PlanAhead Business Awards
 

Running out time before my current BX6B award expires and over the past year have never seen ANY PlanAhead AA business award space to/from any Europe airport.

While I have always had beyond low expectations I'm hoping someone can provide some guidance on finding business award space from NYC (or anywhere) to anywhere in Europe?

Alternatively, can anyone provide a suggestion on what can be done with this useless award before EOY as I won't qualify for redemptions in 2023 due to not meeting the new 5K spend rule?

In addition I have to burn the 8,198 points currently in my account before EOY and am trying to figure a flight award that can actually be booked?

TIA

can't you return it and redeposit it for points, then use them for something like club membership or simply exchange for miles?

I get that, but the only person I could add is my husband, who is already on the account.

Here is an excerpt from the email I received:

please help us to validate it as such. To keep this account active please provide two of the following:

• Employer Identification Number (EIN) | Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN) | Federal Tax Identification Number
• Articles of Incorporation (S corp or C corp) | Articles of Organization (LLC)
• Partnership Agreement (General Partnership) | Certificate of Limited Partnership, Limited Partnership Document (LP, LLP)
• Valid Business Name Registration certificate issued by a government agency (e.g. Business License, DBA / Doing Business As Name, Assumed Name, Fictitious Business Name, Registration of Trade Name)
• Seller's Permit or Vendor's License issued by a government agency such as a local taxation department or tax commission

We will also need a copy of W2’s for three company employees that will post travel to the account, aside from yourself.  When providing this type of documentation, please redact the last 4 of any Social Security Numbers and any earnings information.

Emphasis added.

I just don't qualify.

Thanks for the suggestion.

Good point. I am just going to leave it as it is. I can't see hiring anyone in the near future. I am trying to wind it down, anyway.

Did they back the change out? The FAQ doesn't say anything about a fee to reinstate points.


https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...79e5b398a9.png

No, but they will release them closer to flight date if the load is light. You'd get waitlisted and hold your breath until the gate when other members, maybe with higher status, are vying for points+$$ and SWU upgrades. Best option is to pick mid week days, early morning flights for your best chance.

Deleted

Wow, what precipitated that email? Asking for W2s suggests they are pretty serious about this, and seems to be a step beyond my original understanding of the 3 unique traveler requirement. Given AA's aggressive enforcement of frequent flier program violations, I would proceed with caution here.

perhaps they'd be ok showing 1099's....not every employee is a w2 employee. AA might be asking more more info than they really should, in my opinion, even if you obscure part of the SSN

We're somewhat OT, but what type of employee are you thinking of when you say "not every employee is a w2 employee"?

They appear to have reverted the FAQ change after the Dec. 7th announcement of points being extended through February 28, 2023.

Our business also received a similar email last week to that of queen of coach with the request for both business verification and employee/contractor verification and what might be considered a soft suspension. Account remained open and could be credited, but couldnt redeem. We have been part of the program for well over a decade. It was pretty threatening language for long term customers. Yes, AA is asking for more information than they should but they can make the rules and we decide if we want to play. and Yes they are OK with 1099's redacted since the T&C's permit contractors and employees .The due date to reply was December 20 or so. We returned the information within a couple of days and within 2 hours received an email response from the audit team, with further requests, and when answered, by the end of day AA sent an all OK email . Thought that was pretty amazing turnaround (since you could barely talk to a res agent in that time frame), and it seems like all things considered that this activity would be low priority but who knows? They are very much a stickler for the business verification audit items they request so if you do not have them, think about what you want to do. A call to the number on the email was actually answered by a person, and the claim was that all Business Extra accounts are being audited by end of year. AA had somehow added travelers to our Business Extra account that we had never added (since that is done by the FF within their own account), and we told them that in the call (still dont know how that happened) and they "sort of" admitted the mistake telling us what happened. Guessing this a small ausit team. Dont know how big the program is or what criteria is causing the request to audit. Just sharing.

That is not an example of consultant per program rules. Payments of flights or meals is not the same as filing a 1099 information return for the person.

Nothing precipitated it, other than the fact there are two travelers in my BE account: Me and my husband. They sent me a polite note telling me my acct would be suspended. If I submitted the following (list of stuff proving three traveling employees and bona fide business dba sales tax etc), then it would be un-suspended.

I wrote back, politely telling them I am not looking to expand the business and "Thanks for the Memories". Their final note, again very polite and friendly, was to give me until Dec 10 to use my existing points, which I did do. Two friends got AC day passes for their trip over Christmas to see family. Genuine, 25-year friends, no barter/sale/trade. I am totally within their rules.

I agree. Proceed with caution. I certainly do not want to endanger my Aadvantage account by adding bogus employees to BE.

Note: It has to be three TRAVELING employees, not just three employees. If there are four genuine W2 employees in the business, but only one travels, that doesn't cut it.

Have the rules gotten more strict with the change to the minimum number of employees/amount spent on travel? If so, then why would AA automatically still put in a BE number in a reservation and automatically credit points for all travelers on the same reservation?

Before accepting a BE number on a reservation, shouldn't AA instead require a certification that the reservation is for business travel and only includes w-2 employees or statutory employees? Or require all employees to be registered first, and then limit credit to only those employees? Or require a BE number for each passenger?

Thanks for the warning, but there seems to be a lot better ways to enforce this than auditing accounts and clawing back points that AA automatically credited in the first place. As it stands now, if I take a non-employee on a business trip with me, then I would have to book separate reservations and then re-link them for status benefits (which necessitates a call and a phone agent's time). Are the BE points that costly for them?