American Airlines recently announced significant changes to its AAdvantage Business incentive program for small and midsize companies. This new update allows companies to earn miles and loyalty points for bookings made via travel agencies, reversing the previous policy that only rewarded participants for direct bookings. These changes aim to provide more flexibility and benefits to businesses that utilize the program.
The AAdvantage Business program is now available to companies with a minimum of five active travelers and have spent at least $5,000 on American Airlines flights in the past 12 months. Additionally, businesses that use the Citi AAdvantage Business World Elite Mastercard are also eligible to participate. Companies registered in the program can earn one reward mile for every dollar spent on flights, with an additional two reward miles per dollar for flight purchases through the AAdvantage Business Mastercard.
Registered companies can redeem points for flights, hotels, car rentals, and Admiral Club passes. They also have the option to transfer points to employees as a perk. Furthermore, employees can earn points toward loyalty status on top of the reward miles and loyalty points they earn as individual AAdvantage members.
Apart from the recent changes, American Airlines has also opened a customer service phone line for the AAdvantage Business program, available on weekdays from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Central time. The airline has hinted at more enhancements to come later this summer, such as allowing companies to redeem and manage miles directly from their account on the American website and store company credit cards for easier checkout. By the end of the year, companies will be able to set and customize their travel policies on AA.com and manage and redeem shared trip credits within their account. Additionally, American Airlines will enable name change waivers for all registered travelers in an AAdvantage Business account, offering companies more flexibility in ticket transfers between employees.
This recent transition by American Airlines marks a strategic shift away from previous initiatives aimed at increasing direct bookings and encouraging travel agencies to book through NDC modern merchandising technology. The airline’s decision to reverse these tactics in favor of providing more benefits to companies registered in the AAdvantage Business program showcases a commitment to adapting to the evolving needs of small and midsize businesses in the travel industry.
The enhancements made to the AAdvantage Business program by American Airlines demonstrate a proactive approach to meeting the needs of small and midsize companies in the travel sector. By rewarding participants for bookings made via travel agencies and introducing additional perks and benefits, American Airlines is positioning the program as a valuable tool for business travel. These changes reflect the airline’s dedication to listening to its customers and implementing improvements to better serve the corporate travel market.
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