Last week, Beat of Hawaii covered some positive developments in the merger between Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines. One of the great bits they spotted is that Alaska Airlines Visa cardholders will be able to use their companion certificates on Hawaiian-operated flights starting sometime this summer. Note that this will be limited to flights within North America, but that should substantially increase the ability to use those certificates for flights to/from Hawaii and inter-island within Hawaii.
Alaska Airlines Visa cardholders will be able to use their companion fare on Alaska or Hawaiian beginning summer 2025
Alaska Airlines has updated a list of Frequently Asked Questions about the merger with Hawaiian. One of the questions now answered is, “Can I use my $99 Companion Fare for Hawaiian Airlines flights?”. Here’s the answer they provide:
Starting this summer, guests will have the option to use their Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® and Alaska Airlines Visa® Business companion fare on any Alaska Airlines or Hawaiian Airlines flight within North America.
As you can see, it sounds like we can expect the ability to use the companion certificates on Alaska or Hawaiian Airlines flights beginning within the next few months. That’s awesome news.
I’ve long been really intrigued with the Alaska Airlines Companion Fare and have written a bit about maximizing it (and discussed it in presentations at some seminars years ago). As things stand, it already works on all of Alaska’s routes, including those to Mexico, Costa Rica, and Hawaii.
Given the mention that this will work on flights within North America, it is clear that these certificates will not work on Hawaiian’s long-haul international routes to Asia. It is also reasonable to expect that Alaska will eventually reposition some Hawaiian flights to vie for service to Europe. If and when that happens, don’t expect companion certificates to work in that direction, either. However, if they are going to make the companion certificate work on Hawaiian, it seems very likely that they will consider Hawaii to be part of North America for the purposes of the certificate. And since it has long been possible to create complex itineraries that visit Hawaii and maybe even Mexico along with adding a stopover, I’m hopeful that these certificates will only become more fun.
Furthermore, since MVP guest upgrades have historically been applicable on companion certificates, we can hope that there may be opportunities to upgrade on some of Hawaiian’s lie-flat services. Time will tell.
Earning an Alaska Companion Fare
As a reminder, the Alaska Companion Fare is a benefit carried by both the Alaska Airlines Visa Signature card and the Alaska Airlines Visa Business card. At the time of writing, both cards offer a one-time $99+tax companion fare as part of their introductory bonus offers.
Cardholders who opened their accounts on January 18, 2023 or later need to spend $6,000 in a cardmember year in subsequent years to earn a single one-time $99+tax companion fare certificate at anniversary. Those whose accounts were open prior to date date continue to get an annual companion fare without a spend requirement.
As noted above, Alaska Companion Fare certificates can be particularly useful for complex multi-city bookings and both travelers earn full elite-qualifying and redeemable miles on the trip.
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I’m assuming this only works on flights from West Coast right? Those on East coast would have to reposition? Thanks
East Coast to Hawaii is definitely an option. That’s been one the big changes of the Hawaiian acquisition, Alaska has reworked the flight times so the connection times thru Seattle are competitive. I’m flying DC-HNL via SEA in May and it was one of the best itineraries available time-wise.
Other than bringing back Hawaii destinations (granted a better choice of routes and destinations to/from and within Hawaii on HA compared to what AS previously offered) what else are we gaining here?
Alaska is just correcting a problem of its own making. But I still appreciate them fixing it.
Yeah, was hoping for some cool new routes or more creative routing. Too bad HA’s N.AM route isn’t beyond Hawaii/mainland US. AS at least includes Mexico and CR. was hoping someone at HA/AS would overlook PPG and PPT and accidentally lump those into N. Am.
Great news! As a Hawaii based traveler, my and P2’s companion pass have served us well. For the first time we had both expire this year, because AL removed all their HI flights, rendering the companion unusable for HI. I was on the verge of cancelling when my AF recently hit, but very happy I held on. Note though that AL is moving many of HA’s lie-flat planes off HI-mainland routes, so don’t set your upgrade hopes too high (I think all the HI-West Coast are already all recline seats).
Alaska’s abbreviation is AS
That’s great news considering almost all the routes from the west coast to Hawaii have been replaced with HA flights.
I’m curious if HA Companion Fares will start to work on AS flights in the future…