Best American Airlines Business Extra Points Redemption

Best American Airlines Business Extra Points Redemption

You earn American Airlines Business Extra points when you book your own tickets or others under a business account. You can sign up for a free account and then give out the number to your employees and have them add in the business extra number when booking on AA.com. Over the years of flying, I have accumulated a few points on that program. I just got an email saying about 2500 points would expire in a month. So naturally, I looked through all the options and what the best value was.

Upgrade and AAdvantage Redemptions:

At first glance, an international one-segment discount upgrade was 3100 points, while admirals club membership was around 2400 points. I would equate admirals club membership at 400 a year and a one-segment upgrade to be about $300 maximum. The highest value would clearly be the Admirals Club Membership.

The only real monetary benefit for gifting Gold Status (2400 points) would be for the extra 25% miles, but the only benefit occurs between the flyer’s 0-25000 miles before he/she gets gold status themselves (based on RDM earnings before mid 2016 when AA changes to revenue based). That is only about 6500 extra miles a person would earn, or about $65 worth of value. They would also earn 8 500-mi upgrades, or another $320 in value, for a total value of $385, just a bit lower than the Admirals Club Membership.

The one-segment domestic upgrade is an interesting redemption. This would only be beneficial for Platinums and Gold members, but at only 650 points for a one-segment upgrade, this would equate to a maximum of 5 500-mi upgrades, which can be valued at $200. You can get 5 of these one-segment upgrades in the place of an international upgrade (discount-fare), which can hold a theoretical value of $1000. For Platinum and Gold members, this is one of your best redemptions, unless you rather get an international award.

Award Redemptions

After looking at the chart and sorting by the best redemptions, the best redemption are all under 10k Business Extra Points. The only good redemption over 10k miles is for the Anytime Business or First award on AA between North America and South Pacific (18000 Business Extra Points for Business, worth 140k AA miles (value 7.78 miles/point), 25000 for First, worth 180k AA miles (value 7.2 mile/point).

Here are the best redemptions:

Between 0-5000 Points:

Within North America PlanAhead Award:

Cabin of Service Points Award Code 2016 Chart Miles/Point
Coach 2000 BX1A 12500 6.25
Business / First 2 class cabin flights 3200 BX1B 25000 7.8125
First 3 class cabin flights 4800 BX1C 50000 10.41667

Between North America and Hawaii PlanAhead Award

Cabin of Service Points Award Code 2016 Chart Miles/Point
Coach 3000 BX2A 22500 7.5
Business 5400 BX2B 40000 7.407407

Between North America and Japan, China or South Korea PlanAhead Award

Cabin of Service Points Award Code 2016 Chart Miles/Point
Coach 4400 BX7A 35000 7.954545

Between North America and South Pacific PlanAhead Award

Cabin of Service Points Award Code 2016 Chart Miles/Point
Coach 4400 BX9A 35000 7.954545

Between 5000-10000 Points:

Between North America and Hawaii PlanAhead Award

Cabin of Service Points Award Code 2016 Chart Miles/Point
Coach 3000 BX2A 22500 7.5
Business 5400 BX2B 40000 7.407407

Between North America and Europe:

Cabin of Service Points Award Code 2016 Chart Miles/Point
Coach 4400 BX6A 30000 6.818182
Business 7200 BX6B 57500 7.986111
First 10000 BX6C 85000 8.5

Between North America and Japan, China or South Korea

Cabin of Service Points Award Code 2016 Chart Miles/Point
Coach 4400 BX7A 35000 7.954545
Business 7200 BX7B 60000 8.333333
First 10000 BX7C 80000 8

Between North America and South Pacific PlanAhead Award

Cabin of Service Points Award Code 2016 Chart Miles/Point
Coach 4400 BX9A 35000 7.954545
Business 7200 BX9B 70000 9.722222
First 10000 BX9C 110000 11

Full Chart:

Below is the full Business Extra Award chart combined with the AA miles chart. The last two columns are the number of miles (based on the new 2016 award chart) needed for an equivalent Business Extra award, and then what the miles/point ratio is (higher is better). The highest AA miles to Business Extra point is 11.25, so that is a very good redemption.

Within North America Cabin of Service Points Award Code 2016 Chart Miles/Point
PlanAhead Coach 2000 BX1A 12500 6.25
Business / First 2 class cabin flights 3200 BX1B 25000 7.8125
First 3 class cabin flights 4800 BX1C 50000 10.41667
Anytime Coach 5000 BX1D 20000 4
Business / First 2 class cabin flights 8000 BX1E 45000 5.625
First 3 class cabin flights 12000 BX1F 85000 7.083333
Shuttle between Boston, Washington Reagan and New York LaGuardia only
Cabin of Service Points Award Code
PlanAhead Coach 1400 BXS1 7500 5.357143
First Class 2200 BXS2 15000 6.818182
Anytime Coach 2400 BXS3 20000 8.333333
First 4000 BXS4 45000 11.25
Between North America & Hawaii
Cabin of Service Points Award Code
PlanAhead Coach 3000 BX2A 22500 7.5
Business 5400 BX2B 40000 7.407407
Anytime Coach 7500 BX2D 40000 5.333333
Business 13500 BX2E 67500 5
Between North America & Caribbean
Cabin of Service Points Award Code
PlanAhead Coach 2400 BX3A 15000 6.25
Business 4800 BX3B 25000 5.208333
Anytime Coach 6000 BX3D 27500 4.583333
Business 12000 BX3E 50000 4.166667
Between North America & Central or South America Zone 1
Cabin of Service Points Award Code
PlanAhead Coach 3000 BX4A 20000 6.666667
Business 5400 BX4B 30000 5.555556
Anytime Coach 7500 BX4D 35000 4.666667
Business 13500 BX4E 65000 4.814815
Between North America & South America Zone 2
Cabin of Service Points Award Code
PlanAhead Coach 4400 BX5A 30000 6.818182
Business 7200 BX5B 57500 7.986111
First 10000 BX5C 85000 8.5
Anytime Coach 11000 BX5D 55000 5
Business 18000 BX5E 110000 6.111111
First 25000 BX5F 160000 6.4
Between North America & Europe
Cabin of Service Points Award Code
PlanAhead Coach 4400 BX6A 30000 6.818182
Business 7200 BX6B 57500 7.986111
First 10000 BX6C 85000 8.5
Anytime Coach 11000 BX6D 47500 4.318182
Business 18000 BX6E 110000 6.111111
First 25000 BX6F 140000 5.6
Between North America & Japan or China or South Korea
Cabin of Service Points Award Code
PlanAhead Coach 4400 BX7A 35000 7.954545
Business 7200 BX7B 60000 8.333333
First 10000 BX7C 80000 8
Anytime Coach 11000 BX7D 62000 5.636364
Business 18000 BX7E 120000 6.666667
First 25000 BX7F 170000 6.8
Between North America & South Pacific
Cabin of Service Points Award Code
PlanAhead Coach 4400 BX9A 35000 7.954545
Business 7200 BX9B 70000 9.722222
First 10000 BX9C 110000 11
Anytime Coach 11000 BX9D 65000 5.909091
Business 18000 BX9E 140000 7.777778
First 25000 BX9F 180000 7.2
North America, to/from Europe
Cabin of Service Points Award Code
Partner Award Coach 6000 BP01 30000 5
Fly more destinations worldwide Premium Economy 9000 BP02
on British Airways/Iberia. Business 14000 BP03 50000 3.571429
First 20000 BP04 62500 3.125
North America, to/from Africa
Cabin of Service Points Award Code
Partner Award Coach 11000 BP05 37500 3.409091
Fly more destinations worldwide Premium Economy 17000 BP06
on British Airways/Iberia. Business 27000 BP07 75000 2.777778
First 37000 BP08 100000 2.702703
North America, to/from Indian Subcontinent/Middle East
Cabin of Service Points Award Code
Partner Award Coach 11000 BP09 45000 4.090909
Fly more destinations worldwide Premium Economy 17000 BP10
on British Airways/Iberia. Business 27000 BP11 67500 2.5
First 37000 BP12 90000 2.432432
Central/South America Zone 1, to/from Europe
Cabin of Service Points Award Code
Partner Award Coach 13000 BP13 45000 3.461538
Fly more destinations worldwide Premium Economy 18000 BP14
on British Airways/Iberia. Business 25000 BP15 55000 2.2
First 32000 BP16 70000 2.1875
Central/South America Zone 1, to/from Africa
Cabin of Service Points Award Code
Partner Award Coach 18000 BP17 67500 3.75
Fly more destinations worldwide Premium Economy 26000 BP18
on British Airways/Iberia. Business 38000 BP19 90000 2.368421
First 49000 BP20 110000 2.244898
Central/South America Zone 1, to/from Indian Subcontinent/Middle East
Cabin of Service Points Award Code
Partner Award Coach 18000 BP21 60000 3.333333
Fly more destinations worldwide Premium Economy 26000 BP22
on British Airways/Iberia. Business 38000 BP23 82500 2.171053
First 49000 BP24 102500 2.091837
South America Zone 2, to/from Europe
Cabin of Service Points Award Code
Partner Award Coach 14000 BP25 50000 3.571429
Fly more destinations worldwide Premium Economy 19000 BP26
on British Airways/Iberia. Business 26000 BP27 70000 2.692308
First 40000 BP28 90000 2.25
South America Zone 2, to/from Africa
Cabin of Service Points Award Code
Partner Award Coach 19000 BP29 75000 3.947368
Fly more destinations worldwide Premium Economy 27000 BP30
on British Airways/Iberia. Business 39000 BP31 97500 2.5
First 57000 BP32 117500 2.061404
South America Zone 2, to/from Indian Subcontinent/Middle East
Cabin of Service Points Award Code
Partner Award Coach 19000 BP33 67500 3.552632
Fly more destinations worldwide Premium Economy 27000 BP34
on British Airways/Iberia. Business 39000 BP35 90000 2.307692
First 57000 BP36 110000 1.929825
Within United Kingdom
Cabin of Service Points Award Code
Partner Award Coach 3000 BP37 10000 3.333333
Fly more destinations worldwide
on British Airways/Iberia.
Within Spain
Cabin of Service Points Award Code
Partner Award Coach 3000 BP38 10000 3.333333
Fly more destinations worldwide
on British Airways/Iberia.
Within Europe
Cabin of Service Points Award Code
Partner Award Coach 3000 BP39 10000 3.333333
Fly more destinations worldwide
on British Airways/Iberia. Business 6000 BP40 20000 3.333333
Within Africa
Cabin of Service Points Award Code
Partner Award Coach 3000 BP41 10000 3.333333
Fly more destinations worldwide
on British Airways/Iberia. Business 6000 BP42 17500 2.916667
Europe to/from Africa
Cabin of Service Points Award Code
Partner Award Coach 5000 BP43 30000 6
Fly more destinations worldwide Premium Economy 8000 BP44
on British Airways/Iberia. Business 13000 BP45 37500 2.884615
First 17000 BP46 50000 2.941176
Europe to/from Indian Subcontinent/Middle East
Cabin of Service Points Award Code
Partner Award Coach 5000 BP47 20000 4
Fly more destinations worldwide Premium Economy 8000 BP48
on British Airways/Iberia. Business 13000 BP49 30000 2.307692
First 17000 BP50 40000 2.352941
Europe to/from Asia
Cabin of Service Points Award Code
Partner Award Coach 6000 BP51 35000 5.833333
Fly more destinations worldwide Premium Economy 10000 BP52
on British Airways/Iberia. Business 16000 BP53 52500 3.28125
First 21000 BP54 70000 3.333333
Europe to/from South Pacific
Cabin of Service Points Award Code
Partner Award Coach 13000 BP55 35000 2.692308
Fly more destinations worldwide Premium Economy 20000 BP56
on British Airways/Iberia. Business 32000 BP57 52500 1.640625
First 36000 BP58 70000 1.944444

 

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