All my AA travel between two countries where I am a citizen have been one-way (award) tickets, so I haven’t experienced this issue. But I guess revenue one-way tickets aren’t 1/2 or the round trip cost, so this workaround isn’t really workable.

Isn’t the problem only going get worse when the EU finally implements their ETIAS system? If the APIS data is from your US passport, doesn’t AA expect you to have an ETIAS authorization? (and vice versa for the equivalent US system, ESTA).

Maybe try a DOT complaint. Not that I think the DOT regulates this, but I think they will forward your concern for review and comment to some at AA who is not a front line customer “service” rep and might understand the concern.

Keep it short:

“I purchased an international ticket from AA for return travel between XYZ (in country X, Europe) to ABC (in the US). I am a dual citizen of X and the US and hold valid passports for both countries. AA reservation ABCDC (ticket number …) . I flew the XYZ-ABC segment, and as a US citizen I was required to provide my US passport information prior to departure for APIS. For the return flight I will need to comply with country X’s requirement and provide my X-issues passport data via APIS. AA’s website doesn’t allow me to update the APIS record of the reservation for the return flight. Reservations agents and ticket counter agents at the airport have been unable to make the change and more importantly unwilling to escalate the issue internally.”

Maybe work the ESTA/ETIAS concern into the complaint.