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Note: older posts have been archived to ARCHIVE: Business Extra Program master thread (consolidated)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)
Nov 2, 2023 | 9:44 pm
#1981
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: LAX / PHL
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 1,037
Was credited for these flights pretty quickly - no issue getting credit for the Amex travel flights.
Nov 5, 2023 | 7:01 pm
#1982
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2002
Location: NC
Programs: AAConciergeKey/2MM, DL DM/2MM, UA Gold,Hilton Diamond,IHG Diamond, Hyatt Globalist,Marriott Titanium
Posts: 13,251
Is there something we are supposed to be doing to switch over to the new program? or does it happen automatically? They have not made the process very clear.
Nov 6, 2023 | 4:57 am
#1983
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: RDU <|> MMX
Programs: AA EXP 2MM, SK EBS
Posts: 15,222
Similarly there is no automatic conversion of existing BE points, you must use all your BE points by 12/15 (or just convert all your points to AA miles by 1/31). If you don't do anything then any remaining BE points you have will be gone forever after 1/31.
Nov 6, 2023 | 10:26 am
#1984
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2002
Location: NC
Programs: AAConciergeKey/2MM, DL DM/2MM, UA Gold,Hilton Diamond,IHG Diamond, Hyatt Globalist,Marriott Titanium
Posts: 13,251
You have to just go sign up for the new program yourself. There is no automatic switchover or anything like that.
Similarly there is no automatic conversion of existing BE points, you must use all your BE points by 12/15 (or just convert all your points to AA miles by 1/31). If you don't do anything then any remaining BE points you have will be gone forever after 1/31.
Similarly there is no automatic conversion of existing BE points, you must use all your BE points by 12/15 (or just convert all your points to AA miles by 1/31). If you don't do anything then any remaining BE points you have will be gone forever after 1/31.
Nov 6, 2023 | 10:34 am
#1985
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: USA
Programs: AA-EXP; UA-Silver; Bonvoy-Titanium
Posts: 506
BA Award and complimentary upgrades
Are Business ExtrAA Award bookings in domestic economy eligible for complimentary upgrades for EXPs (or I guess anyone nowadays) the same way that AAdvantage bookings are? Any experience here is welcome. I'm trying to burn my points. Thanks!
Nov 6, 2023 | 11:18 am
#1986
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: RDU <|> MMX
Programs: AA EXP 2MM, SK EBS
Posts: 15,222
Nov 11, 2023 | 10:31 am
#1988
Join Date: Oct 2023
Posts: 10
We don't have anything official other than what AA has posted on the FAQ's.
And I totally agree re: AA agents making things up with no basis in fact or reality.
However what she said does make sense and honestly is exactly how I was guessing it would go regarding existing BE upgrade certs after BE ends. Nothing more than a hunch, so take it for what it's worth.
Based on how the agents process a BE upgrade it's not like there are going to be any IT changes that would prevent them from working past 12/15. And it's not as if they need to pull any instrument like a SWU or miles. The "instrument" has already been pulled months ago, they just attach the BE cert # to your PNR and move you up a cabin or two.
That said, now the one thing that could happen is that AA just directs the Meeting Services group to do a full stop on processing any kind of BE award or upgrade after 12/15.
And I totally agree re: AA agents making things up with no basis in fact or reality.
However what she said does make sense and honestly is exactly how I was guessing it would go regarding existing BE upgrade certs after BE ends. Nothing more than a hunch, so take it for what it's worth.
Based on how the agents process a BE upgrade it's not like there are going to be any IT changes that would prevent them from working past 12/15. And it's not as if they need to pull any instrument like a SWU or miles. The "instrument" has already been pulled months ago, they just attach the BE cert # to your PNR and move you up a cabin or two.
That said, now the one thing that could happen is that AA just directs the Meeting Services group to do a full stop on processing any kind of BE award or upgrade after 12/15.
Their reply came in just now:
"Hello,
Thank you for your email!
Award certificates can be used through December 15, 2023. Unused flight and upgrade certificates will be automatically converted back to Business Extra points on December 16, 2023, and those points may be converted to AAdvantage miles or donated to charity through January 31, 2024.
Expired awards will not be converted to points.
Kind regards,
Billy, Customer Service Rep, Business Extra"
As a result of this email, I used up my two BXP1s just now on some Christmas time flights my partner and I have coming up (two "C" seats left). Not the ideal redemption at all, but the business seats were prohibitively priced on those legs due to the time of year, so I guess that's that.
Nov 14, 2023 | 2:39 pm
#1990
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: PHL - NYC - PSA/BLQ/MIL
Programs: AA EXP, Marriott/Hilton Gold, AMX-Plat, Global Entry
Posts: 3,270
Well, it was good while it lasted but just converted my balance of BE points to AA miles. My BE account now has 10 points left in it. Looking at the value level for the new program it really doesn't offer a lot. As I'm semi-retired (basically just board work) so my LLC doesn't generate enough to bother. Least got a couple of BXP3 redeemed this summer before they announced the shutdown - glad I didn't have those points hanging around now...
Nov 16, 2023 | 6:33 am
#1991
Join Date: Oct 2023
Posts: 10
From the October 16, 2023 initial announcement email:
From last night's November 15, 2023 email:
Just woke up and still drinking coffee - so correct me if I'm wrong in saying these 2 statements are mutually exclusive. If so, I guess this is a rule change?
"You will continue to earn Business Extra points with eligible flights and flight credit requests through December 15, 2023. Please note, upon joining the AAdvantage Business™ program, Business Extra earn will stop."
Joining the AAdvantage Business™ program will not impact your Business Extra earn. You can continue to travel with Business Extra through December 15, 2023, or you can choose to travel and earn with AAdvantage Business™ on new bookings.
Last edited by jojobaggies; Nov 16, 2023 at 7:55 pm
Nov 17, 2023 | 5:38 am
#1992
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: CLT
Programs: AA EXP, 2 Million Miler
Posts: 867
That's way I read it too. I have been waiting to open the new Business account do to some planned activity in the BE account, but maybe I don't have to now?
Nov 18, 2023 | 11:40 am
#1993
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: LAX
Programs: nothing special anymore lol
Posts: 1,364
I was on the 9PM from JFK-LAX in J and did the BXP1 online to get on the waitlist but I did a same day confirmed for the 8PM flight and now when I log into online portal to reapply the BXP1 it just says this even though im still in J,
"Your reservation is already in highest operating cabin services"
im just waiting for business meeting services to call me back in 30 minutes to see if this can be saved or not.
*Update*
Have to call in apparently when changing the flight. He insisted at first it was a free upgrade even though it was a paid upgrade lol
"Your reservation is already in highest operating cabin services"
im just waiting for business meeting services to call me back in 30 minutes to see if this can be saved or not.
*Update*
Have to call in apparently when changing the flight. He insisted at first it was a free upgrade even though it was a paid upgrade lol
Last edited by Amil; Nov 18, 2023 at 11:59 am
Nov 18, 2023 | 9:28 pm
#1994
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: JFK/LGA
Programs: AA LT EXP/5 MM, BA Blue Bayou, HH LT Diamond
Posts: 6,452
I had a long booked ticket for travel last week, and had opened a Advantage Business account in the period between the booking and travel. For better or worse the credit posted to my BE account, vs AB.
Sweeping out the last bits of BE to AA miles next week
.
Sweeping out the last bits of BE to AA miles next week
.
Nov 20, 2023 | 1:55 pm
#1995
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Bellevue, WA - AA EXP 3MM
Posts: 2,795
Has anyone redeemed BX points for travel on JL? I thought these booked into high booking classes -- I thought I remembered D for business class. But when I called in today, I was told I needed U inventory -- which of course is quite hard to get, almost as hard as AA Saver inventory.