Last Updated on July 24, 2026 by Daniel Globe
The Alaska Airlines $99 Companion Fare can reduce the cost of booking two paid economy tickets, but only when you follow the certificate’s route, payment, expiration, and booking rules. The primary traveler pays the available fare, while the second traveler pays $99 plus taxes and fees, which currently start at $23. Your exact certificate terms in your Atmos Rewards account always control.
Quick Answer
Use the $99 Companion Fare to book two eligible paid economy tickets on the same reservation. Pay the regular fare for the first traveler and $99 plus taxes and fees for the companion. Redeem the code before it expires, use the required Atmos Rewards Visa card, and avoid award, partner, or ineligible codeshare flights.
Key Takeaways
- The companion fare is $99 plus applicable taxes and fees, which currently start at $23.
- Both travelers must be booked together on the same paid economy itinerary.
- Eligible flights include qualifying Alaska-operated flights and Hawaiian-operated flights within North America, but not partner codeshares.
- The code normally expires one year after issuance, but travel may occur later when you ticket the trip before the deadline.
- There is no published $400 fare cap, so an expensive eligible ticket may produce stronger savings.
At a Glance
| Time Required | About 10 to 20 minutes once you have your dates and traveler details |
| Difficulty | Easy, although route and fare restrictions require careful review |
| Tools Needed | Atmos Rewards account, valid Companion Fare code, eligible payment card, and details for two travelers |
| Cost | Regular paid fare for the first traveler, plus $99 and applicable taxes and fees for the companion |
What Is the Alaska Companion Fare?
The Alaska Airlines $99 Companion Fare is a credit-card benefit issued to eligible Atmos Rewards Visa cardholders. It lets you buy one qualifying paid economy ticket at the normal price and add one companion on the same itinerary for $99 plus taxes and fees.
Bank of America currently lists taxes and fees from $23, which makes the lowest advertised companion total $122. Your actual taxes depend on the airports, route, and itinerary.
The benefit is a discount code, not a free ticket or an award ticket. Both travelers receive regular paid tickets and must be booked at the same time on the same reservation.
Note: Do not confuse the $99 Companion Fare with the Atmos Rewards Summit Visa Infinite card’s Global Companion Award. The Global Companion Award discounts an award booking by a set number of points and has different airline, cabin, payment, and redemption rules.
Who Qualifies for the Companion Fare?
Eligibility depends on the credit card, the date the account was opened, annual spending, and the exact offer attached to the account.
- Current Atmos Rewards Ascent Visa Signature accounts: The annual $99 Companion Fare is generally issued after at least $6,000 in purchases during the previous card anniversary year.
- Older Alaska Visa accounts: Some accounts opened before the January 18, 2023 benefit changes may have grandfathered terms without the same annual spending requirement.
- Atmos Rewards Visa Business accounts: Eligibility and spending rules depend on the business-card agreement.
- New-card welcome offers: A separate Companion Fare may be included after meeting the offer’s introductory spending requirement.
As of July 25, 2026, the public Atmos Rewards Ascent Visa offer advertises 70,000 bonus points and a $99 Companion Fare after $2,500 in purchases within the first 90 days. Credit-card offers change frequently, so rely on the disclosure shown when you apply rather than an older article or advertisement.
Annual certificates normally appear in the eligible cardholder’s Atmos Rewards account after the card anniversary and qualifying purchases. Older published card terms state that posting may take up to two billing cycles.
Which Flights and Fares Are Eligible?
Eligible Airlines and Routes
The certificate generally works on eligible paid flights that are:
- Operated by Alaska Airlines.
- Operated by Horizon Air or SkyWest as Alaska Airlines.
- Operated by Hawaiian Airlines within North America, including eligible travel to and within Hawai‘i.
The benefit is not valid on codeshare flights operated by unrelated partner airlines. A flight number alone does not guarantee eligibility, so check the “operated by” information before selecting an itinerary. Alaska’s official Hawaiian Companion Fare announcement specifically excludes codeshare flights.
Eligible Cabins and Fare Types
The standard $99 Companion Fare is for paid economy or coach travel. It is not a direct discount on a First Class, Business Class, or Atmos Rewards award ticket.
Main Cabin and qualifying Saver fares may appear during a Companion Fare search. Saver can be cheaper, but it comes with stricter seating, change, and cancellation rules. Alaska does not guarantee that two people on Saver tickets will sit together.
Bank of America advertises no program blackout dates for the benefit. However, normal seat and fare availability still applies. If two qualifying economy seats are not available on a flight, the itinerary may not accept the code.
Important Booking Limits
- Both travelers must be booked on the same reservation.
- The two tickets must be purchased at the same time.
- Only one discount code may be applied to a reservation.
- The reservation can contain no more than eight flight segments under Alaska’s current discount-code rules.
- The code cannot be added to an existing ticket during an exchange.
- The code cannot be applied to an Atmos Rewards award reservation.
How to Book an Alaska Companion Fare
Use the certificate from the cardholder’s own Atmos Rewards account. The certificate is not transferable, and another person cannot take the code and redeem it from a different account.
1. Find Your Companion Code
Sign in to your Atmos Rewards account and open the wallet or the section for discount and companion fare codes. Eligible certificates are normally stored there automatically.
Select the “Use to book” option beside the certificate when available. You may also be able to enter the code in the discount-code field during the flight search.
2. Search for Two Travelers
Enter your origin, destination, dates, and trip type. Set the search for exactly two travelers unless an infant who does not require a separate seat is also involved.
Choose one-way, round-trip, or an eligible multi-segment itinerary. Make sure every segment is operated by a qualifying airline.
3. Choose an Eligible Economy Itinerary
Select an eligible economy fare that has at least two seats available. Do not rely on a specific colored icon because Alaska’s website and app design can change.
Instead, review the price summary. It should show the regular fare for the first traveler and the discounted Companion Fare for the second traveler.
4. Enter Both Travelers’ Information
Add the full legal name, birth date, contact details, and Atmos Rewards number for each traveler. Both travelers remain on the same reservation and must follow the rules of the selected fare.
5. Pay With the Required Card
Use the eligible Atmos Rewards credit card required by the certificate terms. Published terms require the primary and companion fares to be purchased with the associated card.
Before submitting payment, confirm:
- The Companion Fare code appears in the price summary.
- The second base fare is $99.
- Taxes and fees are listed separately.
- Every flight is operated by an eligible carrier.
- The cabin and fare type match your needs.
- Both travelers are on the same confirmation.
Pro Tip: Take a screenshot of the final fare breakdown and save the confirmation email. This gives you a clear record of the code, fare type, taxes, and expiration-related booking details if you later need help.
What the Companion Fare Covers
The discount covers the companion’s eligible economy base fare above $99. It does not make every part of the trip free.
- Primary traveler: Pays the available published economy fare.
- Companion: Pays a $99 base fare.
- Taxes and government fees: Added to the companion fare and currently start at $23.
- Checked baggage: Subject to normal baggage rules and any separate card benefits.
- Preferred seats or Premium Class: Additional charges may apply.
- Upgrades: Subject to the normal upgrade rules, status, inventory, and selected fare.
- Food, lounges, and other extras: Not included in the Companion Fare itself.
Both travelers hold paid tickets and may earn Atmos Rewards points according to the fare class and current earning rules. However, Saver travel on or after August 1, 2026 does not earn Atmos Rewards points.
Expiration, Changes, and Cancellations
A Companion Fare code normally expires one year after issuance. You must redeem and ticket the reservation before the expiration date.
The passengers do not necessarily have to complete travel before that date. Published terms allow travel after expiration when the certificate was valid and used before the deadline.
Warning: Do not cancel a Companion Fare reservation after the code has expired unless you are prepared to lose the certificate. Alaska states that an unexpired code may be redeposited with its original expiration date, but an expired code is forfeited when the reservation is canceled.
Tickets booked with a Companion Fare may be changed within the rules of the selected fare. A fare difference may apply. Saver tickets are especially restrictive and generally qualify for only a 50% credit when canceled at least 14 days before the first departure, apart from Alaska’s applicable 24-hour and same-day policies.
Review Alaska’s current discount and companion code rules before changing or canceling a reservation.
How to Maximize Your Savings
The certificate usually creates the most value when the second traveler’s normal fare would be much higher than $99.
Use It on a Costly Eligible Trip
Consider holidays, school breaks, long routes, Hawai‘i trips, or dates when economy fares are expensive. There is no published $400 fare ceiling in Alaska’s current terms.
The higher the companion’s normal eligible fare, the more potential value the fixed $99 base fare can provide.
Calculate the Real Savings
Compare the final Companion Fare total with the price of buying two regular tickets. Use the final amount after taxes, not only the advertised base fare.
For example, suppose the second eligible ticket would normally cost $650 including taxes. If the Companion Fare price summary shows a $122 total, your estimated savings would be $528. The actual result depends on the route and taxes.
Compare Main Cabin and Saver Carefully
Saver may reduce the primary traveler’s fare, but it can create problems for couples or families because advance seat selection is limited and Alaska does not guarantee seats together. Saver also has strict cancellation rules and no longer earns Atmos Rewards points for travel beginning August 1, 2026.
Main Cabin may cost more but can provide greater flexibility, seat-selection options, and easier changes.
Book Before the Code Gets Close to Expiration
Do not wait until the final day. Payment errors, unavailable flights, account problems, or a missing certificate may take time to resolve. Booking earlier also gives you more economy-seat choices.
Compare One-Way and Round-Trip Pricing
The fare can be used for a qualifying one-way or round-trip reservation. Compare both options if your plans are flexible, but remember that a certificate can normally be redeemed only once.
Common Companion Fare Mistakes to Avoid
- Booking an award ticket: The $99 certificate applies to paid economy fares, not points bookings.
- Selecting a partner codeshare: Check the operating airline on every segment.
- Assuming every Hawaiian flight qualifies: Hawaiian eligibility is limited to qualifying flights within North America.
- Creating separate reservations: Both travelers must be ticketed together.
- Using the wrong payment card: Pay with the card required by the certificate.
- Trying to add the code later: Apply it during the original purchase, not after ticketing.
- Stacking another discount code: Alaska permits only one discount code per reservation.
- Ignoring Saver restrictions: Low pricing may come with limited seating, earning, change, and cancellation options.
- Confusing booking and travel deadlines: Ticket before expiration; the travel date may be later.
- Canceling after expiration: An expired code is generally lost when its reservation is canceled.
Troubleshooting Companion Fare Problems
The Code Is Missing From Your Account
Confirm that you met the required spending amount before the card anniversary and that the purchases posted to the account. Annual certificates can take up to two billing cycles to appear after qualification.
If enough time has passed, contact Bank of America about spending qualification and Alaska Airlines about the certificate wallet.
No Eligible Flights Appear
Check the operating airline, not only the flight number. Remove partner-operated codeshares, confirm that you selected two travelers, and search economy fares.
For Hawaiian flights, verify that the itinerary remains within North America. Trying different dates or a simpler route may reveal qualifying inventory.
The Price Does Not Change
Return to the search page and confirm that the stored certificate was selected or that the code was entered correctly. The final price should show one normal fare and one $99 companion base fare.
Also check whether another discount code is already attached to the search because only one discount code can be used.
Payment Is Declined
Confirm that you are using the eligible card associated with the certificate, that the card is open, and that enough available credit remains for both tickets and taxes. Contact the card issuer if the airline accepts the itinerary but the payment fails.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the main Alaska Companion Fare rules?
Book two eligible paid economy tickets together, apply the certificate during the original purchase, and pay with the card required by the certificate. The second traveler pays a $99 base fare plus taxes and fees. Award travel, unrelated partner flights, and ineligible codeshares do not qualify.
What is the 3-1-1 rule on Alaska Airlines flights?
The 3-1-1 liquids rule comes from the Transportation Security Administration, not Alaska Airlines. Carry-on liquids, gels, aerosols, creams, and pastes must generally be in containers of 3.4 ounces or less, placed in one clear quart-size bag, with one bag allowed per passenger. Medical liquids and certain child-care items may qualify for exceptions.
Is the Alaska Airlines Companion Fare worth it?
It can be valuable when the second traveler’s eligible fare is much higher than $99. Calculate the value by comparing the final price for two regular tickets with the final Companion Fare total, including taxes and any optional fees.
How many times can one Companion Fare certificate be used?
A certificate is normally used once for one qualifying reservation. A round-trip or eligible multi-segment itinerary can be included in that booking, but the same certificate cannot be split across separate reservations.
Does the cardholder have to be one of the travelers?
The certificate owner must redeem the code and meet the payment requirements. Do not assume that every certificate allows the owner to book for two other people. Review the account-specific terms displayed with the certificate before purchasing travel for others.
Can the $99 Companion Fare be used for First Class or award travel?
No. The standard $99 Companion Fare applies to qualifying paid economy or coach tickets. It cannot be applied directly to an Atmos Rewards award booking or used as a First Class or Business Class companion discount. Normal upgrade options may apply after booking, depending on the fare and availability.
What happens to the certificate if I cancel?
If the code is still valid, Alaska may redeposit it with its original expiration date. If the code has already expired when you cancel, it is generally forfeited. Ticket credits or refunds also depend on the selected fare rules.
Can I combine the Companion Fare with another discount?
You cannot apply a second airfare discount code to the same reservation. Alaska may allow certain gift certificates or credit certificates under its current payment rules, but Wallet funds may be restricted for Companion Fare purchases. Review the payment page before relying on a travel credit.
Conclusion
The Alaska Airlines $99 Companion Fare can provide substantial savings when you use it for an expensive eligible economy trip. Confirm the operating airline, apply the code during the original booking, keep both travelers on one reservation, and pay with the required card. Most importantly, redeem the code before it expires and understand the selected fare’s change and cancellation rules.
Sources
- Bank of America: Atmos Rewards Ascent Visa Signature card — current annual spending requirement, public welcome offer, Companion Fare price, and card benefits.
- Alaska Airlines: Discount and Companion Fare code rules — code storage, redemption, expiration, cancellation, and reservation limits.
- Alaska Airlines: Companion Fare on Hawaiian Airlines — Hawaiian North America eligibility and codeshare exclusion.
- Atmos Rewards: Earning points on flights — current earning rates for Alaska and Hawaiian paid fares.
- Alaska Airlines: Saver fare rules — seating, cancellation, change, and August 2026 points restrictions.
- Transportation Security Administration: TSA Travel Tips — official 3-1-1 liquids rule and medical-liquid exceptions.