Complete Guide to Travel Companion Tickets

If you’re ever in the need to travel with others, then most, if not all, of your BCS Readers should be a little familiar with the convenient travel perks considered to be the companion tickets offerings. This could save you big on money or points on a second passenger. If you’re not too familiar with this perk, it’s understandable, which is why it’s completely necessary to pump out a guide just for your companion ticket option needs!

Editor’s Note: If there’s any alternative companion ticket options or information that we did not mention, we really would appreciate it if you’d let us know in the comment section below!

American Airlines:

American Airlines CitiBusiness Companion Certificate

• Official info
• Companion benefit: Single $99 companion ticket fee plus $21.60 to $43.20 in government taxes and fees
• Requirement: Spend $30K on your CitiBusiness AAdvantage Platinum Select World MasterCard within the necessary cardmember year to get one companion certificate per year (limit to one per year)
• Flight requirement: Flight must be within the 48 contiguous United States. Tickets must be qualifying domestic round-trip economy fare ticket. If you’re a residents of Alaska or Hawaii, you will be able to redeem your companion certificate for a round-trip originating in either Alaska, Hawaii or the 48 contiguous United States.
• Pros:
  • Big savings
• Cons:
  • Contiguous 48 states only
  • Economy only

American Airlines AAdvantage Aviator Silver MasterCard Companion Certificate

• Official info
• Companion benefit: UP TO two companions pay $99 companion ticket fee plus $21.60 to $43.20 in government taxes and fees.
• Spending Requirement: Spend $30K on your AAdvantage Aviator Silver MasterCard within the necessary cardmember year to get one companion certificate per year (limit to one per year).
• Flight requirement: Flight must be within the 48 contiguous United States. Tickets must be qualifying domestic round-trip economy fare ticket. If you’re a residents of Alaska or Hawaii, you will be able to redeem your companion certificate for a round-trip originating in either Alaska, Hawaii or the 48 contiguous United States.
• Pros:
  • Big savings possible (up to 2 companions)
• Cons:
  • Contiguous 48 states only
  • Economy only

Alaska Airlines

Alaska Airlines Companion Fare

• Official info
• Companion benefit: $99 base fare plus applicable taxes and fees from $22 depending on your Alaska Airlines flight schedule
• Requirement: Alaska Airlines credit card holders get one discount code each year with:
  • Alaska Airlines Visa Signature consumer card (US),
  • Alaska Airlines Visa Business card (US)
  • the World Elite
  • Platinum Plus MasterCard (Canada).
• Flight requirement:Alaska Airlines or Virgin America round-trip paid published coach airfare.
• Booking Information:
  1. Log into your account
  2. Redeem your discount code by selecting the Shop button within the My discount codes section of your My account profile
  3. Discount will be reflected on the “Available flights” and “Cart” pages.
  4. This will automatically apply your discount code to the new reservation.
• Payment: With Alaska’s “The Mileage Plan,” you do NOT need to have the payment register under your Alaska Airlines Credit Card so as long as the member who owns the companion fare discount code is either one of the travelers or purchasers of the reservation. The member’s name on the ticket must match the name on the Alaska Airlines credit card if the member is allowing two travelers to use his or her companion fare discount code. Gift cards or cancelled flights through Alaska’s My Wallet funds can only be used to purchase travel on Alaska Airlines.
• Who can use it?: Note, If the member who owns the companion fare is not traveling, the member’s name must match the name on the credit card used to purchase the reservation.
• Share benefit with others? Cardholders will be able to buy both primary and companion tickets for others.
• Pros:
  • Valid for any published coach fare
  • Upgradeable
• Cons:
  • Economy only

American Express:

American Express Platinum International Airline Program

• Official info
• Companion benefit: Companion pays you $39 + ticket taxes/fees.  Companion ticket subject to government imposed taxes/fees and airline-imposed fuel/ security surcharges and fees of no more than $2,500 roundtrip. Note that there is a non-refundable AMEX service fee of $39 attached per ticket to full-fare tickets, companion tickets, and each additional ticket purchase/itinerary change. Fee is waived for Centurion Members.
• Requirement: Valid only for:
  • American Express Platinum
  • Business Platinum
  • Centurion
• Flight requirement: Full fare necessary, first or business-class tickets on participating airlines made through the Platinum Travel Service, Business Platinum Travel, Centurion Travel or any American Express Travel division. Must be paid in full with the necessary Amex card. Travel must originate in and return to U.S. gateway or select Canadian gateways. One way travel is permitted on some airlines where the routing originates in the U.S. or select Canadian gateways.
• Booking Info: Book via the Platinum Travel Service, Business Platinum Travel, Centurion Travel Service or any American Express Travel office.
• Pros:
  • Tickets are fully changeable / Cancelable
• Cons:
  • Requires International full fare first or business class
  • Limited participating airlines

Amtrak:

Amtrak Companion Coupon

• Companion benefit: Companion rides are free with one exception being if primary passengers pay to upgrade tickets to business or first class. Therefore, both tickets must be upgraded, not just the primary (limit one companion coupon per year)
• Requirements:
  • Valid for BankAmericard Amtrak Guest Rewards World Mastercard cardholders companion coupon
  • Must purchase 1 paid full adult rail fare, one-way or round. CANNOT book with points. Travel blackout dates do apply. Can pay to upgrade to Business class or First class (but not to sleeper car accommodations). Not valid for train/Thruway series 7000 – 8999.
• Booking Info: Call 1-800-307-5000 and reference the eCoupon# found in your account.
• Pros:
  • Upgradeable
• Cons:
  • Full fare only
  • Blackout dates do apply
  • Can’t upgrade to sleeper car

British Airways:

British Airways Travel Together Ticket

• Official info
• Companion benefit: There is no additional Avios required for companion tickets, however, companion does pay taxes and fees up to $1,250/
• No additional Avios required for the companion ticket, but companion does pay taxes and fees up to $1,250.
• Requirement: Must spend $30,000 each calendar year on your British Airways Visa Signature Credit Card and receive a Travel Together Ticket.
• Flight requirement: Must book a reward flight on a British Airways Mainline flight originating and RETURNING to the United States. Note that two award seats must be available in order to book the Travel Together Ticket.
• Booking Info: Redeem your Travel Together Ticket through your BA.com account.
• Cons:
  • Companion pays huge fuel surcharges
  • Requires award availability

Cathay Pacific:

Cathay Pacific Companion Ticket Awards

• Official info
• Companion benefit: There are plenty to consider with Cathay Pacific including the number of miles necessary for companion ticket vs how much lower the required miles for a full award ticket. (Award Chart Here). There’s much more availability than standard awards and point discounts vs. full award tickets range 25% to 38.9% fewer points with most around 35% off. Note that companion must pay taxes and fuel surcharges.
• Requirement: Purchase your first ticket with cash and the second ticket with miles
• Flight requirement: Must purchase a first or business class ticket on Cathay Pacific, Dragon, or British Airways. Mixed class/mixed carrier flight awards are not valid.
• Booking Information: The primary ticket can be booked however which way that you want as long as you contact Cathay Pacific Asia Miles to redeem the points for the companion ticket.
• Pros:
  • More award availability
  • Works with discount fares
• Cons:
  • Economy fares are not eligible

Delta SkyMiles:

Delta Companion Ticket

• Official info
• Companion benefit: Pay only taxes and fees (capped at $75).
• Requirements:
  • Platinum Delta SkyMiles Credit Card
  • Delta Reserve Credit Card
  • Note that you do not get the companion certificate until after your first year of card membership.
• Flight requirement: This would require that you purchase domestic round-trip with economy discount fare classes L,U,T,X,V and for the Reserve card, first-class fare Class A and I. Companion seats must be available in those fare classes. Valid for round trip flights on the contiguous 48 states.
  • Residents of Hawaii, Alaska, Puerto Rico or the United States Virgin Islands (USVI) must originate from there to the 48 contiguous United States and have an address on their SkyMiles account in Hawaii, Alaska, Puerto Rico or the USVI
• Booking Info:
  1. Log into your account and navigate to your Wallet.
  2. In your Wallet you’ll find your companion tickets.
  3. You can then check the box to redeem the ticket.
  4. That will lead you to a flight search screen where you can find flights and book.
• Share benefit with others? Cardholders will be able to buy both primary and companion tickets for others.
• Pros:
  • Valid for discount fares
  • Large savings possible
• Cons:
  • Contiguous US only
  • Discount fares only
  • Tickets are not upgradeable
  • Companion does not earn miles.

Hawaiian Airlines:

Hawaiian Airlines Companion Discount

• Official info
• Companion benefit: 50% off fare (before taxes and fees); or $100 off with the $100 off companion ticket.
• Requirements:
  • Hawaiian Airlines World Elite MasterCard
  • Hawaiian Airlines Business MasterCard
• Flight requirement: Must be able to purchase published round-trip full fare coach. Must be purchases through Hawaiian Airlines credit card
• Booking Info:
  1. Log in to your Hawaiian Airlines account to look for your MasterCard companion discount
  2. Click Book Now to redeem
• Cons:
  • Full fare economy only

Lufthansa:

Lufthansa Companion Ticket

• Official info
• Companion benefit: Varies based on the paid Economy Class fare, generally $60 round-trip but in some instances, it may not be applicable or the coupon is lowered. Free after taxes & fees. Limit one economy companion ticket each year of card ownership.
• Requirements:
  • World Elite Miles & More Mastercard
• Flight requirement: Purchase select published fares for travel departing from U.S. to Europe/Middle East/Africa and the Far East. Economy only, no premium economy. Allowed fare classes include H, M, Y, & B. Lufthansa operated flights only.
• Must purchase select published fares for travel departing from the U.S. to Europe/Middle East/Africa and Far East.  Economy only.  No premium economy for you.  Allowed fare classes: H, M, Y, & B. Lufthansa operated flights only.Booking Info: Call Lufthansa service center
• Cons:
  • Discount fares not eligible
  • Economy only

Southwest Airlines:

Southwest Companion Pass

• Official info
• Companion benefit: Companion flies free. Note that you must pay the TSA fee.
• Requirements: Earn 110,000 companion pass eligible points within a calendar year to get a companion pass that is valid for an unlimited number of flights for the rest of the current year and all of the next.
• Flight requirement: All Southwest Airlines flights eligible regardless of fare class or whether the primary passenger pays with points or cash.
• Booking Info:
  • Book primary passenger first with cash or points.
    • Log into primary passenger’s account to add companion to flight.
• Pros: Unlimited use while active, Works with paid and award flights, Valid for international flights

Virgin America:

Virgin America Companion Ticket Discount

• Official info
• Companion benefit: $150 off the base fare. Keep in mind that if the base fare is less than $150, then the discount will be lower. (get one companion ticket discount code each year.)
• Requirement:
  • Virgin America Premium Visa Signature
• Flight requirement: Must purchase round-trip main cabin tickets on Virgin America in fare classes N, S, L, I, M, U, E, H, B, or V. Note that blackout dates do apply.
• Booking Info: Cardholders will receive a discount code annually that can be applied online or through the phone when booking.
• Cons:
  • Economy tickets only
  • Blackout dates apply

VISA Infinite:

Visa Infinite Discount Air Benefit

• Official info
• Companion benefit: $100 discount off two or three person itinerary ($100 off entire itinerary)
• Requirements: Discount is only available to cardholders of the:
  • Chase Ritz Carlton
  • CNB Crystal VISA Infinite Card
• Flight requirement: Must purchase economy round-trip travel between cities within the 50 United States of America within participating airlines.
• Pros:
  • Unlimited use
• Cons: Economy only
  • US only
  • Some airlines excluded

Conclusion:

Again, this could save you big on money or points on a second passenger. If there’s any alternative companion ticket options or information that we did not mention, we really would appreciate it if you’d let us know in the comment section below. Out of the whole list, my recommendations go to Southwest Unlimited primarily because you are able to use the pass as long as you’re active and it works on paid and award flights on top of the option to fly international flights. Also be sure to check out our complete list of Credit Card Promotions today!