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Note: older posts have been archived to ARCHIVE: Business Extra Program master thread (consolidated)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 30, 2022, 2:02 pm
#1787
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: EYW
Programs: AA Exe Platinum, AA & Delta Million Miler, Hilton Diamond, Marriott LT Titanium, United Silver
Posts: 521
Yeah, it's not super clear. In my account it shows the checked boxes of spend and three individual travelers. Then it states:" The redemption threshold will apply for your account on 01/01/2023". Does that mean I need to have crossed the threshold again next year, before I can redeem?
Dec 30, 2022, 8:52 pm
#1789
Join Date: Nov 2016
Programs: Nectar Card
Posts: 1,092
Do AAdvantage® bonus miles awarded through Business Extra count towards qualifying for AAdvantage® status?
No, AAdvantage® bonus miles awarded to travelers through Business Extra award redemptions do not count towards earning Loyalty Points, which allow travelers to qualify for status.
No, AAdvantage® bonus miles awarded to travelers through Business Extra award redemptions do not count towards earning Loyalty Points, which allow travelers to qualify for status.
Dec 31, 2022, 7:19 am
#1790
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: RDU <|> MMX
Programs: AA EXP 2MM, SK EBS
Posts: 12,482
Yeah, it's not super clear. In my account it shows the checked boxes of spend and three individual travelers. Then it states:" The redemption threshold will apply for your account on 01/01/2023". Does that mean I need to have crossed the threshold again next year, before I can redeem?
That "redemption threshold" language is listed on every account by the counter, just means that you need to have the $5k spend and 3 travelers in order to redeem.
And the spend counter is based on rolling 12 months, so it's not going to reset on Jan 1.
Dec 31, 2022, 8:35 am
#1791
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: CT/NY
Programs: UA 1K/1MM, AA EXP, Marriott LT Titanium, Hyatt Globalist, IHG Plat Amb
Posts: 6,020
One anecdotal experience: BXP1 is supposed to have a higher priority than comped/former sticker upgrade request. However, when my upgrade cleared within the PPRO window, they did not use up the BXP1.
Dec 31, 2022, 9:12 am
#1792
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: ATL
Programs: AA GLD Skymiles DM MM, a+ rewards lifetime elite, AS, Marriott plat, PC plat, HH gold
Posts: 1,275
I had an amex insider fare that had a fare not eligible, zero points posting. I called and asked about the reason and was told there are new restrictions on unpublished fares and the insider fares were included. This basically makes the program useless for us. I cashed out all of the company points.
Dec 31, 2022, 3:05 pm
#1793
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: PHL, NYC
Programs: AA PLT, DL SLV, UA SLV, MR LTT, HH DIA
Posts: 10,068
If you were upgraded before the flight went to airport control, it's because "C" inventory did not open for waitlisted upgrades like BXP1, Points and SWUs. Had you not gotten your comp upgrade in your elite window and wound up at the gate on the list, your BXP1 would have had priority over the 'sticker' upgrades for any available seats.
Dec 31, 2022, 3:10 pm
#1794
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: PHL, NYC
Programs: AA PLT, DL SLV, UA SLV, MR LTT, HH DIA
Posts: 10,068
But yes that means you could get your PPRO upgrade days before the flight while those with instrument upgrades are still waiting for "C" inventory to clear. The algorithm behind how this is done is closely held, though, so there's no way to really know how the system determines when to open X inventory (domestic comp upgrades) and/or C inventory (instrument upgrades) when the elite windows begin to open.
Last edited by PHL; Dec 31, 2022 at 3:37 pm
Dec 31, 2022, 3:14 pm
#1795
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: PHL, NYC
Programs: AA PLT, DL SLV, UA SLV, MR LTT, HH DIA
Posts: 10,068
I've been a BE member for 12 years and have not gotten the audit email. Someone upthread mentioned they were told this is happening to "all" accounts, though not sure how accurate that is. I have just over $5000 spend over the past 12 months, and have another $3000-$4000 in the next 2 months. I also have 3 unique travelers, so I'm good to go into 2023 for redemptions. But since I only had around 700 points left, I redeemed a BXP1 to hopefully use in the coming year. I've also already redeemed 2 BXP3's for travel in a few months to Europe and those seats are confirmed (2 of us traveling).
In the event they do audit me, and are not satisfied that I meet the requirements, I'm going to assume they could just as easily take back those 2 upgrades (6200 points total) that are already confirmed but the flight hasn't happened yet. Fingers crossed....
In the event they do audit me, and are not satisfied that I meet the requirements, I'm going to assume they could just as easily take back those 2 upgrades (6200 points total) that are already confirmed but the flight hasn't happened yet. Fingers crossed....
Dec 31, 2022, 5:02 pm
#1796
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Scottsdale AZ
Posts: 727
I’ve noticed the same, now AMEX insider fares are getting denied for BE credits. I too cashed out my points for three NA upgrades and three admirals club. Hoping the higher priority within my elite status helps on the lie flat HNL PHX wide body routes, I missed a upgrade number one on the waitlist recently…. Just wish I could have more time to cash out the upgrades but my points were expiring at the end of this year anyway.
Jan 1, 2023, 3:17 pm
#1797
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: RBKC
Programs: AA EXP and Eurostar Carte Blanche
Posts: 3,850
Jan 1, 2023, 4:18 pm
#1798
Join Date: May 2015
Location: DCA
Programs: AA EXP, DL FO, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 6,712
I've been a BE member for 12 years and have not gotten the audit email. Someone upthread mentioned they were told this is happening to "all" accounts, though not sure how accurate that is. I have just over $5000 spend over the past 12 months, and have another $3000-$4000 in the next 2 months. I also have 3 unique travelers, so I'm good to go into 2023 for redemptions. But since I only had around 700 points left, I redeemed a BXP1 to hopefully use in the coming year. I've also already redeemed 2 BXP3's for travel in a few months to Europe and those seats are confirmed (2 of us traveling).
In the event they do audit me, and are not satisfied that I meet the requirements, I'm going to assume they could just as easily take back those 2 upgrades (6200 points total) that are already confirmed but the flight hasn't happened yet. Fingers crossed....
In the event they do audit me, and are not satisfied that I meet the requirements, I'm going to assume they could just as easily take back those 2 upgrades (6200 points total) that are already confirmed but the flight hasn't happened yet. Fingers crossed....
I very much could see them doing audits on everyone, especially with the recent rules changes.
Jan 1, 2023, 6:02 pm
#1799
Join Date: Aug 2021
Location: USA
Programs: American Airlines (Executive Platinum), Hyatt (Globalist), Hilton (Diamond), IHG (Diamond)
Posts: 2,917
Jan 1, 2023, 6:35 pm
#1800
Join Date: May 2015
Location: DCA
Programs: AA EXP, DL FO, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 6,712