Alaska Gutted the Utility of Its Famous Companion Fare — What Changed & What To Do Now

FYI, Alaska Airlines changed some rules for its $99 Companion Fare. This perk comes with the Alaska Atmos Rewards Ascent & Business cards. You can’t use the pass on trips with multiple stops or open-jaw flights anymore. Also, you can’t use funds from your Alaska Wallet to pay for any part of a Companion Fare booking. You have to use your Alaska credit card to pay for everything.

Alaska said that these changes are due to a system update that fixed a long-standing issue. They didn’t say when things might go back to how they were.

Here’s the lowdown:

• Trips must be direct: You can now only use the Companion Fare for simple one-way or round-trip flights. No more stopovers or multi-city hops.
• No wallet funds allowed: You have to pay the full amount with your Alaska card.
• Alaska’s view: They said the old way of doing things was a loophole and are looking at options.

What’s still good:

You still get the second ticket for $99 + taxes/fees on certain flights in North America flown by Alaska. Plus, both people can still upgrade their tickets and earn miles. You still have to spend a certain amount on your card each year to get the code.

Who does this hurt?

This is a bummer for folks who used the pass for cool routes, like adding a stopover or making open-jaw trips. Families with a lot of credit from past cancellations also lose out because they can’t use those funds for Companion Fare bookings anymore.

How to deal with it:

• Keep it simple: Use your Companion Fare on expensive nonstop round-trips or one-way flights where you’ll save the most money.
• Plan your spending: Be ready to pay for everything with your Alaska card.

Conclusion

The Alaska Companion Fare isn’t as flexible as it used to be. For now, just plan on using it for simple, expensive trips. See if the card’s yearly fee is still worth it for how you travel.