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Note: older posts have been archived to ARCHIVE: Business Extra Program master thread (consolidated)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)
May 1, 2018, 12:03 pm
#541
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: TX
Programs: AA: EXP MR: Ti
Posts: 495
My corporate travel agent is CTM. I had assumed that they were getting Business Extra credits (for my company) - when I tried to get retroactive credit, I was denied.
Now I found out that none of the reservations they made have a Business Extra number in there. If I put my wife's number in there, will she get credit or is there some other way American tracks Business Extra stuff when booked by a cororate travel agent.
Now I found out that none of the reservations they made have a Business Extra number in there. If I put my wife's number in there, will she get credit or is there some other way American tracks Business Extra stuff when booked by a cororate travel agent.
May 1, 2018, 1:55 pm
#542
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
My corporate travel agent is CTM. I had assumed that they were getting Business Extra credits (for my company) - when I tried to get retroactive credit, I was denied.
Now I found out that none of the reservations they made have a Business Extra number in there. If I put my wife's number in there, will she get credit or is there some other way American tracks Business Extra stuff when booked by a cororate travel agent.
Now I found out that none of the reservations they made have a Business Extra number in there. If I put my wife's number in there, will she get credit or is there some other way American tracks Business Extra stuff when booked by a cororate travel agent.
May 1, 2018, 4:50 pm
#543
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Vail, CO
Programs: AA EXP/1mm, Marriott Titanium/LT Gold, UA Silver
Posts: 626
Quick best practice question - when you have been waitlisted for an upgrade (I am using a BXP3) have you generated the award cert in advance or waited until there is confirmed space to pull the trigger? I know the certificates do expire so I do not want to risk being stuck with one in the event this doesnt clear - any thoughts?
May 17, 2018, 9:46 pm
#544
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
Quick best practice question - when you have been waitlisted for an upgrade (I am using a BXP3) have you generated the award cert in advance or waited until there is confirmed space to pull the trigger? I know the certificates do expire so I do not want to risk being stuck with one in the event this doesnt clear - any thoughts?
Personally, if I am not going to get upgraded, I'd rather pay the lowest fare possible. So, there are 2 risks - 1. Getting an award and not clearing the upgrade list. 2. Paying a higher fare to qualify to use the award and not clearing the upgrade list
May 18, 2018, 12:07 pm
#545
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Vail, CO
Programs: AA EXP/1mm, Marriott Titanium/LT Gold, UA Silver
Posts: 626
Ideally you find the space before you buy the ticket. It is a risk to get the award if the flight has no available upgrades.
Personally, if I am not going to get upgraded, I'd rather pay the lowest fare possible. So, there are 2 risks - 1. Getting an award and not clearing the upgrade list. 2. Paying a higher fare to qualify to use the award and not clearing the upgrade list
Personally, if I am not going to get upgraded, I'd rather pay the lowest fare possible. So, there are 2 risks - 1. Getting an award and not clearing the upgrade list. 2. Paying a higher fare to qualify to use the award and not clearing the upgrade list
May 19, 2018, 2:27 am
#547
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: DSM
Programs: AA Platinum, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Platinum, Fairmont Platinum, United Silver, National Exec
Posts: 1,035
Hiring a UK contractor—paying for his BA tickets
Hi, can I add BE number to BA flights purchased on BA.com? If so, how? It doesn’t appear obvious, if even possible.
Thanks!
Thanks!
May 19, 2018, 7:27 am
#548
Join Date: Apr 2008
Programs: AA EXPLT, Marriott Titanium (LT PLT), HHonors Gold, AMEX PLT, UA Silver, National EXC
Posts: 1,059
If I can see open "A" space for 3 cabin first on LAX-JFK - can I call and upgrade my "I" paid business class fare to F using a BXP1?
As of no no space open on the redeye - but open for the flight back at 8pm. Of course the other question is - is it worth it?
As of no no space open on the redeye - but open for the flight back at 8pm. Of course the other question is - is it worth it?
May 19, 2018, 4:56 pm
#549
Join Date: May 2017
Location: San Francisco
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 369
Yes, you can. Is it worth it? Only you can really answer that. The only difference between J and F, apart from FFD at LAX, is more privacy.
May 20, 2018, 9:17 pm
#550
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: WAS
Posts: 1,626
Has anyone used a paper BXP1 since the change over to the electronic certificates? If so, what was the process like? Same as the old way?
In particular, I'm wondering what happens if I apply a paper BXP1 certificate and give a BE agent the serial number over the phone and then end up cancelling the flight. Do I need to get the paper BXP1 serial number "reinstated" or somehow re-validated so it remains good or is AA still not keeping track of paper certificates by serial number?
In particular, I'm wondering what happens if I apply a paper BXP1 certificate and give a BE agent the serial number over the phone and then end up cancelling the flight. Do I need to get the paper BXP1 serial number "reinstated" or somehow re-validated so it remains good or is AA still not keeping track of paper certificates by serial number?
May 20, 2018, 10:19 pm
#551
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
May 20, 2018, 10:23 pm
#552
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 did it last summer.
May 21, 2018, 5:25 am
#553
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: USA & UK -- AA EXP 3.5MM, Hyatt Diamond, SPG Plat, Avis President's Club
Posts: 6,411
The business extrAA number is entered into the same data field where you'd enter BA's "OnBusiness" number. Go to BA's Manage My Booking and look for the magic word "OnBusiness".
May 21, 2018, 7:14 am
#554
Join Date: May 2011
Location: DFW
Programs: AA EXP, LT Gold
Posts: 3,148
Has anyone used a paper BXP1 since the change over to the electronic certificates? If so, what was the process like? Same as the old way?
In particular, I'm wondering what happens if I apply a paper BXP1 certificate and give a BE agent the serial number over the phone and then end up cancelling the flight. Do I need to get the paper BXP1 serial number "reinstated" or somehow re-validated so it remains good or is AA still not keeping track of paper certificates by serial number?
In particular, I'm wondering what happens if I apply a paper BXP1 certificate and give a BE agent the serial number over the phone and then end up cancelling the flight. Do I need to get the paper BXP1 serial number "reinstated" or somehow re-validated so it remains good or is AA still not keeping track of paper certificates by serial number?
May 21, 2018, 10:35 am
#555
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: NYC
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 1,372
I think s/he's talking about still-valid paper certs that someone might have. In the paper cert case, I imagine you use them like you would always use them. If you cancel the ticket, the paper cert would still be valid until it expires. I don't know that they would re-issue it as a electronic certificate, but either way, you would still have a valid BXP1.