American Airlines Flight Insurance: Flexibility In Times Of Change

American Airlines offers trip insurance to residents of the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. The airline has a customer-friendly cancellation policy, allowing fully refundable tickets within 24 hours of booking, as long as the departure date is more than two days in the future. Non-refundable tickets can be changed or cancelled without a fee, but the refund will be in the form of a travel voucher. Basic economy fares cannot be changed once booked but can be cancelled for a fee.

American Airlines' cancellation policy

American Airlines has a 24-hour refund policy, allowing passengers to cancel their bookings by phone and receive a full refund within 24 hours of making the reservation. This policy provides flexibility for passengers who need to make last-minute changes to their travel plans.

To cancel your flight, you can contact American Airlines' customer service hotline or manage your booking online through the American Airlines website or mobile app to initiate the cancellation process.

If you cancel within 24 hours of booking and at least two days before departure, you will receive a full refund. Non-refundable tickets can be changed or cancelled without a fee, but you will receive a travel credit instead of a refund.

Basic Economy fares are the only fares that cannot be changed once booked. However, with recent policy changes, you can cancel the flight by paying a fee. Similar to other non-refundable tickets, you will receive a refund in the form of a travel credit.

If you are issued a travel credit, keep the cancellation email as it contains the ticket number and original confirmation code you will need to rebook a future flight.

American Airlines also offers a same-day confirmed change option for a fee, with some exceptions.

Changing an American Airlines flight online

Step 1: Find Your Trip

First, you will need to locate your trip on the American Airlines website or mobile app. You can do this by logging into your AAdvantage account or by using your confirmation code.

Step 2: Click "Change Trip"

Once you have found your trip, click on the "Change Trip" option in the menu. This will allow you to start making changes to your itinerary.

Step 3: Choose a New Flight

You can now choose a new flight that suits your needs. You have the flexibility to change your departure or arrival airport, your departure or arrival date, or both. Remember that basic economy tickets cannot be changed, and there may be a fee for changes to trips that begin in Europe (excluding Finland, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania).

Step 4: Review and Confirm Changes

After selecting your new flight, carefully review the changes to ensure they are correct. Keep in mind that there may be a difference in ticket price, and you will need to pay any additional cost.

Step 5: Receive Confirmation

Once you have confirmed your changes, American Airlines will send a confirmation email to your registered email address. This email will contain the details of your new flight.

It is important to note that you can also make changes to your flight by contacting American Airlines via phone. Additionally, if you have a non-refundable ticket, you may be able to receive a travel credit instead of a refund if you need to cancel your flight.

American Airlines' refund policy

American Airlines Refund Policy

If you cancel your trip within 24 hours of purchasing a ticket and at least two days before departure, you will automatically get a full refund to your original form of payment without needing to take additional steps. Basic economy fares are never considered refundable unless they are cancelled within that 24-hour booking window.

You can book a refundable ticket by filtering results by "Flexible tickets" in the American Airlines search engine.

A nonrefundable American Airlines fare, regardless of class, isn't eligible for a refund unless:

• There has been a flight schedule change of more than four hours.
• The passenger and/or travelling companion has died.
• Military orders affect the passenger's ability to travel.

If any of the above circumstances arise, you will be eligible for a refund from the airline in the form of a travel credit.

You must submit separate refund requests for your flights, seats and other purchases. In general, the refund process requires that you cancel the reservation for the applicable passengers first. Refund requests must be submitted individually for each ticket in a record locator.

American Airlines typically doesn't offer refunds on nonrefundable tickets when you've voluntarily cancelled your trip. This includes choosing to cancel your trip because you're no longer comfortable travelling. If an involuntary cancellation or significant change or delay is made by American Airlines, you can choose to request a refund.

To get a refund for a cancelled American Airlines flight, visit prefunds.aa.com. You'll need the last name of the passenger associated with the cancelled ticket and the ticket number.

American issues three types of travel credits: trip credits, flight credits and travel vouchers. All of these can be used for future flights.

Trip credits: Trip credits are issued as refunds and remaining value from flight credits. Trip credits can be used on domestic or international paid flights originating in the U.S. and expire within one year from the date of issue.

Flight credits: Flight credits are provided for unused or cancelled tickets. These credits are valid on paid flights (within or between the U.S., Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands). These must be used within one year from the date of issue and only one credit is allowed per passenger.

Travel vouchers: American's travel vouchers can be electronic or paper and are valid on flights only. These must be used within one year from the date of issue and up to eight credits are allowed per passenger. Travel Vouchers expiring between 1 January 2021 and 31 May 2021 were automatically extended to expire on 31 March 2022.

To redeem your credits, visit the American Airlines travel credit hub page.

If you booked the flight on the American Airlines website, you were given the option of booking a refundable ticket. Refundable ticket perks are generally offered as an add-on during booking, resulting in a higher price compared with nonrefundable tickets.

You can also confirm the type of ticket you purchased by:

• Viewing the fine print on your original booking confirmation email.
• Calling American Airlines Reservations on 800-433-7300.
• Logging into your American Airlines account to see your booking details.

American Airlines' schedule change policy

American Airlines Schedule Change Policy

Schedule Changes

A schedule change refers to a planned alteration that occurs more than 72 hours before the flight's scheduled departure. Examples include changes in flight times, equipment or carrier, or flight cancellations due to a reduction in frequency. When such changes occur, American Airlines will endeavour to offer alternate protection while maintaining the original ticketed origin and destination, as well as the original length of stay.

Re-accommodation

In the event of a schedule change, American Airlines will attempt to rebook customers on the next flight with available seats. If the delay was caused by American Airlines, they may also arrange hotel accommodations. Under Rule 240, if the flight is delayed for more than 2 hours due to reasons under the airline's control (e.g. mechanical problems), they should notify passengers by phone. For delays of more than 4 hours between 10 PM and 6 AM, the airline should provide hotel accommodations.

Refunds

American Airlines will provide refunds to customers when schedule changes result in an overall delay of more than four hours or when a nonstop flight is changed to an itinerary with a connection. In situations where the schedule change is four hours or less, customers can rebook without incurring change fees, or they can cancel and rebook for a later date while retaining the full value of their ticket.

Nonrefundable Tickets

Nonrefundable tickets cannot be refunded in cash. However, they can be changed or cancelled without a fee, and the value of the ticket can be applied to future flights as long as the new itinerary is no more than one year from the original booking date, and the cancellation occurs before the scheduled departure.

Basic Economy Fares

Basic economy fares cannot be changed once booked, but they can be cancelled by paying a fee, and the refund will be issued in the form of a travel credit.

Same-Day Confirmed Changes

American Airlines allows same-day confirmed changes on select flights for a fee. The new flight must depart on the same day, from and to the same airports, and have the same number of stops as the original flight. It must also be operated by American Airlines or American Eagle.

Same-Day Standby

Anyone can standby for an earlier flight at no charge, but only AAvantage status members can standby for a later flight on the same day. This option is subject to availability on select flights.

American Airlines' trip insurance

American Airlines offers trip insurance to residents of the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. The insurance is provided by Allianz Global Assistance, and the benefits, coverage, and other services vary by country. For example, in the U.S., Allianz Global Assistance offers a range of services, including trip cancellation and interruption coverage, emergency travel assistance, and baggage loss or delay coverage.

Trip insurance can be purchased during the flight booking process on the American Airlines website (aa.com) or through Allianz Global Assistance's website directly. It is important to note that trip insurance is provided by a third-party insurer and not American Airlines itself. Therefore, customers will receive a separate confirmation and policy documentation from the insurance provider.

Regarding changes to flight times, American Airlines allows customers to make changes to their flights based on the rules of their specific ticket. Same-day confirmed changes are permitted on select flights for a fee, although there are some exceptions. For example, customers can stand by for an earlier or later flight on the same day at no additional charge. However, only AAdvantage members or certain other eligible customers can standby for a later flight.

In terms of refunds, American Airlines offers refunds for tickets cancelled within 24 hours of booking, provided the departure date is at least two days in the future. Basic economy fares are non-refundable and cannot be changed, but they can be cancelled for a fee, and a travel credit will be issued. For non-refundable tickets, refunds may be issued in specific circumstances, such as schedule changes of more than four hours, death of the passenger or travelling companion, or military orders.

Frequently asked questions