# Alaska Airlines card for travel to Hawaii



## akp (Jun 21, 2011)

Steve Nelson posted this great advice in another thread.  I wanted to repost in its own thread to make sure it isn't missed.  He said:

"Get an Alaska Airlines Signature VISA card, which will give you one $99 companion fare ticket each year."

The annual fee is $75.  Here is the link:

https://www.applyonlinenow.com/us/a...ml?sc=UABJ3H&mboxSession=1308665087958-874217

I found this description on a CC review website - sorry forgot which one so I'm not citing my source properly 

"Alaska Airlines
Alaska Airlines offers what is called a companion fare for the price of $99. Once again, this discount is offered in conjunction with the Alaska Airlines Visa Card. Holding an account with this card qualifies you for an annual companion fare for $99. This Alaska Airlines discount can be used on any flight as long as the full fare ticket costs at least $250. One advantage to this Alaska Airline companion fare program is that there are no blackout dates."

And from the Alaska Airlines site:

$99 Companion Ticket Discount Code Q & A

What is the Companion Ticket Discount Code that comes with my credit card? 
The Companion Ticket Discount Code is offered to holders of the Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® Cards, The Platinum Plus® MasterCard® and the Business Card. This Discount Code entitles the cardholder to purchase one round-trip reduced rate ticket on Alaska Airlines and/or Horizon Air when traveling with another passenger on a paid published airfare in the same itinerary, booked at the same time. The Companion Ticket Discount Code is not valid with Multi-City shopping or Award reservations, and cannot be combined with other discounts.

Anita


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## sailingman22 (Jun 21, 2011)

There is a new Alaska Airlines credit card promotion posted on flyer talk offering 40,000 Alaska Airlines miles with the companion ticket. Go into the forum area, click miles buzz, go to page 2 and look for the Alaska Airlines posting. This may be a targeted promo but worth a try.

I tried to copy the link but it didn't work but the original link in the posting does direct you to the application.


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## BevL (Jun 21, 2011)

Here is a link to the discussion on FT which includes a link to the application:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/milesbuzz/1227036-alaska-air-visa-40-000-bonus.html


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## DaveNV (Jun 21, 2011)

The Alaska Airlines credit card companion fare thing is awesome.  We both have one, so get two companion fares every year.  For long trips, like flying to Hawaii, we book First Class seats, use the companion fare for one seat, and end up with two round trip First Class seats for roughly $100 more than one fare.  For our trip this coming December to Oahu, our net cost per seat in First Class was just about a hundred dollars more than Coach seats were going for at the time.  It makes that card well worth the annual fee.

Also, if you use the card to buy airfare on Alaska or Horizon, you get 3 miles per dollar spent.  That helps add things up fast.  The air miles don't expire, but can be a bit tricky to use - they keep jacking up the number of miles needed to get a flight.

Dave


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## akp (Jun 21, 2011)

*This is killing me!*

Can anyone help me figure out a way to make this work for me?  I fly out of Kansas City (MCI).  

This is the best routing I see.  That's 32 hours and an overnight and involves leaving KC at 7:15 in the morning, being in Seattle by 1:20, then spending the night in Seattle and getting to Hawaii at noon the next day.  If I were staying for a month, maybe I'd do this.  But for a week or two...nah

MCI   KOA    32h 45m |  Details  |  Seats 
Flight 1: Compass Ai... 5745MCI
7:15 amLAX8:50 am
Connection: 453LAX10:30 amSEA1:20 pm
Connection: 883SEA8:00 amKOA12:00 pm

I've tried going into Seattle or LAX on a different airline also but it just doesn't get a whole lot better.

Cindy, is this what you're doing flying out of Colorado, or do you have better routing than this?

Anita


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## rickandcindy23 (Jun 21, 2011)

Denver to Seattle, spending the night during the off-season, the only way to do it.  

But during whale season, flights leave Denver at around noon, then to Seattle, and we can get to Maui at 8:30 or so that night.  Coming home is an overnighter during whale season.  

Our flights in late August are goofy times, so we have to spend two nights in Seattle, coming and going.  

Our flights are Alaska Airlines from Denver, too.  It's a nice tip we got from Steve.


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## akp (Jun 21, 2011)

*I'm switching gears.*

After messing with a schedule from KC to Hawaii a million different ways on Alaska Airlines, I realized I'm letting the tail wag the dog.  Alaska isn't the only airline with a companion fare offer through a credit card!  

We currently have a Platinum American Express associated with Delta.  That includes a free companion fare every year if you renew.  I got the card about this time last year, so I should get one soon.  I wasn't even aware of this benefit when we got the card.  Delta isn't my best option for getting to Kauai but is very good routes for Honolulu and Maui.  US Air and United are better for Kauai but I don't need any more cards 

Even better, the companion fare with Delta is free. 

Blurg!  Just figured out that the Delta fare is lower 48 only.

Anita


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## bryanphunter (Jun 21, 2011)

akp said:


> After messing with a schedule from KC to Hawaii a million different ways on Alaska Airlines, I realized I'm letting the tail wag the dog.  Alaska isn't the only airline with a companion fare offer through a credit card!
> 
> We currently have a Platinum American Express associated with Delta.  That includes a free companion fare every year if you renew.  I got the card about this time last year, so I should get one soon.  I wasn't even aware of this benefit when we got the card.  Delta isn't my best option for getting to Kauai but is very good routes for Honolulu and Maui.  US Air and United are better for Kauai but I don't need any more cards
> 
> ...



But..... Delta companion fare is only for continental 48 states.  Won't get you to Hawaii.   If you live in Hawaii you can use it to get to the states and back to Hawaii


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## akp (Jun 21, 2011)

*Bryan,*

I just figured that out too.  Darn.

Does anyone other than Alaska have a companion fare that works for Hawaii?

anita


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## bobmcgraw (Jun 22, 2011)

Thanks for the great tip.

I checked out the link and also the offers I have received from Alaska.  The offers I have received were for 25K miles but a slightly lower interest rate.

Since I pay my credit card off every month, I don't care that the rate for the 40K card is higher so I applied and received a message indicating it was approved.

Now I can wait and see if I really get the 40K miles.  Regardless, the $99 companion ticket is a great deal.


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## mjm1 (Aug 29, 2011)

BevL said:


> Here is a link to the discussion on FT which includes a link to the application:
> 
> http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/milesbuzz/1227036-alaska-air-visa-40-000-bonus.html



I tried using the above link and received a message that it wasn't active any longer.  The current offer that I received for this card is 25k miles.  Has anyone seen anything better than this for the Alaska Airlines Visa Signature Card?  The overall program with a $99 companion ticket each year seems like a good deal.


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## BevL (Aug 29, 2011)

mjm1 said:


> I tried using the above link and received a message that it wasn't active any longer.  The current offer that I received for this card is 25k miles.  Has anyone seen anything better than this for the Alaska Airlines Visa Signature Card?  The overall program with a $99 companion ticket each year seems like a good deal.



Definitely check out Flyertalk - if there is a better offer out there, it will be posted there without a doubt.


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## LisaRex (Aug 29, 2011)

akp, there should be routing maps on Alaska Airlines' website.  That will give you the best indication of what cities Alaska flies out of to get to your destination. It may require a drive or a puddle jumper to their regional hub.  Very few airlines are offering the extensive routes that they used to.

It's possible that Alaska is a partner airline with another airline.  The best place to ask these questions is FT.


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## T_R_Oglodyte (Aug 29, 2011)

LisaRex said:


> akp, there should be routing maps on Alaska Airlines' website.  That will give you the best indication of what cities Alaska flies out of to get to your destination. It may require a drive or a puddle jumper to their regional hub.  Very few airlines are offering the extensive routes that they used to.
> 
> It's possible that Alaska is a partner airline with another airline.  The best place to ask these questions is FT.



In the Americas Alaska partners with both Delta and American. They have an especially close relationship with Delta, as virtually every flight that Delta provides on the West Coast is actually an Alaska flight using codeshare.

Unfortunately, the companion fare is only good on flights operated by Alaska or Horizon.  So you can't use it for any itinerary that would include segments operated by a partner.


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