The Finest Credit score Playing cards with Companion Fares

Whereas award chart candy spots and premium class redemptions have a tendency to draw many of the highlight, one less-discussed manner to save cash on journey is by benefiting from the annual companion fares that get provided as a perk on sure bank cards. 

Just like the title suggests, companion fares are redeemable when at the very least two individuals are travelling collectively, providing a free or discounted ticket for the second passenger.

In case you are inclined to journey as a pair, companion fares is usually a improbable method to basically rise up to a 50% low cost in your flights. Moreover, loading up on multiple companion fare and “multiplying” their profit is without doubt one of the finest methods to cut back prices in case you often journey collectively as a household or get together of 4, six, eight, and many others.

Let’s check out a number of the finest accessible companion vouchers being provided as a bank card perk.

The WestJet Annual Spherical-Journey Companion Voucher

WestJet’s annual round-trip companion voucher comes as a perk of the WestJet RBC® World Elite Mastercardǂ. As a part of signing up for this card – which has an annual price of $119 – you’ll earn a welcome bonus of WestJet factors (WSP) (redeemable in the direction of the price of any WestJet flight), free first checked baggage on WestJet flights, and an annual companion voucher.

When redeeming the companion fare, the cardholder pays full worth for the round-trip ticket, whereas the second visitor pays the next (relying on the category of service and vacation spot):

• Inside Canada or to/from continental US:
  • UltraBasic, Econo, EconoFlex: $119 (plus taxes, charges and different ATC)
  • Premium or Premium Flex: $219 (plus taxes, charges and different ATC)
• To/from the remainder of the WestJet community:
  • UltraBasic, Econo, EconoFlex: $399 (plus taxes, charges and different ATC)
  • Premium or Premium Flex: $499 (plus taxes, charges and different ATC)

Notice that the above quantities cowl the bottom fare solely, and you should nonetheless pay for the taxes and costs on the ticket individually. 

The companion voucher expires one yr after it’s issued (you must e-book by this date), and at that time you’ll be given a brand new annual companion voucher for the next yr. Due to this fact, so long as it can save you greater than $119 by utilizing the companion voucher yearly, you’re getting nice worth out of holding onto the WestJet RBC® World Elite Mastercardǂ for the long run.

The WestJet factors you earn as a signup bonus may also be mixed with the companion voucher to attain even higher financial savings.

Nonetheless, it’s essential to notice that the visitor travelling on the companion voucher shouldn’t be eligible to earn WestJet factors from their journey. And sadly, the companion voucher can neither be redeemed at the side of Member Unique Fares, nor can or not it’s redeemed in the direction of enterprise class tickets in WestJet’s Dreamliners.

To redeem the companion voucher, you merely tick the “Companion voucher” field when trying to find flights on the WestJet web site.

You’ll then have the choice to use your companion voucher in case you’re trying to find at the very least two passengers.

Among the best makes use of of the companion voucher is inside North America, the place the second visitor travels for less than $119 in base fare. For instance, let’s think about using the voucher on a transcontinental flight between Toronto and Vancouver, booked a couple of weeks upfront.

The entire fare costs out at round $940, as damaged down on ITA Matrix.

You’ll discover within the screenshot that the bottom fare contains $705 of the $940 complete fare, with the remaining $235 consisting of varied taxes and costs. In case you had been to redeem your companion voucher to journey as a duo on this fare, you’d find yourself solely paying $119 + $235 = $354 for the second traveller, thus incurring a financial savings of $940 – $354 = $586.

Clearly, the upper the unique fare, the higher “worth” you’re getting from the companion fare.

Due to this fact, in conditions the place base fares are usually a lot larger, resembling throughout final minute journey or peak journey durations, you stand to garner extra worth out of your companion voucher by redeeming it throughout these instances. Certainly, this can be a basic tendency with companion vouchers.

You can too use the companion voucher for WestJet flights to different locations, resembling Europe. You’d must pay a better quantity of $399 for the second traveller, however it’s not essentially the case that you just’ll wind up saving cash this fashion.

To see why, have a look at how WestJet’s European fares are constructed.

Discover how the bottom fare solely contains $280 ($140 + $140) of the general $1,060 fare. That’s really much less than the $399 you’d must pay when redeeming the companion fare, and also you’d nonetheless be on the hook for the remaining $780 in taxes and costs.

So, remember to have a look at the breakdown of the fare to ensure you’re really getting a superb cope with the companion voucher from WestJet.

Lastly, whereas these examples had been designed with a travelling couple in thoughts, they’ll definitely be generalized to a household of 4 or extra that should journey collectively. If, say, each dad and mom had been to select up a WestJet RBC® World Elite Mastercardǂ, you can double-up on the financial savings for your complete household.

The Air Canada Annual Worldwide Companion Go

In lots of regards, the Air Canada Annual Worldwide Companion Go is just like the WestJet companion voucher, in that it reduces the bottom fare for a second passenger, and it could be used throughout Air Canada’s whole flight community. 

The Companion Go permits a second passenger to journey on a reduced base fare when the primary passenger pays full worth for an Air Canada financial system class ticket to wherever on the earth.

The Companion Go could be redeemed on any Air Canada flights between Canada or the USA and one of many following areas:

• Canada or the USA (excluding Hawaii): $99 base fare
• Hawaii, Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean: $299 base fare
• South America, Europe, Center East, and Africa: $499 base fare
• Asia, Australia, and New Zealand: $599 base fare

The Companion Go can solely be used with financial system fares, together with Economic system (Normal), Economic system (Flex), Economic system (Consolation), and Economic system (Latitude). It is probably not used for premium financial system or enterprise class flights.

Likewise, Companion Passes is probably not mixed with Aeroplan factors, and is probably not used for any codeshare flights with companion airways.

The Air Canada Annual Worldwide Companion Go is a profit afforded to sure credit score cardholders who meet an annual minimal spending requirement. It’s neither given as a part of a welcome bonus, neither is it assured to be renewed yr after yr.

Relatively, upon spending $25,000 every year on a premium Aeroplan bank card, eligible cardholders can have an Air Canada Annual Worldwide Companion Go deposited into their Aeroplan account.

If it can save you at the very least $599 by utilizing the Companion Go strategically, you’ll have saved the equal of your premium bank card’s annual price.

When you’ve met the spending requirement, which will depend on your card’s annual renewal date and never by the calendar yr, it would present up within the “Advantages” tab of your Aeroplan account inside 10 weeks. It’s legitimate for one yr from the date of situation, however can be utilized to e-book flights past its validity date.

To make use of the Companion Go, merely seek for money flights for 2 individuals on Air Canada’s web site. On the backside of the display, you’ll see a “Credit and reductions” blurb, which you’ll must click on on.

If there are eligible flights for the Companion Go, you’ll see the bottom fare clearly marked. Make sure to verify off the field subsequent to your Companion Go, after which click on “Apply”. 

When you click on “Apply”, the search outcomes will repopulate, and eligible flights can have a small ticket image subsequent to them.

Whereas the bottom fares with the Companion Go aren’t free, they’ll nonetheless supply up some nice worth. The standard situations for maximizing different companion vouchers apply right here, too – you’re extra more likely to get good worth out of the cardboard by utilizing it when base fares are usually larger. 

One compelling use of Companion Passes could also be at the side of eUpgrades on long-haul flights. Regardless of base fares of as much as $599, in case you’re capable of get an improve to premium financial system or enterprise class, you’d have saved a big quantity in comparison with reserving in a better class of service to start with.

Simply remember to try the breakdown of the fare, maybe by utilizing ITA Matrix, to make sure that you’re getting a superb deal. If the bottom fare is low, and many of the ticket’s price is within the taxes, charges, and provider surcharges that you just’d must pay anyway, you can wind up being upset.

The Porter Companion Go

The most recent companion cross to enter the Canadian market is the Porter companion cross, which made its debut in 2025 as Porter Airways launched co-branded bank cards with BMO.

To earn a Porter companion cross, you should be a primary be a cardholder of the BMO VIPorter World Elite®* Mastercard®*.

As a cardholder, upon spending $9,000 within the first yr, you’ll earn a round-trip Porter companion cross, which presents a second passenger 100% off the bottom fare. In subsequent years, you’ll be able to earn one other companion cross upon spending $50,000 in a cardholder yr (not a calendar yr).

As soon as earned, the cross is legitimate for one yr, although it may be used for journey past its expiry date.

As with different companion passes, the primary passenger pays full worth, and the second passenger enjoys 100% off the bottom fare, however should nonetheless pay the related taxes and costs.

The VIPorter companion cross can be utilized with any Porter Airways fare, together with the total slate of PorterClassic and PorterReserve fares.

The next phrases and circumstances govern the usage of the VIPorter companion cross:

• It may solely be used on flights operated by Porter Airways
• There should be one further passenger travelling with you on the identical itinerary (it could’t be used for bookings with greater than two passengers)
• It should be used on the time of buy (it can’t be utilized retroactively)
• Unused companion passes are routinely cancelled in case you cancel your card account, or in case you change to a distinct card product

In comparison with the opposite companion vouchers/passes provided by Air Canada and WestJet, it’s value noting that the one provided by Porter covers 100% of the bottom fare. Nonetheless, incomes one after the primary yr as a cardholder is probably going prohibitive for a lot of, because it’s solely issued after spending $50,000 in a cardholder yr.

Nonetheless, since you should utilize it with any Porter Airways fare, there’s numerous potential you could squeeze from it, particularly in case you use it for PorterReserve, journey throughout peak durations, or on the final minute.

As a comparatively new product, our group hasn’t had an opportunity to earn or redeem one simply but; nonetheless, the BMO VIPorter World Elite®* Mastercard®* is a well-liked one on the Prince of Journey group, so it shouldn’t be lengthy earlier than they begin rolling in.

The British Airways Companion Award eVoucher

One distinctive perk of the RBC® British Airways Visa Infinite† is you could a Companion Award eVoucher if you spend $30,000 (CAD) on the cardboard inside a calendar yr.

In contrast to the opposite two companion tickets on this record, the British Airways Companion Award eVoucher is usable solely if you’re redeeming Avios for a British Airways flight originating from and returning to Canada, not if you pay for a income ticket.

While you redeem Avios for 2 passengers travelling on British Airways, the second passenger gained’t must pay any Avios in any respect. For instance, if a round-trip flight prices 160,000 Avios for one particular person, making use of the voucher will end in round-trip flights for 2 pricing out at 160,000 Avios, too.

The Companion Award eVoucher has additionally turn out to be relevant to solo travellers, too. In case you redeem it as a person, it would cut back the associated fee in Avios by 50% for a reserving. 

For instance, if a round-trip reserving prices 160,000 Avios with out the voucher utilized, it could solely price 80,000 Avios with the voucher utilized.

Whereas that may sound like a superb deal on the floor, anybody aware of the British Airways Govt Membership program will know that the gas surcharges on British Airways long-haul flights could be fairly substantial. Certainly, RBC even mentions this within the RBC British Airways Visa Infinite’s phrases and circumstances, in order to keep away from giving cardholders the mistaken concept that they’re getting something near a “free” ticket:

At time of publication, all Reward Flights and Companion Tickets are topic to taxes, charges, & provider fees of roughly $600 per particular person based mostly on return journey from Vancouver to London in financial system class and roughly $1,000 per particular person based mostly on enterprise class journey. 

That undoubtedly takes many of the pleasure out of this perk, as a result of in case you’re paying $600 in taxes and costs per particular person to get to London (along with the Avios required for the primary passenger’s ticket), then you might as effectively simply purchase an financial system class ticket for about $700–900 per ticket.

This voucher may probably being helpful for somebody who desires to fly enterprise class direct from Canada to London. For instance, a round-trip from Toronto to London Heathrow in British Airways enterprise class would price between 100,000 and 120,000 Avios, relying on whether or not it’s peak or off-peak.

In case you paid 100,000 Avios, plus round $2,000 in taxes and costs, to e-book round-trip continuous enterprise class flights for 2 individuals in complete, it wouldn’t be the worst deal on the earth in comparison with the retail worth.

Needless to say British Airways presents Reward Flight Saver choices on long-haul routes. This implies you could select to pay extra in Avios and fewer in taxes and costs on flights.

When used at the side of a Companion Award eVoucher, and particularly in case you leveraged a switch bonus to earn further Avios, you can wind up getting a fantastic deal on a redemption.

Nonetheless, apart from these very area of interest redemptions, you’d probably be higher off redeeming, say, Aeroplan factors or Air France KLM Flying Blue miles to get to Europe as an alternative.

General, it’s honest to say that the Companion Award eVoucher on the RBC® British Airways Visa Infinite† is rendered much less efficient by the surcharges that British Airways is understood for. Contemplating additionally that you want to spend $30,000 on the cardboard to get it within the first place, and it’s more than likely not going to be one thing that the majority cardholders pursue in earnest.

Conclusion

The WestJet RBC® World Elite Mastercard, varied premium Aeroplan co-branded bank cards, the BMO VIPorter World Elite®* Mastercard®*, and the RBC® British Airways Visa Infinite† supply companion vouchers as a part of their advantages. One of the best methods to make use of every voucher differ, however they’re all helpful in particular circumstances.

Positive, utilizing factors for journey is all the time most well-liked, however it could make sense to pay money for flights in some circumstances. In case you’re travelling as a pair, you may make use of companion vouchers for if you’d in any other case must pay money. 

Make sure to verify the worth breakdown of your required flights to ensure you’re really getting a superb deal, as typically you’d be higher off paying full worth to start with.