American Airlines Flight Change – Policy, Fee, Compensation, and More

Have you made your next reservation with American Airlines? It is not uncommon for passengers to experience a change in travel plans once they have already booked a flight. The flight change policy and fee can vary from airline to airline. The American Airlines flight change policy for one is lenient and customer friendly. 

Read further for details on flight change eligibility, guidelines, and what happens if American Airlines has made a change to your reservation. 

American Airlines Flight Change Policy – Guidelines for Changing Reservations

The American Airlines Flight Change Policy varies depending on the fare type the passenger is carrying. Currently, the airline is offering Basic Economy, Fully Flexible, Business, and First Class tickets to its passengers. Basic Economy fares are the most restrictive of the bunch. Below we list the essential guidelines mentioned under the American Airlines Flight Change Policy:

• If the passenger is carrying a Basic Economy ticket, they won’t be eligible to make any flight changes with American Airlines. Furthermore, Basic Economy fares are non-refundable. 
• All other fare types offered by American Airlines are eligible for a flight change. This includes making changes to any Award Tickets.
• Once a passenger makes a destination or date/time change on their reservation, they will be required to pay the fare difference (if any).
• If your itinerary includes pet travel, you will be required to select the pet’s booking as well when making the flight change. It is recommended that you get changes done to the pet’s reservation via a phone call to American Airlines Customer Service.
• The baggage limit shall remain the same on the new flight booking unless the passenger chooses to add more baggage via the Manage Booking facility.
• If the new flight booked by the passenger costs less than the original booking, American Airlines shall refund the remaining value in the form of travel credit. 
• American Airlines travel credit can be used for making a new reservation up to 1 year from the date of issuance unless otherwise stated. 

Same-Day Flight Change Guidelines

A same-day flight change with American Airlines refers to changing your flight on the departure day itself. Passengers may wish to board an earlier or later flight on the departure day, this is where the Same-Day Flight Change comes in handy. Essential guidelines for making a same-day flight change are listed below:

• A majority of Same-Day Flight Changes with American Airlines are subject to a fee with some exceptions.
• Eligibility for a Same-Day Flight Change depends on seat availability on the desired flight. 
• If there are no seats available on the desired flight, the passenger shall be put on standby and shall be notified once there is a seat available. 
• For a Same-Day Flight Change, the flight of choice must depart on the same day, from and to the same airport, as the original booking.
• Only flights booked with American Airlines or American Eagle shall be eligible for a Same-Day Flight Change.
• All passengers are eligible to stand by for an earlier flight with American Airlines. 
• American Airlines allows only AAdvantage® status members to stand by for a later flight. 

Passengers who are looking to cancel their flight instead of changing it are recommended to go through the American Airlines Cancellation Policy.

American Airlines Flight Change Fee – How Much Does A Flight Change Cost?

Passengers traveling with American Airlines have the luxury of making changes to their flights without any additional charges. There is absolutely no flight change fee required to be paid by the passenger regardless of the fare type purchased. Keep in mind, as mentioned earlier, Basic Economy tickets are not eligible for flight changes. 

The only amount you will be required to pay is the fare difference, if there is any. If your new booking is cheaper, expect the remaining value to be refunded as travel credit.

Fee for Same-Day Changes

Passengers are eligible to be on standby for a same-day flight change without any charges. For a confirmed same-day flight change, the charges shall be as follows:

If American Airlines fails to assign a seat due to the flight being full, the same-day confirmed change fee shall be refunded.

Refund/Compensation For Flight Change Made By American Airlines

There are times when a passenger’s flight is changed by the airline itself. Due to technical issues or unfavorable flight conditions, American Airlines may change your flight’s time. 

If the change in your flight leads to a significant change or delay and you choose not to take the flight, American Airlines shall be required to issue a full refund. According to the information provided by American Airlines, your flight must be delayed/changed by more than 4 hours in order to be eligible for a full refund.

Furthermore, if your flight is changed by American Airlines within 72 hours of the scheduled departure time and it results in a delay of more than 90 minutes, you can request a refund from the airline.

Change Your American Airlines Flight Online – Reservation Changes via Manage Booking

Apart from Basic Economy, you can change your flight for any other fare type via the American Airlines Manage Booking facility. You can access the facility by visiting the official website of American Airlines. Steps to change an American Airlines flight online are listed below: 

1. Open your web browser and visit https://www.aa.com/. 

2. On the homepage of the website, click on the My Trips tab.

3. To retrieve your reservation, enter the passenger’s last name and booking reference. 

4. Click on the Find Reservation button.

5. If you are logged in to the website, you will be automatically shown your future flights under the Your Trips tab.

6. Once you have successfully entered the Manage Booking portal, select the booking you wish to change and click on view/change.

7. You will be shown your booking details and given the option to change or cancel the flight. Click on the Change trip option.

8. Choose the new flight that you wish to travel on and pay the fare difference (if any).

9. Once your flight change is confirmed, American Airlines shall send you an email with the fresh booking details. 

Flight Change via Phone Call

Are you having trouble getting your flight changed online? Or don’t wish to go through the hassle? Passengers can also get their flight changed easily by contacting the airline via a phone call. Contact details for requesting a flight change are listed below:

Customer Service contacts for other languages and regions can be found here: aa.com/i18n/customer-service/contact-american/reservations-and-ticket-changes.jsp

Frequently Asked Questions – American Airlines Change Flight

Q. Is there a fee to change flights on American Airlines?

American Airlines charges no fee for making a flight change from its customers. However, for a same-day confirmed flight change, passengers shall be required to pay a  fee of $75 to $150. 

Q. Can I change my American Basic Economy flight?

As of now, American Airlines prohibits any flight changes for Basic Economy tickets. These tickets are non-changeable and non-refundable.

Q. How many times can I change my flight with American Airlines?

American Airlines allows passengers to change their flight once for all fare types except Basic Economy tickets. If you have already changed your flight once and require another change, contacting American Airlines customer service is recommended.

Q. Can I get a refund if American Airlines changed my flight?

Passengers can ask American Airlines for a full refund if their flight is changed resulting in a delay of more than 4 hours. If your flight is changed within 72 hours of its departure and the delay is more than 90 minutes, you will be eligible for a full refund.

Q. What is American Airlines’ flexible fare?

American Airlines offers Fully Flexible Fares to its customers. If you have purchased the Fully Flexible Fare, you will not be charged any additional fee for changing your flight up until the departure day itself. You will still be required to pay the fare difference if the new flight is costlier than the original reservation. 

Q. Which American Airlines fare classes are refundable?

Except for Basic Economy tickets, all other fare types offered by American Airlines (Premium Economy, Main Cabin, Business Class, First Class) are refundable.