There really is no better place to be in the middle of winter than on vacation somewhere tropical!
I splurged $8 on internet for this first leg of our Alaska Airlines flight to Maui (currently halfway across the continental US). Given the many, many hundreds that this card has saved me (over $500 on the companion fare alone), the unusually annoying Wi-Fi fee felt somehow more palatable. This most recent experience is sponsored by, of course, a new-card promotion on the part of Bank of America/Alaska Airlines. $99 companion pass? Sign me up!
What is this companion pass?
I fly, and you fly with me for a discounted/free rate. The Alaska offer is quite simple to understand, $99 for the fare and any associated taxes & fees. Not free, but MUCH cheaper than paying full fare for a second ticket.
This +1 fare is earned one of two ways: 1) Meeting new-account spend promotions on their new line of Atmos cards, 2) Annually earned by spending $6,000 or more on the co-branded card.
Are there fare limitations and/or other restrictions? I’m sure, but this did not present any issue in my recent booking experience.
Let’s do the money math
Two tickets from the East Coast to Maui, one connection, for $976.37? No doubt a deal. But exactly how much did that save versus paid tickets?
- Cost
- Passenger one (paid): $701.28 fare + $99.52 taxes/fees: $800.80 total
- Passenger two (companion): $99 fare + $76.57 taxes/fees: $175.57
- Total cost: $976.37 (note – this does not include the $95 annual fee)
- Value
- Paid, alternate-flights: $1,486 (note – I would have selected slightly different flight for paid tickets, which were not available for the companion fare, and were slightly cheaper per-ticket)
- Total savings: $1,486 value – $976.37 cost = $509.63 savings (!!!)
Worth it? Absolutely.
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