Airline loyalty programs for small businesses: Which option is best for you?

For many business travelers, the company chooses which airline to purchase tickets from — so why not reward the company that makes that decision, along with providing frequent flyer miles to the traveler?

Gaining the loyalty of just one business can generate tens of thousands of dollars in additional revenue for the airline each year. This is the premise behind the business rewards programs some airlines offer; they allow you and/or your company to benefit from employee travel.

Even if you operate a small business, we’ll explore some airline traveler programs to see if your company can take advantage of them.

What are airline loyalty programs designed for business travelers?

All three remaining U.S. legacy airlines offer at least one business program tailored for small and medium-sized companies, although the criteria for enrollment differ (larger companies usually have corporate agreements with airlines).

The traditional model of business programs rewards companies for booking travel for their employees through the airline. These programs work alongside the airline's frequent flyer program, allowing individual travelers and their companies to accumulate rewards in separate accounts. There’s no need to choose between earning in one program or another; it’s essentially a chance to double dip, earning reward miles for the company while the traveler earns miles in their personal account for every flight.

However, such business programs often require a minimum number of flights or spending each year, which can make it challenging for smaller companies to join. Airlines have started to recognize this and now offer alternative options — business programs that deliver discounts and travel tools for small businesses and even individual business travelers.

Let's explore the details of each business program offered by the three legacy U.S. airlines.

American Airlines AAdvantage Business

American has recently phased out its Business Extra program and launched the AAdvantage Business program. Unlike its predecessor (and most other airline business programs), AAdvantage Business rewards not only the company but also the employees who travel.

Businesses of all sizes can enroll in the program and start earning rewards; however, to redeem these rewards, your business must have at least five active travelers and must have spent a minimum of $5,000 on American Airlines flights in the past year. These criteria are waived for cardholders of the Citi® / AAdvantage Business™ World Elite Mastercard® (see rates and fees).

You can sign up your business for the program at this link. After registering and adding employees to your account, you can start accumulating rewards. When your employees fly with American or its partner airlines, your business earns 1 AAdvantage mile for every dollar spent on eligible flights. Meanwhile, your employees will continue to earn AAdvantage miles and Loyalty Points in their personal accounts, plus they'll receive an extra Loyalty Point for every dollar spent through AAdvantage Business. If you have the Citi / AAdvantage Business Mastercard, your business can earn an additional 2 miles per dollar spent, while employees can earn an extra 1 Loyalty Point per dollar spent through AAdvantage Business.

Miles earned from this program can be utilized to cover business travel costs or reward employees. You can redeem these miles for flights, upgrades, hotel stays, car rentals, and more for either yourself or your employees, or you can transfer them to employees for their personal use.

American has recently introduced several enhancements to AAdvantage Business, such as establishing a dedicated customer service line and allowing businesses and employee travelers to earn rewards on flights booked through third-party travel agencies.

Delta Air Lines business programs

Delta Air Lines currently provides two complementary programs for business travelers. SkyMiles for Business (formerly known as SkyBonus) rewards businesses for their employees' travel, while Delta Business Traveler focuses on the benefits for the employees themselves. Let’s examine both options in detail.

Delta SkyMiles for Business

SkyMiles for Business operates similarly to AAdvantage Business. Any company can join at the Member base level, but to earn rewards at the Plus tier, your business needs to have at least five unique employee travelers and spend a minimum of $5,000 in eligible flight revenue each calendar year. To access further benefits at the Elite tier, your company must also have five unique employee travelers and spend at least $300,000 annually.

If your company qualifies for the Plus and Elite tiers, you will earn SkyMiles on flights and upgrades with Delta and select partner airlines (including Air France, KLM, Virgin Atlantic, and Aeromexico). The earning rate varies based on the fare class and departure airport — ranging from 1 mile per dollar spent on main cabin tickets from certain hubs to 10 miles per dollar on first- and business-class tickets from non-hub airports (note that basic economy fares do not earn miles). Meanwhile, employees flying will continue to earn SkyMiles in their individual accounts.

You can use your company's accumulated miles for eCredits (discounts on flight purchases), achieve Silver Medallion elite status, or obtain individual memberships for the Delta Sky Club. Additionally, you have the option to transfer miles to yourself or your employees for flights, upgrades, Delta Vacations, and more.

To enroll in SkyMiles for Business, you must be the business owner or an administrator. You will need to provide a valid tax identification number or VAT number, and you may have to present written proof of authorization from the company.

Delta Business Traveler

In contrast to most airline business programs, Delta Business Traveler rewards anyone who travels for work. This program is free to join, and you can create an account here. Plus, there's no need to own a business, and employer verification is not required.

Instead of awarding you miles or elite credits for flying with Delta and its partners, Delta Business Traveler offers various perks and benefits with travel and work-related partners, including Hertz, Clear, job-search site Indeed, and remote workspace provider Industrious.

United Airlines business programs

United provides two programs tailored for business travel. PerksPlus has been established for some time but has seen updates and includes a minimum spending requirement. United for Business is a newer initiative designed for companies that don't meet the criteria to enroll in PerksPlus.

United PerksPlus

The PerksPlus program from United rewards companies whose employees fly on United, United Express, Lufthansa, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, Swiss, and All Nippon Airways. To be eligible, your company must spend at least $5,000 annually in the U.S., Canada, and Latin America. As of February 1, PerksPlus is only accessible to corporate clients making bookings through a travel agency.

Similar to Delta for Business, PerksPlus grants points per dollar spent, depending on the fare class and departure location — from 1 point per dollar on deeply discounted leisure fares from hub markets to 6 points per dollar on premium fares from non-hub locations.

Unlike American's and Delta's programs, which now focus on earning airline miles, PerksPlus continues to accumulate points — a distinct currency separate from United MileagePlus miles. However, PerksPlus allows you to convert these points into MileagePlus miles at a 2:1 ratio, which can then be credited to your employees' MileagePlus accounts.

You can also redeem points for award travel certificates, United Club lounge passes or memberships, or MileagePlus Premier Gold or Silver status.

United for Business

United for Business is the airline's latest travel management solution tailored for small enterprises. Instead of earning miles or points, it focuses on enhancing your travel planning experience, allowing you and your employees to book trips through the United website and app, track expenses, and save on ticket costs. It also provides travel administrators with valuable features like travel reports and booking configurations.

United for Business provides three complimentary travel plans:

• Savings plan: Delivers competitive airfare discounts for companies aiming to minimize travel costs.
• Productive plan: Combines discounts with travel enhancements like Economy Plus for businesses with diverse travel requirements.
• Indulge plan: Maximizes discounts on extras such as Economy Plus and Premier Access for companies looking to enhance their travel experience.

There are no minimum flight or spending thresholds, making this an ideal choice if your company doesn't qualify for PerksPlus. You can find more information and register here.

Comparison

Among these three programs, American Airlines stands out as the only one that provides a consistent points-per-dollar rate, regardless of fare class or whether your travel involves a hub. This unique feature might be a compelling reason to choose American.

United's PerksPlus and Delta's SkyMiles for Business closely resemble each other, with Delta presenting a more flexible earning chart. This chart rewards nonhub travelers purchasing higher-priced tickets more generously, while offering minimal rewards for those flying on discounted tickets from hubs. If your company is situated in one of Delta's four hubs where points are limited, and your employees usually plan trips in advance, accumulating significant rewards through the SkyMiles for Business program may require considerable spending. Nevertheless, both SkyMiles for Business and PerksPlus can provide excellent rewards for Delta and United travelers from nonhub locations.

Given that some businesses may not meet the spending or employee criteria for the aforementioned programs, it’s beneficial that Delta and United offer complimentary alternatives. Delta Business Traveler and United for Business do not reward companies like conventional airline business programs, but they do grant free access to discounts and travel planning tools, making it worthwhile to join and explore their offerings.

Bottom line

A key takeaway in the realm of points and miles is to maximize your rewards at every opportunity, which is particularly important for small to medium-sized businesses. Whether this involves obtaining new business credit cards or utilizing online shopping portals for supplies, there are numerous strategies to enhance your return on everyday expenses, including employee travel. Whenever you can earn rewards through programs like these, you gain an advantage. With no associated costs and minimal requirements to enroll, it’s sensible for business owners to register for all available programs to determine which one best suits their needs.