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American Airlines announces improvements to the AAdvantage Business program

July 17, 2024
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3 min read
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American Airlines announces improvements to the AAdvantage Business program
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AAdvantage Business, American Airlines' corporate loyalty program, has announced several changes, which should be welcome news to business travelers.

Effective immediately, AAdvantage Business members will now earn Loyalty Points and AAdvantage miles for bookings made through third-party travel agencies.

This reverses a recent decision to restrict earnings to those booking directly with the airline or AA-controlled booking channels. AAdvantage recently reversed this controversial policy for consumer bookings and has now reversed it for corporate bookings as well.

american airlines plane
ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY

Another positive improvement is the introduction of dedicated phone support for AAdvantage Business members, available from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Central time on weekdays by calling 877-229-8278.

As first reported by Travel Weekly, based on email communications sent to travel managers, future improvements to the program include:

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  • Later this summer: Redeem and manage AAdvantage miles directly from AAdvantage Business accounts without transferring them to a personal AAdvantage account first, and store payment card details in AAdvantage Business accounts.
  • By the end of 2024: Redeem and manage shared trip credits as well as show individual company travel policies all within AAdvantage Business accounts, and allow name change waivers for all registered travelers in the account, allowing companies to transfer tickets between employees.

Currently, AAdvantage Business accounts can earn 1 AAdvantage mile per dollar spent on eligible flights through the AAdvantage Business program. Going forward, travelers will still earn miles as they typically would through the AAdvantage program (5 miles per dollar spent and 5 Loyalty Points per dollar on eligible flights).

Spending on a cobranded business credit card, such as the Citi® / AAdvantage Business™ World Elite Mastercard® (see rates and fees), earns miles toward an AAdvantage Business account, not a personal AAdvantage account. However, individuals will earn 1 additional Loyalty Point per dollar on eligible American Airlines purchases in their personal account when spending on a business cobranded card.

This is a way of rewarding both businesses and business travelers for booking their corporate travel through the AAdvantage Business program; hopefully, these recent improvements make the program more attractive to travelers.

Related reading:

Featured image by ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

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  • Intro Offer

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  • Annual Fee

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  • Recommended Credit

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Why We Chose It

There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)

Pros

  • 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
  • 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
  • Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
  • Solid welcome bonus

Cons

  • Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
  • $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
  • $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
  • Terms Apply.