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Alaska's Companion Fare is “famous” for a reason. If you're unfamiliar, this lucrative benefit allows eligible Mileage Plan credit cardholders to purchase a round-trip ticket for a companion for $99 (plus taxes and fees from $23) anywhere Alaska Airlines flies within North America.
Traditionally, it’s only been valid on Alaska-operated flights, but this summer, you’ll be able to take it even further on Hawaiian Airlines. Here's what you need to know.
Coming Soon: Use Your Alaska Companion Fare on Hawaiian Airlines
Alaska’s April press release on loyalty program changes included a few key updates on the merged operations, including how free checked bags will work for credit cardholders across both brands.
One standout detail of this press release is that holders of the Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® credit card or Alaska Airlines Visa® Business card who have earned a Companion Fare will be able to use it on Hawaiian Airlines flights starting “mid-summer” for travel “within North America,” as long as the booking is made through alaskaair.com.
Cardholders earn a Companion Fare after spending $6,000 during their cardholder year and receive it on their cardholder anniversary. Alaska also includes a Companion Fare as part of some sign-up bonuses.
- LIMITED TIME ONLINE OFFER-Buy One, Get One + 50,000 Bonus Miles!
- Buy one ticket, get one for just the taxes and fees ($0 fare plus taxes and fees from $23) and get 50,000 bonus miles with this offer. To qualify, make $3,000 or more in purchases within the first 90 days of opening your account.
- Get Alaska's Famous Companion Fare™ ($99 fare plus taxes and fees from $23) each account anniversary after you spend $6,000 or more on purchases within the prior anniversary year. Valid on all Alaska Airlines flights booked on alaskaair.com.
- Earn unlimited 3 miles for every $1 spent on eligible Alaska Airlines purchases. Earn unlimited 2 miles for every $1 spent on eligible gas, EV charging station, cable, streaming services and local transit (including ride share) purchases. And earn unlimited 1 mile per $1 spent on all other purchases. And, your miles don't expire on active accounts.
- Earn a 10% rewards bonus on all miles earned from card purchases if you have an eligible Bank of America® account.
- Free checked bag and enjoy priority boarding for you and up to 6 guests on the same reservation, when you pay for your flight with your card - Also available for authorized users when they book a reservation too!
- With oneworld® Alliance member airlines and Alaska's Global Partners, Alaska has expanded their global reach to over 1,000 destinations worldwide bringing more airline partners and more ways to earn and redeem miles.
- Plus, no foreign transaction fees and a low $95 annual fee.
- This online only offer may not be available elsewhere if you leave this page. You can take advantage of this offer when you apply now.
- Earn unlimited 3 miles for every $1 spent on eligible Alaska Airlines purchases
- Earn unlimited 2 miles for every $1 spent on eligible gas, EV charging stations, cable, streaming services and local transit (including ride share) purchases
- Earn unlimited 1 mile for every $1 spent on all other eligible purchases
Note that if you opened an Alaska Airlines credit card before January 18, 2023, you still receive the Companion Fare each year automatically without needing to meet a spending requirement.
Which Hawaiian routes can you use a Companion Fare on?
Hawaiian Airlines operates several routes, but it’s unlikely you’ll be able to use an Alaska Companion Fare on all of them. The “within North America” language is pretty telling.
So, while you probably can’t use it on a flight between Honolulu and Seoul, you should be able to use it between somewhere like Las Vegas and Honolulu. One gray area is whether U.S. territories like Pago Pago in American Samoa (which Hawaiian also serves) will count as part of North America. We’ll have to wait and see on that one.
Related: Ultimate Guide to Companion Fares and Passes
What about complimentary upgrades?
Companion Fare tickets on Alaska are currently eligible for complimentary upgrades if the primary traveler has Mileage Plan elite status. While elite benefits are beginning to align between Alaska and Hawaiian, there’s no confirmation yet on upgrade eligibility for Alaska elites flying Hawaiian.
Ideally, these fares will remain upgradeable, especially since Hawaiian’s A330s and 787s feature lie-flat seats.
In addition, Alaska’s credit cards are also more rewarding now if you care about earning elite status. You can earn up to 30,000 EQMs per year from credit card spending alone. That's enough to qualify for MVP — the lowest tier of Alaska elite status.
Final Thoughts
This is another encouraging step in Alaska’s integration with Hawaiian. Airline mergers are complicated, but with the lessons learned from the Virgin America acquisition, Alaska’s leadership seems committed to putting loyal travelers first. We’ll keep you posted as more details emerge about Companion Fare privileges on Hawaiian Airlines.
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