Will not budge on minimum base fare
 

Just wanted to share my experience:

I just tried to use my companion ticket for a fare that was $247 base + $38 tax/fees = $285 total. They would not issue the companion ticket without the minimum $250 base being hit. They did find another class on the flight that had a $292 base and I purchase it and qualified for the companion ticket. Total cost for companion ticket was $119, so it doesn't seem I was charged a $25 booking fee, just the taxes that totaled $20. No fee to book by phone either.

Booked a companion ticket today, 134 for the 2nd ticket , sure beats 500 extra.

Wife and I both applied for the card. so we have 2 companion tickets in the work works, sure worth the 89 bucks each.

Company will kick back for the full fare ticket...no problem

I want to use the $99 certificate for my gf. I'm US Silver. Will both of us still be eligible for complementary upgrades off my preferred status? (I'm assuming we'll both be travelling under the same reservation)

Thanks!

Companion ticket process is too complicated
 

These days, it seems to me that USAirways could adopt the approach that Alaska Airlines uses for companion tickets. When your anniversary comes up, you get an online certificate. Which you can then use to search (and use) ONLINE. No phone calls, no mail the coupon in, no 'did I lose the coupon' hassle.

It seems to me that this would be very much a win-win for USAirways to implement.

I'll not even grouse here about the fact that you can't use the companion ticket for Hawaii (you can with Alaska Airlines). For me, this year I figure to make lemonade out of this -- use my USAirways companion ticket for a round trip to Portland to visit friends, use my Alaska Airlines companion ticket for round trip Portland to Kona. Heck, with Alaska Airlines, you can even use the companion ticket for a 1st class flight.

Definitely, you'd both be eligible on the same reservation for complimentary upgrades where available.

Thanks Kudzu for the quick reply.

US companion tickets also have tons of blackout dates, advance purchase requirements, two-night stay minimum, 30-day stay max, and other restrictions. On the upside, you can take up to 2 companions instead of 1 on AS.

Another question about this. What would be the reason to split the reservation? I want to book a reservation for Mrs. Kaaria and the two Kaaria kids, but the certificate is under my name. I have called once to get Mrs. Kaaria on instead of me and was told could not do it. If I am able to split the reservation, then I can cancel my name and purchase a ticket for Mrs. Kaaria. I read the t/c of the certificate and it indicates once used. It is deemed used even if I cancel? Or am I reading incorrectly?

So you buy a ticket for you + 2 kids. Then you split off the two kids, if you can because if they are under a certain age they can't be on a PNR alone. Let's say you can do that.

Then you have to pay a change fee to change your ticket to your wife's name, plus whatever has happened to the fare since you did the splitting.

At best you get out with a $150 change fee. At worst you can't do it.

I was thinking of canceling the ticket within 24 hours therefore would not be paying the $150 change fee.

I can't imagine they would let you cancel the ticket of the card holder and keep the other two $99 companion's reservation in place. Please let us know if they do though!

Primary flyer switching to United MP # on companion itinerary?
 

Booked my first companion certificate a couple of weeks ago. A much better experience than I was expecting after reading some of the posts in this thread. The agent was very friendly and knowledgeable and she was able to book exactly what I found on ITA. She also specifically said that a phone booking fee would not be charged after I inquired about it.

My question is: does anybody have any experience in switching FF # to another airline's after making a companion certificate booking? The T&C says no, but I remember reading somewhere that people had experience switching the companion to another airline's FF #. What about the primary flyer (i.e. card holder)? I was able to do it on US Air's website after the booking, just not sure if it'll come back and bite me afterwards.

Certs Earn DM?
 

Just halted my certificate reservation when the agent told me that the certifcate fare does not earn DM. The fully priced tickets earns miles, just not the companion--according to this agent.

Is she wrong? I mean, really, really, really 100% dead wrong? Has any one flow on cert. in 2012 and had miles posted?

My companion earned miles in November 2011. The companion books into the same code. Hang up and call back!

Yes, she is wrong unless this is a change that very recently occurred. You all will get miles and you might get upgrades (depending on your status) using the companion cert.