What’s An Airline Companion Ticket?

An airline companion ticket is basically a two-for-one voucher. If you have one, you can book a ticket for yourself and apply the companion certificate to a second ticket on the same trip. With several stipulations to be aware of, that is.

Most companion tickets require you to pay the taxes and fees on the second ticket but save you on the base airfare—so your companion’s seat isn’t completely free. Some companion tickets only apply to certain routes and classes of service or even fare codes, like domestic economy flights. Others only apply to award travel (the kind you book using your airline miles or points).

While they might sound complicated, companion certificates are meant to be used. So you don’t typically have to jump through too many hoops to maximize the benefit.

Several airline credit cards offer some type of companion ticket as part of their perks packages. Sometimes, you can score a companion ticket as part of a welcome bonus. Others are activated after each account anniversary (and after you’ve paid the annual fee). Some are earned after you spend a certain amount on purchases with your credit card each year.

In short, airline companion tickets can vary from airline to airline and credit card to credit card within the same family of products. So, if you carry an airline credit card that offers a companion ticket benefit or are thinking of opening a new account, go over all the provisions carefully to ensure you will be able to put the benefit to use.

Here’s a handy guide to some of the best airline credit cards that offer companion tickets (or a comparable perk, such as a statement credit toward airfare). Be sure you understand the terms and conditions offered by any card you might be interested in before committing to any applications or spending requirements.

Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® credit card: Cardholders receive an annual companion fare starting at $122 ($99 fare plus taxes and fees from $23) after you spend $6,000 or more on purchases within the prior anniversary year.

Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card (terms apply): Each year you renew your card membership, you’ll receive a Delta Companion Certificate in your SkyMiles account which can be used to book a companion flight in Main Cabin on U.S., Mexico, Caribbean or Central American round-trip flights for only the cost of taxes and fees. Taxes and fees will be between $22 and $250 (for itineraries with up to four flight segments). Baggage fees still apply.

Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card (terms apply): Card members receive an annual Companion Certificate good for a buy-one-get-one flight within the U.S. and to Mexico, the Caribbean or Central America in the following cabins: Main Cabin, Delta Comfort+ or First Class. The certificate is available to you every year you renew your account and pay the annual fee. You still have to pay taxes and fees for the companion, which will be between $22 and $250 (for itineraries with up to four flight segments). Baggage fees still apply.

AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard®*: The card grants the opportunity to earn a $99 companion certificate after spending $20,000 on purchases and renewing your card. To earn the certificate, your account must remain open for 45 days after your anniversary date.

Hawaiian Airlines® World Elite Mastercard®*: Earn a 50% one-time companion discount for flights between Hawaii and North America and a $100 annual companion discount.

British Airways Visa Signature® Card: Earn a Travel Together Ticket every calendar year you spend $30,000 on the card in a calendar year. Valid for two years after issuance, this ticket provides an additional seat on the same flight and cabin when booking a reward ticket on British Airways, Iberia or Aer Lingus flights originating anywhere in the world. You can also redeem the ticket for a 50% discount on an award ticket if traveling alone.

Southwest Airlines offers what is perhaps the most valuable of any airline benefit (depending on how much you fly the airline, of course). Its Companion Pass is a buy-one-get-one ticket good for paid and award flights. Even better, the Companion Pass is valid both in the calendar year you earn it and the following one. That means you can get almost two years of buy-one-get-one tickets if you time things right.

Normally, you have to earn 135,000 qualifying points or take 100 qualifying one-way flights on Southwest within a calendar year to earn the Companion Pass. The points you earn by spending on the airline’s co-branded credit cards count toward the Companion Pass, too—including the welcome bonus. You can even count a bonus from a personal card and a business card to help you jump-start your Companion Pass journey.

• Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card
• Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card*
• Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card
• Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card

Enormous welcome bonuses and top-shelf perks like lounge access and a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee statement credit might wow you, but companion tickets are some of the best perks any airline credit card can offer. Depending on the airline, the card, the terms and conditions and how you redeem your companion ticket, it could be worth thousands of dollars. That can easily offset any annual fees and make it well worth renewing your card year after year.

To view rates and fees of Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, please visit this page.
To view rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card, please visit this page.