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American Airlines Business Extra program changes aim to weed out small business accounts + adds Aadvantage conversion option

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I’ve been a big proponent of American Airlines Business Extra program whereby AA loyalists can earn Business Extra points alongside Aadvantage miles. It’s a super easy double dip for small businesses. Today, I received an email explaining some amendments being done to the program that will certainly hurt businesses that have fewer than 3 employees.

New Requirements starting 1/1/23 – no point redemptions for businesses with fewer than 3 unique fliers and $5k qualifying spend

*This also goes into effect if you enroll in the program after 10/4/21.

Clearly AA has run a cost/benefit analysis and realized that businesses that don’t spend much and have fewer than 3 employees are bigger takers than givers. I understand it, but at the same time, this has to hurt for a lot fo consultant based businesses that rack up a ton of miles and spend, but would only have one employee under their business extra account. I don’t see any terms that stipulate the extra two people have to rack up any activity, so perhaps you could add non-flying employees to the account, but this is certainly a hit.a black and white text on a black background

Business Extra has been an outstanding way to upgrade domestic flights, especially on those transcontinental flights offering lie flat seats, for just 650 Business Extra points. I’ve done this many a time but, without adding unique fliers to my account, will sadly be ineligible going forward.

a seat on an airplane
AA A321T Business Class

Convert Business Extra into AA miles = 1.2 miles per dollar spend on AA

As a quick refresher you need to spend $5 to earn 1 business extra point. Now you can redeem one business extra point for 6 AA miles

$5k = 1000 Business Extra Miles = 6000 AA miles a screenshot of a websiteBusiness Extra points can now get you higher status

As you can see in the table below…you can offload Business Extra points for AA status

  • Gold = 3200
  • Platinum = 6600

a screenshot of a computerOverall

This will be the death of business extra for a lot of small businesses.

Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any of these entities.

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2 Comments

  • Kyle Roberts October 7, 2021

    Can’t you just add your Spouse or kids to the account?? Or if single your parents or friends or roommates, you can easily “hire” them as freelance to meet the requirements. Also aren’t you grandfathered in , it say new accounts.
    seems easy

  • Kyle Roberts October 7, 2021

    Can’t you just add your Spouse or kids to the account?? Or if single your parents or friends or roommates, you can easily “hire” them as freelance to meet the requirements. Also aren’t you grandfathered in , it say new accounts.

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