If you ever travel with others, companion tickets offer the possibility of saving a lot of money or points for the second passenger. This guide describes each companion ticket option available. Since last publication, this guide has been updated to reflect that the Southwest Companion Pass now requires 125,000 points; and to remove the Visa Infinite Discount Air Benefit which is no longer available.
Aer Lingus Commercial Companion Ticket
Pros: Big savings possible | Cons: Limited to flights between US & Ireland on Aer Lingus; Economy only
How to get it: Spend $30K per calendar year on the Aer Lingus credit card. Companion ticket is issued 4 to 6 weeks after meeting the spend requirement.
Flight requirement: Purchase a paid economy round trip flight between the US and Ireland. Only flights operated by Aer Lingus qualify.
Companion benefit: One companion flies for free, with no taxes or fees.
How to book: Email Aer Lingus directly at chasecompanionticket@aerlingus.com to book using the companion voucher
Eligible credit card:
| Card Name w Details & Review (no offer) |
|---|
American Airlines Companion Certificate
Pros: Decent savings possible | Cons: Contiguous 48 states only; Economy only
How to get it: Spend $20K or $30K on select AAdvantage credit cards within your cardmember year to get at most one companion certificate per year. Details vary by card:
- AAdvantage Aviator Red World Elite MasterCard: Spend $20K to earn one companion certificate for a single companion each membership year.
- AAdvantage Aviator Silver World Elite MasterCard: Spend $20K to earn one companion certificate for up to 2 companions each membership year (prior to May spend requirement was $30K).
- AAdvantage Aviator Business MasterCard: Spend $30K to earn one companion certificate for a single companion each membership year.
- CitiBusiness AAdvantage Platinum Select World MasterCard: Spend $30K to earn one companion certificate for a single companion each membership year.
Flight requirement: Purchase qualifying domestic round-trip economy fare ticket. Must be within the 48 contiguous United States. For residents of Alaska and Hawaii, the companion certificate is valid for round-trip travel originating in either of those two states and continuing to the 48 contiguous United States.
Companion benefit: One companion (or up to two companions with the Aviator Silver card) pay $99 companion ticket fee plus $21.60 to $43.20 in government taxes and fees.
How to book: Booking details are found on the certificate.
Eligible credit cards:
| Card Name w Details & Review (no offer) |
|---|
Alaska Airlines Companion Fare
Pros: Valid for any published coach fare; Upgradeable | Cons: Economy only
How to get it: Alaska Airlines credit card holders get one discount code each year. Qualifying cards: Alaska Airlines Visa Signature consumer card (US), the Visa Business card (US), as well as the World Elite and Platinum Plus MasterCard (Canada).
Flight requirement: Round-trip paid published coach airfare on Alaska Airlines
Companion benefit: Pay “from $121” ($99 base fare plus applicable taxes and fees from $22 depending on your Alaska Airlines flight itinerary).
Share benefit with others? Yes, cardholder must purchase tickets, but can buy both primary and companion tickets for others.
How to book: From the Alaska website: “You can redeem your discount code by selecting the Shop button within the My discount codes section of your My account profile. This will automatically apply your discount code to the new reservation. The discount will be reflected on the “Available flights” and “Cart” pages.”
Payment: Payment does not need to be made with an Alaska Airlines credit card. From the Alaska website: “The Mileage Plan™ member who owns the companion fare discount code must either be one of the travelers or the purchaser of the reservation. If the member is allowing two travelers to use his or her companion fare discount code, then the member’s name must match the name on the credit card used to purchase the reservation.” Alaska’s My Wallet funds (such as from a gift card or cancelled flight) can only be used to purchase travel on Alaska Airlines.
Who can use it: Anyone. 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.
More details: Please see: Alaska Airlines Companion Fare Complete Guide.
Eligible credit cards:
| Card Name w Details & Review (no offer) |
|---|
British Airways Travel Together Ticket
Pros: ? | Cons: Companion pays huge fuel surcharges; Requires award availability
How to get it: Spend $30,000 each calendar year on your British Airways Visa Signature Credit Card and receive a Travel Together Ticket.
Flight requirement: Book a reward flight on a British Airways mainline flight originating in and returning to the United States. Important: Two award seats must be available in order to book the Travel Together Ticket.
Companion benefit: No additional Avios required for the companion ticket, but companion does pay taxes and fees up to $1,250. From British Airways: “At time of this publication all reward flights and travel together tickets are subject to taxes, fees, and carrier charges of approximately $682-$1250 per adult in economy or $1,250 in business class based on travel from Seattle to London. *Flights subject to availability.”
How to book: Log into your BA.com account to redeem your Travel Together Ticket.
Eligible credit card:
| Card Name w Details & Review (no offer) |
|---|
Cathay Pacific Companion Ticket Awards
Pros: More award availability; Works with discount fares | Cons: Economy fares are not eligible
How to get it: Purchase first ticket with cash and second ticket with miles (Cathay Pacific Asia Miles).
Flight requirement: Purchase a First or Business Class ticket on Cathay Pacific, Cathay Dragon or British Airways. Mixed class and mixed carrier Flight Awards are not applicable.
Companion benefit: Number of miles required for companion ticket is lower than the number required for a full award ticket (click here to view the award chart). More availability than standard awards. Point discounts compared to full award tickets range from 25% to 38.9% fewer points, but most are around 35% off. Companion must pay taxes and fuel surcharges.
How to book: The primary ticket can be booked however you want, but then you must call Cathay Pacific Asia Miles to redeem points for the companion ticket. It is safer to call to purchase both at once to ensure availability.
More info: Business class for two: Cathay Pacific Companion Ticket Awards
Cathay Pacific credit card (not required for booking companion ticket awards):
| Card Name w Details & Review (no offer) |
|---|
Delta Companion Ticket
Pros: Valid for discount fares; Large savings possible; Tickets now upgrade eligible | Cons: Contiguous US only; Discount fares only; Companion does not earn miles.
How to get it: Both the Platinum Delta SkyMiles Credit Card and the Delta Reserve Credit Card offer a free companion certificate each year upon renewal. Note that you do not get the companion certificate until after your first year of card membership.
Flight requirement: Requires purchasing domestic round-trip with the following economy discount fare classes L, U, T, X, V and, for the Reserve card only, first-class fare classes A, and I. Companion seats must be available in those fare classes as well. Valid only for round trip flights within the 48 contiguous United States. But, there is an exception for those who live in the US, but outside of 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”.
Companion benefit: Pay only taxes and fees (capped at $75).
Share benefit with others? Yes, cardholder must purchase tickets, but can buy both primary and companion tickets for others.
How to book: Log into your account and navigate to your Wallet. In your Wallet you’ll find your companion tickets. You can then check the box to redeem the ticket. That will lead you to a flight search screen where you can find flights and book as needed.
More info: Delta companion certificates quick guide
Eligible credit cards:
| Card Name w Details & Review (no offer) |
|---|
Hawaiian Airlines Companion Discount
Pros: ? | Cons: Full fare economy only
How to get it: Hawaiian Airlines World Elite MasterCard and Hawaiian Airlines Business MasterCard cardholders get a one-time 50% off companion ticket. Hawaiian Airlines World Elite MasterCard cardholders additionally get a $100 off companion ticket each account anniversary.
Flight requirement: Purchase published round-trip full fare coach. Tickets must be purchased with your Hawaiian Airlines credit card.
Companion benefit: 50% off fare (before taxes and fees); or $100 off with the $100 off companion ticket.
How to book: Log in to your Hawaiian Airlines account to look for your MasterCard companion discount then click Book Now to redeem:
Eligible credit cards:
| Card Name w Details & Review (no offer) |
|---|
Iberia $1,000 Discount Voucher
Pros: Save up to $1,000; Valid on any class of service | Cons: Only Iberia operated flights
How to get it: Spend $30K per calendar year on the Iberia credit card. Discount voucher is issued 4 to 6 weeks after meeting the spend requirement.
Flight requirement: Purchase a paid round-trip flight for two. Only flights operated by Iberia qualify.
Companion benefit: $1,000 discount
How to book: Online at iberia.com/Chase10. The discount voucher will be in the form of a code that can be applied by a Cardmember for a discount of $1,000 when purchasing two tickets, for the same flights in the same class of travel.
Eligible credit card:
| Card Name w Details & Review (no offer) |
|---|
Lufthansa Companion Ticket
Pros: ? | Cons: Discount fares not eligible; Economy only
How to get it: World Elite Miles & More Mastercard cardholders get one economy companion ticket each year of card ownership.
Flight requirement: 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.
Companion benefit: Free after taxes & fees. May incur weekend surcharge: “various based on the paid Economy Class fare (generally $60 round-trip but in some instances it may not apply or the amount may be lower)”
How to book: Call a Lufthansa service center
Eligible credit card:
| Card Name w Details & Review (no offer) |
|---|
Southwest Companion Pass
Pros: Unlimited use while active, Works with paid and award flights, Valid for international flights | Cons: ?
Complete Guide to the Southwest Companion Pass
How to get it: Earn 125,000 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 are eligible regardless of fare class and regardless of whether the primary passenger pays with points or cash.
Companion benefit: Companion flies free, but must pay TSA fee.
More info: Southwest Companion Pass Complete Guide
How to book: Book primary passenger first with cash or points. Log into primary passenger’s account to add companion to flight.
Southwest credit cards (these are helpful, but not required to earn a companion pass):
| Card Name w Details & Review (no offer) |
Virgin Atlantic Companion Fare
Pros: save a few miles | Cons: elite status requirement for premium class, fuel surcharges apply to companion
How to get it: Spend $25K on the Virgin Atlantic World Elite Mastercard within a membership year to get your choice of either a one cabin upgrade from economy to premium economy on an award flight; or one matching companion fare on an award flight.
Flight requirement: Using Virgin Atlantic miles, book any award ticket on flights operated by Virgin Atlantic. Companion ticket class of service is dependent upon the cardholders elite status (Tier) with Virgin Atlantic, as follows:
- Red Tier members may redeem miles for a primary ticket in Economy Classic only.
- Silver Tier members may redeem miles for a primary ticket in Economy Classic or Premium Economy.
- Gold Tier members may redeem miles for a primary ticket in Economy Classic, Premium, or Upper Class.
Companion benefit:
- Receive one companion ticket in the same class of service for no additional miles. Taxes, fees, charges, and carrier-imposed surcharges do apply to the Companion Fare
How to book: Call Virgin Atlantic
Eligible credit card:
| Card Name w Details & Review (no offer) |
|---|
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[…] Southwest Companion pass has undoubtedly long been the most valuable companion ticket benefit of any airline program and it continues to be so in 2020. The key value lies in the fact […]
If I use my Amex Gold PRG card to pay for Delta companion tickets will the taxes and fees charged for my companion be reimbursed as an allowed miscellaneous airline expense? Delta is my chosen airline on this card and I used to use it to purchase Delta $50 gift certificates, but no more, boo hoo.
Unfortunately that does not seem to work anymore (it used to, though). See this post for the latest info about what works and what doesn’t: https://frequentmiler.com/amex-airline-fee-reimbursements-still-works/#Delta
[…] More details can be found here. […]
[…] Aer Lingus Commercial Companion Ticket […]
For the amtrak pass, you can now apply the coupons online- big step up IMO. Also, you now get 2 one-way passes, which helps one maximize a bit more.
Awesome, thanks. I’ve updated the post about booking Amtrak companions online and in-app. When you say that you get 2 one-way passes, do you mean cardholders get 2 one-way companion tickets instead of (previously) one that could be used either for 1-way or round-trip?
Yes, exactly. Sorry I was unclear earlier. you get 2 online-applicable 1-way companion “coupons” that you literally enter in the coupon/promo section when booking your trip. And then when you select for 2 people, the system just charges you for the price of 1 ticket, and gives you both.
Thanks. That does sound like a very good improvement!
[…] Complete Guide to Travel Companion Tickets […]
I tried to book a Delta companion ticket last night r/t PHL – SJC the first week of May and no eligible fare classes were available. I’ve had the platinum AMEX card for 15 years and this is the first time I’ve run into this problem. Is Delta (more) limiting the number of seats available for this benefit?
I’m not aware of them limiting it more. I’ve run into problems quite a few times over the years where I couldn’t use it when I wanted to due to the fare classes not being available. I find that the further in advance you book, the more likely you’ll find available seats in that fare class.