• What are Preferred seats?
Preferred seats (formerly Express seats) are at or near the front of the coach cabin, including bulkhead rows, and are available for purchase via AA.com, phone, or airport kiosk from the time of booking through the check-in deadline for a flight, even after previously checking in online. Available Preferred seats are shaded partially green on AA.com seat maps, although occupied Preferred seats are not designated. Pricing is per flight, based on flight distance. As of August 25, 2011, Preferred seats are available free of charge to elite AAdvantage, oneworld, and Alaska Airlines MVP members; AAirpass members; full fare/AAnytime award passengers (Y, B); active duty U.S. military; and traveling companions on the same reservation as any of the above. Passengers traveling on MileSAAver awards cannot purchase Preferred seats.
Certain Preferred seats (formerly Preferred Plus seats) are reserved for elite and full-fare customers only and are not available for purchase. These seats are designated with a white star on AA.com seatmaps when available, although occupied seats are not so designated.
Prior to August 25, 2011, the former Express Seat product also included Group 1 boarding, but was not available to those traveling on AAdvantage Award tickets. AAdvantage elites and full fare passengers were still charged for Expressed seats, unless selecting seats with an airport agent.
AA.com:
Seating Options |
Terms & Conditions
AA.com:
Special Assistance: Prereserved Seating
FT:
Former "Preferred Plus" seats now "Reserved for elite and full fare customers" (Nov 9, 2012)
FT:
Express Seats rebranded as Preferred Seats; Preferred Seats rebranded as Preferred Plus Seats (Aug 25, 2011)
FT:
Express Seats - Paid premium seating in economy