Romantic Travel Terms: Companion Fare

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Companion Fare: Usually offered by an airline, rail or bus line. Basically, it's either:

• a 2-for-1 deal where you buy one fare at the set price and you can bring someone else along for no extra charge, or
• the second fare is offered at a discount

Often, these can be pretty good bargains, and great for a couple looking to travel cheaper. Sometimes you'll find economy and even business class companion fare available through credit card offers and promotions. One example is the British Airways VISA card.

As you might expect, the longer the flight, the greater the saving potential. A return Vancouver to Calgary or New York to Chicago coach/economy freebie might not amount to alot, but a business class companion fare from Sydney to London Heathrow is worth alot!

Check the fine print as well for minimum/maximum stay and advance booking restrictions. If you're bargain hunting, our best suggestion is to research the cheapest single fare you can find, and then check to see if the companion offer can match that.

Major airlines that offer companion airfares include:

• United Airlines
• Northwest
• Air Canada
• Qantas

Amtrak companion fares offer discounts on the second ticket, and Greyhound sells companion tickets for 50% of the regular fare. They have certain blackout periods as well for companion fares.

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