Bottom Line Up Front: Alaska Airlines companion fare certificates can now be used on select Hawaiian Airlines flights within North America for just $99 plus taxes and fees from $23, significantly expanding redemption opportunities for cardholders following the airlines' merger.

The Alaska Airlines companion fare has long been considered one of the most valuable credit card perks in the travel industry. Now, thanks to the completed Alaska-Hawaiian Airlines merger, this beloved benefit just got even better. Starting in July 2025, guests can use their Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® or Alaska Airlines Visa® Business companion fare on any Alaska Airlines or Hawaiian Airlines-operated flight within North America.

This expansion represents a game-changing development for frequent Hawaii travelers and points enthusiasts who've been eagerly awaiting integration benefits from the merger. For travelers looking to maximize their frequent flyer miles, this development opens up significantly more redemption opportunities.

What's the Alaska Companion Fare?

For the uninitiated, Alaska's famous Companion Fare lets you bring one travel companion on a round-trip Alaska Airlines flight (which will now include Hawaiian Airlines) for just $99 (plus taxes and fees from $23). This benefit is available to holders of both the Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® Card and the Alaska Airlines Visa® Business Card.

The companion fare has historically been one of the strongest value propositions in the airline credit card space, allowing couples and families to dramatically reduce their travel costs. Now, with Hawaiian Airlines flights in the mix, the opportunities for savings have expanded significantly. This aligns with why many experts recommend focusing on transferable points over airline miles for maximum flexibility.

How to Earn the Companion Fare

Alaska Airlines Visa cardholders who opened their account before January 18, 2023 continue to receive the Companion Fare benefit automatically each year. However, newer cardholders face different requirements.

New cardholders must spend at least $6,000 annually on the card to earn a Companion Fare on their card anniversary. This spending requirement applies to the Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® Card, while business owners with the Alaska Airlines Visa® Business card earn the perk automatically when the cardholder renews.

Both cards also frequently offer a companion fare as part of their welcome bonus offers, making them immediately valuable for new applicants.

Hawaiian Airlines Expansion: What's Included

The expanded companion fare benefit comes with specific parameters that travelers should understand:

Eligible Routes

The new Alaska Companion Fare terms note that it's "valid for round-trip or one-way travel in the main cabin on Alaska Airlines or Hawaiian Airlines within North America, including the State of Hawaii". This means you can now use your companion fare for:

• Mainland U.S. to Hawaii flights
• Inter-island Hawaiian flights
• Hawaiian Airlines flights within North America

When planning your Hawaii trip, you can compare prices across multiple booking platforms like Expedia or Skyscannerto ensure you're getting the best base fare before applying your companion certificate.

Notable Exclusions

While you won't be able to use it on a flight to Seoul, you should be able to use it between somewhere like Las Vegas and Honolulu. Hawaiian Airlines' long-haul international routes to Asia remain excluded from companion fare eligibility.

U.S. territories like Pago Pago in American Samoa (which Hawaiian also serves) aren't counted as part of North America for the sake of the Alaska Companion Fare.

Booking Process and Requirements

Bookings must be made through AlaskaAir.com to utilize the companion fare on Hawaiian Airlines flights. This represents a slight adjustment from Hawaiian's previous direct booking process, but the integration ensures a seamless experience for Alaska cardholders.

When attempting to book an ineligible route, Alaska won't tell you if you enter an invalid route. Instead, you'll get the following error: "This discount code didn't work. Check the discount code spelling, date of expiration, and try again".

For accommodation planning in Hawaii, consider booking through Hotels.com or checking out World of Hyatt properties for additional points earning opportunities.

Upgrade Potential and Elite Benefits

One intriguing aspect of this expansion involves upgrade eligibility. Companion Fare tickets on Alaska are currently eligible for complimentary upgrades if the primary traveler has Mileage Plan elite status.

While elite benefits are beginning to align between Alaska and Hawaiian, there's no confirmation yet on upgrade eligibility for Alaska elites flying Hawaiian. However, Hawaiian's unique route network and wide-body fleet, including its new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft with lie-flat seats and direct aisle access in Leihoku premium class, could potentially open up all sorts of ways to maximize the companion fare value.

The possibility of upgrading companion fare tickets on Hawaiian's premium aircraft would represent exceptional value for elite members. For those interested in understanding more about airline miles programs for international travel, this development showcases how airline partnerships can enhance program value.

Strategic Value for Hawaii Travelers

This expansion addresses a significant pain point for Alaska companion fare holders. As a Hawaii based traveler, my and P2's companion pass have served us well. For the first time we had both expire this year, because AL removed all their HI flights, rendering the companion unusable for HI.

With Hawaiian Airlines now operating many routes that Alaska previously served to Hawaii, companion fare holders regain access to these popular destinations. The timing couldn't be better, as Hawaiian's established route network and schedule often provide more convenient options than Alaska's previous Hawaii service.

For those researching the best travel rewards strategies, our guide on best premium travel rewards credit cards provides additional context on maximizing travel benefits.

Credit Card Recommendations

For travelers interested in earning this valuable benefit, both Alaska Airlines credit cards offer compelling value propositions:

Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® Card

• Annual fee varies by current offer
• Requires $6,000 annual spending for companion fare (new cardholders)
• Often includes companion fare in welcome bonus
• Earns miles on Alaska and Hawaiian purchases

Alaska Airlines Visa® Business Card

• Similar structure to personal card
• Business owners earn the perk automatically when the cardholder renews
• Ideal for business travelers and entrepreneurs

Additional Integration Benefits

The companion fare expansion is just one part of Alaska and Hawaiian's broader integration efforts. Alaska Airlines Visa Signature and Alaska Airlines Visa Business cardholders now receive one free checked bag for themselves and up to six guests on the same reservation when using their cobranded credit card to book Hawaiian Airlines-operated flights.

These enhanced benefits make the Alaska credit cards increasingly valuable for travelers who frequent both Alaska and Hawaiian routes. Don't forget to consider additional travel perks like Priority Pass lounge access to enhance your airport experience when using your companion fares.

Bottom Line

The ability to use your Alaska Companion Fare on Hawaiian Airlines flights is now live, and that's a win for Mileage Plan cardholders. This added flexibility makes the perk even more valuable.

For couples and families who regularly travel to Hawaii, this expansion could save hundreds or even thousands of dollars annually. The $99 companion fare on routes that regularly cost $400-800+ per person represents exceptional value that's hard to find elsewhere in the credit card space.

While some limitations remain around international routes and upgrade eligibility, this development significantly enhances the already impressive Alaska companion fare benefit. For anyone considering an Alaska Airlines credit card, the expanded Hawaiian Airlines eligibility makes these cards even more compelling. To understand more about how credit card points work, check out our comprehensive guide.

The integration between Alaska and Hawaiian continues to evolve, and we expect additional benefits to emerge as the airlines complete their merger process. For now, companion fare holders have access to a dramatically expanded network of redemption opportunities – and that's excellent news for anyone looking to maximize their travel rewards.