Programs: AA EXP 2MM, BA Gold, UA 2P, SPG Platinum
Posts: 3,336
Quote:
Originally Posted by mkumar23
this may have been discussed in another thread, but are there known conditions that make the use of a companion ticket useful? it seems that every time i try to use it, the increased fares make using the voucher more expensive than if i were to go onto AA's website to buy two tickets. i'm looking for something like "only useful for long trips, short trips, X amount of time before the flight, etc. any thoughts would be helpful
Since the companion ticket cannot be used in any of the deep discount economy classes (O, S, N, Q, etc are all excluded on my certs), then you have to buy a more expensive fare (W, V, etc.) which would lead me to think that the higher fares would have less restrictions. Last minute and shorter trips would probably be among the better uses for the cert.
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I applied for my card in late March. Did the required spending the first month with a bill closing date of April 24 I think. The companion voucher came July 1, which falls in and around the 6 - 8 week timeframe terms and conditions.
The voucher states that travel must be concluded by November 16. I was a bit surprised that I don't even have 6 months before ticket expiration, but I suppose it figures. Is short expiration the norm I wonder?
I recently called to cancel a Citi Business Aadvantage card & got offered the companion cert. I took the offer &, in spite of the fare code restrictions, was amazingly able to book a spring ski trip flight that saved me almost $600! The problem now is that I would love to have another cert as there are 4 of us traveling.
I called today to cancel my personal card & got offered 7500 miles. I asked about the companion cert & the agent told me that the offers rotate regularly. I took the 7500 miles but was wondering if anyone knew of another route to pick up one of these certificates.
I have always just trashed mine because of the restrictions and limits on upgrades. I guess I could save them and trade them. I dont remember restrictions on named travelers, though.
Programs: AA EXP 1.8MM, HH Gold, SPG Gold, Traveler's Aid JFK Volunteer
Posts: 5,522
Quote:
Originally Posted by PapiTheWriter
I have always just trashed mine because of the restrictions and limits on upgrades. I guess I could save them and trade them. I dont remember restrictions on named travelers, though.
Yeah, I'll probably be trashing (recycling) mine.
It turns out that you can't trade them. It says on the back: The primary cardmember named on the letter or his/her spouse/dependent child must be one of the traveling passengers.
I used one in August, booking a long weekend from ORD to SEA. This was the first one I had used and watched it close to make sure I was actually saving money. Yes, I did pay probably $150.00 more than the discounted fares I was watching for my ticket, but in the end I came out about $125.00 ahead than if I'd had purchased two discount tickets when I found them at their lowest point. I make most of my reservations online, but the downside with these certs is you have to do them through an agent which adds $10.00 per ticket. But I believe the agent also was instrumental in finding the lowest fare available for the dates I was traveling, because I wasn't finding that fare online in the search using the accepted fare classes listed on the cert (although my search was not an exaustive search.)
Incidentally, we used the cert close to its expiration. Interestingly enough, a week after our trip, I received another cert in the mail from Citi.
