Nov 21, 2012, 10:53 am
Last edit by: Prospero
American Airlines Business Extra® Program (master thread)
Historical Notes
Key Information
Note: older posts have been archived to ARCHIVE: Business Extra Program master thread (consolidated)
Historical Notes
- October 5th, 2021: New award types introduced: BXL1 for Platinum status and BXP0 to convert Business Extra points to AA miles at a 1:6 rate. New requirement introduced to redeem: Starting January 1, 2023, current members will be required to have three unique travelers and maintain $5,000 in qualifying Business Extra flight activity during the previous 12-month period to redeem points.This policy will go into effect immediately for new members who join the program on October 4, 2021 or later.
- Feb 2018 - BXP1, BXP2, BXP3 Upgrade Certificates can be redeemed electronically, without the need to redeem or submit paper certificates. [URL="https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/29470237-post1150.html"[/url]
- Dec 2015 - Unannounced more-restrictive changes to BXP upgrade certificates implemented. [URL="http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/american-airlines-aadvantage/898180-business-extra-program-master-thread-consolidated.html#post25942133"[/url]
- Nov 2015 - Europe AA Business Extra closed and migrated to AA-BA-IB On Business [URL="http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/american-airlines-aadvantage-combined-airline-program/1715008-aa-ba-ib-europe-business-programme-nov-30-2015-ex-business-extra-europe.html"[/url]
- Oct 2014 - Business Extra Awards may be redeemed for flights on US Airways
- Sep 2013 - Business ExtrAA brand changed to simply Business Extra
- Sep 2012 - Upgrade Awards are no longer restricted to use within 30 days of travel [url=http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/19345217-post394.html[/url]
Key Information
- Promotion Codes - For a current list of Business ExtrAA promotions, see: Business ExtrAA Bonus Offers (consolidated)
- Point Expiration - Business Extra points expire on a rolling basis, two years after the year in which they are earned, on December 31 at midnight U.S. Central Time. Their validity can not be extended.
- Award Redemption - All awards must be redeemed via the Business Extra website. Flight Awards are delivered electronically via email with an Electronic Authorization Number. Upgrade Awards and Admirals Club Day Passes are delivered in paper certificate form via regular mail. Redemption sweeps occur twice per week and expedited delivery is available if you provide your FedEx/UPS account number via email. Gold Status and Admirals Club Membership awards are processed and active in the member's account after approximately one week, with other membership materials delivered in the mail within 4 weeks.
Note: BE awards must be booked on nonstop flights if they are available between your origin and destination.
- Award Inventory Codes - Per Meeting Services, Business Extra Awards book into the following inventory (although there are conflicting reports from mvoight and InsipidMonkey on whether or not this information is accurate for PlanAAhead Awards, for which availability may be significantly less than MileSAAver Award and/or T inventory availability):Award Type Books Into
PlanAAhead - Economy T
PlanAAhead - Business* U
PlanAAhead - First† Z
AAnytime - Economy Y
AAnytime - Business* J
AAnytime - First† F
Upgrade to Business* C
Upgrade to First† A
* = First class cabin on 2-class flights
† = First class cabin on 3-class flights
- Flight Award Reservations - Award Tickets must be booked through AA Meeting Services at 1-800-433-1790 (U.S. and Canada; others contact your local reservations office), and you will need to provide the Reservations Agent with the Electronic Authorization Number from your award certificate. As of Oct 2012, flight awards can be booked without a telephone booking service charge.
- Flight Award Expiration - As published on the Business Extra website, Award Tickets must be booked within one year of redeeming the certificate, and are then valid for one year from booking:
Award ticket must be issued by midnight one year from the original award redemption date. Tickets issued against Business Extra flight awards are then valid for one year from the ticket issue date. - Upgrade Award Reservations - Upgrade Awards may be applied once a reservation is Ticketed by calling AA Meeting Services or using the Business Extra website. Once requested online you will receive an email with a confirmation number and serial numbers for each upgrade certificate requested.
Upgrade Awards carry fare restrictions (excludes B, N, O, Q or S fares). Take careful note of your fare when making a reservation. It is possible to "Upfare" a reservation from the lowest available fare to an BXP-upgrade-eligible fare by placing it on Hold at AA.com, calling AA to request the desired higher fare basis code, then completing the purchase online.
You can specify ITA searches that exclude the ineligible fares as follows:jfk:: aa /f ~bc = b & ~bc = n & ~bc = o & ~bc = q & ~bc = s
(Or you can place everything after the slash directly in the second advanced control box.)
These filters can also be concatenated with other commands, such as maximum duration, separated with a semicolon:jfk:: aa /maxdur 800 ; f ~bc = b & ~bc = n & ~bc = o & ~bc = q & ~bc = s
- Upgrade Award Expiration - Electronic BXP Upgrade Awards are valid for 1 year from redemption. Previously, paper Upgrade Awards were valid thru Jun 30 or Dec 31 of the following year, with the exact date depending on the batch of certificates available at the time of redemption.
- Returning Unused Awards - Points redeemed for awards but not yet applied to a ticket can be returned for no charge by using the 'returns' option in your account options. Points will be reinstated with an expiration date 2 calendar years from reinstatement (i.e., expiring on December 31 two calendar years from reinstatement). For awards already applied to a ticket, you must call Business ExtrAA customer services at 800-457-7072, or email [email protected]. Customers outside the US should use the email.
- Business Extra Account Credit - A Business Extra number can be added to an existing reservation (for example, booked by a third-party travel agent) by calling AA Meeting Services.
A Business Extra number can be added to an existing BA reservation as follows:- Go to www.britishairways.com
- Select 'Manage My Booking' tab
- Follow the instructions to pull up your reservation
- Select the link towards bottom listed under 'Quick Links' 'Add On Business or Business Extra number'
- Add your Business Extra number and check the box to give your consent.
Retroactive credit for completed travel can be requested via the Business Extra website.
- Contact Business Extra
Web home page: https://www.businessextra.com
Booking and Ticketing (Meeting Services desk)
www.aa.com
1-800-433-1790 5:00 a.m. - 12:00 midnight (CT) 7 days a week
Business Extra Customer Service
1-800-457-7072 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. (CT) Monday - Friday
Fax: 1-817-931-9029
E-mail: [email protected]
Link to aa.com BE contact web form
http://www.aa.com/contactAA/viewEmai...businessExtrAA
Link to BE web contact form
Note: older posts have been archived to ARCHIVE: Business Extra Program master thread (consolidated)
Business Extra ("ExtrAA") Program (master thread)
Dec 22, 2021, 7:59 am
#1531
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: JFK, DCA, BUR, YVR
Programs: AC, AS, BA, DL, HH (D), MR (T/LTP), UA (*S), UScAAre (PLT/1,87MM), WN
Posts: 5,207
Didn't get this message at all, so I got myself a PlAAn AAhead award and returned it to extend my expiry date to 2023. Maybe, I'll get enough for a better reward between now and then.
Dec 22, 2021, 8:51 am
#1532
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 161
Does it sometimes take a long time to ticket these? I redeemed points for a flight online 4 days ago and got a flight change notification already, so went to check alternate flight options and I can view the reservation but it says “ticket pending.” Wondering if this is normal or if I need to call and get this straightened out.
Dec 22, 2021, 9:33 am
#1533
Join Date: May 2011
Location: DFW
Programs: AA EXP, LT Gold
Posts: 3,146
Definitely targeted, as I did not get the expiry delay email. I only got the "hey your points are expiring so use them up!"
...then I did, on 2 BXP3s for immediate upgrade to J on a trip to Berlin in January - which now looks like it's going to be scratched due to the increasing restrictions in the EU.
What a mess.
...then I did, on 2 BXP3s for immediate upgrade to J on a trip to Berlin in January - which now looks like it's going to be scratched due to the increasing restrictions in the EU.
What a mess.
Dec 22, 2021, 11:17 am
#1534
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: ORD
Programs: Once a somebody now a nobody
Posts: 514
Does anyone know if bookings made via a portal such as the Capital One travel portal can be upgraded with BXP1s (assuming they meet the fare requirements)? I wasn't sure if outside booking channels were upgradable or not. Thanks
Dec 22, 2021, 3:21 pm
#1535
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: LAX
Programs: AA EXP.
Posts: 1,325
I've used on Amex from J to F. So Im assuming you should be fine.
Dec 26, 2021, 6:55 pm
#1536
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: NYC
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 1,372
For the first time ever, I've had a Meeting Services agent tell me the fare booked through AMEX is not eligible for a BXP1. I feel like the agent must be wrong, as I've done it countless times and never had an issue. Anyone have any ideas on what to do? Maybe this is just a HUCA situation...
Dec 26, 2021, 7:02 pm
#1538
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: New York City + Vail, CO
Programs: American Airlines Executive Platinum, Marriott Bonvoy Ambassador Elite
Posts: 3,225
For the first time ever, I've had a Meeting Services agent tell me the fare booked through AMEX is not eligible for a BXP1. I feel like the agent must be wrong, as I've done it countless times and never had an issue. Anyone have any ideas on what to do? Maybe this is just a HUCA situation...
Dec 26, 2021, 7:51 pm
#1539
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Live: IWI; Work: DCA/Everywhere; Play: LAS/SJU/MLE
Programs: AA EXP, DL PM, Hyatt Glob, Marriott Ambassador/LTP, Nat'l Exec Elite, LEYE Gold
Posts: 6,669
For the first time ever, I've had a Meeting Services agent tell me the fare booked through AMEX is not eligible for a BXP1. I feel like the agent must be wrong, as I've done it countless times and never had an issue. Anyone have any ideas on what to do? Maybe this is just a HUCA situation...
Dec 26, 2021, 9:36 pm
#1540
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: NYC
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 1,372
Whenever I have a ticket booked by a travel agent, the business.aa.com website can’t pull up the record. Don’t know why.
Dec 26, 2021, 11:11 pm
#1541
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Live: IWI; Work: DCA/Everywhere; Play: LAS/SJU/MLE
Programs: AA EXP, DL PM, Hyatt Glob, Marriott Ambassador/LTP, Nat'l Exec Elite, LEYE Gold
Posts: 6,669
Ah, makes sense. I've had trouble with that too though I recall that once I was able to access it by adding a middle name or initial directly to the end of my first name, and/or maybe adding "MR" (for mister) somewhere in the mix.
Dec 27, 2021, 9:55 am
#1543
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2002
Location: NC
Programs: AAConciergeKey/1MM, DL DM/2 MM, UA Gold,Hilton Diamond, IHG Plat, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 11,967
Has anyone been successful in getting Admirals Club one-day passes issued through Business Extra at the end of 2020 extended? I have six that will expire on 12/31/21.
Dec 27, 2021, 3:41 pm
#1544
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: PHX
Posts: 4,787
I have a transcon coming up in paid business class. Looks like F seats are still for sale but A=0. Do any of you have experience with A opening up close to flight time and if it does, what is the best way to upgrade? Can it be done at the airport? Or do you have to call? The BE website seems not to be allowing for online upgrades.
Dec 27, 2021, 4:34 pm
#1545
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: NYC
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 1,372
I have a transcon coming up in paid business class. Looks like F seats are still for sale but A=0. Do any of you have experience with A opening up close to flight time and if it does, what is the best way to upgrade? Can it be done at the airport? Or do you have to call? The BE website seems not to be allowing for online upgrades.
IME the system has become better at auto-upgrading waitlisted BE upgrades, but it's still not 100%.