Companion Fare on Open-Jaw Itinerary
Mar 17, 2022, 5:39 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2018
Posts: 6
Companion Fare on Open-Jaw Itinerary
Background:
In Feb 2021, I booked a flight for 2 people to Puerto Vallarta for Sep 2022 using my 2021 companion fare.
I ended up having to cancel the plans and chose to redeposit the funds into my wallet, which Alaska assured me would allow me to rebook using the companion fare on another flight.
I know the official language in Alaska's terms says that the companion fare can be used on coach/Main cabin roundtrip flights. I recently found out that the companion fare can actually be applied to open jaw (multi-city) itineraries (source: TPG, mypointslife, the list goes on). I attempted to change my flight to the following: SFO > OGG and HNL > SFO.
The site gave me an internal error message saying I had to call it in. The Alaska Customer Care team said that I could not use a companion fare on a multi-city itinerary, which is odd because I can't imagine that so many travel blogs are wrong. I tested this out by booking a brand-new flight using the same route using my 2022 companion fare and I had no problem, although I did not actually purchase the flight. The site showed me that the companion fare was applied to the open jaw route.
Any thoughts? I know it works on a new flight. I don't understand why Alaska is telling me otherwise.
In Feb 2021, I booked a flight for 2 people to Puerto Vallarta for Sep 2022 using my 2021 companion fare.
I ended up having to cancel the plans and chose to redeposit the funds into my wallet, which Alaska assured me would allow me to rebook using the companion fare on another flight.
I know the official language in Alaska's terms says that the companion fare can be used on coach/Main cabin roundtrip flights. I recently found out that the companion fare can actually be applied to open jaw (multi-city) itineraries (source: TPG, mypointslife, the list goes on). I attempted to change my flight to the following: SFO > OGG and HNL > SFO.
The site gave me an internal error message saying I had to call it in. The Alaska Customer Care team said that I could not use a companion fare on a multi-city itinerary, which is odd because I can't imagine that so many travel blogs are wrong. I tested this out by booking a brand-new flight using the same route using my 2022 companion fare and I had no problem, although I did not actually purchase the flight. The site showed me that the companion fare was applied to the open jaw route.
Any thoughts? I know it works on a new flight. I don't understand why Alaska is telling me otherwise.
Mar 17, 2022, 6:48 pm
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: SEA (the REAL Washington); occasionally in the other Washington (DCA area)
Programs: DL PM 1.57MM; AS MVPG 100K
Posts: 21,375
In Feb 2021, I booked a flight for 2 people to Puerto Vallarta for Sep 2022 using my 2021 companion fare.
I ended up having to cancel the plans and chose to redeposit the funds into my wallet, which Alaska assured me would allow me to rebook using the companion fare on another flight. ...
I ended up having to cancel the plans and chose to redeposit the funds into my wallet, which Alaska assured me would allow me to rebook using the companion fare on another flight. ...
my experience is that changing the reservation definitely preserves the companion fare (and yes, you can change it to a placeholder and then change it again when you decide what you really want to fly)
Mar 18, 2022, 10:09 am
#3
Join Date: Aug 2017
Posts: 1,610
First, openjaw on companion is not officially allowed so an agent wont book it for you. It does work to book open jaw companion online but again due to alaska website not enforcing it not due to official policy.
Second, cancel was a mistake. You lost your companion code when you did that, agent was wrong when they said you can reuse it. Shouldve done a change completely online
Second, cancel was a mistake. You lost your companion code when you did that, agent was wrong when they said you can reuse it. Shouldve done a change completely online
Mar 18, 2022, 12:32 pm
#4
Join Date: May 2013
Location: SEA
Programs: AS MVP Gold 100K
Posts: 2,030
I have canceled a companion fare ticket before and had the companion fare code redeposited in my wallet. I was very very clear with the agent that I wanted the code redeposited and they assured me it would. I think watched my wallet and made sure it went back.
Mar 18, 2022, 12:44 pm
#5
Join Date: Jan 2001
Posts: 2,841
First, openjaw on companion is not officially allowed so an agent wont book it for you. It does work to book open jaw companion online but again due to alaska website not enforcing it not due to official policy.
Second, cancel was a mistake. You lost your companion code when you did that, agent was wrong when they said you can reuse it. Shouldve done a change completely online
Second, cancel was a mistake. You lost your companion code when you did that, agent was wrong when they said you can reuse it. Shouldve done a change completely online
Mar 21, 2022, 9:23 am
#7
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: LAX
Posts: 10,912
do you have that companion cert back in your account already?
if not try to reclaim companion fare by booking some rountrip placeholder with agent then change it online to desired itinerary
as noted canceling original itinerary usually leads to forfeiting companion cert but considering covid etc and indicating that you were told otherwise you may get an exception..
if not try to reclaim companion fare by booking some rountrip placeholder with agent then change it online to desired itinerary
as noted canceling original itinerary usually leads to forfeiting companion cert but considering covid etc and indicating that you were told otherwise you may get an exception..
Mar 22, 2022, 10:17 am
#8
Join Date: Sep 2021
Programs: AS MVP Gold 75K
Posts: 248
Background:
In Feb 2021, I booked a flight for 2 people to Puerto Vallarta for Sep 2022 using my 2021 companion fare.
I ended up having to cancel the plans and chose to redeposit the funds into my wallet, which Alaska assured me would allow me to rebook using the companion fare on another flight.
I know the official language in Alaska's terms says that the companion fare can be used on coach/Main cabin roundtrip flights. I recently found out that the companion fare can actually be applied to open jaw (multi-city) itineraries (source: TPG, mypointslife, the list goes on). I attempted to change my flight to the following: SFO > OGG and HNL > SFO.
The site gave me an internal error message saying I had to call it in. The Alaska Customer Care team said that I could not use a companion fare on a multi-city itinerary, which is odd because I can't imagine that so many travel blogs are wrong. I tested this out by booking a brand-new flight using the same route using my 2022 companion fare and I had no problem, although I did not actually purchase the flight. The site showed me that the companion fare was applied to the open jaw route.
Any thoughts? I know it works on a new flight. I don't understand why Alaska is telling me otherwise.
In Feb 2021, I booked a flight for 2 people to Puerto Vallarta for Sep 2022 using my 2021 companion fare.
I ended up having to cancel the plans and chose to redeposit the funds into my wallet, which Alaska assured me would allow me to rebook using the companion fare on another flight.
I know the official language in Alaska's terms says that the companion fare can be used on coach/Main cabin roundtrip flights. I recently found out that the companion fare can actually be applied to open jaw (multi-city) itineraries (source: TPG, mypointslife, the list goes on). I attempted to change my flight to the following: SFO > OGG and HNL > SFO.
The site gave me an internal error message saying I had to call it in. The Alaska Customer Care team said that I could not use a companion fare on a multi-city itinerary, which is odd because I can't imagine that so many travel blogs are wrong. I tested this out by booking a brand-new flight using the same route using my 2022 companion fare and I had no problem, although I did not actually purchase the flight. The site showed me that the companion fare was applied to the open jaw route.
Any thoughts? I know it works on a new flight. I don't understand why Alaska is telling me otherwise.
is there any reason you haven’t just canceled and rebooked though?
also, it’s potentially worth trying again to change it online, on a computer