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Note: older posts have been archived to ARCHIVE: Business Extra Program master thread (consolidated)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)
Jun 4, 2017, 10:15 am
#136
Used to be 'g_leyser'
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Brandon Johnson International Airport (expect delays)
Programs: AA PlatPro, HH Gold, Bonvoy Gold, IHG Plat, Reno Air MEGA Platinum
Posts: 10,037
I have my first flight tomorrow morning with a BXP1 applied, but can't check in online.
is that standard procedure that these upgrades require airport check-in?
is that standard procedure that these upgrades require airport check-in?
Jun 4, 2017, 10:28 am
#137
Join Date: Oct 2006
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 1,635
Jun 4, 2017, 3:48 pm
#138
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: OGG
Programs: AA Plat, A List Pref, Marriott Ambassador
Posts: 356
I used a BXP1 on roundtrip flights PHX-HNL-KOA (just the phx-hnl segments) next winter when AA is flying the A333... Just got to thinking...the first leg of the return is on Hawaiian (koa-hnl)... How do I handle the cert?
Jun 9, 2017, 7:10 pm
#139
Join Date: Jun 2017
Posts: 114
Flying one-way MIA to LAX. Just tried to waitlist with my BXP1 Cert but also keep myself on the regular upgrade list using 500-mile certificates. The rep says that it isn't possible and I have to choose one or the other. Anyone else had this issue?
Jun 9, 2017, 7:33 pm
#140
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Live: IWI; Work: DCA/Everywhere; Play: LAS/SJU/MLE
Programs: AA EXP, DL PM, Hyatt Glob, Marriott Ambassador/LTP, Nat'l Exec Elite, LEYE Gold
Posts: 6,670
Originally Posted by davidsc111
I used a BXP1 on roundtrip flights PHX-HNL-KOA (just the phx-hnl segments) next winter when AA is flying the A333... Just got to thinking...the first leg of the return is on Hawaiian (koa-hnl)... How do I handle the cert?
Originally Posted by rp88
Flying one-way MIA to LAX. Just tried to waitlist with my BXP1 Cert but also keep myself on the regular upgrade list using 500-mile certificates. The rep says that it isn't possible and I have to choose one or the other. Anyone else had this issue?
I think that's how it's supposed to be, according to the other threads here about upgrading.
No reason to be on the 500-mile list until your upgrade window, so why not leave the BXP1 on waitlist until then, then switch to 500-mile upgrade list at the window... and have an EF alert set so that you can manually clear the cert when C pops up (which unfortunately may be when AA Meeting Services is closed in the middle of the night).
Jun 10, 2017, 3:24 pm
#141
Join Date: Jun 2017
Posts: 114
Welcome to FT!
I think that's how it's supposed to be, according to the other threads here about upgrading.
No reason to be on the 500-mile list until your upgrade window, so why not leave the BXP1 on waitlist until then, then switch to 500-mile upgrade list at the window... and have an EF alert set so that you can manually clear the cert when C pops up (which unfortunately may be when AA Meeting Services is closed in the middle of the night).
I think that's how it's supposed to be, according to the other threads here about upgrading.
No reason to be on the 500-mile list until your upgrade window, so why not leave the BXP1 on waitlist until then, then switch to 500-mile upgrade list at the window... and have an EF alert set so that you can manually clear the cert when C pops up (which unfortunately may be when AA Meeting Services is closed in the middle of the night).
Jun 16, 2017, 3:03 am
#142
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: London
Programs: AA EXP, SPG Plt
Posts: 2,607
How exactly does waitlist clearing work on these?
Issue: using a BXP3 on Europe->USA. A few days out 'C' inventory opened up. Out of hours for meeting services so called EXP desk. She said there's nothing she can do to pull that inventory and it has to be done by meeting services. By the time meeting services opened, it was gone. Surely the EXP desk should be able to process to at least hold the seat? EXP desk said they can't see any sign of waitlist at all on my locator.
What do you all do in this situation?
Issue: using a BXP3 on Europe->USA. A few days out 'C' inventory opened up. Out of hours for meeting services so called EXP desk. She said there's nothing she can do to pull that inventory and it has to be done by meeting services. By the time meeting services opened, it was gone. Surely the EXP desk should be able to process to at least hold the seat? EXP desk said they can't see any sign of waitlist at all on my locator.
What do you all do in this situation?
Jun 16, 2017, 12:25 pm
#143
Join Date: May 2007
Programs: UA 1K, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 5,453
How exactly does waitlist clearing work on these?
Issue: using a BXP3 on Europe->USA. A few days out 'C' inventory opened up. Out of hours for meeting services so called EXP desk. She said there's nothing she can do to pull that inventory and it has to be done by meeting services. By the time meeting services opened, it was gone. Surely the EXP desk should be able to process to at least hold the seat? EXP desk said they can't see any sign of waitlist at all on my locator.
What do you all do in this situation?
Issue: using a BXP3 on Europe->USA. A few days out 'C' inventory opened up. Out of hours for meeting services so called EXP desk. She said there's nothing she can do to pull that inventory and it has to be done by meeting services. By the time meeting services opened, it was gone. Surely the EXP desk should be able to process to at least hold the seat? EXP desk said they can't see any sign of waitlist at all on my locator.
What do you all do in this situation?
Jun 16, 2017, 12:30 pm
#144
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: SAO & NYC
Programs: AA EXP (2 MM)
Posts: 303
Wait for meeting services to open and pray that C is still available by the time they do, I'm afraid. EXP and other main AA Reservations desks can't touch BXP1 or BXP3 certificates, and neither can they hold C inventory for you without an instrument to support the upgrade.
Jun 17, 2017, 12:30 am
#145
Join Date: May 2007
Programs: UA 1K, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 5,453
In my experience that is simply not true. Unless this has changed very recently, last year I was able to have the EXP desk upgrade my bookings and then later call the BE line to apply the certificates and ticket it. And they did it as a standard procedure, not a favor or anything like that. Twice.
Jun 25, 2017, 10:32 am
#146
Join Date: Mar 2010
Programs: AA EXP, AA LT Gold, SPG Plat 75
Posts: 890
Flights for May 2017 have posted now, and I have to say it is incredibly frustrating that not a single one of my, or any the three other people who flew that month under my Business Extra number, flight's posted so I have to manually submit for credit for each of them.
Very tedious. I booked online so I know the number was attached to the reservation.
Very tedious. I booked online so I know the number was attached to the reservation.
Jun 25, 2017, 10:44 am
#147
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: PHX
Programs: AA Ex Platinum & 1MM, DL PLT, Marriott Gold, HH Diamond
Posts: 2,490
Flights for May 2017 have posted now, and I have to say it is incredibly frustrating that not a single one of my, or any the three other people who flew that month under my Business Extra number, flight's posted so I have to manually submit for credit for each of them.
Very tedious. I booked online so I know the number was attached to the reservation.
Very tedious. I booked online so I know the number was attached to the reservation.
Jun 25, 2017, 10:56 am
#149
Join Date: Oct 2006
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 1,635
I have a couple of questions; hoping someone here can help:
1. If a booking is on a third party site such as the Visa discount site, and the ticket needs to be upfared to a fare class where BXP1 works, are AA reservation agents able to do this, and, if so, are there additional charges due to the fact the ticket was not booked on aa.com?
2. I see a note on the business extra site that starting on June 26, that the hours are Monday through Friday. So am I interpreting it correctly that Business Extra calls can no longer be on the weekend?
1. If a booking is on a third party site such as the Visa discount site, and the ticket needs to be upfared to a fare class where BXP1 works, are AA reservation agents able to do this, and, if so, are there additional charges due to the fact the ticket was not booked on aa.com?
2. I see a note on the business extra site that starting on June 26, that the hours are Monday through Friday. So am I interpreting it correctly that Business Extra calls can no longer be on the weekend?