How do Companion Vouchers actually work?

Words: Hannah Ralph

Chances are you’ve heard of the British Airways American Express Companion Voucher – perhaps you already have one sitting in your account. If so, you’ll know that holding this coveted travel tool is a major thrill – but understanding how to deploy it intelligently is where the real fun begins. Ready to demystify the system? Keep reading for a no-nonsense breakdown on how to get one, how to redeem one, and all the fiddly bits in between…

P.S. If you’re not already a Cardmember, apply for a British Airways American Express® Credit Card or the British Airways American Express® Premium Plus Card by 6 October 2026 to collect double the usual Avios Welcome Bonus.

1. What is a Companion Voucher?

A Companion Voucher is the headline perk born from the partnership between American Express and British Airways. This can be earned when you spend £15,000 in a Cardmembership year on your British Airways American Express Card. It acts as a powerful maximiser for your Avios when booking a Reward Flight or, as of May 2026, a British Airways Holidays package.

It does this in one of three ways: allowing you to secure a second reward seat for a companion using zero extra Avios, slicing your Avios requirement in half when heading off on a solo Reward Flight trip, or giving you back 25 per cent of the Avios spent after booking a British Airways Holidays package.

Something to note: Companion Vouchers earned on British Airways American Express Cards can be used on British Airways Holidays packages (including business flights). Receive up to 50,000 Avios back when you use a Companion Voucher earned with a British Airways American Express Credit Card and up to 200,000 Avios back when you when you use your British Airways American Express Premium Plus Companion Voucher.

2. How do you earn a Companion Voucher?

First, you must apply and get approved for the British Airways American Express Credit Card or the British Airways American Express Premium Plus Card. The next step is to spend a minimum of £15,000 within a Card membership year. Once you hit that £15,000, the Companion Voucher automatically drops into your Club account, ready to be applied to your next Reward Flight or British Airways Holidays booking, as you see fit.

3. Are there any Companion Voucher differences between the two types of British Airways American Express Card?

Great question – while the £15,000 spend threshold is the same for both Cards, the rewards they each yield do have notable differences. The British Airways American Express Credit Card secures you a Companion Voucher valid for 12 months that’s bound strictly to Reward Flight bookings in World Traveller or Euro Traveller cabins. The British Airways American Express Premium Plus Card Companion Voucher is not only valid for 24 months, but is applicable to a Reward Flight booking in any cabin, including Club World and First.

4. Does a Companion Voucher apply to single journeys or return fares?

A single Companion Voucher can be applied to one return Reward Flight booking or single British Airways Holidays package.

5. How do I apply the Companion Voucher to my Reward Flight booking?

From the British Airways homepage, head to ‘Book’ and ‘Book a flight with Avios’. Once you’re there, you will see, alongside all the usual search functionality, an added two options, with the option to tick one. These are: a) Don’t use any vouchers b) BA Amex Companion Voucher. If you’d like to use your voucher, simply tick the latter, and it will be applied. Depending on whether you’re searching for one traveller or two, the relevant reward will unlock.

6. Do I have to pay any money?

As with all Reward Flights, bookings are subject to a required cash component that covers taxes, fees and carrier charges. The good news is that on many Reward Flights you’ll find this has been whittled down to a flat fee, occasionally from as little as £2.50. It can scale up to a few hundred pounds or more, but still represents a good saving on a standard cash fare when no Avios are involved. This entirely depends on the route, time of travel and availability. It also doesn’t matter if you’re reaping the 50 per cent Avios discount as a solo traveller, or a traveller who is bringing their companion along for the ride – the taxes payment applies to both.

As for British Airways Holidays packages, if you cover the total cost of the package with Avios, then there’s zero cash outlay.

7. When do Companion Vouchers offer the best value?

Ultimately, the value strategy for your voucher is wound up in the same logic as booking the best possible Reward Flight. This means that using your Companion Voucher on Reward Flight bookings where cash prices are traditionally more expensive are particularly nifty, since the Avios cost remains flat whether it’s a peak or off-peak booking. This, in turn, makes long-haul and premium cabin bookings something of a sweet spot.

8. Can I really use my Companion Voucher on a British Airways Holidays package now?

As of May 2026, you certainly can. A new update means Companion Vouchers can be applied to British Airways Holidays package bookings (that’s Flight + Hotel, Flight + Car, or a combination of all three) made before 31 March 2027. The reward? A 25 per cent rebate on all of the Avios used (up to the value of 200,000 Avios), whether it was paid fully with Avios or part-paid. This means, if a family of four heads off on a package paid for with Avios, a quarter of that Avios will boomerang back into the account of the person who booked it. To trigger the reward in question, simply make your qualifying booking, submit a short online form within 72 hours, and see the Avios head back to you. A voucher can be used on any cabin, and also with partner carriers American Airlines, Finnair, Iberia, LEVEL and Aer Lingus, as long as it’s part of a British Airways Holidays package

9. What are the exact time limits for travel?

For the Reward Flight bookings, the clock essentially starts ticking the very same day the voucher hits your Club account – if you have the British Airways American Express Credit Card, your Companion Voucher is valid for 12 months; if you have the Premium Plus card, your Companion Voucher is valid for 24 months. Crucially, you must complete your outbound travel before the voucher expires – simply clicking 'book' prior to the deadline isn't enough. As long as your outbound flight departs before the expiration date, your return flight can take place after the 12 or 24-month validity period.

When applying the voucher to a British Airways Holidays booking (available to both cards), the voucher needs only be valid on the actual day you make the booking. That means, should your voucher expire tomorrow, you can book that holiday package today for an all-inclusive trip set to only take place eight months down the line.

10. Who is the Companion Voucher best for?

Historically, this was always an exclusive perk for couples and travel duos looking to cut their Avios outlay in half. Today, it’s an asset for everyone, whether you’re travelling with someone or going solo.

11. Do I still earn tier points when I use a Companion Voucher?

If you use your voucher the traditional way – on a standard Reward Flight for a solo trip or a joint escape with Avios – the answer is no. Neither you nor your companion will earn tier points (or indeed, collect Avios) on those seats. However, this isn’t the case when applying the Companion Voucher to the new British Airways Holidays track. Since you are technically purchasing a holiday package with Avios, rather than booking a reward seat, everyone on the booking will earn full tier points and collect Avios as if you’d paid with cash (bonus Avios on holiday packages are only awarded to the lead passenger). Better yet, because British Airways Holidays calculates status on the package’s original cash value, before the application of Avios, you get full tier point credit while paying a fraction of the cost.

12. Can I use my Companion Voucher on any oneworld or code-share partners?

Only on a select few. It can be applied to Reward Flights booked with British Airways, Iberia or Aer Lingus, which must be done through ba.com or the dedicated call centre. Again, since the British Airways Holidays update isn’t technically a Reward Flight booking, you can select holiday packages that include flights on partner airlines (the likes of American Airlines, Qatar and Finnair included) and still get your promised 25 per cent Avios rebate.

13. Can I use my Companion Voucher to fly into one city and out of another?

Yes, since there are only so many reward seats on any given flight up for grabs. An ‘open-jaw’ booking means you can fly out to one destination (for instance, London to New York) and return from another (let’s say, Los Angeles to London), provided the distance between those two overseas cities is shorter than the original flight from your initial city. You’ll need to map out the individual legs yourself and then call the BA customer service desk to lock it down for you.

British Airways American Express Credit Card. Representative 29.1% APR variable. Collect 10,000 Avios (normally 5,000 Avios) when you spend £2,000 in the first three months. Representative 29.1% APR variable. Eligible new Cardmembers only. No annual fee. Terms apply. 18+ UK residents, subject to status. Credit limit and interest rates depend on our credit assessment of you and may differ from those shown.
British Airways American Express Premium Plus Card. Representative 135.7% APR variable. Collect 60,000 Avios (normally 30,000 Avios) when you spend £6,000 in the first three months. Representative 135.7% APR variable. Eligible new Cardmembers only. Annual fee applies. Terms apply. 18+ UK residents, subject to status. Credit limit and interest rates depend on our credit assessment of you and may differ from those shown.