Originally Posted by
AJNEDC
I have a paid AA ticket from DCA to ORD in September. When I booked it, the departure time from DCA allowed a two-hour connection in ORD. I noticed yesterday that the departure time has been changed, leaving only a one-hour connection.
Given that 3 of my last 5 AA flights have been delayed by an hour or more, I’m concerned about the risk of missing the connection. The only earlier AA flight departs around 6 AM, which isn’t feasible for me.
United has a flight that departs around the original AA time, and I’m considering booking it as a backup. While I know schedules can change again, the UA option currently seems more reliable.
My question: If I check in for both flights, is it possible to cancel the one I don’t end up taking—even after check-in, as long as I don’t board?
I hope you are aware that, apart from all other considerations, cancelling your AA flight to ORD will result in your connecting flight from ORD being cancelled as well. That's assuming that you really have a connection in Chicago, not two separate tickets.