I suspect this has something to do with giving them a paper document in the past, and it never got corrected.

Duplicate

With the cutback on the LAX-JFK schedule, my planned use of the BXP1s due to expire in October vanished as there seems to be no more A availability on the route, at least for end of July and October. Wasn't sure I was going to pull the trigger since without FFD, and travelling as a couple, the difference between F and J is not big (if traveling solo, the bigger seat is a plus, but if not, you aren't with your companion).

My account is no longer active, since it was a sole proprietorship, and they weeded me out last fall. They let me apply the existing points before they closed the account, but now I'm worried I can't use them before they expire.

Anyone have experience getting a BXP1 extended or reissued without having an active Business Extra account?

Thanks in advance.

You should be fine. I'd use the points for the BXP1. I just cleared a BXP1 from J to F, so have been monitoring A availability. It seems that AA hasn't been opening up A upgrade space until the day before. So I would not expect that they won't eventually have space to use the BXP1.

I feel like I got lucky. Not only was I able to check in on the app with no problems after a BXP1 upgrade from J to F, but I had waitlisted the BXP1, and was automatically cleared into F when space opened up this morning. Seamlessness when using a BXP1 feels bizarre.

what happened?; I'm surprised they cared.
did you never have a even just a 2nd traveler (like a SO or spouse) use your BE account number when purchasing a ticket?

That's interesting. "Sole proprietorship" deals with ownership, not the number of employees.
Have they strictly forbidden sole proprietorships or was it due to only having one traveler?

forbidden sole proprietors is what I was told, and the showed me some wording to that effect.

they sent me an email saying show x, y or z to show you are a real business (tax return wasn�t sufficient).

I was on my wife�s account before I opened mine, but probably the last year or two, almost all travel on the account was by the owner. But might have been 90%, not 100 %.

Can a BXP1 be extended without being redeposited and reissued?

there is definitely more of a formal set of criteria to qualify now than there was when the program was young. From their FAQ's, it doesn't ban sole proprietors, but they do want at least 2 people traveling to qualify.
(Who is Eligible: Companies with 2 or more travelers that do not have a corporate sales agreement, discount, or other agreement with American Airlines, American Eagle�, British Airways or Iberia. Travel agencies, wholesalers, consolidators, and other sellers or re-sellers of travel may not have their own Business Extra account but may book travel for members."

As far as documents to verify you're a business, it's easy. Any one of these work as proof they say.

• 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
• Utility bill issued to the business within the last 90 days (e.g. electricity, water, phone, natural gas)

I mean, if you can't produce any of these, you're not a business and you really aren't supposed to be in it, but it was looser in the past and many individuals did sign up (lots of bloggers encouraged) to milk some extra bennies they weren't designed to receive. Nice that they allowed you to cash out rather than just shutting you down and DQ'ing.

I stand corrected, it�s not having employees that are the issue. I would have had to show w-2s.

By the way, plenty of small sole proprietors would have a real business without needing any of the above. (Assuming you don�t count SS# as real Fed EIN). I didn�t have those but did have a consistently filed Schedule C on our tax return.

Interesting. I'm an LLC, which doesn't seem to be an issue

But, getting an FEIN is easy..

But I didn't think W2 employees would be.

Doesn't that mean several headaches like FICA withholding, unemployement insurance, etc.