New Account Features
 

Noticed some minor new additions to the Business ExtrAA website:

• The Flight Activity page now allows one to search by dates, flight number, or airline. The backend seems to have been changed as well, because I see a Javascript-type ticker and fade-in when first accessing the page.

• The Flight Activity Report now has a Revenue Multiplier column. Not sure what this is for - it's 1.0 for my four segments that posted.

I called the meeting services desk and asked about it. I was told that private fares do not qualify; only published fares do, so no bulk fare.

The agent asked about what kind of agency fare (e.g. discount-based) and seems to suggests that agency fare may qualify for Business Extraa points. However, since I don't really know what agency fare means myself, I do not press on further.

When should I expect our BXACT bonuses to post? I see the flights for March have credited but I'm not getting any extra points under "promotion". Or should they all bulk post at the end of the promotion period?

how long does it take for trips to post to our biz extraa account??
I signed up our organization in early Feb.2010 but zero trips have posted and the account summary still says it is showing only flights up through 3/31/10, i.e. >5 weeks ago. Why so slow?

Flights post on approx the 18th of each month, for the preceding calendar month - so, April flights should post in about 11 days. Why so slow? It is what it is, unfortunately.

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This post has been moved over from the BE Offers thread to this main thread.
/Moderator

Award expirations?
 

Do Business ExtrAA award certificates themselves have expiration dates? I need to use some points this year and am considering getting a Europe upgrade cert. But, I'd like to know that, if I don't clear, I can still try to use it on a future flight.

Some award certs definitely have expiration dates, but it's not clear if all of them do.

Go to the BusinessExtraa site. Click on "View Awards" under the
Redeem Points" tab. Pick an award and click on it. You'll see the rules for that award.

Most travel award rules include the following:

"Award ticket must be issued by midnight one year from the original award redemption date. Tickets issued against Business ExtrAA flight awards are then valid for one year from the ticket issue date."

The upgrade awards don't actually have such a stipulation, but I'd probably call and double check with the BusinessExtrAA desk before pulling the trigger. (And report back here to share the answer.)

Upgrade certs to Hawaii are valid from issue date until Dec. 31 of the following year. Not sure about European certs, but a Business ExtrAAgent should be able to tell you.

OK, I ended up having to call as I never heard back via email. It's way more complicated than I thought.

It turns out that the current batch of certificates they have in hand (at least form BXP1 and BXP3 upgrades) are valid thru June 30, 2011. However, if I were to claim an award after June 30, 2010, then they would have the new batch, which are valid thru Dec 31, 2011.

Interestingly, when I asked why they didn't publish this on the website, the response was that they actually can't be sure what the expiration date is - if the June-expiring certificates get used up early, then they start giving out the Dec-expiring ones.

Bottom line, my interpretation (and that's all it is), is that you have at least ONE YEAR to redeem a claimed certificate, although you my get 18 months or perhaps even longer.

EDITED TO ADD: This is for the upgrade certificates only - the rules for travel award certificates are clearly published as noted by BarkinJ upthread.

Best use of Business AA points
 

I have 2000+ plus Business AA points. Is the best reward a free domestic ticket? Or should I save the points and try for some other rewards? Never had Business AA points before and appreciate any insights as to optimal use.

Check this post by dstan out for some ideas.

Since BE points expire, it a matter of what you want to spend them on before they expire, assuming you won't have enough to reach a higher level, like upgrades to Europe, etc.

Thanks - sorry for not posting in the correct thread.

Any update?
 

I joined the BE program today and have a couple of tickets already booked. Too late to add the BE number?

Next trip may put me over the 2M mile mark!

Thanks!

Lee