WHICH US AIRLINES OFFER A COMPANION PASS?
- Southwest Airlines offers a companion pass which can be earned by flying a certain amount or earning points.
- Alaska Airlines provides a companion fare with their credit card after a certain spending requirement.
- Hawaiian Airlines offers discounts and companion fares with their credit cards, with various benefits included.
A companion pass allows a traveler to have an additional seat on any flight purchased for a friend or relative to fly for free. But acquiring one is not always easy.
Not all airlines offer a companion pass, either. Air New Zealand, the flag carrier of New Zealand, offers a companion pass, though they recently announced that they would be doing away with this reward. But which airlines in the US offer a companion pass?
1. Southwest Airlines
The low-cost carrier based in the US, Southwest Airlines, is one of the major carriers in the US that offers a companion pass. However, not everyone is eligible for this pass. In order to qualify for the Southwest Companion Pass, you need to have flown a certain number of flights or have earned a specific number of points in a calendar year.
Here are some of the requirements to earn Southwest Airlines' companion pass:
- 100 one-way qualifying flights or 135,000 qualifying points in a calendar year.
- spent $4,000 within the first three months of opening a new Southwest Airlines credit card.
A Complete Guide To The Southwest Companion Pass In 2024
This option has quite a lot to offer.If you reach a spending limit on your card, you will have a bonus of 30,000 points. The three credit cards of Southwest - The Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card, Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card, and Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card - come with the perk of an identical sign-up bonus.
These cards have an annual fee of $69, $99, and $149, respectively. After you have spent $1,000 on purchases in the first three months of opening the accounts, you can earn a bonus of 50,000 points.
Southwest Airlines Makes It Easier To Earn Companion Pass For A Limited Time
The benefit is available for those opening a branded credit card.Once you have earned the benefit of a companion pass, you can designate one person to travel with you for free within a year. However, you will have to pay taxes, which are typically priced at $11.20 for domestic round trips.
2. Alaska Airlines
You can make use of Alaska Airlines’s companion fare once a year. But to be a recipient of this benefit, you need to hold an Alaska Airlines Visa credit card. If you spend $6,000 within a year of the purchase of the card, you will be entitled to the companion fare.
The rules of Alaska Airlines dictate that the recipient of the companion fare should be on the same itinerary as the primary traveler. However, the cardholder doesn’t necessarily need to be one of the travelers.
The companion fare needs to be redeemed within a year of the issue date, and the trip can take place later. The companion fare is only valid for the economy class.
The Alaska Airlines Visa credit card costs $95 per year. If you spend $3,000 or more within the first 90 days of opening your account, you can also earn 60,000 bonus miles plus Alaska's Famous Companion Fare™.
3. Hawaiian Airlines
The Hawaiian Airlines World Elite Mastercard, which has an annual fee of $99, offers a 50% companion discount to new cardholders. This discount is offered one-time only. The offer can be cashed in on a round-trip between Hawaii and North America by a traveling companion. In addition, this card also offers an annual $100 companion discount for a round-trip between the mainland U.S. and Hawaii.
You can also make use of the following credit cards to get a 50% discount on a round-trip economy class companion fare:
- Hawaiian Airlines World Elite Business Mastercard offers a discounted companion fare for a round-trip between North America and Hawaii.
- Hawaiian Airlines Bank of Hawaii World Elite Mastercard, which offers a $100 companion discount for the itinerary in addition to a 50% off one round-trip economy class companion fare between the mainland and Hawaii.
Other benefits of the Hawaiian Airlines' card include:
- After spending $2,000 on purchases in the first three months, you will receive 60,000 bonus miles.
- You can share miles with family and friends without any charges.
- A free checked bag on flights operated by Hawaiian Airlines.
Hawaiian Airlines' HawaiianMiles Frequent Flyer Program: The Simple Flying Guide
Everything you need to know about the Hawaiian Airlines frequent flyer program.4. American Airlines
The Companion Certificate issued by American Airlines is regarded as one of the more difficult companion passes to get hold of. The certificate comes only after some hefty expenditure through one of its co-branded cards.
Only after you spend $20,000 on the AAdvantage® Aviator® Red Mastercard® or AAdvantage® Aviator® Silver Mastercard® and your account remains open for 45 days after the anniversary date, will you acquire the American Airlines’ Companion Certificate. This option is not available for new applicants though.
The Different Tiers Of American Airlines' AAdvantage Program
Earning status is an important part of the AAdvantage program for those that fly frequently.Alternatively, you can acquire the card after you have spent $30,000 or more in a card membership year and renewed your card. This option is available for the users of the following cards:
- CitiBusiness / AAdvantage Platinum Select World Mastercard
- AAdvantage Aviator World Elite Business Mastercard.
The Companion Certificate issued by American Airlines can only be used on economy flights within the 48 contiguous states of the US. In addition to the usual taxes and fees to redeem the certificate, obtaining the card also necessitates a ticketing fee of $99. Apart from the Aviator Silver Card certificate, which is valid for two guests, all other AA companion certificates are valid for one guest only.
5. Delta Airlines
Delta Airlines offers a companion pass for a roundtrip flight to one of the select destinations each year after the renewal of the following cards:
- Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card: This card costs $350 per year. After spending $3,000 in purchases on your new Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card in the first 6 months of Card Membership, you can earn 50,000 bonus miles.
- Delta SkyMiles Platinum Business American Express Card: This card costs $350 per year. After spending $6,000 in purchases on your new Delta SkyMiles Platinum Business American Express Card in the first 6 months of Card Membership, you can earn 65,000 bonus miles.
- Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card: This card costs $650 per year. After spending $5,000 in purchases on your new Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card in the first 6 months of Card Membership, you can earn 60,000 bonus miles.
- Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business American Express Card: This card costs $650 per year. After spending $10,000 in purchases on your new Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business American Express Card in the first 6 months of Card Membership, you can earn 75,000 bonus miles.