Which Companion Fares Save You Money?

Many airline-branded credit cards come with discounted companion fares. These can be one-off coupons you earn each year or ongoing benefits anytime you book a ticket. However, individual circumstances are extremely important if you expect to save money. Most offers are not as generous as they appear on the surface.

All Companion Fares Exclude Taxes & Fees

The biggest drawback to companion fares is that you are still obligated to pay the taxes, fees, and fuel surcharges for a companion. These can be about $10-20 if you are flying round-trip within the United States (taxes are minimal, and most flights don’t have fuel surcharges). If you fly internationally, however, they can be $400 to $600 per person — comparable to what you would pay if you booked an award ticket, and even higher if you are in a premium cabin.

One way to estimate the charges is to search for the same itinerary on ITA Matrix, look at the fare breakdown, and subtract the base fare. The example below would require paying $698.50 to book a “free” companion fare.

Some Companion Fares Still Cost Money

Once we get past the issue of taxes and fees, we still find that not all companion fares are complimentary. You can expect to pay at least $100 for the most popular ones for travel within the U.S., such as on Alaska Airlines or Hawaiian Airlines. This can still be a significant discount if you were looking at an expensive itinerary.

Fare Restrictions Exist

Alaska Airlines used to have the most popular companion fare because it applied to pretty much any Alaska Airlines-operated itinerary, even those booked into first class. That added up to significant savings for some individuals. These days Alaska Airlines and most others’ companion fares are limited to economy class. Contrary to what some people think, I consider the Alaska companion fare to be very useful. As good as it used to be? No. Good enough? Yes. It helps that I live near Alaska’s Seattle hub, and that I think the ~5 hours to reach Hawaii is tolerable in coach.

When companion fares can be used for premium cabins, there are often very specific fare class requirements. In other words, it isn’t sufficient to book any business class ticket. It needs to be a full fare business class ticket, and a discounted fare won’t qualify. Or perhaps there must be availability in the cheaper fare bucket to issue the tickets and you’ll be expected to pay the cost of the higher fare bucket. Discounted business class can be surprisingly affordable, and paying full fare for one person may wipe out any savings.

Summaries of Companion Fare Terms & Conditions

Now that you know some of the conditions to watch out for, here are the most common companion fare discounts of which I’m aware. (I’ve included links to the full terms and conditions — or websites that include further links to those terms and conditions — where I could find them.) Please feel free to share your experiences with these options in the comments.

Alaska Airlines

The Alaska Airlines Visa Signature credit card from Bank of America includes a $99 companion fare, plus about $18 in taxes and fees, the year you sign up and every account anniversary thereafter. Although it can only be used for travel in economy class, once booked it functions much like any other ticket and is eligible for an upgrade.

• Travel must be on flights operated by Alaska Airlines, in economy class, on flights where at least two economy class tickets are for sale.
• You must book a round-trip itinerary (no multi-city or other itineraries).
• The cardmember must travel on the entire itinerary.
• The companion will earn Mileage Plan miles and be eligible for an upgrade.
• Travel must be booked before the expiration of the companion fare coupon code, but travel can occur later and, if necessary, be rebooked up to 12 months from the date of issue.
• Terms & Conditions

Southwest Airlines

One of the most useful companion fares is actually the annual Companion Pass, awarded to customers who complete 100 qualifying one-way flights or earn 110,000 qualifying points with Southwest Airlines’ Rapid Rewards program in a calendar year. Unlike the rest of the fares described in this post, it is not a credit card benefit, but you can use a credit card to earn qualifying points in addition to those earned through travel. Qualifying points are those that are earned from revenue flights on Southwest Airlines, purchases from Southwest partners, and purchases on a Rapid Rewards credit card (including the sign-up bonus, if any). Once earned, the pass is valid for the remainder of that year and the entirety of the next calendar year. Companions do not need to pay the base fare but are required to pay any taxes and fees of about $10.

• The owner of the Companion Pass must travel with the companion on the entire itinerary.
• Elite status of the primary traveler (e.g., A-List) does not extend to the Companion.
• The owner of the Companion Pass must designate a specific individual as the beneficiary of the Companion Pass, but this individual may be changed up to three times during the validity of the pass.
• Companion Pass travel does not earn points.
• There are no blackout dates or seat restrictions.
• A customer of size may use the Companion Pass to purchase an additional seat for personal use.
• Terms & Conditions

Hawaiian Airlines

Rather than a flat $100 fare, Hawaiian Airlines offers both a one-time 50% discount on a companion fare and a $100 discount on a companion fare after each cardmember anniversary to those with its Hawaiian Airlines World Elite MasterCard from Barclays. You’ll probably benefit more from the percentage discount given that most round-trip fares from the mainland are over $200. Taxes and fees of about $18 still apply.

• Discounted travel must be booked and completed no later than 13 months after being issued.
• Travel must be booked using the associated Hawaiian Airlines MasterCard.
• Travel must be round-trip on Hawaiian Airlines between Hawaii and North America, excluding Neighbor Island flights and multi-city reservations.
• Travel must be booked using the
• Companion fares may earn miles with Hawaiian Airlines, but flights booked in the H and K fare buckets may not earn miles with partner airlines. (In fact, many carriers only award credit for inter-island flights on Hawaiian Airlines.)
• Terms & Conditions

Delta Air Lines

Delta provides a companion fare with both its Platinum Delta SkyMiles and Delta Reserve credit cards from American Express each cardmember anniversary (i.e., not the first year you sign-up). The Platinum card provides a domestic economy class companion fare, while the Reserve card provides companion fare that can be used in either domestic first class or economy class. The companion fare is free, but you will need to pay taxes and fees that range between $22 and $68.

• Travel must be on flights operated by Delta Air lines, in economy class (or first class, if permitted).
• Seats must be available in the L, U, or T buckets for economy class (A or I buckets for first class, if permitted).
• Travel must be round-trip and within the 48 contiguous United States, or, for customers living in Hawaii, Alaska, Puerto Rico, and the USVI, for travel from their home state or territory to the 48 contiguous United States.
• Tickets and fees must be paid for with the Delta credit card providing the companion fare discount.
• Companion fares do not earn SkyMiles, and tickets are not eligible for upgrades.
• Terms & Conditions

US Airways

There are many varieties of the US Airways MasterCard with different benefits and annual fees. Fortunately there is a website that summarizes all of these. Those cards with a fee of $79 or more receive an annual $99 companion fare (for up to two people), and those cards with a fee of $49 or $59 receive an annual companion fare of $149 (for one person). Additional taxes and fees of about $18 per person will apply.

• Primary cardmember must purchase a fare of $250 or greater.
• Companion fares are only valid for round-trip travel in economy class within the 48 contiguous United States or from the 48 continuous United States to Canada.
• Travel must be on US Airlines-operated flights (does not include American Airlines-operated flights)
• Travel must be booked at least 14 days before departure for a two-night minimum stay.
• Black-out dates may apply, as indicated on the printed certificate.
• The certificate must be mailed immediately to US Airways after redeeming over the phone. If the certificate is lost, a new one can be obtained.
• Terms & Conditions

British Airways

Get the “Travel Together” ticket each calendar year you spend $30,000 or more on the British Airways Visa credit card from Chase ($95 annual fee). This companion fare can be used to book award travel without paying the corresponding Avios points and expires two years from the date of issue. You still need to pay fees, taxes, and fuel surcharges for the “free” companion award, but these are normally required on all Avios reservations.

• Travel must be on flights operated by British Airways, originating and ending in the United States.
• The cardmember who earned the Travel Together Ticket must travel on the entire itinerary
• You must book a round-trip itinerary (but open-jaws can be booked over the phone).
• There must be award availability for both passengers.
• The companion will not earn Avios points.
• Outbound departure must occur before the Travel Together ticket’s expiration, but the return portion can be after that date.

Miles & More

The Miles & More World MasterCard from Barclays comes with an annual companion fare the first year after signing up as well as on every account anniversary. However, the cost of this fare are so onerous that it probably doesn’t make sense for most customers and should not be considered a compelling reason to apply for the card. (At least Lufthansa is up front about this and includes a disclaimer noting that sale fares may be more affordable.)

• Travel must be on flights operated by Lufthansa.
• Must travel in economy class, departing the United States to Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the Far East.
• The cardmember must travel on the entire itinerary.
• Both passengers must be booked into the H fare bucket or higher (three steps down from the full-fare Y bucket).
• The companion fare will not earn miles.
• Taxes, fees, and fuel surcharges still apply to the companion fare.
• Terms & Conditions

American Express

Anyone with a Platinum Card from American Express can take advantage of the International Airline Program. Unlike most companion fares, American Express places no limit on the number of times you can request this benefit nor are there any blackout dates. However, only full-fare, refundable tickets in business or first class are eligible. These can be very expensive and will make the most sense for individuals who are already traveling on an employer-sponsored trip and want to bring along a spouse or companion for free. Otherwise, most leisure travelers should just buy two discounted tickets through normal channels. Taxes, fees, and fuel surcharges for the companion still apply and can range from $50 to over $2,000.

• Travel must be booked through the American Express Platinum Travel Service at (800) 525-3355. A service fee of $39 applies to each purchase and itinerary change.
• Both travelers must fly the same itinerary, and the entire reservation must be cancelled and rebooked if either traveler has a change of plans. Tickets are refundable (but the service fee is not).
• Both travelers will be booked into traditional revenue fare classes and should earn miles.
• Not all carriers, routes, and cabin classes will qualify. Call American Express with questions or use the search tool on the link below. In general, flights must originate within the U.S. or from the Canadian cities of Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Ottawa, Toronto, Montreal, or Halifax.
• Terms & Conditions

Citi

The Citi Prestige Card includes an annual companion fare similar to the American Express benefit above (the card has a similarly hefty $450 annual fee). However the companion benefit is for economy class travel only. This seems contrary to the idea of a premium financial product, but it does make it more valuable if you can use it for domestic travel that has minimal taxes and fees.

• Travel must be booked through Citi’s travel benefits provider, Spirit Incentives, at least four days before departure.
• The cardmember must travel on the entire itinerary.
• Citi mentions the cardmember must purchase a “full fare ticket,” but readers have commented that this only means the standard discount applied by Spirit Incentives for using their service does not apply. Cardmembers should still be able to book fares at discounted prices set by the airline.
• Both travelers will be booked into traditional revenue fare classes and should earn miles.
• All taxes, fees, and fuel surcharges for the companion fare still apply.
• Terms & Conditions

Disclaimer: The links on this page don’t intentionally direct you to any credit card applications, but you might come across one by accident. If you’re interested in applying, I provide links for many of the credit cards I mention on my pages for the Best Travel Credit Cards and Business Cards.