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In December 2023, American Airlines discontinued its Business Extra program in favor of a revamped business rewards program dubbed AAdvantage® Business. The program can provide decent value to business travelers. It offers rewards for both businesses and their employees when booking revenue flights. Recently, American Airlines has made some more improvements to benefit business customers.
This guide will cover everything you need to know about the AAdvantage Business program.
Page Contents
What Is the AAdvantage Business Program?
The AAdvantage Business program offers businesses rewards in the form of redeemable miles — while travelers will earn AAdvantage miles as normal plus extra Loyalty Points. Loyalty Points are American Airlines' sole status metric, and this new business program is a creative way to help business travelers earn status faster.
Who can join AAdvantage Business?
AAdvantage Business is designed for businesses of all sizes, but not every company can apply. The new program has outlined the following criteria for participation:
- Have at least five employees.
- Be based in the United States or Canada.
- Have a valid federal tax ID (U.S.) or a business number (Canada). This is a required entry during registration.
- Have at least five (5) active, registered business travelers.
- All business travelers and travel managers must have an AAdvantage account to participate.
Businesses that apply for the Citi® / AAdvantage Business™ World Elite Mastercard® will receive a membership as one of the card's perks.
- Free checked bags for you and up to 4 companions on domestic itineraries
- Priority boarding to help you win the race for overhead bin space
- A 25% discount on inflight food, beverage, and Wi-Fi purchases
- Earn 2X miles for every $1 spent on cable and satellite providers
- Earn 2X miles for every $1 spent at gas stations
- Earn 2X miles for every $1 spent on select telecommunications merchants
- Earn 2X miles for every $1 spent on car rentals
- Earn 2X miles for every $1 spent on eligible American Airlines purchases
- Earn 1X mile for every $1 spent on all other purchases
Related: Which Citi American Airlines AAdvantage Credit Card is Right for You?
How to earn miles and Loyalty Points through AAdvantage Business
With AAdvantage Business, travelers and their businesses can earn redeemable miles alongside Loyalty Points based on the amount spent on eligible flights on top of what the business and employee would normally earn through the AAdvantage program.
Here's what businesses and travelers can expect to earn with the program:
The earning structure can be lucrative for businesses, but even more so for business travelers. The ability to earn extra Loyalty Points will quickly increase the rate at which travelers earn American Airlines elite status. Notice in the graphic that travel booked through the business program would earn the traveler 5 miles and at least 6 Loyalty points per dollar spent, while the business would also earn at least 1 mile per dollar.
Earn more American miles with the Citi® / AAdvantage Business™ World Elite Mastercard®
One of the most significant focal points of the new AAdvantage Business program is the increased emphasis on the Citi® / AAdvantage Business™ World Elite Mastercard®. Businesses are encouraged to hold the card to take full advantage of the program and maximize the potential earnings for both the company and the traveler taking the business trips.
Businesses that hold the Citi AAdvantage Business Card will earn an extra 2X AAdvantage miles per $1 spent on eligible American Airlines purchases, while travelers will earn an extra Loyalty Point.
AA Business travelers who are flying with elite status and with a company that has the Citi AAdvantage Business Card can really rake in the miles and Loyalty Points. Here's what that could look like for a flight totaling $1,000:
What are the minimums for participating in the AAdvantage Business program?
American Airlines has established a couple of thresholds that companies must meet to access the miles earned, including these qualifications:
- $5,000 in eligible program flown revenue, and
- Five (5) registered, active business travelers
The airline has also noted in the program's terms that qualification will be re-evaluated on a rolling 12-month basis, and mileage balances will be updated monthly.
However, if you hold the Citi AAdvantage Business Card, the thresholds are waived. Your business will receive immediate access to each mile accrued.
Related: Do American Airlines AAdvantage Miles Expire?
How to Book Flights Through AAdvantage Business
A previous decision by the airline limited earnings to bookings made directly with AA, cutting off earning potential for flights booked with agencies. The company has recently backpedaled and reversed that extremely unpopular decision (for both consumer and corporate programs).
Business members will now earn Loyalty Points and AAdvantage miles for bookings made through third-party travel agencies as well. To do so, you will need to provide your business account number, listed under settings in your business account profile on the AA website.
After you have registered your business, you can book travel with your travel on the AA website or American app by selecting “Business” under travel type. Your company and any registered employees will auto-populate in a drop-down menu.
There is also now a dedicated phone line for AAdvantage Business members, available from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. CT on weekdays by calling 877-229-8278.
More Changes Are Coming to AAdvantage Business
In an effort to shore up business traveler revenue, AA continues to tweak its new program. Later in 2024, American plans to add some new functionality to its business website, allowing companies to transfer tickets between employees, store corporate credit card information, and book directly with miles rather than transferring them to the employee.
We'll let you know when these changes start rolling out.
Bottom Line
Businesses, especially those with Citi AAdvantage Business Card, can find value in the AAdvantage Business Program, allowing both the company and the traveler to benefit with extra earning potential.
What are your thoughts on the AAdvantage Business program and its changes? Let us know in the comments below.
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