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]
Feb 3, 2011, 6:09 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: NJ
Programs: AAdvantage, Rapid Rewards, HawaiianMiles
Posts: 136
ARCHIVE: LUS: US Companion Certificates [use by 31 Dec 2015]
I actually got to make a reservation last night using my $99.00 Companion voucher for travel this coming December. I always book this far out.The agent instructed me to send the certificate within 24 hours to a US Airways address in Winston-Salem, NC. This morning, I looked closer at the Companion voucher and it says travel must be completed by 9/30/11. My reservation is in 12/2011. I am able to pull up my reservation on the US Airways site without any problems. My question is, what happens if I mail the voucher and they see my reservation is past the date the voucher is good through? Will my reservation be cancelled?
Feb 4, 2011, 10:38 am
#3
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: US-CP, UA, Marriott Rewards, HHonors, Avis,
Posts: 4,549
I got mine about 6 weeks ago or so, and the cert is marked "travel not valid before 12/01/10, not valid after 11/31/2011, book by 5/31/11" so they do give you a decent amount of time to use the certificate. Or at least they gave me a decent amount of time to use the certificate; not sure if they update the book by/use by dates each month to reflect time going by and mine are just dated that way because my renewal is in October/November?
As for what happens if you don't send it in or if you book outside the marked travel period: I think this is going to be one of those YMMV areas. I've usually dropped mine off at the airport ticketing desk rather than mailing it in, and every year they look at me like I've got three heads. I'm pretty confident that at least some of those certs never found their way back to home base but I've never had a problem with the bookings. I'd think they wouldn't let you ticket if you didn't meet the rules of the promo but I think there are so many hands in the pot on this, that nobody "owns" the task of end-to-end validation. So basically if US is just going to send that cert back to Barclays in the end, nobody on US is telling Barclays to look for a cert from you, and nobody on Barclays is telling US to look for a cert from you. Same with the rules. Nobody at Barclays is telling US that your purchase has to be made within X date range and nobody at US is telling Barclays that you used the cert.
I honestly don't know what advice to give the OP as it seems like sending it in and having the date problem noticed is equally likely as not sending it in and having the absence of a cert noticed. I do think the chances of either situation causing the itin to be voided are pretty low but who knows....
As for what happens if you don't send it in or if you book outside the marked travel period: I think this is going to be one of those YMMV areas. I've usually dropped mine off at the airport ticketing desk rather than mailing it in, and every year they look at me like I've got three heads. I'm pretty confident that at least some of those certs never found their way back to home base but I've never had a problem with the bookings. I'd think they wouldn't let you ticket if you didn't meet the rules of the promo but I think there are so many hands in the pot on this, that nobody "owns" the task of end-to-end validation. So basically if US is just going to send that cert back to Barclays in the end, nobody on US is telling Barclays to look for a cert from you, and nobody on Barclays is telling US to look for a cert from you. Same with the rules. Nobody at Barclays is telling US that your purchase has to be made within X date range and nobody at US is telling Barclays that you used the cert.
I honestly don't know what advice to give the OP as it seems like sending it in and having the date problem noticed is equally likely as not sending it in and having the absence of a cert noticed. I do think the chances of either situation causing the itin to be voided are pretty low but who knows....
Feb 4, 2011, 11:25 am
#4
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: PHL
Programs: AA Executive Platinum; Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,662
I just got mine too and I was going to call this weekend and use it for travel over Memorial Day. Then I took a look at the blackout dates. 
Rats! I guess I won't be using it for that trip!
Rats! I guess I won't be using it for that trip!
Feb 11, 2011, 8:11 am
#5
Join Date: Dec 2010
Programs: Marriott Rewards - Platinum; US Airways - Gold
Posts: 52
US Airways CC / Companion Certificates [master thread]
Just got the US Airways CC, so I have a few questions. I did a general search for the information, but couldn't find the specifics, as there is a great deal of discussion on these certificates and the phone fees, etc.
When do the companion certificates arrive? Can a reservation be made before they arrive?
And after the reservation is made, they have to be mailed in, correct? How far in advance does the reservation have to be made? (At least 14 days?)
Thank you for your help!
When do the companion certificates arrive? Can a reservation be made before they arrive?
And after the reservation is made, they have to be mailed in, correct? How far in advance does the reservation have to be made? (At least 14 days?)
Thank you for your help!
Last edited by aztimm; Jun 22, 2011 at 10:51 am
Feb 11, 2011, 8:24 am
#6
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: PHL
Programs: AA Executive Platinum; Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,662
I know the cert arrives shortly after you pay the annual fee (in subsequent years) but for the first go-around I think it took several weeks to get it as I remember. You cannot make the reservation before it arrives as you will be directed to mail it in right away and you have to quote the code number when you make the reservation. I believe an advance (~14 day) purchase is required. There should be no phone fee; once I was charged one but I called and they reversed it.
Feb 11, 2011, 9:02 am
#7
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Washington DC
Programs: AA Plat
Posts: 1,304
Most of the terms are spelled out in the Terms & Conditions that you agreed to during the application process. Quoted below. It can take as long as three months from the date of your app (or longer if you don't make a purchase within the first month). Note also that the base fare on the first ticket must be at least $250. The advance purchase requirement is 14 days, and the blackout dates are listed here. The certificate only applies to roundtrips within the lower 48 and to Canada.
You cannot make a reservation before you receive the certificate for several reasons. The certificate has a code on it that you need to provide when making the reservation. Your code is only valid for reservations made within a certain length of time (a few months after receiving the certificate). You won't know the code until you get the physical certificate. You are also instructed to mail the certificate within 24 hours of making the reservation or risk cancelation of the reservation.
You cannot make a reservation before you receive the certificate for several reasons. The certificate has a code on it that you need to provide when making the reservation. Your code is only valid for reservations made within a certain length of time (a few months after receiving the certificate). You won't know the code until you get the physical certificate. You are also instructed to mail the certificate within 24 hours of making the reservation or risk cancelation of the reservation.
Companion Certificate: For the $89 Annual Fee MasterCard, the Primary Cardmember is eligible to receive one companion certificate valid for two $99 companion tickets each year. For the $49 Annual Fee MasterCard, the Primary Cardmember is eligible to receive one $149 companion ticket each year. Your first certificate will be sent to you 6 to 8 weeks after the Account has been used for at least one purchase and your Annual Fee has been paid. Each year thereafter, you will receive your companion certificate 6 to 8 weeks after your account opening anniversary and after the annual fee has been paid. The companion certificate is valid for round-trip coach class travel within and between the contiguous U.S. and Canada when the Primary Cardmember purchases a qualifying ticket (minimum fare purchase of $250 required). Additional taxes, fees and charges including (PFCs), Federal Excise Taxes, Canadian VAT/GST and customs/immigration charges as well as the September 11 Security Fee apply to all tickets purchased and are not included in the base fare. Other companion certificates restrictions apply including advance purchase requirements and black-out dates and will be provided on the actual certificate.
Feb 28, 2011, 5:03 am
#8
Join Date: Jan 2011
Programs: United Silver.
Posts: 19
Fee is charged late in year
My annual fee is charged late on, like in July. Thus, I won't get a new certificate until October?
This blows. . . I received a certificate last August, but it expires on Dec 31, 2010. So in the future, I essentially only have 3 months to use the companion certificate. What a silly system.
This blows. . . I received a certificate last August, but it expires on Dec 31, 2010. So in the future, I essentially only have 3 months to use the companion certificate. What a silly system.
Feb 28, 2011, 5:42 am
#9
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: PIT
Programs: AA PlatPro, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 639
My annual fee is charged late on, like in July. Thus, I won't get a new certificate until October?
This blows. . . I received a certificate last August, but it expires on Dec 31, 2010. So in the future, I essentially only have 3 months to use the companion certificate. What a silly system.
This blows. . . I received a certificate last August, but it expires on Dec 31, 2010. So in the future, I essentially only have 3 months to use the companion certificate. What a silly system.
Feb 28, 2011, 6:58 pm
#11
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: MEM
Programs: ::US,UA,CO+ currently non-rev Plat
Posts: 132
I got one in the mail this year but I've never paid an annual fee on the card. I've had the card since 2005 and haven't really used it since 2007 (save a few dollars every few months so they don't cancel it).
Feb 28, 2011, 7:54 pm
#12
Join Date: Jan 2011
Programs: United Silver.
Posts: 19
If I want to register my complaint about how the certificate works, would it be best to call Barclays? Or does USAirways handle the issuance of the certificates?
Jun 22, 2011, 9:49 am
#13
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Richmond, VA
Programs: MR PP, USAirways Platinum, DMS Premier, and SA Gold
Posts: 92
When does USAir/Barclays send out Anual Companion Certificates?
I've been a USAirways Mastercard holder for a little over a year and my initial $99 annual companion certificate expired on 2/28/11 (tickets had to be purchased by then to fly from 2/28 to 8/31.
I need to book travel in November, and want to use the companion certificate for this. Can I expect that they'll be sending me a new one? Is there a particular date that they are sent out, or does it depend on the date you activated your mastercard?
Thanks,
Justin
I need to book travel in November, and want to use the companion certificate for this. Can I expect that they'll be sending me a new one? Is there a particular date that they are sent out, or does it depend on the date you activated your mastercard?
Thanks,
Justin
Jun 22, 2011, 10:57 am
#15
Moderator: American AAdvantage, Travel Safety/Security & Texas, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: AUS / GRK
Programs: AA, HHonors, Hertz
Posts: 13,484
thread may help.
Best wishes.
Best wishes.
As this seems to be a recurring topic, I added that thread to the sticky at the top of the first forum page, at the bottom, under the topic, US Airways Credit/Debit Card Issues and Benefits--
Forum Sticky