Feb 26, 2013, 12:45 pm
Last edit by: JDiver
US Airways / Barclays $99.00 Companion Certificates
As indicated in post #1254 & 1255, the last date to book has been EXTENDED
to October 12, use by 31 Dec 2015, on AA.
to October 12, use by 31 Dec 2015, on AA.
US Airways Companion Certificate
Purchase a roundtrip ticket of $250 (before any taxes) or more with your US Airways Dividend Miles MasterCard and have up to two companions fly with you for $99 each (plus tax on the amount of the equivalent full-fare ticket).
The price of the full-fare ticket is determined by the lowest "bucket" for which two Y seats are available if you have one companion and for which three Y seats are available if you have two companions.
Systemwide blackout dates (2015):
Jan 3, 4, Feb 13, Mar 15, 20, 22, 26, 27, 29, Apr 2, 3, 6, 12, May 21, 22, Jun 25, 26, Jul 5, 6, Oct 18, Nov 20, 29, 30, Dec 18, 19, 26, 27
Additional Blackout Dates for specific cities (2015):
- Jan 15 from Dallas
- Jan 29, 30 to Phoenix
- Feb 2, 3 from Phoenix
- Feb 13 to New Orleans
- Feb 18 from New Orleans
- Apr 7 from Indianapolis
- Apr 30, May 1 to Louisville
- May 3 from Louisville
Routing:
Certificate valid for use when travel originates in the contiguous 48 United States for service to the contiguous 48 states or Canada.
Not valid for travel to Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Caribbean, Mexico, Central/South America, or Europe. Not valid on stopovers, open jaws, open returns, or circle trips.
Valid Carrier
Valid on flights operated by US Airways and US Airways Express. Not valid on codeshare flights operated by partner airlines such as United.
Valid for travel on American flights with a departure date after October 18, 2015.
Dividend Miles Accrual and Upgrades
Travel is eligible for Dividend Miles accrual, accrual in other airline programs not permitted. Dividend Miles Preferred upgrades are permitted subject to the rules of the upgrade being used. All Dividend Miles Terms and Conditions apply.
Additional guidelines for booking
1) You must call US Airways reservations; you cannot book this type of ticket on line.
2) The certificate must be used by YOU, you cannot have someone else and two companions use it.
3) You must book you and any companions at the same time as you on the same routing and PNR as you. One companion cannot break off and go a different direction for one segment.
4) You must use your US Airways Mastercard to make the purchase.
5) You must mail in the certificate after you make the purchase. The address is printed on the certificate (US Airways office in Winston-Salem, NC). (They insist that you retain proof of mailing within 24 hours of booking)
6) There should NOT be a telephone booking fee for this as you can't book this type of fare any other way.
7) It should be possible to split the PNR after booking (this may be beneficial for those hoping for an upgrade as a preferred member, or if the card holder can no longer travel on the days originally booked) YMMV.
8) Any changes to the tickets after booking are subject to the current change fees listed on the US Airways website.
9) Ticket must be booked at least 14 days in advance of travel. (Agents may try to tell you that it needs 15 days because the day of travel is not counted. Even supervisor will insist on it. Do not buy that. Hang up and redial. You need usual 14 days advance booking)
10) You can cancel within 24 hours of booking and you will retain the certificate if you have not mailed it. But they will not make any changes to reservations even within 24 hours due to the third sentance under the Change/Refunds section in the T&C.
Contact Phone Number for post October 18 travel: The American Airlines Meeting and Group Travel Desk is handling the post-October 18, 2015 US Companion Certificates travel reservations- 1-800-433-1790
Related thread:
Benefits of US Airways MasterCard®
ARCHIVE: LUS: US Companion Certificates [use by 31 Dec 2015]
Mar 21, 2012, 12:00 pm
#91
Join Date: Jul 2011
Programs: American Airlines, Alaska Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines, Southwest
Posts: 296
Yes, I know, actually for our trip to Hawaii via Portland, we will likely use the USAirways companion ticket for the round trip Phoenix/Portland and back and work around the blackout dates flying up to Portland prior to black out dates, and return from Portland in between the blackout dates.
I really think the lack of online handling for companion tickets is lame -- it is something of a money loser for USAirways (they don't charge for the phone call ordering since there is no online option), plus they have to handle manually the voucher via the mail AND it irritates the user. They do NOT have to handle it this way. The constraint is from the airline as I see it since I get companion ticket online coupons for Alaska Airlines via my B of A card, yet get the silly arrange by phone and mail me in vouchers with my B of A card for USAirways.
I really think the lack of online handling for companion tickets is lame -- it is something of a money loser for USAirways (they don't charge for the phone call ordering since there is no online option), plus they have to handle manually the voucher via the mail AND it irritates the user. They do NOT have to handle it this way. The constraint is from the airline as I see it since I get companion ticket online coupons for Alaska Airlines via my B of A card, yet get the silly arrange by phone and mail me in vouchers with my B of A card for USAirways.
Mar 21, 2012, 12:08 pm
#92
Join Date: Jul 2011
Programs: American Airlines, Alaska Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines, Southwest
Posts: 296
Just got a companion certificate yesterday -- 2012 and 2013 blackout dates are listed:
2012:
March 24, 25 (Spring Break)
April 1, 15
May 25
June 29, 30
July 1, 8, 29
August 5, 12
November 25, 26
December 21, 22, 23, 26, 27, 30 !!
2013
January 5, 6
February 15, 24
March 8, 10, 15, 17, 28, 29 !!
April 1, 6, 7
May 24
June 28, 29
July 6, 7, 28
August 4
December 1, 2, 20, 21, 28, 29, 30 !!
27!! system wide black out dates in 2013.
2012:
March 24, 25 (Spring Break)
April 1, 15
May 25
June 29, 30
July 1, 8, 29
August 5, 12
November 25, 26
December 21, 22, 23, 26, 27, 30 !!
2013
January 5, 6
February 15, 24
March 8, 10, 15, 17, 28, 29 !!
April 1, 6, 7
May 24
June 28, 29
July 6, 7, 28
August 4
December 1, 2, 20, 21, 28, 29, 30 !!
27!! system wide black out dates in 2013.
Mar 21, 2012, 3:38 pm
#93
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Purgatory
Programs: Too many to list. Status is a half dozen.
Posts: 9,235
Ditto. Don't forget the destination-specific blackout dates.
2012:
May 3, 4 to SDF
May 6 from SDF
2013:
Jan 31, Feb 1 to MSY
Feb 4, 5 from MSY
Feb 7 to MSY
Feb 13 from MSY
Apr 4, 5 to ATL
Apr 9 from ATL
May 2, 3 to SDF
May 5 from SDF
What is quite awesome though is that you can use these for the week of Thanksgiving if you return by Saturday. You can also use this over Christmas if you depart the 20th, 24th or 25th and can return on Dec 28th, 29th, 31st or Jan 1st to Jan 4th. So other than using these to fly on expensive Canadian routes, this is the next best way to get the most value out of the companion tickets. Buy yourself a generally expensive ticket at Christmas and bring two people for considerably less.
2012:
May 3, 4 to SDF
May 6 from SDF
2013:
Jan 31, Feb 1 to MSY
Feb 4, 5 from MSY
Feb 7 to MSY
Feb 13 from MSY
Apr 4, 5 to ATL
Apr 9 from ATL
May 2, 3 to SDF
May 5 from SDF
What is quite awesome though is that you can use these for the week of Thanksgiving if you return by Saturday. You can also use this over Christmas if you depart the 20th, 24th or 25th and can return on Dec 28th, 29th, 31st or Jan 1st to Jan 4th. So other than using these to fly on expensive Canadian routes, this is the next best way to get the most value out of the companion tickets. Buy yourself a generally expensive ticket at Christmas and bring two people for considerably less.
Mar 23, 2012, 7:46 am
#94
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Harisburg,Pa.
Programs: AA,U.S.SPG,Marriott Rewards
Posts: 7
This may have been answered already but I missed it.
I'm taking my son and his fiance to Las Vegas in June.
I am booking myself for the original flight and them as the 2 companions.
My question is if I decide to stay an extra day or two and reschedule my flight only,will their tickets still be good?Will they be able to get on the originally scheduled return without me if I reschedule through US Airways.
Or if I decide to go a day early by paying a change fee will they let them fly without me.
I'm taking my son and his fiance to Las Vegas in June.
I am booking myself for the original flight and them as the 2 companions.
My question is if I decide to stay an extra day or two and reschedule my flight only,will their tickets still be good?Will they be able to get on the originally scheduled return without me if I reschedule through US Airways.
Or if I decide to go a day early by paying a change fee will they let them fly without me.
Mar 23, 2012, 11:21 am
#96
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: PHL
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, AA Gold, FB Gold, ITA Volare Executive
Posts: 3,294
This may have been answered already but I missed it.
I'm taking my son and his fiance to Las Vegas in June.
I am booking myself for the original flight and them as the 2 companions.
My question is if I decide to stay an extra day or two and reschedule my flight only,will their tickets still be good?Will they be able to get on the originally scheduled return without me if I reschedule through US Airways.
Or if I decide to go a day early by paying a change fee will they let them fly without me.
I'm taking my son and his fiance to Las Vegas in June.
I am booking myself for the original flight and them as the 2 companions.
My question is if I decide to stay an extra day or two and reschedule my flight only,will their tickets still be good?Will they be able to get on the originally scheduled return without me if I reschedule through US Airways.
Or if I decide to go a day early by paying a change fee will they let them fly without me.
Mar 23, 2012, 11:34 am
#97
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: PHL
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, AA Gold, FB Gold, ITA Volare Executive
Posts: 3,294
Using these things ...
While I am here ...
Does anyone else get confused about optimal usage of these things ?
Best would be when I have to be somewhere far and kind of pricey, but on someone else's dime, and at a time when I could bring along <STRIKE>both my girlfriends</STRIKE> a couple of family members ....
But that is not always easy timing-wise. This gets to the weird part: Last year, when trips PHL-California were costing $500, I thought it was cool to get three of us out there for a few days vacation at $750 for the airfare. Not a free trip, but the feel of a deal. A few weeks ago, when I was finding dirt cheap PHL-LAX and almost-dirt-cheap PHL-SFO fares, I had this weird sense of disappointment, as in "not worth the companion tickets savings" (even though I would have been paying less than for a comparable trip last summer using these things). Like a moron, I almost feel better when I see the prices rising.
Does anyone else get confused about optimal usage of these things ?
Best would be when I have to be somewhere far and kind of pricey, but on someone else's dime, and at a time when I could bring along <STRIKE>both my girlfriends</STRIKE> a couple of family members ....
But that is not always easy timing-wise. This gets to the weird part: Last year, when trips PHL-California were costing $500, I thought it was cool to get three of us out there for a few days vacation at $750 for the airfare. Not a free trip, but the feel of a deal. A few weeks ago, when I was finding dirt cheap PHL-LAX and almost-dirt-cheap PHL-SFO fares, I had this weird sense of disappointment, as in "not worth the companion tickets savings" (even though I would have been paying less than for a comparable trip last summer using these things). Like a moron, I almost feel better when I see the prices rising.
Apr 12, 2012, 1:27 pm
#98
Join Date: May 2002
Location: OAK
Programs: AS MVPG; WN A-List; Marriott Plat; IHG Plat; HH Diamond; all the rest
Posts: 650
Just got the card, am waiting for the cert, and it's not clear from the T&C's nor has this been asked in this thread:
Do all legs of the trip have to be on US metal, or are UA-operated codeshares eligible also?
I suspect so, but it's worth asking since on the route and dates I'm looking at, UA flies nonstop and for a lower fare.
Edited to add: it's not clear from the bank's T&C's given when you open the card, the ones linked near the top of this thread. Thanks to kudzu for the answer!
Do all legs of the trip have to be on US metal, or are UA-operated codeshares eligible also?
I suspect so, but it's worth asking since on the route and dates I'm looking at, UA flies nonstop and for a lower fare.
Edited to add: it's not clear from the bank's T&C's given when you open the card, the ones linked near the top of this thread. Thanks to kudzu for the answer!
Last edited by DCA-SEA; Apr 12, 2012 at 2:17 pm
Apr 12, 2012, 1:40 pm
#99
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: AVL
Programs: AA EXP ; Cunard Plat
Posts: 4,211
Valid Carrier - Valid on flights operated by US Airways and US Airways Express. Not valid on codeshare flights operated by partner airlines such as United".
Apr 16, 2012, 6:00 pm
#101
Join Date: Jul 2011
Programs: American Airlines, Alaska Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines, Southwest
Posts: 296
Jun 7, 2012, 10:48 am
#102
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 9
Using companion certificate in husband's name
So...I've seen a couple of people ask this - but am wondering if anyone has actually tried it and (hopefully) done it successfully. We received our annual companion certificate - and it's in my husband's name, as he's the primary cardholder. I need to take my two daughters to a cheerleading competition. Is there any way for me to use the companion certificate to book my ticket and then my two daughters at $99 a piece - since my husband isn't able to take them? One of the USAir credit cards is in my name, but I'm not the "primary". Called Barclays and they won't reissue it in my name. Are we out of luck? Has anyone successfully tried booking it for someone else in the family?
Jun 7, 2012, 11:25 am
#103
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: PHL
Programs: AA Executive Platinum; Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,662
Always been told that the cardholder must travel and that this credit card must be charged. Never tried otherwise. Not sure if they would bend the rules for you. Others will comment if they have been successful.
Jun 27, 2012, 7:10 am
#104
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: PHL
Programs: HHonors: Diamond. US Dividend Miles: Gold. Hertz: President's Circle
Posts: 179
I opened my card in Sept 2011. Want to use my companion certificate for travel in August 2012, too bad my certificate expired in March 2011 and I won't be getting another one until October it seems. Poor planning on my part I suppose. Would have been better off cancelling the card and applying again but now it's too late for that as well, o well you live and learn. It's just frustrating that these companions are given once a year but not usable for a year, doesn't make sense. I think it's time to cancel this card before the annual fee comes due.
Jun 29, 2012, 2:53 pm
#105
Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 352
Preferred upgrade
If I buy a "preferred upgrade" ticket, can I use a companion pass with that? What happens to the companion, will she be back in economy or would she get the upgrade too (she's also preferred)? I think I know the answer, but a guy can always dream, right?