Traveling by air can be expensive whether you’re flying with a sweetie, friend or your family. While we often use miles and points to reduce our travel costs, there are other ways to save money. Airline companion passes are an excellent way to cut your travel costs in half by being able to bring your companion with you for free (minus any taxes and fees due). Several airlines offer an airline companion pass that you can earn based on your travel, annual spending, other qualifying activities or simply by having the right credit card.
In This Post
The Best Airline Companion Pass For Every Traveler
Companion passes are offered by airlines and credit card issuers to encourage travelers to be loyal to one airline. For those of us who prefer to keep our options open, this list will highlight the best airline companion passes and who will benefit the most from each.
Learn more about the latest offers for the best airline credit cards for free flights and choose the best airline companion pass for the way you travel.
Southwest Companion Pass: Best for Unlimited Use and Award Travel
The Southwest Companion Pass is my favorite benefit from any airline. Unlike others on this list, it can be used an unlimited number of times when booking flights with points or cash. The pass can be used on any flight that Southwest offers as long as there’s a seat available for purchase.
While you won’t receive the Southwest Companion Pass automatically if you have one of the airline’s credit cards, you can earn the pass with card activity. To qualify for the Companion Pass, you must earn 135,000 Tier Qualifying Points or complete 100 one-way flights within a calendar year. When you earn it, you’ll enjoy the benefits for the remainder of the current year plus all of the following year.
Southwest credit cards accelerate earning the Companion Pass in multiple ways. Points earned from the welcome bonus, anniversary bonus, and all purchases count toward the annual requirements. Additionally, Southwest Rapid Rewards members get a discount of 10,000 points (dropping the requirement from 135,000 to 125,000 points) when they have an eligible Southwest credit card.
Delta Companion Certificate: Best for Premium Cabin Flights
Several Delta credit cards include an annual companion certificate just for holding an eligible card. The companion fare is a single-use pass that cardholders can redeem when booking a cash fare for themselves. Cardholders can also redeem the Delta companion fare when booking flights for someone else.
While there are four Delta credit cards that offer an annual companion certificate, only the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card and Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business Card allow cardholders to redeem for a First Class, Comfort+, and Main Cabin flight.
When redeeming the Delta Reserve companion certificate for a flight, the companion ticket may be required to pay taxes and fees of up to $80 on domestic flights and up to $250 on international flights. The Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express card also includes an annual companion certificate, which is restricted to Main Cabin tickets. Companion tickets from the Delta Reserve and Platinum cards are eligible for domestic, Caribbean, or Central American roundtrip flights.
British Airways Travel Together Ticket: Best for Discounts on Award Flights
British Airways partners with Chase to offer a consumer credit card that earns Avios points on purchases. When you spend $30,000 in a calendar year, you’ll receive a Travel Together Ticket that’s good for two years. With the Travel Together Ticket, you can bring a friend with you on a flight or receive a 50% discount on the number of Avios required to book an award flight.
The discount on award flights is a unique option that isn’t available from other cards on this list. This option allows you to earn Avios on your spending to qualify for the Travel Together Ticket and then receive a discount when redeeming those points. The only downside is that award flights traveling through London often have large taxes & fees which can dilute the savings from booking tickets with points.
American Airlines Annual Companion Certificate: Best for Business Travelers
While most airline companion passes on this list focus on consumers, the American Airlines annual companion certificate issued by Citi targets businesses. With the Citi AAdvantage Business World Elite Mastercard, you’ll receive an annual companion certificate after renewal when you spend at least $30,000 by your card’s anniversary. When redeeming the certificate, you’ll pay a $99 fee plus applicable taxes and fees.
American Airlines also offers an anniversary companion certificate for AAdvantage members with the Barclays AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard®. To qualify, cardholders must spend at least $20,000 per year, which is quite a bit lower than many cards on this list. The certificate is issued 45 days after your card anniversary and is good for one year. You’ll pay a $99 fee plus applicable taxes when booking the ticket.
Alaska Airlines Annual Companion Fare: Best for Upgrades
Alaska Airlines offers an annual companion fare from both its personal and business credit cards. Under the latest welcome bonus offer, both cards include a companion fare when you meet the card’s minimum spending requirement by the deadline. Additionally, you’ll receive an annual companion fare each year you spend at least $6,000 before the card’s renewal date.
When redeeming the Alaska Airlines annual companion fare, you’re required to pay a $99 redemption fee (plus taxes and fees starting at $23). What sets this offer apart from the others is that companion fare tickets are eligible for all upgrades that Alaska Airlines offers. You can upgrade using elite + companion upgrades, guest upgrades, or paid upgrades that may be offered at check-in.
Virgin Atlantic Companion Offer: Best for Solo Travelers
Virgin Atlantic recently launched the Virgin Red Rewards Mastercard with revamped benefits and a new bank. While this companion offer allows travelers to bring a friend on a flight, it offers a unique benefit for travelers flying alone. In addition to redeeming for a companion ticket, Virgin Red Rewards Mastercard cardholders can select a seat upgrade instead.
When cardholders spend $15,000 in a calendar year, they can choose one Personal Perk. After $30,000 in spending within a calendar year, they can choose two Personal Perks. The Personal Perk choices include the Virgin Atlantic Companion Offer, a one-night stay or upgrade at Virgin Hotels, or a Blue Extras package or up to a $300 bar tab credit on Virgin Voyages. The companion offer is good for flights up to 75,000 Virgin Red points for those with Flying Club Red elite status and up to 150,000 points if you have Silver or Gold status.
Comparison of the Best Airline Companion Passes
This table highlights the pros and cons of each of the best airline companion passes listed above.
| Airline | How to Earn | Pro | Con |
| Southwest Airlines Companion Pass | Earn 135,000 points or complete 100 one-way flights. | Unlimited use |
Limited destinations
|
| Delta Air Lines Companion Certificate | Have Platinum or Reserve credit card. | Can book up to first class tickets |
High annual fees
|
| British Airways Travel Together Ticket | Spend $30,000 in a calendar year on British Airways credit card. | Can use it for upgrades when flying solo |
May be charged high taxes and fees
|
| American Airlines Annual Companion Certificate | Spend $20,000 on Barclays Aviator Red or $30,000 on CitiBusiness AAdvantage card. | Card spending counts toward elite status |
Restricted to Main Cabin domestic travel in the 48 contiguous states
|
| Alaska Airlines Annual Companion Fare | Meet welcome bonus requirements or spend $6,000 before anniversary date. | Companion tickets eligible for upgrades |
Spending requirement recently added
|
| Virgin Atlantic Companion Offer | Spend $20,000 on the Virgin Red card, then choose benefit. | Can choose seat upgrade instead or select another benefit |
Value of reward voucher is capped based on elite status
|
The Bald Thoughts About Airline Companion Passes
In my opinion, airline companion passes are one of the best benefits travelers can use to save money on flights. I love how you can use either points or cash with the Southwest Companion Pass, but the companion certificates from the other airlines open up a world of travel by being able to fly to all corners of the globe.
Learn about the best credit card offers to view the latest welcome bonus, earnings power, and benefits available. Before pursuing any companion offer, make sure that you can realistically meet any minimum spending requirements without going into debt. And be wary of any fine print that may affect your ability to redeem the companion passes to book your trip.
