Are Complimentary Companion Tickets Worth the Credit Card Fee?
Little-known perks of travel rewards credit card free Companion tickets available for free or at reduced rates Second fare when paying full price for one ticketMany cards offer this perkbut while it sounds great, it also has its drawbacksWhen Not all of them are worth your time, effort, or Sometimes hefty annual fee Required (between $99 and $550 depending on card). Here’s how to tell the difference Is it worth the effort in exchange for a companion ticket?
HaUsually companion ticket They fall into two main categories.
Companion free ticket
Complimentary companion tickets are provided as card benefits without you needing them. To complete additional requirements to earn them—bthis does not meanWorth it for everyone. A few things need to be considered.
- Is it a free coupon or is it a discount coupon? Some credit cards offer BOGO tickets (even free tickets require you to pay taxes and fees), while others offer a companion fare of $99. Either option savings, but you might want to consider of The initial cost in determining if a benefit is actually worth it compared to the card’s annual fee.
- Does that airline fly where you want to go? If you don’t live near an airport served by the airline, or if the airline doesn’t fly to your desired destination, the free companion ticket won’t do you much good.
- Are you flying with the airline often enough to use your annual companion certificate? If you only fly the airline once a year or every other year, It’s a borderline use case at best. In particular, if the Companion Ticket contains a related fee, you must pay that fee. More expensive airfare to actually save money.
- What class of service is the companion ticket valid for? If you’re flying business class and your companion ticket is only valid in economy, it’s not for you.
- How easy is the companion pass to use? Some companion paths are easier to use than others.Some can be booked online, others require a phone callSome tickets require you to reserve a seat in a specific fare class. Other seats are available for vacant seats. Please make sure you understand. Pre-bound restrictions.
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Consumption-based companion ticket
Some companion tickets require a login A fixed amount spent in a calendar or cardmember year to earn themIn addition to the above considerations, you should consider the following questions.
- Is it really important to you to win a Companion Ticket? Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should. If you don’t know you’re going to use a companion ticket, it might not make sense to try to get one in the first place. Other advantages of a card may mean that it makes overall sense (but that is not always the case).
- Have you used enough credit cards in a year to earn a Companion Ticket? Acquiring a companion certificate often requires a large outlay. You will need to confirm whether the expenditure must be completed during the calendar or cardmember year. There is no point in spending more money than usual (or more than you can can afford) To earn a Companion Pass.
- What are you giving up to earn a Companion Ticket? No matter how much you use your credit card, Consider what you are giving up. What other card can I put the spending on, And what can you get? Are Companion Passes Your Best Bet? One of the simplest comparisons is with a 2% cash back credit card. If a fictional card costs $10,000 to earn a companion pass, you can get $200 cash back by paying that cost to a 2% cash back card.
Alternative: Southwest Companion Pass
The Southwest Companion Pass is a companion pass to the Companion Pass. You don’t have to make money with a credit card (you can make money with a credit card). not valid only once, Like most Companion Passes, it’s valid for the remainder of the year you earn it. When the whole next year. For example, if you get a pass in August 2022, the pass will be valid from August 2022 until December and all year 2023.
With the Southwest Companion Pass, you can bring a companion on a paid or award ticket and pay only taxes and fees ($5.60 on most flights within the US). In addition, companions may change up to three times each calendar year. To earn the Southwest Companion Pass, you must earn 125,000 Rapid Rewards points in a calendar year. This can be done with a credit card payment, a flight to the southwest, or a combination of the two.
Conclusion
Companion tickets are a great perk if you know how to use them.But before signing up for a new credit card with an annual fee Or if you go out of your way to earn a Companion Pass, make sure you understand the restrictions and requirements.actually you can use it.
Are Complimentary Companion Tickets Worth the Credit Card Fee?
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