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American Airlines' Business Extra adds its third partner airline

Sept. 09, 2020
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3 min read
American Airlines Airbus planes Zach Griff - 1
American Airlines' Business Extra adds its third partner airline
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American Airlines has not one but two loyalty programs.

Of course, most flyers are familiar with AAdvantage, the program that lets you earn and redeem miles for flights on American and its Oneworld partners.

However, there's a second, lesser-known loyalty program designed for small- to medium-sized businesses called Business Extra. This program rewards employers for their employees’ travel in addition to any AAdvantage miles the employees earn.

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You can earn Business Extra points from flight activity, special offers or a dedicated corporate card. You can then redeem those points for award flights, upgrades, lounge passes and more.

However, unlike AAdvantage, Business Extra has historically had a much smaller list of airline partners. Previously, you could only earn points or redeem awards on American, British Airways or Iberia.

As of Sept. 9, American has added a third partner, Japan Airlines (JAL), that'll open up a whole host of transpacific adventures.

Going forward, Business Extra members will be able to earn 1 point per $5 spent on most Japan Airlines flights (excluding domestic travel within Japan).

Japan Airlines Boeing 787
(Photo by Christoph Schmidt/picture alliance via Getty Images)

As part of the news, there are now some new partner awards for flights to and from Japan. You can use Business Extra points for domestic Japan flights as well as those from Japan to other points in Asia, Europe, North America and the South Pacific.

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Screenshot courtesy of American Airlines

Rates are in line with the Anytime Business Extra awards for travel on American Airlines flights.

With coach tickets from the U.S. to Japan starting at 11,000 points, it's not the best deal. But if your company has a surplus of points, it could make sense to redeem them for Japan Airlines flights. Even if you don't end up redeeming with JAL, at least there's another way to earn Business Extra points.

Related: Guide to earning and burning with American Airlines’ Business Extra program

My all-time favorite redemption will likely always be the BXP1 — a one-segment upgrade within North America or flights from North America to Hawaii or the Caribbean for just 650 Business Extra points. Bumping from Flagship Business to First on the Airbus A321T for just 650 points is an incredible redemption.

Either way, JAL is a welcome addition to the growing list of Business Extra partners.

Featured image by ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY

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  • Intro Offer

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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.