If you have an Alaska Airlines Credit Card from Bank of America, one of the coolest perks of the card (besides the awesome sign up bonus) is the “Coach Companion Fare” you get every year you are a cardholder. The terms of the offer say that Companion Fare is $99, but after taxes and fees, you are closer to $120. Still a great deal, here is how to use the Companion Fare to book your next trip…
If you have an Alaska Airlines Credit Card (either personal or business version), log into your Alaska Airlines account, and click on Valid under the Discount Codes section.
On this page, you will see details of your Companion Fare along with the expiration date. You must redeem the Companion Fare discount code by the expiration date, but travel can be well after that date.
Clicking on the terms and condition link brings up this box:
Bottom half of the terms and condition box:
To use your Companion Fare, click the shop button.
That will take you back to the home page and have the Companion Fare discount code automatically entered into the discounts box. You can now search for paid flights, but you must search for 2 passengers.
On the results page, you will see a new icon underneath all search options indicating the first passenger’s price on top with the companion’s price on the bottom.
After finding the flights you want, click the continue button to view the itinerary.
You will see the base fare for the first passenger, along with the $99 companion fare along with some taxes/fees. The total comes out to $511.44 or $255.72 per person. Click proceed to checkout to purchase the itinerary.
The primary passenger should be the person who has the Alaska Airlines Credit Card, so fill in their information. Then enter the information for your companion traveler. Since this is a paid itinerary, you both will earn full mileage and elite mileage credit. Don’t forget to enter your Global Entry number in the Known Traveler section (Go for Global Entry).
Select your seats and continue to the next page.
Here is a great place to purchase additional Alaska Airline miles for 2 cents each. Could be a good deal for some, but I passed on the offer.
Confirm all the information and scroll to the bottom of the page.
If you want another Alaska Airlines Credit Card, feel free to apply for one here. This offer is slightly different that the above offer because this offer has 25,000 Alaska Airlines miles, plus $100 statement credit to offset the $75 annual fee. The above offer is only 30,000 Alaska Airlines miles but comes with no statement credit. Anyway, click the purchase button to finalize your itinerary.
Congratulations, your itinerary has been confirmed.
Here is a more detailed breakdown of the taxes and fees associated with the Companion Fare. The total price for the Companion Fare came to $128.43, so there were $29.43 in taxes and fees attached to the Companion Fare.
To view your used discount codes, go to your Alaska Airlines account page and click on Used under the Discount Codes header.
If you have any questions, please leave a comment below.
Is this itin prices out onto Delta flights do we get Sktmiles and/or MQMS? I assume not.
You can only use the Companion Fare on Alaska Airlines operated flights. You can enter your Delta SkyMiles frequent flyer account info to earn miles. Not sure about EQM/MQM.
Is the offer with “25,000 Alaska Airlines miles, plus $100 statement credit” still available?
I’m not able to find a working link for that offer, I think the other best offer is 30,000 miles with no statement credit.
Hi, the offer states that the companion fare is “From $118”). Is there a way to determine the exact cost of a companion fare for your destination? (Looking at RT from PDX to Cabo). Thank you!
The only way to determine how much the companion pass will cost is to actually plug it in on Alaska’s website. Mexico has higher taxes than the US so it might be more than $118.
Hey Grant, do you know if you can use 2 companion fares for the same flight to have 2 companions come? I have 2 passes from getting 2 cards and I want to add my 2 family members as companions.
Yes, my mom bought her ticket and added me as the companion. Then my dad bought his ticket and added my brother.
Sorry that’s a bit confusing. Which one of your family members is the discount code issued to? The way you phrase it made it seem like each of your parents has a companion code which they used on you and your brother.
My mom had a discount code and my dad had a discount code. They brought myself and my brother as companions.
If there are two signers on the card does it matter who books the companion fare…I want to add my niece as a signer before booking the tix.
I’m not really sure. I know the coupon code gets deposited into the primary cardholder’s Alaska Airlines account. You may be able to email that code to your niece to use for her booking.
Can I only apply the Alaska Airlines companion fare if I purchase the tickets in American Airlines website? I went to American Airlines site and the exact flights operated by Alaska Airlines are much lower than what is offered on Alaska Airlines site.
You can only use the companion pass for flights flown on Alaska and booked on Alaska’s website.
Is the companion discount available when you are approved for the credit card or on your account anniversary after the annual fee has been deducted?
You get it added to your Alaska Airlines account a few days after you are approved for the credit card.
Thank you,
Hey Grant,
Do you know how long it takes for the code to become active? I signed up but was told it took months for the code to come through which is rubbish.
Did you get approved for the BofA Alaska Airlines Visa Signature Credit Card? The code should show up in your account within 2 weeks of approval.
Can you purchase a companion flight with a different credit card than the BofA card and use the companion pass? For example use Venture Capital One for payment….
I think you can use a different credit card to pay, but I’m not sure.
Just booked a flight to Ixtapa with the companion fare and was rather dismayed to find that the taxes and extra fees are much higher – $143. All told the free-ish companion fare added $242 to the bill.
Yikes, that is a lot of extra taxes and fees. Hope you have a great trip to Ixtapa.
Can I purchase a companion ticket for my boyfriend who wants to travel on a different date than me? I want to fly to Texas on January 13, but my bf wants to fly on January 15.
No, you both have to travel on the same flights on the same day.
Can you cancel the card after the tickets are booked (but before you fly) or must the card remain open at the time you use the pass?
You get to keep the sign up bonus and $99 companion ticket regardless if the credit card is still open or not. You can use the companion ticket as long as it is valid.
Since I can’t find my answer anywhere, I’m assuming that using my Alaska miles for a discount ticket means I cannot add a companion fare. Is this true? In other words, do I have to pay full price for my ticket to use the companion fare?
I believe any Alaska Airlines flight operated on Alaska Airlines is eligible for the Companion Pass discount. You need to book it on alaskaair.com and enter the Campanion Code when you start the booking process.
When do you get a new companion fare? And if there are two people on the card account, do you get two companion fares?
You should get a new Alaska Airlines companion fare after you pay the annual fee. If you added another person as an authorized user, you do not get another companion fare.
Can I apply for a credit card and my wife also apply for a credit card and each of us have one companion ticket available?
Alaska flies to Hawaii – program good for tickets to Hawaii from San Diego – same program?
Ticket prices off any published fare as long as booking on Alaska Airlines website?
Apply, get approval and all set to use with companion fare program as soon as charge $1,000 on credit card?
Annual Fee for card?
Program and costs really as advertised – what else should I know?
Hi Jay, yes, as long as you are both approved for the Bank of America Alaska Airlines Visa Signature Credit, you both get the companion fare.
You can use them for travel to Hawaii.
$75 annual fee for the card is billed when you are approved.
That is all that you need to know, it really is a good program and credit card.
Can a companion ticket be upgraded to first class if we’re willing to pay the difference?
I believe you can use a companion ticket to purchase first class flights, just not to/from Hawaii.
We just got a new Alaska credit card last month and planned to book a trip to Hawaii using the companion fare. I didn’t realize they changed the rule on when the companion fare shows up on your account. It says it takes “approximately within the first two billing cycles after qualifying”. We made the qualifying purchases right away ($1000) and paid this off before the end of the first billing cycle on 3/10/17. Any idea when we can expect to receive the companion fare? Will we have to wait two more billing cycle? This is so frustrating because we’ve had a number of cards in the past and expected the companion fare right away as before.
I would estimate that the Companion Fare code will be added to your Alaska Airlines account in the next 1-2 weeks. Do you know where to look in your Alaska Airlines account for the Companion Fare code?
Hi Grant, Do you know if I can use the companion fare when purchasing three tickets? My husband, son and I are traveling together. I want to use the companion fare for one of the tickets. Do I proceed as normal? Thanks!
I’m not sure you can use the companion fare for 3 or more passengers. You might have to book 2 together to use the companion fare and then the 1 by itself. Try to book 3 first.
Can I purchase a ticket under my Alaska Airline member number using BofA Alaska Credit Card and purchase the ticket for someone other than myself and then getcompanion ticket for 2nd person? Example: I’d like to fly my 2 grandchildren somewhere by purchasing one and using companion fare for other.
Once you receive the bonus points and companion pass, after meeting the minimum purchase, are you able to use both on one itinerary? For example, can I pay for one flight with points and use the companion pass on the same transaction?
Thanks!
No, you need to use the Alaska Airlines miles in one transaction and the Alaska Airlines Companion Fare in another transaction.