British Airways and American Express Enable Solo Travellers to Use Companion Vouchers

(14 June 2022, 12:34 +07)  British Airways and American Express have confirmed that solo travellers can now use Companion Vouchers.

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.

Cardmembers can still choose to use the Companion Voucher to travel with a friend as they would have previously, receiving a second seat for a companion travelling on the same Reward Flight booking as them for no additional Avios.

British Airways A320 reg: G-EUUE. Picture by Steven Howard of TravelNewsAsia.com

Ian Romanis, Head of Retail and Customer Relationship Management at British Airways, said, “Solo travel is a popular option for our customers, which is reflected in the number of solo bookings we have seen. We’ve listened to our customers and we’ve introduced these exciting changes, understanding that flexibility is more important than ever to them.”

Companion Vouchers are awarded to travellers who hold either British Airways American Express Card and reach the required spend amount within their cardmembership year.

They can be redeemed on available British Airways Reward Flights, which don’t need to start in the UK, allowing cardmembers to book either one journey for 50% of the Avios required, or take a second traveller on their journey - on the same flights and in the same cabins - for no additional Avios, plus paying taxes, fees and charges per person.

In addition to this change, those booking British Airways Reward Flights using a Companion Voucher (either as a solo traveller or with a companion) now has more control over their Avios spend, as they can choose from a variety of options regarding how many Avios to spend versus cash on each booking. This was previously fixed to just one Avios and cash option based on the route and cabin.

British Airways American Express Credit Card Companion Vouchers can be redeemed in economy cabins, while British Airways American Express Premium Plus Card Companion Vouchers can be redeemed across all cabins.

Extra availability in Club World (long-haul business class), exclusive to those using the Companion Voucher, was added last year to make redemptions even easier. This extra availability is for those using a Companion Voucher earned since September 2021 either as a solo traveller or travelling with a friend.

Caroline Bouvet, Vice President at American Express, said, “Companion Vouchers are an incredibly valuable benefit for cardmembers, so it’s exciting that we’ve been able to make it even easier for them to be used on flights. As people return to travel - looking to go away by themselves or with a friend - the British Airways American Express Cards are a great way to turn everyday spending in to travel rewards, and the only way to earn the much-valued Companion Voucher.”

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