Similar to earning a WestJet Companion Passes, Air Canada also provides many opportunities for Canadians to earn an Air Canada Companion Pass.
One of the harsh realities of the points world is that flying to Hawaii in Business Class during peak Christmas season is virtually impossible. For many families, the focus is to fly to family destination as cheaply as possible. That is where the Air Canada Companion Pass is incredibly valuable.
This post will highlight all the opportunities Canadians have to obtain an Air Canada Companion Pass. A Companion Pass will typically provide a significant discount for the second ticket, after including the taxes, fees and carrier surcharges.
Air Canada Worldwide Companion Pass
The Air Canada Worldwide Companion Pass is issued to the following credit card holders:
- American Express Aeroplan Reserve Card
- American Express Aeroplan Business Reserve Card
- TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege
- CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege
For each of those credit cards, you need to spend at least $25,000 per calendar year to receive the Air Canada Worldwide Companion Pass.
The voucher is typically issued 6-8 weeks after the annual fee posts, so you will need to consider the cost of the annual fees to ensure the worldwide companion fare is worthwhile for you.
The companion voucher has a tiered pricing structure as follows:
- $99 for flights within Canada and USA, excluding Hawaii
- $299 for flights within North America
- $499 for flights to South America, Europe, Africa and Middle East
- $599 for flights to Asia, Australia, and New Zealand
Remember, these prices are often in addition to the hefty annual fee of $599 per year.
It is important to note, a card holder can hold the following credit cards simultaneously:
- American Express Aeroplan Reserve Credit Card
- American Express Aeroplan Business Reserve Credit Card
In addition to one of:
- TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege
- CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege
Depending on your spending habits, you could be eligible to earn at least three Air Canada Worldwide Companion Passes.
Air Canada Buddy Pass
You cannot obtain an Air Canada Buddy pass as of the time of writing this post.
In the past, it was routinely part of signup bonuses with Canadian Credit Cards. These Buddy Passes represented a Buy One Get One Free ticket (taxes are extra) for anywhere in North America in Economy Class. The Air Canada Buddy Pass is better than the Air Canada Worldwide Companion Pass for travel within North America as there is no additional fee of $99.
Air Canada Priority Rewards
Air Canada priority rewards are not strictly companion fares. In fact, you could argue that they are better than any of the companion fare awards, since they provide 50% discount on an eligible reward ticket when using Aeroplan Points. You can only earn priority rewards after meeting the following spending thresholds on Air Canada flights:
- $4,000
- $7,000
- $10,000
- And every $5,000 after until you reach $50,000
These priority rewards have different conditions depending on your elite status at the time you crossed the threshold. The thresholds range from Economy Class in North America for the first status level (25K) to any flight anywhere in the world up to Business Class for their top tier status holders (100K).
The Air Canada Priority Rewards for spending on Air Canada flights is uniquely different from the WestJet Milestone Reward Companion Vouchers. The Air Canada Priority Rewards can only be used for reward tickets, while the WestJet Milestone Reward Companion Vouchers can only be used for revenue tickets. However, both passes require meeting spending thresholds with the respective airlines.
Conclusion
As a collector of miles and points, Companion Passes can sometimes have a difficult value proposition. However, if you are a family, or prefer to be inflexible with your travel plans, the Air Canada Companion Passes are a great way to save money when traveling with friends or family.
