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Note: older posts have been archived to ARCHIVE: Business Extra Program master thread (consolidated)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)
Mar 26, 2017, 12:33 pm
#76
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: RDU <|> MMX
Programs: AA EXP 2MM, SK EBS
Posts: 12,481
I have a question about seat selection. . . The FAQ says:
Q: Can I purchase Preferred Seats when traveling on a Business Extra flight award?
A: Preferred Seats are not available for purchase to passengers traveling on Business Extra PlanAhead tickets.
So, not even EXP or CK members can select a preferred (or MCE) seat on a PlanAhead award?
Seems hard to believe - and I didn't find any reference to "preferred seats" in this thread, so perhaps I'm just reading it incorrectly.
Q: Can I purchase Preferred Seats when traveling on a Business Extra flight award?
A: Preferred Seats are not available for purchase to passengers traveling on Business Extra PlanAhead tickets.
So, not even EXP or CK members can select a preferred (or MCE) seat on a PlanAhead award?
Seems hard to believe - and I didn't find any reference to "preferred seats" in this thread, so perhaps I'm just reading it incorrectly.
CK/EXP/PLT can of course select preferred or MCE seats on a Business Extra award just like any other ticket. These seats are offered complimentary, they don't have to "purchase" them.
But for any no-status passenger that has to pay for preferred seats, the option to do so is not available on Business Extra awards, just like it is not available on normal AAdvantage awards.
Mar 28, 2017, 10:32 am
#79
Join Date: Aug 2012
Programs: AA -PLT
Posts: 13
I signed up as a new member and waited until 3/15 to request credits for flights for end of Feb. Received credits for those flights on 3/18. Received the bonus on 3/22.
Mar 28, 2017, 7:45 pm
#80
Join Date: Jan 2013
Programs: Hyatt Glb, MR Plat
Posts: 2,577
I guess the only difference in mine was I had to add my new BE number via phone agent since the flight was already booked. Still nada..
Mar 29, 2017, 10:49 am
#81
Join Date: May 2014
Location: DFW
Posts: 96
New BE member here. Is there any way of seeing if a BE number has been successfully added to an existing reservation? I emailed the dedicated BE customer service desk and requested to add my BE number to 3 existing reservations. I provided 3 PRNs. I received a response within a day saying that it has been done. Of the 3 PRNs one was booked via corp travel and I wasn't sure if my company is using their own BE number.
So, my question would be has anybody received a negative response when requesting to add BE number stating that a BE number already exists for the reservation? Also, if PRN has 2 passengers, will BE number added to both? I didn't provide names of travelers, however, both travelers have the BE number in their AA profile.
So, my question would be has anybody received a negative response when requesting to add BE number stating that a BE number already exists for the reservation? Also, if PRN has 2 passengers, will BE number added to both? I didn't provide names of travelers, however, both travelers have the BE number in their AA profile.
Apr 3, 2017, 12:43 pm
#83
Join Date: Jan 2016
Programs: AA, Hyatt, Marriott, Hilton
Posts: 501
Starting a new business - wanted to add some people as Employees to start getting benefits before i'm able to pay people (or myself)...are there any issues with adding them even though they won't have a W-2?
We'll be traveling together as well, or at least to the same destinations.
We'll be traveling together as well, or at least to the same destinations.
Apr 3, 2017, 1:35 pm
#84
Join Date: May 2011
Location: DFW
Programs: AA EXP, LT Gold
Posts: 3,148
Starting a new business - wanted to add some people as Employees to start getting benefits before i'm able to pay people (or myself)...are there any issues with adding them even though they won't have a W-2?
We'll be traveling together as well, or at least to the same destinations.
We'll be traveling together as well, or at least to the same destinations.
I have outside consultants that fly for my biz, and I get the BE points for it as I pay for them. ^
Apr 4, 2017, 10:28 am
#85
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: LHR
Programs: AA
Posts: 773
I had to apply for flight credit on my promotion-qualifying flights later because somehow my number got dropped from my reservation, and now a CS rep says I'm not eligible for the promotion because the number had to be on the reservation before I flew, even though I was given regular credit for the flights. Very frustrating.
Apr 4, 2017, 10:43 am
#86
Used to be Premier Monkey
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Austin, TX
Programs: AA EXP; Priority Club PLT; HHonors Gold
Posts: 475
New BE member here. Is there any way of seeing if a BE number has been successfully added to an existing reservation? I emailed the dedicated BE customer service desk and requested to add my BE number to 3 existing reservations. I provided 3 PRNs. I received a response within a day saying that it has been done. Of the 3 PRNs one was booked via corp travel and I wasn't sure if my company is using their own BE number.
So, my question would be has anybody received a negative response when requesting to add BE number stating that a BE number already exists for the reservation? Also, if PRN has 2 passengers, will BE number added to both? I didn't provide names of travelers, however, both travelers have the BE number in their AA profile.
So, my question would be has anybody received a negative response when requesting to add BE number stating that a BE number already exists for the reservation? Also, if PRN has 2 passengers, will BE number added to both? I didn't provide names of travelers, however, both travelers have the BE number in their AA profile.
I've been told sometimes that tickets booked via Ultimate Rewards (or Citi Thank You Points) are ineligible because they were 'Bulk Tickets'. Sometimes they'll add the BizExtrAA number and they'll credit fine. Sometimes they'll add the BizExtrAA number and they won't credit. Sometimes they say that it's a bulk fare and therefore not eligible for BizExtrAA.
Apr 4, 2017, 11:42 am
#87
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: Palm Beach/ New England
Programs: AA EXP 3MM, DL GM, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 4,382
Please note that this only shows on the ticket stock receipts (like from a ticketing agent or Admirals Club desk). The receipts that the kiosks print do not show the Tour Code field.
Apr 5, 2017, 3:21 pm
#88
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: NYC
Programs: AS MVP Gold, BA Silver, AA Gold, Marriott Titanium, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 1,619
BizExtra Newbie question:
Background: My AA BE account was originally a BAEC OnBusiness account that was part of the overall shift to BusinessExtra a few years ago (because of my U.S. mailing address). My airline status is with BAEC (gold/Emerald), not AAdvantage (lowly AA gold/Ruby).
I understand that date changes to Business Extra PlanAhead roundtrip awards incur a $150 fee per change, but that that change fee is waived for AA ExP travelers.
Question: Can the date change $150 fee ever be waived for BAEC gold (the equivalent to AA ExP) travelers? If so, is there a certain correct way to request it? Is there any liaison between Business Extra and On Business that can be usefully involved in such circumstances?
TIA!
Background: My AA BE account was originally a BAEC OnBusiness account that was part of the overall shift to BusinessExtra a few years ago (because of my U.S. mailing address). My airline status is with BAEC (gold/Emerald), not AAdvantage (lowly AA gold/Ruby).
I understand that date changes to Business Extra PlanAhead roundtrip awards incur a $150 fee per change, but that that change fee is waived for AA ExP travelers.
Question: Can the date change $150 fee ever be waived for BAEC gold (the equivalent to AA ExP) travelers? If so, is there a certain correct way to request it? Is there any liaison between Business Extra and On Business that can be usefully involved in such circumstances?
TIA!
Last edited by jbalmuth; Apr 5, 2017 at 7:43 pm