5 min read

All About American Airlines Business Extra

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American Airlines Business Extra is a corporate rewards program that earns companies Business Extra credits that can pay for free tickets and perks on American. When your company signs up for Business Extra and earns points on every dollar spent with American, you can pay for benefits like free award flights, AAdvantage Gold Status and Admirals Club passes using Business Extra points!

What is American Airlines Business Extra?

The Business Extra corporate rewards program earnsBusiness Extra points for companies with every dollar their travelers spend on American airfare. While Business Extra does not include any discounts on American airfare, Business Extra points can be redeemed for a variety of free tickets, upgrades, benefits and other money-saving perks. Keep reading for more on how you can earn and use Business Extra points.

How does my company qualify for American Airlines Business Extra?

Qualifying for Business Extra is incredibly easy: any company with at least two travelers qualifies. There's no commitment, no obligation, and the program is free to join. Not to be too direct, but there's really no reason not to enroll in Business Extra and earn American benefits.

Pro tip: what if you spend more than $10,000 on American and would like to access discounted airfare? Check out American Airlines AirPass, which offers fare discounts for corporate accounts that pre-fund $10,000 or more in annual American travel.

How does my company earn Business Extra points?

Companies enrolled in Business Extra earn Business Extra points on every dollar their travelers spend on American, British Airways and Iberia airfare (excluding taxes and fees), earning one point per five dollars spent. So a company spending just $1,500 on airfare earns Business Extra 300 points, enough to purchase an Admirals Club day pass, a company spending $10,000 earns 2,000 Business Extra points, enough for a free American Main Cabin ticket within North America -- and more. Keep reading for more redemption options!

What is the Business Extra Corporate Card?

PerksPlus Navigator is a special program that earns 15% more PerksPlus points for companies spending more than $400,000 in PerksPlus. In addition to earning additional points, PerksPlus Navigator companies can redeem their PerksPlus points for MileagePlus Premier Platinum status for travelers.

What can I use PerksPlus points for?

You can redeem PerksPlus points for:

  • free award tickets on United
  • United MileagePlus Premier Silver or Gold status for some of your travelers (Premier status means they get free premium cabin upgrades, free extra-legroom United Economy Plus seats and two free checked bags, priority check-in, security lanes and priority boarding, and more)
  • United Club memberships for some of your travelers or one-time United Club passes
  • MileagePlus points, converted at a ratio of two PerksPlus points to one MileagePlus mile, that can be redeemed for United award travel, cabin upgrades, other travel spending and much, much more.

These are a lot of options for spending your PerksPlus points, it can be confusing. Check with AmTrav, our Relationship Managers are experts at helping you maximize your points  earnings and making the most of your companies' points when you redeem them!

How much do PerksPlus redemptions cost?

PerksPlus redemptions cost anywhere from 6,000 points for 20 United beverage vouchers up to 320,000 points for MileagePlus Premier Gold status and 600,000 for a roundtrip business class ticket to Asia. Free domestic economy tickets start at 45,000 points, domestic business class starts at 170,000 points, roundtrips to Hawaii start at 75,000 and longhaul international tickets start at 85,000 points.

To be honest the redemption prices (published here) are a little complex, one strategy to make the most of your PerksPlus earnings and redemption is to be strategic, targeting specific benefits you want. Need help with that? Reach out to AmTrav, we'd be glad to help you estimate your PerksPlus earnings and see what PerksPlus perks you could access!

How much can I save with United Airlines PerksPlus?

While United PerksPlus doesn't give your company any money-saving discounts on United fares, PerksPlus points can be used instead of cash to pay for flights -- instead of paying $300 for a flight, PerksPlus points can be redeemed to pay for that ticket and save your company $300.

How do I book with United PerksPlus earnings?

Every time your team searches and books United flights with AmTrav, AmTrav automatically applies your PerksPlus identifier to your bookings, enabling your team to earn PerksPlus points effortlessly. Want to steer your bookers to United so you earn more PerksPlus points? AmTrav allows you to mark United as a preferred supplier for your company, and allows you to steer bookers to United by requiring that they book preferred suppliers like United in your travel policy.

Easily earning PerksPlus points is just one way you can save with AmTrav, see all the ways AmTrav saves you time and money!

How do I sign up for PerksPlus?

If you've determined that United PerksPlus is the right program for your company and your company has spent at least $5,000 on United in the last 12 months, United has made it easy to sign up. Head over to United for Business to enroll your company.

Not sure if United PerksPlus is right for you? Check with AmTrav, an expert Relationship Manager will help you weigh your choices and pick the right programs for your company!

What's the difference between United PerksPlus and Propel?

United Propel is a corporate discount program that saves companies money with discounted airfare and has no pre-funding requirement, United PerksPlus is a corporate rewards program that earns companies credits that can pay for United perks.

United Propel offers airfare discounts ranging from 2% up to 6% on United Airlines and certain partner carriers' flights (specifically Lufthansa Group airlines, Air Canada and All Nippon Airways). United Propel does not require a pre-funded account and is available to clients that spend at least $250,000 annually on United. In addition to airfare discounts clients also receive at least $2,000 (up to $10,000, and maybe more) in United service funds that can be redeemed for seat and cabin upgrades, can purchase MileagePlus Premier status for your best travelers, offset United fees and more!

Spending at least $250,000 on United annually and you'd like to save on United flights? without a pre-funding commitment? Check out United Propel!

What's the difference between United PerksPlus and PassPlus?

United PassPlus is a prepaid discount program requiring small and midsize corporate or individual customers to pre-fund an account annually in exchange for airfare discounts, United PerksPlus is a corporate rewards program that earns companies credits that can pay for United perks.

United PassPlus pre-funded plans start at $50,000 spend for small and midsize companies and $10,000 for individual business travelers, customers can choose from percentage discounts on the prevailing rate and fixed fares with last-seat availability. In addition, PassPlus includes United MileagePlus Premier status for some of your travelers (which means access to free premium cabin upgrades, free extra-legroom United Economy Plus seats, priority check-in, priority security lanes, priority boarding, free checked bags and more) and United Club memberships for some of your travelers. Customers pre-fund PassPlus accounts every year via check, wire or credit card. Learn more about PassPlus.

Is United PerksPlus right for my company?

Find out now! Share four key details with AmTrav and an AmTrav corporate travel expert will get back to you within 24 hours with our recommendation!

 

How do I earn Business Extra rewards?

What can I use Business Extra rewards for?

How do I sign up for Business Extra?

 

About AmTrav: Through one simple technology and services platform, AmTrav helps travelers be more productive and connected, empowering companies and their people to go places, meet people and grow further. AmTrav customers enjoy integrated travel booking, travel spend reporting, traveler tracking, and 24x7 expert human support, reducing obstacles, complexity and cost so they get the full value of their business travel. Learn more or reach out for a one-on-one consultation today.

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