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Note: older posts have been archived to ARCHIVE: Business Extra Program master thread (consolidated)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)
Aug 29, 2019, 1:26 pm
#976
Join Date: Feb 2019
Posts: 268
Quick question, if there is space and you aren't wait listed and get the ticket, does that mean you're guaranteed a business seat (unless there's an aircraft change or what not) or are you still at the whim of those with higher status?
Also do you get lounge benefits if you get said ticket?
Also do you get lounge benefits if you get said ticket?
Hmmm, I'm not sure about lounge. I would think you'd have lounge access as any regular domestic which I don't think is free/included (I think free lounge access is only on certain international flights?) but last time I used a lounge it was on a DL ticket flying international.
Aug 29, 2019, 1:30 pm
#977
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 129
According to what I read (I asked the same thing maybe last week?), if you're *not* waitlisted, yes, you'll have the seat. (as "guaranteed" as AA does things--LOL). Yes, barring equipment changes, getting FAM'd, etc.
Hmmm, I'm not sure about lounge. I would think you'd have lounge access as any regular domestic which I don't think is free/included (I think free lounge access is only on certain international flights?) but last time I used a lounge it was on a DL ticket flying international.
Hmmm, I'm not sure about lounge. I would think you'd have lounge access as any regular domestic which I don't think is free/included (I think free lounge access is only on certain international flights?) but last time I used a lounge it was on a DL ticket flying international.
https://www.aa.com/i18n/travel-info/...ontinental.jsp
and they said its included, but I somehow doubt its included if I'm an upgrade. Oh well, gotta figure out my plans by tonight then see if said seat is available. Don't need to count the chickens before they hatch...
Aug 29, 2019, 1:43 pm
#978
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: TX
Programs: AA: EXP MR: Ti
Posts: 495
Whether paid for with cash/miles/BE cert, or even if upgraded using SWU/miles+cash/BE cert, a business class ticket is a business class ticket. It comes with all the perks & privileges that any other business class ticket would get (outside of earnings).
Last edited by asf-07; Aug 29, 2019 at 1:49 pm
Aug 29, 2019, 10:06 pm
#979
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 129
In any case, I want to give a shout out to DMPHL and luv2vacay for helping me figure out some other aspects of this. Got a one way upgrade on my way back and I'm fairly excited to see how J class is like on American
I'm just looking at seatguru, any recs on particular seat?
Aug 30, 2019, 8:08 am
#980
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: NYC
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 1,372
Oh nice! I presume in the future just show the boarding pass at the lounge.
In any case, I want to give a shout out to DMPHL and luv2vacay for helping me figure out some other aspects of this. Got a one way upgrade on my way back and I'm fairly excited to see how J class is like on American
I'm just looking at seatguru, any recs on particular seat?
In any case, I want to give a shout out to DMPHL and luv2vacay for helping me figure out some other aspects of this. Got a one way upgrade on my way back and I'm fairly excited to see how J class is like on American
I'm just looking at seatguru, any recs on particular seat?
And yes, you will have Flagship Lounge access departing JFK, and AC access arriving SFO (no FL) if you need it for any reason.
Always happy to help, and have fun!!
Aug 30, 2019, 10:10 pm
#981
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: BOS, LAX
Programs: AA Gold, HH Diamond
Posts: 804
It looks like the BX1B award was devalued for those who want to fly between BOS and LAX. The description "excludes nonstop transcontinental flights between Boston (BOS) and Los Angeles (LAX)." Sure, for a few months AA was flying a three-class aircraft between BOS and LAX. But that was only once a day out of about 4-5 daily non-stop flights. And it's completely gone now. But the restriction on the Business Extra certificate is still there and I can no longer use it for flying in a completely standard domestic "First" class on this route.
Sep 6, 2019, 1:26 pm
#982
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Seattle, WA (US)
Programs: Oneworld (Emerald)
Posts: 127
Waitlisting BXP1 via business.aa.com website
That said, had an interesting data point today. About two weeks ago, I waitlisted a BXP1 using business.aa.com and received a confirmation email that it was successfully waitlisted. Today I thought I would check the status again using the website. Both the "Business Extra upgrade" and "View Itinerary" buttons show my flight segment as "First" (with no mention of a waitlist). Thinking it might be "stuck" trying to clear, I called Meeting Services to verify. The agent had to check with their help desk to be sure.. they concluded that the online waitlist request didn't actually apply and we had to redo it over the phone. A frustrating result given how convenient the new website is, but a good cautionary tale for anyone else thinking about waitlisting online vs. calling.
Sep 12, 2019, 7:21 am
#983
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Midwest USA
Programs: BA SIL, WN A, UA SIL, Marriott TIT (LT), Hilton DIA
Posts: 1,969
Sanity check please:
is it correct that I can use a BXP1 certificate (650 points) for an upgrade from (paid) business class to first class on JFK-LAX, and that "A" class is required for the upgrade?
thanks.
is it correct that I can use a BXP1 certificate (650 points) for an upgrade from (paid) business class to first class on JFK-LAX, and that "A" class is required for the upgrade?
thanks.
Sep 16, 2019, 2:55 pm
#984
Join Date: Jul 2016
Posts: 222
Sep 16, 2019, 3:49 pm
#985
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 4,963
How does one login to https://business.aa.com/? My business extra credentials dont seem to work. Do I sign up for a new business account? Or something else?
Sep 16, 2019, 5:32 pm
#986
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Midwest USA
Programs: BA SIL, WN A, UA SIL, Marriott TIT (LT), Hilton DIA
Posts: 1,969
Sep 16, 2019, 7:04 pm
#987
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 4,963
Sep 16, 2019, 10:57 pm
#988
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2004
Location: DFW/DAL
Programs: AA Lifetime PLT, AS MVPG, HH Diamond, NCL Platinum Plus, MSC Diamond
Posts: 21,422
Go to the "Get Started" tab near the top of the web page at business.aa.com
Sep 16, 2019, 11:09 pm
#989
Join Date: May 2017
Location: LAX
Programs: AA EXP, SPG Amb
Posts: 38
I just applied a BXP1 online for the first time. Did not actually have to sign up for business.aa.com.. there was an option on the landing page below the search fields that said "Business Extra upgrade" which led me to a page where I entered my name and PNR and successfully applied upgrade. No new login needed.
Sep 16, 2019, 11:42 pm
#990
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2004
Location: DFW/DAL
Programs: AA Lifetime PLT, AS MVPG, HH Diamond, NCL Platinum Plus, MSC Diamond
Posts: 21,422
I just applied a BXP1 online for the first time. Did not actually have to sign up for business.aa.com.. there was an option on the landing page below the search fields that said "Business Extra upgrade" which led me to a page where I entered my name and PNR and successfully applied upgrade. No new login needed.