In case you’ve been trying to find a approach to get probably the most bang in your buck in your subsequent large journey, among the finest methods to take action is with airline bank card companion tickets.
Along with serving to vacationers earn free flights by racking up frequent flyer miles, some airline bank cards provide companion certificates or reductions so cardholders can carry a companion alongside at no cost.
These aren’t your common BOGO offers, although. Some companion tickets are restricted to sure areas or cabin courses, whereas others are primarily based on bank card spending or are solely good for award tickets.
This is a take a look at the airline bank cards that provide companion tickets as a profit and what you may have to do to earn and maximize them in your travels.
Alaska Airways
Alaska Airways affords a companion ticket via its cobranded bank cards. The private and enterprise variations include a Companion Fare, which begins from $122 ($99 fare, plus taxes and charges from $23) and is reissued yearly after spending at the least $6,000 throughout the prior anniversary yr.
Generally Alaska will provide an extra Companion Fare as a part of a sign-up bonus.
Alaska Airways Visa® bank card
Companion ticket profit: The Alaska Airways Visa bank card comes with a companion ticket profit that is one of many best to know and use. Yearly you carry this card and spend $6,000 throughout the prior anniversary yr, you’re entitled to an annual companion fare from $122 ($99 fare plus taxes and charges, often about $23).
The principles stipulate that the first traveler and their companion should be booked on the identical itinerary. Whereas the cardholder doesn’t have to be one of many vacationers, you will need to pay for the tickets utilizing the corresponding Alaska Visa card.
The companion fare is legitimate for journey in economic system solely, and it should be redeemed inside 12 months of the problem date, however journey can happen afterward.
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What’s nice about this profit is that each the first traveler and the companion will earn full mileage credit score for his or her flights. As well as, each tickets are eligible for upgrades in case you have Alaska elite standing or need to use a pair of the service’s Gold Visitor Upgrades.
Welcome bonus: Earn 70,000 bonus miles plus Alaska’s Well-known Companion Fare™ ($99 fare plus taxes and charges from $23) with this provide. To qualify, make $3,000 or extra in purchases throughout the first 90 days of opening your account.
Annual price: $95
Different advantages: This card earns a substantial 3 miles per greenback spent on eligible Alaska Airways purchases, 2 miles per greenback on eligible fuel, EV charging station, cable, streaming companies, and native transit (together with ride-hailing buy) and 1 mile per greenback spent on all the things else.
It has no overseas transaction charges and supplies a free checked bag on Alaska flights for the cardholder and as much as six different company on the identical reservation. This is our full card evaluation.
Apply right here: Alaska Airways Visa
Alaska Airways Visa® Enterprise card
Companion ticket profit: The Alaska Airways Visa Enterprise bank card affords an equivalent companion ticket profit: Spend $6,000 throughout the prior anniversary yr and you may obtain an annual companion fare from $122 ($99 fare plus taxes and charges, often about $23).
Welcome bonus: Earn 50,000 bonus miles and Alaska’s Well-known Companion Fare; ($99 fare plus taxes and charges from $23) after you make $3,000 or extra in purchases throughout the first 90 days of opening your account.
Annual price: $70 for the corporate and $25 per extra card
Different advantages: Earn 3 miles per greenback spent on eligible Alaska Airways purchases, 2 miles per greenback on eligible fuel, EV charging stations, delivery and native transit, (together with ride-hailing purchases) and 1 mile per greenback on all the things else. Obtain a free checked bag for you and as much as six companions. This is our full card evaluation.
Apply right here: Alaska Airways Visa Enterprise
American Airways
Barclays affords two completely different American Airways companion tickets via its cobranded playing cards.
Barclaycard AAdvantage Aviator Purple World Elite Mastercard and AAdvantage Aviator Silver World Elite Mastercard
Companion ticket profit: Each account anniversary, Aviator Purple cardholders who spend $20,000 in a yr will obtain a $99 (plus taxes and charges) Companion Certificates for a round-trip home economic system fare throughout the 48 contiguous United States. (Alaska and Hawaii residents can journey from their dwelling state to the 48 contiguous states.)
In the meantime, Silver cardholders can earn two of those certificates with $20,000 annual spending.
In both case, your account should stay open for 45 days after your anniversary date to qualify for the Companion Certificates.
Welcome bonus: The Silver shouldn’t be accessible to new candidates. The Aviator Purple is providing 60,000 bonus miles after you make your first buy and pay the $99 annual price in full inside 90 days.
Annual price: $99 for the Aviator Purple card; $199 for the Aviator Silver
Different advantages: The Aviator Purple card earns 2 miles per greenback spent on American Airways purchases and 1 mile per greenback spent on all the things else. The Aviator Silver card earns 3 miles per greenback on American Airways purchases, 2 miles per greenback on resorts and automotive leases and 1 mile per greenback on all the things else.
Each playing cards provide a primary free checked bag on home flights, precedence boarding, inflight Wi-Fi credit and reductions on different inflight purchases.
The knowledge for the Barclaycard AAdvantage Aviator Silver and the Barclaycard AAdvantage Aviator Purple has been collected independently by The Factors Man. The cardboard particulars on this web page haven’t been reviewed or supplied by the cardboard issuer.
Delta
Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Specific Card
Companion ticket profit: The Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Specific Card has supplied one of many longest-standing companion ticket advantages, and it is nonetheless among the finest choices on the market. It may be used for journey to all 50 U.S. states (together with Hawaii and Alaska), Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean.
You should pay taxes and charges, although they’re capped at $80 for roundtrip home flights and $250 for roundtrip worldwide flights.
Welcome bonus: Earn 90,000 bonus miles after you spend $4,000 in purchases in your new card in your first six months of card membership.
Annual price: $350 (see charges and charges)
Different advantages: This card earns 3 miles per greenback spent on Delta purchases and purchases made immediately with resorts. Cardholders additionally earn 2 miles per greenback spent at eating places and U.S. supermarkets and 1 mile per greenback on all different eligible purchases.
Cardholders get a free checked bag for themselves and as much as eight companions on the identical Delta flight reservation, plus 20% financial savings on inflight purchases and Most important Cabin 1 Precedence Boarding on Delta flights.
You will discover extra particulars on the cardboard in our full evaluation.
Apply right here: Delta SkyMiles Platinum Amex
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Specific Card
Companion ticket profit: With its a lot greater annual price, cardholders can count on a greater companion ticket profit with the Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Specific Card. Every year they renew, cardholders will obtain a companion certificates good for one round-trip itinerary in top notch, Delta Consolation+ or Most important Cabin and, now, Premium Choose on choose eligible routes.
They will solely be liable for taxes and charges on the second ticket, as much as $80 for roundtrip home flights and $250 for roundtrip worldwide flights.
Welcome bonus: Earn 100,000 bonus miles after you spend $6,000 in purchases in your new card in your first six months of card membership.
Annual price: $650 (see charges and charges)
Different advantages: This card’s foremost profit is that it affords Delta Sky Membership entry when touring on flights marketed or operated by Delta. You additionally obtain 4 one-time visitor passes every year and may carry two company for $50 every.
The cardboard’s different advantages are principally in step with these of the Platinum model. Nonetheless, it additionally supplies complimentary entry to American Specific Centurion Lounges when flying Delta with a ticket bought on the cardboard. For extra particulars, learn our full evaluation.
Efficient 2/1/25, Reserve cardmembers will obtain 15 visits per yr to the Delta Sky Membership; to earn an infinite variety of visits every year beginning on 2/1/25, the full eligible purchases on the cardboard should equal $75,000 or extra between 1/1/24 and 12/31/24, and every calendar yr thereafter.
Apply right here: Delta SkyMiles Reserve Amex
Delta enterprise bank cards
Observe that Delta affords enterprise variations of the 2 private playing cards listed above: the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Enterprise American Specific Card and the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Enterprise American Specific Card. The companion ticket advantages on these playing cards are equivalent to their respective private counterparts above, so in case you have a small enterprise, both might be a superb possibility for touring with a companion.
Associated: Greatest Delta bank cards
Hawaiian Airways
Hawaiian Airways® World Elite Mastercard®
Companion ticket profit: The Hawaiian Airways World Elite Mastercard affords a one-time 50% companion {discount} to new cardholders. The companion {discount} is sweet for a full coach round-trip fare for a companion touring on the identical itinerary between Hawaii and North America.
Though this 50% off companion {discount} is not as nice as among the companion fares listed right here, it nonetheless represents substantial financial savings for 2 folks touring collectively. Along with this one-time 50% companion {discount}, cardholders are eligible for an annual $100 companion {discount} for round-trip journey between Hawaii and North America on Hawaiian Airways.
Welcome bonus: Earn 60,000 bonus miles after spending $2,000 on purchases within the first 90 days.
Annual price: $99
Different advantages: This card earns 3 miles per greenback spent on eligible Hawaiian Airways purchases, 2 miles per greenback spent on fuel, eating and grocery retailer spending and 1 mile per greenback on all different purchases.
Cardholders get a free checked bag on flights operated by Hawaiian Airways and discounted award flights.
Moreover, cardholders pay no overseas transaction charges overseas and may share miles with family and friends and not using a price.
For extra data, take a look at our full evaluation.
The knowledge for the Hawaiian Airways World Elite Mastercard has been collected independently by The Factors Man. The cardboard particulars on this web page haven’t been reviewed or supplied by the cardboard issuer.
Southwest
Companion ticket profit: Southwest’s famed Companion Go is basically an infinite two-for-one move on each paid and award tickets. It is legitimate for the calendar yr you earn it, plus the next one. You possibly can obtain it by racking up 135,000 qualifying factors or taking 100 qualifying one-way flights in a calendar yr.
The excellent news is that sign-up bonuses and factors earned by spending on Southwest’s cobranded bank cards depend towards this qualification threshold. Some savvy spending can get you the Southwest Companion Go sooner than you suppose.
Welcome bonus: All three Southwest bank cards provide an equivalent sign-up bonus: For a restricted time, earn a Companion Go® (good via 2/28/2025), plus 30,000 bonus factors after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.
Annual price: $69 (Plus), $99 (Premier) and $149 (Precedence)
Different advantages: Regardless of their completely different annual charges, these three playing cards provide the same suite of advantages.
The Precedence comes with a $75 annual Southwest journey credit score. The Premier and Precedence playing cards provide the chance to earn Tier Qualification Factors primarily based on spending (1,500 for every $5,000 spent yearly) and waive overseas transaction charges.
All three provide anniversary bonuses starting from 3,000 factors with the Plus to 7,500 with the Precedence. This is a useful comparability of all three.
Small companies can even earn factors towards this perk. Factors earned on the Southwest Fast Rewards Premier Enterprise Credit score Card and the Southwest Fast Rewards Efficiency Enterprise Credit score Card additionally depend towards the service’s Companion Go.
Worldwide airways
In fact, companion tickets aren’t simply awarded to these with bank cards from U.S.-based airways. Some worldwide carriers provide playing cards with comparable perks accessible to U.S. candidates. These may go a great distance towards offsetting the prices of your subsequent journey abroad.
British Airways
Companion ticket profit: Vacationers who maintain the British Airways Visa Signature® Credit score Card can earn the service’s “Journey Collectively” companion ticket each calendar yr by which they spend $30,000 or extra on purchases. This ticket is mainly a two-for-one award ticket for round-trip journey on British Airways, Iberia or Aer Lingus flights originating and ending wherever these airways fly. It may be redeemed for any class of service, although there are some restrictions.
Just one voucher will be earned per 12-month interval. The cardholder and their companion should be on the identical flight in the identical class of service. You can be liable for taxes and charges on each tickets, however solely mileage for one can be deducted. The bank card account should even be open and in good standing whenever you redeem it.
Although this could be a nice deal for saving on premium awards, keep in mind that taxes and charges on British Airways tickets can add up. Fortunately, cardholders are eligible for assertion credit to offset these charges: $100 for economic system and premium economic system, $200 for business- and first-class seats. These credit will be claimed as much as 3 times per yr.
Welcome bonus: Earn 75,000 Avios after you spend $5,000 on purchases throughout the first three months from account opening.
Annual price: $95
Different advantages: Apart from the same old advantages like having no overseas transaction charges, the cardboard affords contactless pay and the standard Visa Signature journey protections.
Apply right here: British Airways Visa
Lufthansa
Companion ticket profit: The Barclaycard Lufthansa Miles & Extra World Elite Mastercard additionally affords a companion profit — and the good factor is that you’re eligible for it after your first buy and routinely yearly after your account anniversary.
That stated, it is solely eligible for economic system journey from the U.S. to Europe, Africa, the Center East and Far East. It applies solely to H, M, Y or B fare codes. These are non-discount economic system fares, which will be dearer than the lowest-priced possibility. Cardholders should additionally pay all taxes and charges on each tickets, which will be tons of of {dollars}.
Welcome bonus: Earn 60,000 award miles in case you spend $3,000 in purchases and pay the annual price, each throughout the first 90 days.
Annual price: $89
Different advantages: This card earns 2 miles per greenback spent on tickets bought from airways that take part within the Miles & Extra program, like Lufthansa, Swiss and Austrian Airways. It earns 1 mile per greenback spent on all the things else and carries no overseas transaction charges.
Cardholders obtain two, one-time Lufthansa Enterprise Lounge vouchers upon first buy, plus each account anniversary after the annual price fee. In case you’re going for Miles & Extra elite standing, main cardholders are eligible to transform award miles into standing miles at a ratio of 5:1 for a most of 25,000 award miles.
The knowledge for Barclaycard Lufthansa Miles & Extra World Elite Mastercard has been collected independently by The Factors Man. The cardboard particulars on this web page haven’t been reviewed or supplied by the cardboard issuer.
Backside line
Along with welcome bonuses and journey perks, companion certificates could be a compelling cause to use for an airline bank card. Earlier than you do, although, evaluation the phrases and situations fastidiously to just be sure you will have the ability to maximize this profit’s worth.
Many companion certificates are restricted to particular courses of service, geographical areas and time constraints, which may all restrict their usefulness.
Nonetheless, in case you discover one which matches your wants, a bank card companion certificates can prevent tons of and even 1000’s of {dollars} on airline journey every year and is perhaps properly price it.
Learn extra: Methods to save tons of on flights with the Alaska Airways Companion Fare
For charges and charges of the Delta SkyMiles Platinum Amex, click on right here.
For charges and charges of the Delta SkyMiles Reserve Amex, click on right here.
