Katie has been in the points and miles game since 2015 and started her own blog in 2016. She’s been freelance writing since then and her work has been featured in publications like Travel + Leisure an...
Edited by: Keri Stooksbury
With years of experience in corporate marketing and as the Executive Director of the American Chamber of Commerce in Qatar, Keri is now Editor-in-Chief at UP, overseeing daily content operations and r...
55 comments
Mark J Ryberg
December 17, 2021
With the new Northeast Alliance with JetBlue, can you purchase a round trip ticket on a JetBlue flight and use your American airlines Companion Certificate to purchase a second round trip ticket on JetBlue inside the 48 US states?
Jarrod West
December 20, 2021
Hi Mark,
So far, it seems that you are only able to use your companion certificate for flights operated by American Airlines.
Robert
May 08, 2022
The AA Companion ticket requires that you purchase the primary ticket not just the companion ticket through its member services via phone call. So, if you have booked a full fare ticket for business already and then decide to take a companion with you, it doesn’t work. You have to book both tickets at the same time through AA member services.
sahar mozouni
July 20, 2022
Does Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® qualifies for the companion pass?
Jarrod West
July 20, 2022
Hi Sahar,
Unfortunately, the companion pass is not a benefit of that card.
Ismael Rohmann
August 12, 2022
Hello. Thank you for all this information. This may be a silly question but could you please help me clarify? Once you have a companion certificate, will you be able to use it on unlimited flights during a year for $99 + taxes for each flight? Or is restricted to 1 flight? Thank you, Ismael
Christine Krzyszton
August 13, 2022
Hello Ismael. The companion certificate is a single certificate good for just 1 flight.
Ed Damer
October 30, 2022
Can I use “miles” to purchase a ticket along with a companion ticket?
Jarrod West
October 31, 2022
Hi Ed,
Companion tickets are only eligible on paid tickets.
Lisa
November 08, 2022
Where in my aa account do I find my companion certificate?
Jarrod West
November 08, 2022
Hi Lisa,
You should be able to view it in the wallet section of your account, and it can be redeemed by calling American Airlines Meeting Services at 800-433-1790.
Arshad Syed
August 18, 2022
On an AA companion certificate, is it possible for the primary cardholder to change the return travel date (after the travel has been completed on the originating leg) to an earlier date when compared to the companion’s original return travel date?
Jarrod West
August 22, 2022
Hi Arshad,
Unfortunately, that is not possible, as the companion must travel on the same flight as the primary cardholder.
Tom
September 05, 2022
Can you upgrade a companion ticket with a SWU or elite (500 mile) upgrade?
Jarrod West
September 29, 2022
Hi Tom,
American Airlines no longer uses 500 mile upgrades, but you can use an SWU for a companion ticket.
Josh
November 14, 2022
Can you explain what constitutes an “anniversary year”/
I applied for the card on Dec 4 a few years ago.
My annual fee bills on Jan 5.
Do I have THROUGH all of January? All of December? Until Dec 5? I have no idea.
Jarrod West
November 15, 2022
Hi Josh,
You should have until December 4th as that is the anniversary date of your account. Feel free to clarify with Citi Bank to make certain.
Art Jordan
December 19, 2022
I own a companion certificate currently earned from my Barclays Aviator card. Can I gift it to my son for his use? Or I would be willing to purchase a ticket in his name and his wife as a companion. Is this possible?
Art Jordan
Katie Seemann
December 26, 2022
Hi Art,
I checked the terms and conditions for AA companion tickets and it doesn’t say whether or not you can transfer it. If it is possible my guess would be that you would have to purchase a ticket for your son and then add his wife as the companion. You can check the specific terms listed on your certificate to see if that’s possible and if you’re still not sure, I would suggest calling AA to check. Let us know how it turns out.
Claudia Corona
January 18, 2023
I’m curious about this as well. Did you get your answer to this question?
Tom
January 02, 2023
Do you get miles when booking with a companion ticket? I see it’s needs to be a domestic ticket (so is that not main cabin)
Jarrod West
January 03, 2023
Hi Tom,
You would earn miles on the $99 portion of the companion ticket.
Harry Porter
January 04, 2023
To clarify, since “miles” are now based upon the fare spend, the companion would earn 99 miles x their respective tier multiplier (where non-status = 5, for 495 miles for the itinerary).
Milla
January 10, 2023
Can those two tickets (paid primary and companion certificate) be upgraded to Business if I have qualifying platinum status with AA?
Jarrod West
January 18, 2023
Hi Milla,
Yes, if there is upgrade space available you can be upgraded.
Tim Kieler
January 18, 2023
I just received an email from American that I qualified for a companion ticket. Can I order that certificate ahead of time to be used anytime with in the one year window?
Jarrod West
January 19, 2023
Hi Tim,
You have to wait until the certificate is added to your account to use it. American says this can take up to 8 weeks but it is usually much faster.
Roxie
February 05, 2023
Can a companion certificate be used on an international flight?
Jarrod West
February 06, 2023
Hi Roxie,
No, it cannot be used on an international flight.
Roxie
February 05, 2023
Can AA employees use buddy passes or just companion certificates?
Jarrod West
February 06, 2023
Hi Roxie,
AA employees cannot use buddy passes.
Rich
February 07, 2023
Can a companion certificate be used when the primary ticket is purchased with advantage points?
Jarrod West
February 08, 2023
Hi Rich,
No, your companion certificate can only be used on paid tickets.
Pam
February 12, 2023
How do I determine my anniversary date? Also, do they issue the companion certificate once you meet the requirement or at the end of your qualifying period?
Jarrod West
February 13, 2023
Hi Pam,
Your anniversary date should be the date you were approved for the card.
Andrew Gimar
March 02, 2023
What a joke. Blackout dates make it so you can’t even use these things. I’ll be paying off my card and never flying American again.
Raykirk Thomasen
March 03, 2023
Thanks for all the info. Maybe this is a silly question, but if you get the 2 certificates with the silver card do they both have to be used on the same flight, or can you do two different flights with one companion each time?
Jarrod West
March 06, 2023
Hi Raykirk,
You do not have to use them on the same flight. Thanks for reading!
Steven Hollister
April 26, 2023
I’m hoping it’s true. But this is terms in my pass;
This certificate is valid for 2 guests to travel with you on an eligible, domestic round trip American Airlines® flight for $99 each, plus taxes and fees, when a qualifying economy fare ticket is purchased. Conditions apply.
Your 1 Companion Certificate may be used for up to 2 guests traveling with you on the same itinerary and reservation. If you redeem your Companion Certificate for 1 guest only, the 2nd guest will be voided and may not be used in the future.
COLLEEN GARRETT
March 09, 2023
I pay $99 dollars a year for my card. I didn’t travel by plane during the pandemic, so no free bags, etc for me those years – just my fee to pay. I just took a Carribean trip – no free bags included. I used to get a $99 take a companion certificate per year – no minimum balances, etc. Now, I must spend tens of thousands of dollars on my card before I get this perk. I see less and less reasons to not cut up my card.
Chris
March 28, 2023
Is the certificate expiration date, the expiration date for travel or for booking? In other words, do I just have to book travel by the expiration date or does the travel need to take place by the expiration date?
Katie Seemann
March 28, 2023
Hi Chris,
All travel needs to take place by the certificate expiration date.
Bunny
April 02, 2023
I have the Barclay silver card and will be getting the 2 companion ticket for spending the min required in July. My question is do I have to buy 2 regular fare tickets to use the 2 companion ticket vouchers?
Jarrod West
April 03, 2023
Hi Bunny,
Yes, since the companion vouchers are buy one get one you’d need to purchase 2 regular fare tickets to use both.
Gary
June 18, 2023
If I purchased a roundtrip ticket and my wife uses the companion pass will the pass be good for the entire trip or just one way?
Jarrod West
June 19, 2023
Hi Gary,
Yes, it is valid on round-trip tickets.
thomhughart@yahoo.com
July 14, 2023
Any blackout dates for the AA red Advantage card
Jarrod West
July 14, 2023
Hi Tom,
No, there are no blackout dates.
DENISE F
August 07, 2023
If I purchase a ticket, and use a companion ticket, can i upgrade both tickets for better seats (meaning the green/orange, instead of blue) ? Thank you.
Jarrod West
August 07, 2023
Hi Denise,
Yes, you can upgrade both tickets.
Kathy
August 13, 2023
Where do I find the black out dates from the companion certificates on American? I just called to book my tickets and was told the dates I needed are black out dates from Barclays. Thanks
Jarrod West
August 14, 2023
Hi Kathy,
Barclays should be able to provide you with a full list of blackout dates.
Danielle
August 29, 2023
Cautionary tale: My husband tried to use his $99 AA companion pass and was told by an AA phone rep that there was “no inventory” for him to use the pass for the destination and dates that he selected, even though he could see that there was plenty of flights going to that destination on that dates he selected. When he asked the AA phone rep for help finding a flight which roof he eligible for the companion pass, she refused. In frustration, he ended the call.
He called AA back the next day and spoke to a a rep that knew what she was doing. He was able to use the companion pass on the flights he had originally selected, which were the same flights that the first rep had said were not available for the companion pass.
Moral of the story: Some AA reps clearly don’t know how to book the companion pass. If the rep you are speaking with is making things difficult for you, hang up and call back later. You might get lucky and talk to a rep who knows what they are doing and who knows how to book the companion pass.
Joey
August 30, 2023
Can I use gift card to purchase the 1st ticket? or I have to use the credit card?
Jarrod West
August 31, 2023
Hi Joey,
You would need to use the credit card that is linked to your Companion Certificate.
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