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Alaska Airlines’s Famous Companion Fare: How to get and use this perk
This annual perk is great for those who often fly with a companion.
Alaska’s Famous Companion Fare™ is one of the most popular perks on Alaska’s cobranded cards because it can save you hundreds of dollars.
Here’s how to get and use this perk.
What is Alaska’s Famous Companion Fare and how does it work?
Alaska’s Famous Companion Fare is a fare pass that allows you to book one round-trip coach companion fare on Alaska Airlines for $99. To use this fare, book your passenger’s fare on the same itinerary at the same time you book your own flight.
How to get Alaska’s Famous Companion Fare
You can earn the companion fare using any of Alaska Airlines’s cobranded cards. There are two methods for earning the fare:
Introductory bonus.
Earn a special companion fare by spending your card’s required amount within 90 days of account opening. This intro bonus allows you to purchase one round-trip coach ticket and receive the passenger ticket for $0 plus applicable fees and taxes.
Annual reward.
Alaska will reward you with a standard companion fare each year on the anniversary of your account opening.
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How to earn your Alaska’s Famous Companion Fare faster
If you’re a new cardholder, you can expedite earning your introductory bonus companion pass simply by spending the required amount as soon as possible upon opening your card. Since you aren’t tied to spending in a particular category, you’re free to pay for common spending categories such as rent, groceries and more.
How to use Alaska’s Famous Companion Fare: Steps to book
Alaska Airlines will post the fare to your Mileage Plan account once you’ve earned your companion fare. Here’s how to redeem your fare:
- Log in to your account and visit the “Discount Codes” section.
- Click on the “Shop” button to start searching for flights or copy the discount code.
- Select your flights. Put your discount code into the corresponding field. If you don’t see the discount code field, you might have to maximize your search options.
- Eligible flights will display your fare price along with the companion fare price. The companion fare is marked with a red “e” to help you identify the cost.
- Identify your companion passenger when finalizing and entering passenger information.
How to maximize your Alaska’s Famous Companion Fare
Since the companion pass fare is capped no matter where you’re flying, there are a few ways to get the best value out of the pass.
Book long flights.
Gain great value on a flight by booking a trip to a faraway location that’s typically expensive to reach.
Book a stopover.
So long as the whole itinerary is operated by Alaska Airlines, Virgin America or Horizon Air, you can book a flight with one stopover to see even more on your trip.
Upgrade to first class.
While you must book the companion pass fares flight in economy, you can still upgrade to first class on eligible flights.
Alaska’s Famous Companion Fare: The fine print
Your Alaska companion pass comes with a few rules and regulations:
- You must book your travel through AlaskaAir.com.
- You must book companion fares on Alaska Airlines flights.
- You are responsible for all taxes, fees, surcharges and checked baggage fees.
- The companion fare discount code is not valid with award travel. You also can’t combine the companion pass with other discounts.
Bottom line
Alaska’s Famous Companion Fare may well live up to its name based on how much can be potentially saved using this annual perk. If you’re a frequent Alaska Airlines passenger, compare your credit card options and take advantage of this terrific companion pass perk.
If Alaska Airlines isn’t your preferred choice of travel, check out other airline and travel credit cards.
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