Guide to Airline Companion Passes

If you travel often with family, friends, or other loved ones, companion passes can help you fly for less. It’s not exactly buy-one, get-one, but companion passes allow your travel partner to fly for a discounted price. 

What airlines have a companion pass?

Also known as companion fare, companion ticket, and companion certificate, several airlines have their own variations of companion passes. Here’s the current list of airlines that offer a companion pass:

• Alaska Airlines
• American Airlines
• British Airways
• Delta Airlines
• Hawaiian Airlines
• Southwest Airlines
• Lufthansa 

Each airline has its own requirements to obtain and use the companion pass. We’ll walk you through them below. 

Alaska Airlines

Alaska Airlines gives companion fare discount codes to eligible cardholders. Eligible cardholders can earn Alaska’s Famous Companion Fare by meeting the requirements.

How to earn the companion pass:

Cards eligible: 

• card_name
• card_name

Spending requirement: At least $6,000 on your card annually

How to use it:

You can find your discount code in the “Discount and companion fare” section when logged into your account. When you book, you’ll see a box to enter the code.

Companion fare cost: $122 ($99 base fare, plus taxes and fees starting at $23)

Frequency: once per card anniversary year

Travel Tip

You don’t have to live in or visit Alaska to get value out of Alaska Airlines flights. This airline offers great coverage for flights to and from the West Coast, Alaska, and Hawaii.

American Airlines

How to earn the companion pass:

American Airlines offers a companion pass to eligible cardholders, but you’ll have to meet pretty steep spending requirements to qualify.

The following card requires you to spend at least $30,000 on the card by its annual renewal.

• CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®

The following cards require you to spend at least $20,000 on the card by its annual renewal.

• AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard®
• AAdvantage® Aviator® Silver Mastercard® (not open to new applicants)
• AAdvantage® Aviator® World Elite Business Mastercard® (not open to new applicants)

You must also keep the card open at least 45 after your card anniversary.

How to use it:

After you meet the criteria for the American Airlines Companion Certificate, you can expect it to arrive 8-10 weeks later. You may use the companion pass for roundtrip domestic economy fare.

Companion fare cost: $99, plus taxes and fees

Frequency: once per card anniversary year

British Airways

British Airways has its own version of a companion pass, called the Travel Together Ticket. It is unique because it is only valid when you pay for a flight with Avios, British Airways’ reward currency. 

If you’re traveling solo, you can use the Travel Together Ticket to cut the Avios fare by 50%.  

How to earn the Travel Together Ticket:

Cards eligible: 

• card_name

Spending requirement: At least $30,000 on your card each calendar year (Jan. 1- Dec. 31)

How to use it:

You can only use the Travel Together Ticket when you’re booking a reward flight with Avios. You can redeem the ticket on British Airways, Iberia, or Aer Lingus flights and your eligible flight does not even have to originate in the US.

Companion fare cost: Taxes, fees, and carrier charges only

Frequency: once in a 24-month period

Length valid: 24 months from when it is issued

Delta Airlines

Delta offers a companion pass to eligible cardholders each year your card renews. 

The good news is there are no spending requirements to earn the companion pass, but the bad news is that you’ll have to wait until your second year of holding the card to enjoy it. 

Cards that get the Delta companion certificate:

If you hold any of the following Delta cards, you’ll receive a Companion Certificate each year your card renews. 

With the following cards, you can receive a Companion Certificate on a Main Cabin round-trip flight within the U.S. and to Mexico, the Caribbean, or Central America each year after renewal of your Card: 

• card_name (See Rates and Fees)
• card_name: See Rates and Fees
• card_name: See Rates and Fees

With the following card, you can receive a Companion Certificate on a First Class, Delta Comfort®, or Main Cabin domestic, Caribbean, or Central American roundtrip flight each year after renewal of your Card:

• card_name: See Rates and Fees

For all cards, this perk is reserved for the primary cardholder, not any additional card members on the account. 

The Companion Ticket requires payment of the government-imposed taxes and fees of no more than $80 for roundtrip domestic flights and no more than $250 for roundtrip international flights (both for itineraries with up to four flight segments). Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. See terms and conditions for details.

How to use it:

After your eligible card renews, you’ll find the Companion Certificate in the “Certificates, eCredits & Vouchers” section of your SkyMiles account. Delta has a good video showing you where you’ll find it. 
You can redeem a Companion Certificate for one roundtrip domestic flight.

Companion fare cost: Maximum $80 for taxes and fees

Frequency: once per card anniversary year (starts the second year of card membership)

Hawaiian Airlines

While not technically a companion pass, Hawaiian Airlines offers a one-time, 50%-off companion discount to eligible card holders. 

Certain cards also earn a $100 annual discount on a companion ticket each card anniversary. 

Cards that earn the companion discount:

• One-time, 50%-off companion discount
• Annual $100 companion discount

• One-time, 50%-off companion discount
• Annual $100 companion discount

• One-time, 50%-off companion discount

You don’t need to meet any spending requirements to get the discounts, but the 50% off discount is a one-time thing. If the $100 annual companion discount applies to your card, you’ll have to wait until your card anniversary—in other words, your second year of card membership—to take advantage of this benefit. 

How to use it:

Roundtrip, economy flights between Hawaii and the continental US qualify for the companion discounts. 

You can 13 months from opening the card to take advantage of the one-time 50% discount on companion fare. The annual $100 discount kicks in your second year of card membership.

Companion fare cost: Either 50% or $100 off the full ticket price (depending on the benefit)

Frequency: 

• 50% off discount: one-time use, within the first 13 months of holding the card
• Annual $100 discount: once per card anniversary year (starts the second year of card membership)

Travel Tip

With the news of an upcoming Alaska Airlines-Hawaiian Airlines merger, it may be wise to use your Hawaiian companion discounts sooner rather than later. While we don’t know the fate of the Hawaiian credit cards after Alaska Airlines buys Hawaii Airlines, it’s probably safest to use your benefits before

Southwest Airlines

The Southwest Companion Pass is probably the most popular one on the market—and arguably the most valuable one, too.

How to earn the Southwest Companion Pass:

To earn the Southwest Companion Pass, you need to do one of the following in a calendar year:

• Complete 100 qualifying one-way flights, or
• Earn 135,000 points through Southwest Rapid Rewards

That may sound intimidating, but the points you earn from a Southwest credit card—including welcome offers—count toward this goal. The following Southwest credit cards can help get you started:

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

Heads up: Transferring points from Chase Ultimate Rewards into Southwest Rapid Rewards do not count the points you need. 

How to use it:

You’ll have to designate someone as your companion to use the Companion Pass, but you can change this up to three times a calendar year. 

Companion fare cost: taxes and fees only

Frequency: as many times as you like, as long as it is valid

Length valid: the year you earn it in and the following year (e.g. remainder of 2024 and 2025)

Travel Tip

Earn the Southwest Companion Pass early in the calendar year (e.g. February) and you’ll be able to use it on Southwest Airlines for nearly two full calendar years.

Lufthansa 

You get the Lufthansa companion ticket by virtue of being a cardholder and making one purchase. Every year after that the account is open, you’ll receive a companion ticket on your card anniversary. 

Card required to get the companion ticket:

How to use it:

You can use the Companion Ticket on an economy class ticket departing from the US. 

To make a reservation with your Companion Ticket, you’ll need to pick up the phone and call Lufthansa Miles & More Companion Ticket Service at 1-866-461-5399.

Companion fare cost: taxes and fees only

Frequency: once per card anniversary year