In August 2020, American Airlines overhauled its flight change policy, eliminating change costs on most domestic and international flights. In November 2020, it followed up by abolishing change costs on all international long-haul flights (except basic economy tickets).
If you’re trying to figure out how to change an American Airlines flight, here’s what you need to know.
American Airlines’ policy on flight cancellations
During the COVID-19 pandemic, American Airlines, like many other airlines, gave travellers more flexibility, and as restrictions have eased, it has adjusted its change and cancellation policies.
American Airlines’ current flight change policy is as follows:
- As long as you are not travelling basic economy, there are no change fees on any domestic, short-haul international, and select long-haul international flights.
- Purchased on or after April 1, 2021, basic economy fares are nonrefundable and non changeable.
- For all domestic flights, this includes flying standby if you want to fly to the same destination earlier on the same day.
What is the price of changing an American Airlines flight?
The good news for travellers is that, in most cases, changing an American Airlines trip will be free. Keep in mind that any fare increase for your new ticket will be your responsibility.
You can use the value of your ticket toward the new fare, as well as change the origin and/or destination of your ticket. If the new fare is less expensive than the one you paid for, you can apply the difference to a future flight.
The abolition of change fees by American Airlines does not apply to international flights departing from locations outside of North and South America.
American, on the other hand, is now waiving change costs for tickets purchased between April 1, 2021, and June 30, 2021. Basic economy flights departing from Asia are the only exception; they are non-changeable.
Changes to American flight schedules
- When booking flights using cash,
It’s simple to change your qualified American Airlines flight that you paid for with cash. Logging into your American AAdvantage account or entering your name and six-digit record locator at aa.com will give you access to your purchased flight.
Navigate to Modify Trip after selecting the flight you’d like to change and follow the prompts to select a new flight. You also have the option of cancelling your American Airlines flight.
- Flights purchased using points
A slightly different procedure applies when changing an American Airlines award flight. You won’t be able to change an award flight online in most situations; instead, you’ll have to contact the reservations department.
You will not be charged to change an American Airlines award flight, but you will be responsible for any additional miles owed for your new flight. If your new flight costs fewer American AAdvantage miles than your old one, the difference will be credited to your account. You can change your flight without paying a fee if you used miles to upgrade it.
The fact that American presently offers three separate types of award tickets — AAnytime, MileSAAver, and Web Special — is an essential distinction. Web Special award flights are frequently the most cost-effective, but they cannot be modified.
