American Airlines announces improvements to the AAdvantage Business program
Citi is a TPG advertising partner.
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.
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:
- 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:
- Complete guide to the AAdvantage Business program
- What hotel loyalty program is best for business travelers?
- How to earn miles in the American Airlines AAdvantage program
- American Airlines backtracks on changes to how passengers earn miles and Loyalty Points
- 14 best business travel backpacks for every budget
TPG featured card
at Bilt's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 1X | Choose to earn up to 1X points on rent and mortgage payments with no transaction fee |
| 2X | Earn 2X points + the option to earn 4% back in Bilt Cash on everyday purchases |
Pros
- Choice to earn up to 1 Bilt Point per dollar spent on rent and mortgage payments
- Elevated everyday earnings with both Bilt Points and the option to earn Bilt Cash
- $400 Bilt Travel Portal hotel credit per year (up to $200 biannually)
- $200 Bilt Cash annually
- Priority Pass membership
- No foreign transaction fees
Cons
- Moderate annual fee
- Designed primarily for members seeking a premium, all-in-one card
- Earn points on housing with no transaction fee
- Choose to earn 4% back in Bilt Cash on everyday spend. Use Bilt Cash to unlock point earnings on rent and mortgage payments with no transaction fee, up to 1X.
- 2X points on everyday spend
- $400 Bilt Travel Hotel credit. Applied twice a year, as $200 statement credits, for qualifying Bilt Travel Portal hotel bookings.
- $200 Bilt Cash (awarded annually). At the end of each calendar year, any Bilt Cash balance over $100 will expire.
- Welcome bonus (subject to approval): 50,000 Bilt Points + Gold Status after spending $4,000 on everyday purchases in the first 90 days + $300 of Bilt Cash.
- Priority Pass ($469/year value). See Guide to Benefits.
- Bilt Point redemptions include airlines, hotels, future rent and mortgage payments, Lyft rides, statement credits, student loan balances, a down payment on a home, and more.