You really should be earning rewards from all of your spending. Ideally, rewards that fuel incredible travel experiences. These days, there are so many ways to do that. For a while now, the British Airways Amex Companion Voucher has been one of the best.
Like all great products though, over time, others come along which challenge the status quo. A wave of new companion voucher and other perk products have entered the British Airways ecosystem, and rather than staying still — Amex is iterating.
And yes, in a really good way.
Even if you don’t travel with a plus one, the Amex Companion Voucher just gained massive new appeal, acting not only as a 2 for 1 voucher, but as a 50% off Avios price for solo travelers.
Amex Broadens BA Companion Voucher Appeal
We’ll have to wait and see what happens with British Airways vouchers issued by the likes of Chase in the USSA, but today, Amex is massively improving the appeal of the UK British Airways Amex Companion Voucher.
For the first time, the BA Companion Voucher is no longer limited to serving only as a 2 for 1, where two people can travel for the Avios price of one, where the second person just pays the taxes and fees.
Now, solo travelers who earn the voucher through spend on their British Airways American Express Card can use the voucher to earn 50% off the price of Avios for any trip. This is an exciting way to unlock great seats for less, regardless of companions.
“From today, Cardmembers who have earned a Companion Voucher since September 2021 on either the British Airways American Express® Credit Card or the British Airways American Express® Premium Plus Card can choose to redeem it when booking a solo trip, receiving a 50% discount on the Avios cost of the booking.”
American Express
Amex and British Airways have recently worked together through IAG Loyalty to increase availability for Amex cardmembers who earn a companion voucher, making it easier for people to connect with their dream seats.
The voucher also received another significant change this year, by no longer requiring a UK starting point. Vouchers earned with the UK Amex can be initiated for BA trips that start virtually anywhere.
Hopefully More British Airways Voucher Moves?
It’s exciting to see Amex iterating on a long standing value by broadening the appeal to solo travelers too. More flexibility and more choice are rarely bad for consumers.
British Airways has financial partnerships across multiple countries and continents, so I now have excited hope that similar changes and iterations may be on the way to other countries too. The British Airways Chase Visa Signature in the United States offers not only a companion voucher, but 10% off all cash flights too.
For now, this is an exciting move that hopefully sparks others. Nice one, BA and Amex.
but it remains an offer within the #BestAvoided BA ecosystem, designed to minimise the service / product costs and maximise revenue…. Something all airlines do but BA have taken much, much too far. Stealing from their client group, dodgy IT systems, vapourware customer “service” and that’s before the reliability, catering and cleanliness issues.
The problem with the US vouchers is that they are still restricted to a US starting point. And while the UK voucher is definitely improved, the level of surcharges levied by BA on some routes is absolutely nuts
Hadn’t previously picked up on “ no longer requiring a UK starting point”. However, for someone like me living in London but prepared to travel long haul ex EU City (which often creates a saving when paying cash), I can’t work out a scenario where that could be a benefit using a companion voucher. Am I missing something?
My husband and I have been travelling the world using companion vouchers almost since they started. We have separate accounts so we each get one voucher a year. We book our trips a year in advance and fly at least once a year to Johannesburg and once a year take another long haul. We always get Club seats and have never been disappointed. If you play the system properly it’s brilliant!
Just logged on to check out companion flights for next year on the 2 for 1 and it’s only giving the seats in economy class, not other option, has this now changed ? Have they stopped you booking difference classes.