Adding a companion ticket at a later date?
Oct 17, 2018, 6:50 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 89
Adding a companion ticket at a later date?
Hi, I will be due a companion fare ticket in March or April. I am planning to use the companion ticket along with my ticket for a flight in August. Can I purchase my ticket now for the August flight, and then when my companion fare is awarded, add to my existing reservation, or must they be purchased at the same time? Thank you in advance!
Oct 17, 2018, 7:02 pm
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: Juneau, Alaska.
Programs: AS 75K;BA Silver;AA G;HH Dia;HY Glob
Posts: 15,813
See these posts in the companion fare thread:
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/29705303-post621.html
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/29399056-post605.html
And:
Waiting for companion code
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/29705303-post621.html
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/29399056-post605.html
And:
Waiting for companion code
Oct 17, 2018, 9:17 pm
#3
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Pacific Wonderland
Programs: ʙᴏɴᴠo̱ʏ Au, IHG Au, HH Dia, Nexus, Pilot FlyingJ Preferred
Posts: 5,336
Also note that the above posts are before the recent change/cancellation policy revision. Unless you AND your companion are Gold or 75K, the fee will apply to each traveler MVP or lower after 24 hours of purchase. No more 60 day out free changes/cancellation.
Oct 18, 2018, 10:36 am
#4
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: SFO or OAK
Programs: AA 1MM GLD, Hertz #1 Gold, bunch of other programs w/no status
Posts: 1,454
I am trying to formulate a companion pass strategy for a trip to Hawaii next summer. We are a family of four. My wife and I each will soon have a companion pass to use. My wife should have MVP status by then as well. I believe I could get MVP status thru a status match from my lifetime AA Gold, but am not sure I want to "waste" my match just yet.
My initial thought was to simply make two reservations: one for each of us with one kid as companion, buying the cheapest coach fare available. But then I started thinking of upgrades. If I bought a refundable fare ticket for my wife, with me as companion, then given U availability, would we clear into F? My research indicates the answer is 'no' as MVPs do not get companion upgrades in any circumstance. And even if I had MVP status as well, it still wouldn't work as we'd need to be on separate reservations, and AS won't split companion fare reservations. Do I have this right? If so, it also implies no free MVP upgrade to F or Premium class at the gate.
Also, even if there is a way to make the above work, I'm not sure I can then book my kids using my companion pass, with one kid as primary and one as companion.
Any thoughts/suggestions are welcome...thanks in advance!
[edit to add]: sorry for hijacking this thread, OP. I had followed some of the links posted up-thread and thought I was posting in the companion fare thread. My bad. Thanks to those down-thread who answered my question anyways.
My initial thought was to simply make two reservations: one for each of us with one kid as companion, buying the cheapest coach fare available. But then I started thinking of upgrades. If I bought a refundable fare ticket for my wife, with me as companion, then given U availability, would we clear into F? My research indicates the answer is 'no' as MVPs do not get companion upgrades in any circumstance. And even if I had MVP status as well, it still wouldn't work as we'd need to be on separate reservations, and AS won't split companion fare reservations. Do I have this right? If so, it also implies no free MVP upgrade to F or Premium class at the gate.
Also, even if there is a way to make the above work, I'm not sure I can then book my kids using my companion pass, with one kid as primary and one as companion.
Any thoughts/suggestions are welcome...thanks in advance!
[edit to add]: sorry for hijacking this thread, OP. I had followed some of the links posted up-thread and thought I was posting in the companion fare thread. My bad. Thanks to those down-thread who answered my question anyways.
Last edited by mangoMan; Oct 18, 2018 at 1:39 pm
Oct 18, 2018, 12:53 pm
#7
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Pacific Wonderland
Programs: ʙᴏɴᴠo̱ʏ Au, IHG Au, HH Dia, Nexus, Pilot FlyingJ Preferred
Posts: 5,336
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/27347003-post41.html
Presumably, two MVPs should be able to do an instant upgrade under the same circumstances. Personally, I wouldn't blow the match just for that and I'd book one adult and one child on each reservation. I know you can link reservations post purchase but that keeps an adult with each child just in case it gets overlooked.
Oct 18, 2018, 3:02 pm
#8
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend, Moderator, Information Desk, Ambassador, Alaska Airlines
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: FAI
Programs: AS MVP Gold100K, AS 1MM, Maika`i Card, AGR, HH Gold, Hertz PC, Marriott Titanium LTG, CO, 7H, BA, 8E
Posts: 42,953
In advance with >U2, can use a GGU or miles for the non status companion.
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/27347003-post41.html
Presumably, two MVPs should be able to do an instant upgrade under the same circumstances. Personally, I wouldn't blow the match just for that and I'd book one adult and one child on each reservation. I know you can link reservations post purchase but that keeps an adult with each child just in case it gets overlooked.
Oct 18, 2018, 3:05 pm
#9
Join Date: May 2012
Location: HNL
Programs: AS MVPG, HA Plat
Posts: 1,268
Until the recent clampdown, it was still pretty available, at least on HNL routes. I'm still holding out hope that it will get better than it is now, if not as good as it was, but we'll see.
Oct 18, 2018, 6:49 pm
#10
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend, Moderator, Information Desk, Ambassador, Alaska Airlines
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: FAI
Programs: AS MVP Gold100K, AS 1MM, Maika`i Card, AGR, HH Gold, Hertz PC, Marriott Titanium LTG, CO, 7H, BA, 8E
Posts: 42,953
Oct 18, 2018, 6:56 pm
#11
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: YVR, HNL
Programs: AS 75k, UA peon, BA Bronze, AC E50k, Marriott Plat, HH Diamond, Fairmont Plat (RIP)
Posts: 7,832
I just found 2 x U for HNL flights for next spring. Finally got the EF notification and I have had an alert set for months. I snapped them up but only had 3 GGUs left so I had to book an M fare for the inbound. Not too much difference with the companion cert fortunately.