Best Free Checked Bags Credit Cards

Best Free Checked Bags Credit Cards

Kevin Shahnazari

Kevin Shahnazari

5 min read


Paying for bags when travelling is not fun! Especially if you are travelling with family, for which you would probably need to spend over a few hundred dollars to cover the fees on Canadian Airlines.

If same as me, you are the type that doesn’t like paying these fees, this article is for you! The good news is that there are credit cards that allow you to get free check-in bags without paying for them! But the number of cards with this benefit is very limited, and they don’t cover all airlines. We will go into the details of each card so that you can decide which card is better for you.

Different Airlines that have Credit cards to get free checked bags


When you get the free checked baggage benefit from a credit card, it is specific to one airline. This means you can't use that benefit on any other airline, so you are somewhat restricted in your airline choice if you want to use this benefit every time. There are two airlines for which you can use this benefit: Aeroplan and WestJet. The Aeroplan cards give free checked-in bags ONLY when travelling with AirCanada, and the WestJet card also only provides that benefit for flights with WestJet. 

We will cover Westjet cards in detail first, and then discuss Aeroplan cards after.

Westjet Cards


For Westjet, things are simple because there is only one card offers the benefit of the first free checked-in bags: The Westjet RBC World Elite MasterCard.

WestJet RBC World Elite MastercardMore Details

WestJet RBC World Elite Mastercard

4

Finly Rating

Welcome Bonus

Up to $450 WestJet Dollars

Net Annual Rewards

$241.6

Based on $2,000/mo spending. Calculate your rewards.

Annual Fee

$119

Interest Rates

20.99% / 22.99%

RECOMMENDED CREDIT SCORE

300
Poor
560
Fair
660
Good
725
Very Good
760
Excellent

If you travel frequently with WestJet, you must get this card because you are missing out on many benefits, even if you don't use this card for rewards. The round-trip companion voucher, status lift, and free checked bag benefits alone more than make up for the annual fee. For WestJet purchases, this card is great for earning rewards, but for all other categories, we recommend pairing it with another card.

Pros

  • A no-brainer if you are a frequent WestJet traveler. The first free checked bag, annual companion pass, and status lift benefits alone make up more than the amount paid for the annual fee.
  • A very good list of travel insurance in addition to WestJet-specific benefits.

Cons

  • Not the best card for rewards accumulation, so it's better if paired with another card that offers higher rewards on non-WestJet purchases.
  • Rewards can only be used on WestJet, making them less flexible.

Rewards

  • 2% back in WestJet dollars on WestJet flights or WestJet Vacations packages
  • 1.5% back in WestJet dollars on other purchases

Insurance

Coverage

  • travel accident medical

    Emergency Out of province Medical

    15 days
  • travel accident medical

    Emergency Medical Over 65

    3 days
  • heart lock

    Travel Accident

    $500K
  • car insurance

    Car Rental Damage & Theft

    $65K up to 48 days
  • travel - plane

    Trip Interruption

    $5K/person, $25K/trip
  • hourglass timer

    Flight Delay

    $250/person, $500/occurrence
  • baggage on roller

    Baggage Delay

    $500/person, $2500/occurrence
  • purchase protection

    Purchase Protection

    90 days
  • extended warranty

    Extended Warranty

    1 year

Benefits

Details

  • airplane love

    Companion Voucher

    Travel within Canada or to the continental U.S. (excluding Hawaii), from $119 CAD, Travel to Hawaii or Mexico from $399 CAD, Travel to the rest of the WestJet network from $399 CAD
  • star fall

    Status lift

    Eern $500 in tier qualifying spend which applies towards achieving the next WestJet Rewards tier for every $15,000 CAD in Eligible Purchases on your WestJet RBC World Elite Mastercard (up to a maximum of $1,500 in tier qualifying spend in a qualifying year)
  • baggage

    Free first checked bag

    First checked bag is free for primary cardholder on WestJet flight and up to 8 guests
  • alcohol cheers

    Airport Lounge - Dragon Pass

    Pass only, complimentary visits not included! Companion Voucher can be exchanged for 4 visits.
  • discount

    Discount

    Member Exclusive fares: Exclusive discounts when you pay the full base fare with WestJet dollars
  • internet worldwide

    Boingo Wi-Fi hotspot

  • fuel pump

    Gas Discount

    save 3¢/L on fuel and always earn 20% more Petro-Points at Petro-Canada
  • reward cup

    Extra points

    50 Be Well points for every $1 spent on eligible products at Rexall

Eligibility

  • Credit Score

    Good
  • Annual Income

    $80,000 personal or $150,000 household

To use this benefit you need to be the primary cardholder of a Westjet credit card; you can take up to 8 guests along with you who can use this offer provided that they are travelling with you on the same flight reserved with Westjet. Also, The benefit is valid only for the flights reserved with Westjet.
The fee for a checked-in bag on Westjet flights is between $30-$36 for US, Canada, Latin Caribbean & Mexico flights and between $70-$83. So, with a single round-trip flight for a couple, the card fee will be more than covered. (More details on the fees here).

Aeroplan Cards


Aeroplan is the loyalty program for AirCanada. With Aeroplan cards, you can gather Aeroplan points to buy tickets or reserve vacation packages.

Out of the Aeroplan cards, this is the full list of all the cards that have the benefits of the free checked bag:
  • TD Aeroplan® Visa Infinite Card ($139/year, the first year waived)
  • CIBC Aeroplan® Visa Infinite Card ($139/year)
  • American Express® Aeroplan® Card ($120/year)
  • TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite Privilege ($599/year)
  • CIBC Aeroplan® Visa Infinite Privilege* ($599/year)
  • American Express® Aeroplan® Reserve Card ($599/year)

The free checked bags benefit is identical between these cards. Whether you are a primary cardholder, an additional cardholder, or have a primary business card, you will be deemed eligible for this offer. Not only that, but you can also redeem this offer for up to 8 travelling companions who are travelling with you, and they are on the same reservation.

This benefit is valid when checking in with Air Canada for a flight operated by Air Canada, Air Canada Rouge or under the Air Canada Express brand. The offer is also valid for all flight categories. Whether you have a basic (or standard), Flex (or comfort), or latitude ticket, you will be offered a free checked bag if you are travelling on an Air Canada flight booked with an Aeroplan credit card.

To check in a bag with AirCanada, you need to pay around $30; for international flights, it’s roughly $75 (Check here for the latest details). You can see how easily, with a single round trip for a couple, the cost you saved covers the card fee. If you travel multiple times a year or have a bigger family, this benefit would cover the card fee by a fewfold. 
To decide which one of those cards to go for, you need to look at the other details of those cards.

These cards could be grouped into two main categories:

The first group is the non-private and reserve cards, which are more affordable. Here is our view on the cards in this group:
The rewards for TD Aeroplan® Visa Infinite*, CIBC Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card, and American Express® Aeroplan®* are very similar. In terms of additional benefits, each has a benefit that is unique to their own, so it’s good to review their benefits in detail. If we were to rate one to be the best among three, we would rate the TD Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card to be the best among this group because it has a few more unique benefits compared to the other two (e.g. Nexus app fee waiver), the first-year annual fee is waived and compared to the American Express card it’s accepted at more merchants.

TD Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* CardMore Details

TD Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card

3.5

Finly Rating

Welcome Bonus

Up to 35000 points

Net Annual Rewards

$394.24

Based on $2,000/mo spending. Calculate your rewards.

Annual Fee

$139

Interest Rates

20.99% / 22.99%

RECOMMENDED CREDIT SCORE

300
Poor
560
Fair
660
Good
725
Very Good
760
Excellent

If you are a frequent AirCanada traveler, we highly recommend this card given its many benefits specific to the Aeroplan program. Among all the Aeroplan cards, we like this one the most because it provides a more comprehensive list of benefits compared to the others.

Pros

  • Great benefits for Air Canada travelers, such as free checked baggage, will save you more in fees than you spend on annual membership fees. High coverage limit on the insurance for this card

Cons

  • The rewards rate on this card is not that high. There are non-Aeroplan cards with much better reward programs, and their points can later be transferred to this card, making them better options if you are looking to gather Aeroplan points.
  • You lose the flexibility to use other airlines if you want to take advantage of the benefits of this card.

Rewards

  • 1.5 points on gas, Groceries and Air Canada and Air Canada vacations (maximum 120,000 points annually)
  • 1 point on everything else

Insurance

Coverage

  • travel accident medical

    Emergency Out of province Medical

    $2M/insured up to 21 days
  • travel accident medical

    Emergency Medical Over 65

    $2M/insured up to 4 days
  • cancel airplane

    Trip Cancellation

    $1.5K/person, $5K/trip
  • travel - plane

    Trip Interruption

    $5K/person, $25K/trip
  • hourglass timer

    Flight Delay

    $500/person after 4 hours
  • baggage on roller

    Baggage Delay

    $1K/person after 6 hours
  • lost baggage

    Lost or Stolen Baggage

    $1K/person after 6 hours
  • heart lock

    Travel Accident

    $500,000
  • car insurance

    Car Rental Damage & Theft

    Up to 48 consecutive rental days
  • burglar

    Hotel Burglary Insurance

    $2500
  • purchase protection

    Purchase Protection

    90 days
  • extended warranty

    Extended Warranty

    1 year
  • mobile device insurance

    Mobile Device Insurance

    $1,000

Benefits

Details

  • baggage

    Free first checked bag

    First checked bag is free for primary cardholder on WestJet flight and up to 8 guests
  • border guard

    Nexus Application

    $100 every 4 years
  • exclusive

    Visa Infinite Exclusive Benefits

  • concierge

    Concierge Services

  • golf clubs

    Golf Benefit

    Troon Rewards Golf benefits like discounts at over 95 resorts and courses around the world plus access to select private clubs across the U.S
  • reward cup

    Extra points

    Earn 50% more Stars and 50% more Aeroplan points at participating Starbucks stores
  • reward cup

    Extra points

    Earn points twice at over 150 Aeroplan partner brands and over 170 online retailers through the Aeroplan eStore
  • star fall

    Status lift

    Reach Aeroplan Elite™ Status sooner by earning 1,000 Status Qualifying Miles and one (1) Status Qualifying Segment for every $10,000 of net purchases
  • car rental

    Car Rental Discount

    10% off base rate of Avis Rent A Car and Budget Rent A Car
  • gavel

    Trip and legal Assistance

Eligibility

  • Credit Score

    Very Good
  • Annual Income

    $60,000 personal or $100,000 household

For the second group the difference between the privilege and reserve cards and those we discussed is that they come with some luxury benefits like access to the Airport lounge, priority check-in, etc. It’s up to you whether you think the $599 price tag is worth those benefits, but the free checked bag benefit is identical to the more affordable cards; if we were to choose one of these cards, we would have selected the TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite Privilege card for the same reasons previously discussed.

TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite Privilege* Credit CardMore Details

TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite Privilege*

3.2

Finly Rating

Welcome Bonus

Up to 100,000 points (70,000 in 1st year)

Rewards Rate

1.25x - 2x Points

Annual Fee

$599

Interest Rates

20.99% / 22.99%

RECOMMENDED CREDIT SCORE

300
Poor
560
Fair
660
Good
725
Very Good
760
Excellent

If you travel a lot throughout the year with Air Canada, the benefits of this card can significantly enhance your experience. It can help you achieve the next status level with Aeroplan and provide a better airport experience, therefore it can be worth the price tag. However, if you don't frequently fly with Air Canada, the benefits may not justify the card's expensive price tag.

Pros

  • Premium experience for Elite Air Canada travelers with many benefits and status upgrades.
  • High coverage limit on insurance.
  • Numerous luxury benefits and statuses available for use.

Cons

  • The rewards rate on this card is not that high. There are non-Aeroplan cards with much better reward programs, and their points can later be transferred to this card, making them better options if you are looking to gather Aeroplan points.
  • You lose the flexibility to use other airlines if you want to take advantage of the benefits of this card.
  • The high price tag makes this card a poor choice if you don't frequently travel with Air Canada.
  • The unlimited lounge access is limited to Maple Leaf Lounges and Air Canada Cafe lounges which don't have a great worldwide coverage.

Rewards

  • 2 points on Air Canada and Air Canada Vacations if they are in the first $100k transactions of the year
  • 1.5 points on Gas, Groceries, Travel and Dining if they are in the first $100k transactions of the year
  • 1.25 Point on everything else

Insurance

Coverage

  • travel accident medical

    Emergency Out of province Medical

    $5M/insured up to 31 days
  • travel accident medical

    Emergency Medical Over 65

    $5M/insured up to 4 days
  • cancel airplane

    Trip Cancellation

    $2.5K/person, $5K/trip
  • travel - plane

    Trip Interruption

    $5K/person, $25K/trip
  • hourglass timer

    Flight Delay

    $1,000/person after 4 hours
  • baggage on roller

    Baggage Delay

    $1K/person after 4 hours
  • lost baggage

    Lost or Stolen Baggage

    $2.5K/person
  • heart lock

    Travel Accident

    $500,000
  • car insurance

    Car Rental Damage & Theft

    Up to 48 consecutive rental days
  • burglar

    Hotel Burglary Insurance

    $2500
  • purchase protection

    Purchase Protection

    120 days
  • extended warranty

    Extended Warranty

    2 years
  • mobile device insurance

    Mobile Device Insurance

    $1,500

Benefits

Details

  • baggage

    Free first checked bag

    First checked bag is free for primary cardholder on WestJet flight and up to 8 guests
  • border guard

    Nexus Application

    $100 every 4 years
  • exclusive

    Visa Infinite Exclusive Benefits

  • concierge

    Concierge Services

  • golf clubs

    Golf Benefit

    Troon Rewards Golf benefits like discounts at over 95 resorts and courses around the world plus access to select private clubs across the U.S
  • reward cup

    Extra points

    Earn 50% more Stars and 50% more Aeroplan points at participating Starbucks stores
  • reward cup

    Extra points

    Earn points twice at over 150 Aeroplan partner brands and over 170 online retailers through the Aeroplan eStore
  • star fall

    Status lift

    Reach Aeroplan Elite™ Status sooner by earning 1,000 Status Qualifying Miles and one (1) Status Qualifying Segment for every $5,000 of net purchases
  • car rental

    Car Rental Discount

    10% off base rate of Avis Rent A Car and Budget Rent A Car
  • gavel

    Trip and legal Assistance

  • reward cup

    Extra points

    Earn 2 Aeroplan points for every $1 you spend on eligible purchases with Rocky Mountaineer, Plus, cardholders could receive a GoldLeaf Upgrade, and a hotel room upgrade
  • star fall

    Status lift

    Complimentary upgrade to Avis® President's Club
  • star fall

    Status lift

    Primary Cardholders who also hold Aeroplan Elite Status can roll over up to 200,000 Status Qualifying Miles (SQM) beyond the status level for which they’ve qualified, from the prior qualification year to qualify for status the next year.
  • star fall

    Status lift

    Primary Cardholders who also hold Aeroplan Elite Status will benefit from an extra 12 months to use eUpgrade credits, for a total of 24 months from issuance.
  • star fall

    Status lift

    Diamond Status with Visa RSVP Rewards™ Benefit. Benefits at 60+ participating Sandman, Sandman Signature and Sutton Place Hotels from coast-to-coast in Canada and beyond.
  • airport waiting room

    Airport Benefits

    At Toronto, Vancouver, Ottawa and Montreal airports get benefits such as Priority Security lane, Complimentary valet, premium parking spots, priorioty taxi and limo lane and discount for parking.
  • airport waiting room

    Airport Benefits

    Get Priority Check-in, Priority Boarding and Priority Baggage Handling, Priority Airport Standby & Priority Airport Upgrades for you, your authorized users and up to 8 companions on the same flight (Only AirCanada)
  • alcohol cheers

    Airport Lounge - Dragon Pass

    6 Free complimentary visits
  • alcohol cheers

    Airport Lounge - Maple Leaf and AirCanada Cafes

    Unlimited Access for you and one guest
  • airplane love

    Companion Voucher

    Annual Worldwide Companion Pass from $99 to a max of $599 After spending $25,000 on your card

Eligibility

  • Credit Score

    Excellent
  • Annual Income

    $150,000 personal or $200,000 household

Conclusion


If you frequently travel with AirCanada and Westjet, getting Credit cards to get free checked bags benefits is a great idea because even though you are paying a fee, you can save much more than the fee you have paid with this benefit. These cards don’t have the highest rewards, so you could get these cards solely for the benefit and use other cards to accumulate rewards.

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