The Best Credit Cards With Airline Companion Tickets

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An often overlooked travel rewards credit card perk is a compantion ticket — a free or discounted ticket for someone traveling with you on the same flight. A few credit cards still offer this elusive reward. However, it is important to note that all companion tickets are not created equal. Let's take a look at the top credit cards that feature an airline companion ticket offer. (See also: The Best Travel Rewards Cards)

Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card

The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card does not offer companion passes directly; it just makes it faster to earn one. First, new cardholders can earn up to 75,000 points. Also get 6,000 points after your Cardmember Anniversary. These points count toward the 110,000 points necessary to earn a companion pass that is valid until the end of the following year.

Unlike other passes that are only good for one ticket, once this Southwest pass is earned, travelers can use it for unlimited free travel for a companion on both paid and award flights. So if you buy a flight for yourself, or redeem points for an award, your companion flies free. Therefore, the value of this pass is limited only by the amount of traveling you do. There is a $99 annual fee for the card.

Bonus offer: Earn up to 75,000 points. Earn 40,000 points after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open. Plus, earn 35,000 points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 6 months your account is open.

British Airways Visa Signature® Card

The British Airways Visa Signature® Card offers cardholders the opportunity to earn a free "Travel Together" ticket when they spend $30,000 in purchases on their British Airways Visa card within a calendar year. When booking an award flight operated by British Airways, the Travel Together ticket can be redeemed for a second seat for no additional points and is good for two years. Unfortunately, the second person will have to pay additional taxes and fuel surcharges. Since these charges can equal the cost of a coach ticket, using this companion certificate only makes sense when flying in business or first class. Cardholders also earn 3 Avios for every dollar spent on British Airways purchases and 1 Avios on other purchases. There are no foreign transaction fees and the annual fee is $95.

Bonus offer: New cardholders can earn 4 Avios per $1 spent on all purchases within your first year up to $30,000 in purchases. That's up to 120,000 bonus Avios!

Miles & More World Elite MasterCard

The Miles & More World Elite Mastercard offers an annual companion ticket after the first purchase, and each year after that. Cardholders earn two miles per $1 spent on airline partner tickets, and one mile per $1 spent on other purchases. Miles can be redeemed for flight awards and upgrades on Lufthansa, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, SWISS and other partners. There are no foreign transaction fees. There is an annual fee of $89.

Bonus offer: Earn 20,000 bonus miles when you make your first purchase and pay the annual fee. Then, earn an additional 30,000 award miles after you make $5,000 in purchases in the first 90 days.

Applying for a credit card with a companion ticket offers can be a great way to slash your travel costs nearly in half. By focusing on the best offers out there, and dismissing the ones of questionable value, you can ensure that you will not be disappointed when it comes time to book that half price vacation with your favorite travel companion.

The information related to the British Airways Visa Signature® Card and the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card has been collected by Wise Bread and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer or provider of this product or service.