Originally Posted by
flyastrojets
It is normally part of the final paperwork you see the gate agent printing just before they go down to the airplane and shut the door, so it is usually current.
The passenger list is an FAA requirement as part of the "load" manifest as per
14 CFR 121.693, but because this information is also kept in AA's computers the printout is not such list and therefore can be a bit off. However, it makes sense from a service standpoint for it to be as accurate as possible, hence it being printed as late as possible in the departure process.