A Complete Guide to the VIPorter Companion Pass

Conveniently, there are no blackout dates for using your VIPorter companion pass, which gives you lots of opportunities to find great savings.

The companion pass expires 12 months after its issued; however, you can travel after the expiration date as long as there’s availability and the booking was made before the pass expires.

Keep in mind that the pass can’t be transferred, and that your BMO VIPorter World Elite Mastercard must be active and in good standing in order to have and use the pass. This means that if you were to cancel your credit card or change to a different product, the pass would be cancelled.

Companion passes come with the following restrictions:

• Cannot be used of existing reservations
• Cannot be used for bookings for more than two passengers.
• Only one companion pass can be used per booking

To redeem your companion pass, simply log in to your VIPorter account and choose to apply your pass when you’re making your qualified booking.

As a new BMO VIPorter World Elite Mastercard holder, you likely have the opportunity to earn two companion passes in your first year and then one annual companion pass each year thereafter.

As part of the BMO VIPorter World Elite Mastercard‘s inaugural welcome offer, you can earn a companion pass by spending $9,000 in the first 180 days as a cardholder. According to the fine print (and our chat with Porter Airlines’ customer service), you should then be able to earn your annual companion pass as part of the card’s standard perks and benefits.

To earn this annual companion pass, you need to spend $50,000 within the year, before your card’s anniversary date. Once you reach your card’s anniversary date, the tally resets to zero, and you have to start again for the next 12-month period.

In addition to the chance to earn an annual VIPorter companion pass, the BMO VIPorter World Elite Mastercard comes with the following benefits:

• Complimentary PorterClassic seat selection (for you plus up to 8 guests on the same reservaation)
• Complimentary checked bag (for you plus up to 8 guests on the same reservaation)
• Complimentary carry-on on all fare types (for you plus up to 8 guests on the same reservaation)
• Prioritized call centre service, priority re-accommodation, dedicated check-in, priority security, early boarding, and priority airport standby
• Comprehensive travel insurance coverage
• Automatic VIPorter Avid Traveller status
• Earn $1 Qualifying Spend toward your VIPorter Avid Traveller elite status per $25 spent on the card

These benefits are particularly helpful since they let you share perks with multiple people on the same reservation, and they give you the option to book a lower fare type while still receiving all the above comforts for free.

With the card, you also get a complimentary membership in Mastercard Travel Pass provided by DragonPass, helping you access airport lounges around the world (for $32 USD per visit), and you get discounts on eligible car rentals and prepaid hotel bookings

Beyond the benefits listed, your BMO VIPorter World Elite Masterard also earns VIPorter points on all your purchaes at the following rates:

• Earn 3 points per $1 spent on Porter purchases
• Earn 2 points per $1 spent on everyday travel like gas and transportation
• Earn 2 points per $1 spent on groceries and dining
• Earn 2 points per $1 spent on hotel accomodations
• Earn 1 point per $1 spent on everything else

Also, conveniently, your VIPorter points will not expire as long as your Porter Airlines Mastercard is active, so you don’t need to worry about losing your hard earned balance.

While Porter Airlines’ second co-branded credit card, the BMO VIPorter Mastercard, doesn’t include the ability to earn a companion pass, it still provides a handful of solid perks and benefits, so let’s take a look.

First, instead of offering a companion pass, the BMO VIPorter Mastercard lets you earn an annual voucher worth 35% off the base fare of up to 3 travel companions. As part of the inaugural welcome bonus for this card, you can earn this voucher after spending $6,000 in the first 180 days as a cardholder.

After this, to earn the voucher annually, you will need spend $25,000 before your card anniversary date.

With this card, you can also enjoy dedicated check-in, early boarding, and priority re-accommodations for flight delays for you and up to 8 guests on the same reservation.

You will also get automatic Avid Traveller status and earn $1 in Qualifying Spend per $25 spent on the card.

On top of these benefits, the BMO VIPorter Mastercard also lets you earn VIPorter points on all your purchases. It’s earning rates are as follows:

• Earn 2 points per $1 spent on Porter purchases
• Earn 1 points per $1 spent on everyday travel like gas and transportation
• Earn 1 points per $1 spent on groceries and dining
• Earn 1 points per $1 spent on hotel accomodations
• Earn 0.5 point per $1 spent on everything else

Finally, your VIPorter points won’t expire as long as you keep using the credit card.

Since the VIPorter companion pass offers a 100% free base fare, the best way to maximize its value is to use the pass for when you’re booking flights with higher base fares. These flights tend to show up in the following situations:

• Peak season: Ticket prices tend to be higher around popular travel times since more people are travelling, leaving fewer tickets available for purchase. By using your companion pass during March break, Christmas, Thanksgiving, holiday weekends, and even just the summer season, you could save significantly.
• Last minute flights: When booking last minute, flight prices can often be elevated due to a scarcity of availability. This can be a good opportunity to use your companion pass to lessen your travel costs.
• Premium fares: Use your companion pass to save more while enjoying seats with extra leg room and better amenities. Granted, you will need to pay full price for the first ticket, but if you’re looking for some added comfort on your travels, this is a nice way to go.
• Further distances/unique destinations: Choosing to use your companion pass for longer flights or flights to unique destinations can help bring new and exciting adventures to life. Since prices are often higher on these types of flights, so this is a great way to save.

Now, of course, since you do need to pay for the first traveller in full, you’ll want to consider your travel and financial priorities when using your companion pass. It’s always a good idea to do a little bit of math to see where the best savings lie.