This post contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. For an explanation of our Advertising Disclosure, visit this page.

Last week, a reader emailed me asking if the British Airways Visa Signature® Card Travel Together Ticket is a good value.

Q: Should I get the British Airways Travel Together Ticket? 

A: Only if you’re fine with spending $$$ for First Class travel.

For most people, the British Airways Travel Together Ticket isn’t going to be a perk that’s worth going out of their way to get (though it’s now easier if you earn the signup bonus, more on that below). But for some people, it can save them a lot of cash & Avios. Let me explain.

What is the British Airways Airways Visa Travel Together Ticket?

The Travel Together Ticket allows you to bring a companion on an award flight for no additional Avios miles, but you’re still required to pay for the passenger’s taxes and fuel surcharges. You will receive the Travel Together Ticket if you spend $30,000 in a calendar year on the British Airways Visa Signature® Card.

Important deets:

  • The Travel Together Ticket is good for two years.
  • Flights must originate and end in the US.
  • Flights have to be on British Airways metal.
  • From the BA website: taxes & fees are “At time of publication, all reward flights and travel together tickets are subject to taxes, fees and carrier charges. For a peak, return flight from Los Angeles to London, these can amount to $651.33 in economy (World Traveller) and $1,984.57 in business (Club World). Subject to change.

You can see the full terms & conditions on the British Airways Travel Together Ticket here.

Signup Bonus Perks

New British Airways Visa Signature® Card cardholders can earn 75,000 Avios after spending $5,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening.

Cardholders earn 3 Avios per $1 spent on purchases with British Airways, Aer Lingus, Iberia, and LEVEL. Cardholders also earn 2 Avios per $1 spent on hotel accommodations when purchased directly with the hotel. Plus, earn 1 Avios per $1 spent on all other purchases.

Plus, new British Airways Visa Signature® Card cardholders can get 10% off British Airways flights starting in the United States when they book through the website provided in the welcome materials.

This card has a $95 annual fee but doesn’t charge a foreign transaction fee.

Examples of the British Airways Visa Travel Together Ticket

Because you have to pay the fees for both people, it makes the most sense to use the Travel Together Ticket for premium cabin travel. But the bad news is that last year, British Airways devalued their award chart and raised prices on premium travel award redemptions.

Here are a couple of examples.

A round-trip business class ticket from Dallas to London would cost 125,000 Avios & a hefty $1,249 in fees. That means if you used your Travel Together Ticket, you would get two award seats for 125,000 Avios and $2,500.

A cheaper option would be to fly JFK to London for 100,000 Avios and $1,173. Or 100,000 Avios and $2,246 for two business class round-trip tickets.

Wrap-Up on the British Airways Visa Travel Together Ticket

The Avios miles required for these flights are definitely less than what it cost you in other loyalty programs for two business class flights, but you have to pay over $2,000. Paying $2,000 for premium cabin travel to Europe isn’t the worst thing, especially if you pay for international business-class flights on a regular basis. However, I would much rather spend my Avios on short hops, to transfer to Iberia, or on Air Berlin & Aer Lingus for flights to Europe.

1 Comment On "Q&A: Is the British Airways Visa Travel Together Ticket a Good Value?"
  1. Alex|

    BA and Chase should be ashamed of marketing this as a benefit. Award travel should be affordable and the “fees” charged for the companion fare are highway robbery. Don’t get this card, there are much better deals that will give you better flexible points that will allow you to book affordable award travel

Leave a Reply

Required fields are marked *