part, my overwhelmingly strong preference is to fly with Air Canada or Porter Airlines (or Pacific Coastal, for that matter); however, Porter doesn’t fly to my neck of the woods, and the only option for Air Canada’s connecting flight in Vancouver that day would get me home too late (I had to be home in the early afternoon for a very important lunch date with my wife). 

And so, I bid my in-laws farewell in Toronto and headed to Terminal 3 for a change, curious to see if Extended Comfort lived up to the hype of “enhancing my journey from start to finish” and “adding additional comfort and convenience,” as per WestJet’s marketing material.

My Experience with WestJet Extended Comfort

Prior to analyzing whether or not I think Extended Comfort is worth it, I should mention that I probably don’t fit the avatar for someone who might be interested in the product in the first place: 

• I’m not particularly tall (so extra legroom in economy doesn’t move the needle for me)
• I checked my carry-on bag and just took my backpack on the plane (I’d been gifted a bottle of Georgian wine to bring home, and I have 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 imperative)
• I had a comfortable connection time (so being at the front of the economy cabin didn’t really matter)

After breezing through priority security (which I enjoyed with my NEXUS card, and not Extended Comfort), I paid a brief visit to the Plaza Premium Lounge (which I enjoyed access to with my Business Platinum Card from American Express and not Extended Comfort) and then waltzed over to Gate B24 to queue up for my fancy Zone 2 priority boarding.

After passing by the passengers in the Premium cabin, envious of their ample legroom and no middle seats, I soon found myself at the Extended Comfort seats, marked with a teal flap of fabric to visually distinguish themselves from the standard seats.

For comparison, here’s what WestJet’s standard seats look like on the same plane (Boeing 737-800).

At first, I tossed my backpack into the delightfully empty overhead bin, only to realize moments later that I’d rather have it under my seat for convenience during the flight.

Fortunately, nobody occupied the middle seat, which meant I had ample elbow room for the flight, in addition to the couple extra inches of legroom that I didn’t really need.

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

When the flight attendants came around for last call, I had a quick glance through the menu and opted for a personal-sized bottle of prosecco – which was included with my Extended Comfort fare.

After all, the Plaza Premium Lounge in Edmonton doesn’t exactly have the best reputation, and I thought I’d enjoy some bubbles before stretching my legs during my layover.

When we arrived in Edmonton, I was amongst the first passengers in economy to deplane, and I headed into the terminal to pass some time before my connecting flight back to Comox.

For what it’s worth, there was ample overhead bin space on both the Toronto–Edmonton and Edmonton–Comox legs, since the flights weren’t particularly full. My flight was also not during peak travel season.

While I was amongst the last to board my second flight with Zone 9 boarding due to my UltraBasic fare, the experience was otherwise vastly similar, albeit with a bit less legroom.

There wouldn’t have been any issues finding overhead bin space, and deplaning first didn’t really matter to me since I had to wait a few minutes to collect my bag anyway.

When I arrived at my home airport, my checked bag promptly arrived, and I headed off for my lunch date no worse for wear after a trip across the country.

Is WestJet Extended Comfort Worth It?

In my opinion, I don’t really see the value offered with WestJet’s Extended Comfort product, and there’s a strong chance that I won’t opt for it again should I choose to fly with WestJet.

In fact, I really only see the benefit of having a seat with some extra space, since the other Extended Comfort perks can be accessed by different means or happen by chance to begin with.

In addition to getting priority security with my NEXUS card, many other Canadian credit cards offer the same benefit. If you don’t have status with an airline and travel often enough, the perks offered through premium credit cards can typically justify the cards’ higher annual fees.

Plus, with services like Express available in most airports, you can probably get through security quickly without having to pay for it (either through an Extended Comfort fare or with a credit card’s annual fee). 

When it comes to Zone 2 boarding, the only time this really matters is when flights are full and overhead bin space actually becomes an issue. Unless you’re travelling on an UltraBasic fare – which doesn’t allow for a carry-on bag and has Zone 9 boarding – you should be able to locate overhead bin space in most cases.

Alternatively, you can skirt the psychological hassle of jostling for overhead bin space by checking a bag (which you can get for “free” with a co-branded credit card).

If your bag doesn’t arrive at your destination as planned, you’re also covered by the Air Passenger Protection Regulations, the Montreal Convention, and/or credit card insurance, which means you can upgrade your wardrobe with some new stuff until your bag arrives.

If you’re a taller individual travelling in economy, then the extra 3–6 inches of legroom could be the difference between arriving comfortably or in discomfort. Just be sure to check the aircraft type prior to paying for Extended Comfort (since there’s plenty of variability in WestJet’s fleet, including legacy ultra-low-cost carrier planes), and also look to see if there’s an exit row seat available for a lower price.

Alcoholic drinks cost (at most) $10.99 on WestJet flights, so if you’re thirsty, consider just getting assigned a regular seat and paying for a drink instead.

If deplaning first is important to you (which really only means on a tight connection or needing to leave the airport immediately), consider paying for a seat just behind Extended Comfort. The extra minute or so likely won’t make a difference (and with minimum connection times, you’re probably going to make your connection in most cases anyway). 

Conclusion

In 2024, WestJet introduced Extended Comfort as an option for passengers travelling in economy.

If you choose to pay for it, you’ll benefit from a handful of extra perks, including priority security (at some airports), priority Zone 2 boarding, a bit of extra legroom, a drink, and fewer hassles when it comes to overhead bin space and deplaning.

Based on my experience, I don’t really see a lot of value offered by the product, and I don’t see myself paying for it again in the future. 

Unless you’re a taller individual for whom legroom is an important consideration, be sure to crunch the numbers and analyze whether or not this product is a good fit for you.