What is the cancellation policy for American Airlines?

Do you have to cancel or reschedule your booking as you no longer wish to continue your journey? With American Airlines cancellation policy, you cancel your ticket anytime and get a refund. However, not all the bookings are eligible for a refund.

For example, all AA tickets get a complete refund on their booking if they are canceled on the day of booking, and the flight’s departure was away by more than 7 days. This facility is available for basic economy tickets too.

Let’s explore when and how you can cancel your ticket with maximum benefit.

American Airlines Cancellation Policy 24 Hours Rule

The 24-hour American airlines cancelation policy allows you to cancel a booking within 24 hours of its purchase. However, its departure must be away by 7 days.

The AA service of 24-hour cancel and rebook tickets is framed under the rules & regulations of the US transportation department. Hence, your American airlines refund request will initiate automatically after cancellation. You will receive money back in the original form of payment within 7-10 business days.

American Airlines Cancellation Policy Covid

The American airlines cancellation policy due to covid was formulated keeping in mind several forced cancellations due to the travel restrictions. Right now, the air carrier is managing lots of such requests. 

Hence, the Airlines have laid down some rules for cancellations caused due to COVID:

• Passengers who canceled their tickets due to COVID-19 won’t be charged the cancellation fee, subject to documentary proof.

• Also, flyers can change their flights for free.

• However, travelers still have to pay the change in the fare when they book a new flight by modifying their ticket.

Contact American Airlines reservations to cancel your ticket.

American Airlines Cancellation Policy With Miles

The American airlines flight cancellation policy for award tickets says that the miles will credit back to AAdvantage’s member account. The process happens automatically after the cancellation unless it’s a nonrefundable or AA basic economy ticket. 

American airlines refund tickets in the form of credit/ voucher/ miles may process for upto 7-10 business days. Usually, the miles refund is reinstated to your account as soon as you cancel the booking.

How To Cancel American Airlines Flight?

If you are wondering how do I cancel American airlines flights, then you would be happy to hear that the process is fairly easy. Passengers can cancel their tickets through offline and online methods.

Use The Official Website

• Firstly, check American Airlines’ official website and open the Plan Travel menu.

• Further, click Your Trips and log in to your AAdvantage Account. However, if you aren’t a member, choose to continue as a guest option.

• After that, enter the 6-digit booking reference ID/13-digit ticket number. Both are available in the confirmation email you received after booking the American Airlines reservation.

• Next, click the Find Your Trip button and verify the flight details.

• Multiple options would be displayed, such as changing flights, selecting seats, etc. Kindly choose the cancel this flight option.

• Afterward, the website will confirm your decision and display the final amount and deductions from your bookings. The cancellation fee and other items will depend upon your fare category.

Flyers can choose to reschedule their flight or cancel it altogether to receive a refund as a credit/ voucher for future travel with American Airlines.

Use American Airlines Customer Service

• Initially, dial American airlines phone number +1-844-604-2944 to talk to a live person at AA to cancel your flight.

• After that, follow the IVR instructions by dialing the numbers suggested.

• Further, gather booking details and other add-on information that you’ve purchased.

• When you connect with the travel expert, inform them that you wish to cancel your booking along with the flight details you just collected.

• They will suggest you reschedule the flight if eligible. Otherwise, the person will calculate the cancellation fee and let you know.

• Proceed with the cancellation request and discontinue your booking with AA.

Soon, you will receive a confirmation email from AA real person and the deductions made for your ticket cancelation.

How Much Is The American Airlines Cancellation Fee?

The cancellation charges for American Airlines start at $75 and go upto $750 for international long-haul AA flights. Cancel within 24 hours to avoid fees.

Check out this table for AA cancellation policy fee:

Fare Category

After 24 Hours

Same-day change

Basic Economy

Not Available

$75

Main Cabin

$200-$750

$75-$150

Premium Economy

$200-$750

$75-$150

First/ Business Class

Free

Free

Award Tickets

As per ticket type

As per ticket type

Note: The AA cancellation fee for award tickets earned via miles depends upon the travel class they have opted for. Rules of the fare category will apply.

American Airlines Cancellation Policy For Different AA Tickets

The passenger won’t have to pay a cancellation fee when they cancel their flight within 24 hours of its booking. However, beyond this, you have to pay a charge. American offers 4 prominent types of tickets:

AA Basic Economy

There is no cancellation facility available on this ticket from American. Beyond the 24-hour risk-free period, your entire amount for cancellation will be forfeited. 

Refundable Tickets In All Fare Categories (Except Basic)

American offers refundable tickets for all its fare classes except basic economy. For example, it provides main cabin, premium economy, first class, and business class travel in the refundable category.

Usually, when you cancel a refundable ticket, the airline refunds the entire ticket amount, along with taxes applied for your ticket. The refund amount will be available in your original form of payment.

Non-refundable tickets At AA

As the name suggests, non-refundable tickets don’t allow refunds except when you cancel the booking within 24 hours of purchase, provided the departure was away by more than 7 days. The cancellation fee depends upon how early you cancel the flight and the distance of the journey.

After the day ends, you will pay a cancellation fee and receive the rest of the amount as AA credits that you can use for future travel with the air carrier.

AAdvantage Award tickets via Miles/ Others

If you’ve bought a non-refundable/ basic economy ticket with AA miles, then the standard 24-hour rule will apply. After that, the credits equivalent to the cancellation fee will be deducted. For basic economy, there isn’t any scope of cancellation after the one-day rule.

For refundable award tickets earned via miles, you will get 100% credits back into your account if you cancel the flight before departure. 

Do I Get A Refund If American Airlines Cancels My Flight? 

When American airlines is canceling flights due to weather or technical issues, you have the right to seek a refund. The air carrier takes complete responsibility and rebooks its flights automatically when the current booking is delayed.

In case of booking cancellation from AA itself, it automatically initiates a refund request to your original fare amount regardless of your class of travel. Here are the rights you get when AA cancels your flight:

• Firstly, your refund amount will be the same as the ticketed amount (same for domestic and international flights).

• For flight delays, the compensation depends upon the number of hours and distance of the flight.

• Also, get $275 as compensation when the flight distance is less than 900 miles, and the flight is running late by equal to or more than 3 hours.

• Receive $450 for flight distances between 900 miles to 2100 miles when the delay is equal to or more than 3 hours.

• Lastly, get $650 as compensation for distances more than 2100 miles flight and delays of more than 3 hours.

Besides, the passengers can also ask for complimentary snacks from the AA when the flight is postponed without prior notice.

What Is The American Airlines Cancellation & Rebooking Policy

American Airlines rebooking policy allows changing flights till two hours are left for the flight’s scheduled departure. However, this facility is not available to basic economy ticket holders after the 24-hours risk-free period.

Terms & Conditions For Changing Flight At AA

• There is no rebooking fee on AA as long as you change your flight before 2 hours are left for your flight to depart from the airport.

• You must pay the modification fee to modify your ticket more than once.

• Travelers can rebook their ticket till 2 hours before the flight’s departure.

• American Airlines change policy allows same-day changes in exchange for a fee between $75 and $150.

Lastly, AA passengers must pay the fare difference to confirm their rebooking with the airlines.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is American Airlines cancellation policy currently?

As per the American airlines cancellation policy, all tickets, irrespective of travel class, are fully refundable within the first 24 hours of booking, provided the departure date is away by more than 2 days. One can’t cancel Non-refundable tickets.

Is there free cancellation on American Airlines?

There is no cancellation fee for fare classes above the premium cabin. You have to pay a fee starting from $75 for non-refundable tickets. After that, you will receive the rest of the amount as credits for future travel.

How much does it cost to cancel an American Airlines ticket?

The cancellation fee at AA is usually $200 for domestic and $750 for global tickets. However, the departure must be away by 7 days. Avoid the cancellation fee by using the website to cancel the ticket within 24 hours of booking.

Does American Airlines refund if the flight is Canceled?

American Airlines canceled flights refunds are available for unused tickets and any seat selection charge you have paid for future travel. AA will email you the data required to rebook your current ticket. Refunds are easily available for premium tickets.

How to get a refund from American Airlines?

When passengers haven’t received their refund automatically, they can fill out the AA refund form available on the official website. Otherwise, they must talk to someone at American Airlines to initiate their refund request via an expert.