American Airlines reveals enhancements to the AAdvantage Business program

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AAdvantage Business, the corporate loyalty program of American Airlines, has introduced a number of changes that should delight business travelers.

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

This decision overturns a recent move to limit earnings to those booking directly with the airline or through AA-controlled channels. AAdvantage has recently retracted this controversial policy for consumer bookings and is now extending this reversal to corporate bookings as well.

A notable enhancement is the launch of dedicated phone support for AAdvantage Business members, available weekdays from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Central time at 877-229-8278.

As initially reported by Travel Weekly, email updates sent to travel managers indicate that upcoming improvements to the program will include:

• Later this summer: Members will be able to redeem and manage AAdvantage miles directly from their AAdvantage Business accounts without needing to transfer them to a personal account first, and they can store payment card information in their AAdvantage Business accounts.
• By the end of 2024: Members will be able to redeem and manage shared trip credits, view individual company travel policies within AAdvantage Business accounts, and implement name change waivers for all registered travelers, allowing companies to transfer tickets among employees.

Currently, AAdvantage Business accounts earn 1 AAdvantage mile for every dollar spent on eligible flights through the program. Moving forward, travelers will continue to earn miles at the usual rate through the AAdvantage program (5 miles per dollar spent and 5 Loyalty Points per dollar on eligible flights).

Using a cobranded business credit card, such as the Citi® / AAdvantage Business™ World Elite Mastercard® (see rates and fees), allows you to earn miles for an AAdvantage Business account instead of a personal AAdvantage account. However, individuals will receive an extra Loyalty Point for every dollar spent on eligible American Airlines purchases within their personal account when using a business cobranded card.

This approach rewards both companies and business travelers for booking corporate travel through the AAdvantage Business program; these recent enhancements are expected to make the program more appealing to travelers.