The Alaska companion fare is the reason a lot of people keep an Atmos Rewards card in their wallet year after year, and it still works the way it always has: you pay full price for one economy ticket, and the second passenger flies for $99 plus taxes and fees.
With Hawaiian Airlines now part of the same program, the perk covers more routes than ever, so here is a quick review of what it is, which cards earn it, and the fine print.
What the Alaska Companion Fare Is
The companion fare is a discount code that lands in your Atmos Rewards account. When you book two people on the same Alaska Airlines or Hawaiian Airlines itinerary within North America, the code prices the second seat at $99 plus government taxes and fees, which start around $23. The first ticket is whatever the going rate is that day. The companion is treated like any other paying passenger, which is what separates this from most airline companion certificates. Both travelers earn Atmos Rewards points (or credit to a partner program), and both tickets are upgradeable.
Which Cards Earn It
Two Bank of America cards carry the perk: the Atmos™ Rewards Ascent Visa Signature® credit card (personal, $95 annual fee) and the Atmos™ Rewards Visa Signature® Business Card ($95 annual fee). The companion fare shows up two ways. It is included in the welcome offer on both cards, and it comes back every account anniversary when you put $6,000 or more on the card during the prior cardmember year. The code posts to your Atmos Rewards Wallet; terms allow up to two billing cycles, though it usually arrives much faster.
As of October 21, 2026, the Ascent offer is 60,000 points plus a companion fare after $3,000 in spend within 90 days, with another 20,000 points if total spend reaches $5,000 in that same window, for up to 80,000 points. The Business card is offering 80,000 points plus a companion fare after $5,000 in 90 days. Offers on these cards have moved around a lot this year, so treat these as an illustration of what is possible when the timing is right and confirm the numbers on the application page.
Because the personal and business cards are separate products, it is possible to hold both and earn two companion fares a year. The premium Atmos Rewards Summit card does not have this perk; it comes with Global Companion Awards instead, which work against points bookings and are a different animal entirely.
| Card | Annual Fee | Welcome Offer | Annual Companion Fare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atmos Rewards Ascent Visa Signature | $95 | 60,000 points + $99 companion fare after $3,000 in 90 days; +20,000 points at $5,000 total | $99 + taxes/fees after $6,000 spend in prior anniversary year |
| Atmos Rewards Visa Signature Business | $95 | 80,000 points + $99 companion fare after $5,000 in 90 days | $99 + taxes/fees after $6,000 spend in prior anniversary year |
| Atmos Rewards Summit Visa Infinite | $395 | 100,000 points + 25,000-point Global Companion Award after $6,000 in 90 days | None. Global Companion Awards instead (points bookings only) |
Offers as of October 21, 2026 and subject to change. Confirm current terms on the application page.
How to Use It
Log in to your Atmos Rewards account on alaskaair.com and open the Wallet section. Your companion fare code is listed there with a Use to Book button that carries the code straight into a flight search. Eligible itineraries show a green checkmark, and the fare display breaks out the first passenger’s price and the $99 companion price side by side. You can also copy the code manually and paste it into the discount code field on the booking page.
The cardmember does not need to fly. You can book the code for two other people, as long as you pay with the Atmos Rewards card that earned it.
The Rules That Matter
The code is valid for economy only, valid on eligible Saver or Main Cabin fares booked on alaskaair.com. Tickets can be upgraded to first class through complimentary elite upgrades, upgrade certificates, or instant upgrade fares. Travel must be on Alaska Airlines or Hawaiian Airlines within North America, including the state of Hawaii. It does not work for award tickets, for flights to Asia, Europe, or the South Pacific, or for itineraries that include other airlines. One-way and round-trip bookings are fine, but multiple stopovers are no longer eligible under the current terms.
You have one year from the issue date to book, and the travel date can fall after that. Both passengers must be on the same reservation, the same flights, and ticketed together. Payment has to be on the Atmos Rewards card itself, and you cannot apply wallet funds or trip credits toward the purchase.
Best Ways to Use It
The math is simple: the savings equal the first ticket’s price minus $99 (plus taxes and fees from $23). The longer and pricier the economy fare, the more the code is worth, so Hawaii from the mainland, Alaska, and holiday-period transcon flights are where it shines. A $600 round trip to Maui for two becomes roughly $720 instead of $1,200. A $150 hop between Seattle and Portland barely moves the needle.
That said, the goal is to use the code before it expires, not to hunt for a mythical perfect redemption. In most markets you will come out ahead, and even a mid-range domestic trip covers the annual fee several times over.
Who Should Skip This
If you mostly fly solo, the companion fare is dead weight, and the $6,000 annual spend to re-earn it is better pointed at a card that earns transferable points. The same goes if your Alaska or Hawaiian flying is mostly international, since the code stops at the edge of North America. And if you only fly in premium cabins, remember the code books economy; upgrades are possible but not guaranteed.
Can I use the Alaska companion fare on Hawaiian Airlines?
Yes. Since the merger the code works on Hawaiian Airlines flights within North America, including flights to and from Hawaii and inter-island.
Does the companion fare work for first class?
No. It books economy, but both tickets can be upgraded if you have elite status, upgrade certificates, or an instant upgrade fare available.
Can someone else use my companion fare?
Yes. The cardmember does not have to travel, but the booking must be paid with the Atmos Rewards card that earned the code.
How long is the companion fare good for?
One year from issue to book. Travel can happen after the code expires as long as the ticket is purchased before the deadline.
How many companion fares can I earn per year?
One per card. Holding both the Ascent and the Business card means two codes a year, plus whatever is included in each welcome offer.
Best Offers
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Atmos™ Rewards Ascent Visa Signature® credit card
Limited-time online offer – Earn up to 80,000 bonus points + $99 Companion Fare
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Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Welcome Offer Earn 75,000 miles
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Chase Sapphire Reserve®
Welcome Offer 100,000 bonus points
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Welcome offers are subject to change. Valid as of October 24, 2026. Terms apply. See footer for advertiser disclosure.
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