Mar 22, 2016, 10:06 am
Last edit by: JDiver
ARCHIVE: AA Eliminates 24 Hour HOLD 1 Apr 2016
As of 1 Apr 2016: 24 hour free cancellation,
except bookings purchased within seven days of travel.
NOTE: Hold and 24 hour cancelation online can be used currently until it is terminated.
As of 1 Apr 2016: 24 hour free cancellation,
except bookings purchased within seven days of travel.
NOTE: Hold and 24 hour cancelation online can be used currently until it is terminated.
See current thread: Free 24 hr Hold on AA.com Now Only Offered Randomly 3 Nov 2016
Bookings made now state:
"You have 24 hours to cancel your trip for a full refund if you booked at least 7 days prior to departure. (Link to) Refunds policy."
For bookings made online, AA may continue to offer hold for unspecified interim going forward, but 24 hours hold via telephone booking may no longer granted by agents (though occasional ones might anyway).
update July 2016
AA will follow USDOT requirements to the letter, not the industry standards:
● 24 hour cancellation with refund and no penalty, though
● No free 24-hour cancellations for purchases within seven days of flying (except on refundable fares)
● 24 hour hold dropped for telephone bookings 1 April - but per a post here, will continue to be available for an undetermined interim period of time
● 24 hour hold will be offered for online bookings for an undetermined interim period of time
● during this period both free 24 hour hold and 24 hour no fee cancellation will be possible
● Extended hold for pay will still be offered online on many bookings (not within seven days)
● The five day holds for awards, and 24 hours within fifteen days of travel (all awards by non-elites also incur a $75 close in processing fee) remain unaffected
● No free 24-hour cancellations for purchases within seven days of flying (except on refundable fares)
● 24 hour hold dropped for telephone bookings 1 April - but per a post here, will continue to be available for an undetermined interim period of time
● 24 hour hold will be offered for online bookings for an undetermined interim period of time
● during this period both free 24 hour hold and 24 hour no fee cancellation will be possible
● Extended hold for pay will still be offered online on many bookings (not within seven days)
● The five day holds for awards, and 24 hours within fifteen days of travel (all awards by non-elites also incur a $75 close in processing fee) remain unaffected
Gary Leff, From the Boarding Area, 31 Mar 2016: (link) American spokesperson Joshua Freed confirmed to me today:
● They are making the change
● It does go into effect tomorrow, April 1 after all.
● They are making the change
● It does go into effect tomorrow, April 1 after all.
Previous, obsolete thread: ARCHIVE: AA 24 Hour Cancellation Policy: Offer 24 Hour Hold (obsolete)
Prior statement 20 March 2016: "There is not a final decision on this. Moving to refunds instead of a hold policy is something we are looking at, but it has not been decided.
There are some issues and implications we need to sort through before we do anything – which may be nothing at all.
There are some emails and meetings about all of this, and it looks like someone was eager to share the news.
If something officially changes, we will let customers know in advance. Nothing has been decided as I write this at 7:32am on Monday."
- Gary Leff, View from the wing Link
There are some issues and implications we need to sort through before we do anything – which may be nothing at all.
There are some emails and meetings about all of this, and it looks like someone was eager to share the news.
If something officially changes, we will let customers know in advance. Nothing has been decided as I write this at 7:32am on Monday."
- Gary Leff, View from the wing Link
ARCHIVE: HOLD ticket changed 1 Apr 2016 - 24 hr cancellation (but, read...)
Mar 20, 2016, 1:08 pm
#31
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: DCA/IAD
Programs: AA EXP; 1W Emerald; HHonors Diamond; Marriott Gold; UA dirt
Posts: 7,810
I agree with the last comment. The 24 hour hold feels more flexible to me.
with a refund, i feel as if I've given up some of my available credit (I don't have credit limit issues), and I always have the lingering feeling of what happens if they don't cancel it properly.
With a hold, I get (in reality) well over 24 hours to cancel a reservation without fear or risk.
Count me in as a hold supporter!
with a refund, i feel as if I've given up some of my available credit (I don't have credit limit issues), and I always have the lingering feeling of what happens if they don't cancel it properly.
With a hold, I get (in reality) well over 24 hours to cancel a reservation without fear or risk.
Count me in as a hold supporter!
Mar 20, 2016, 1:14 pm
#32
Join Date: May 2008
Location: NYC
Programs: DL PM; UA 1K; AA 1MM
Posts: 4,501
You pay a small fee (I think $5-$11 pp) for a 3-7 day hold.
https://www.aa.com/i18n/utility/hold_mktpg.jsp
https://www.aa.com/i18n/utility/hold_mktpg.jsp
Mar 20, 2016, 1:27 pm
#33
Join Date: May 2007
Programs: AAdvantage, Hilton
Posts: 3,191
April 1st it is. We'll still be able to put awards on hold.
Mar 20, 2016, 1:32 pm
#34
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: TUL
Programs: AA EXP 2MM; Marriott Titanium; Hilton Diamond; Hyatt Explorist; Vistana 5* Elite; Nat'l Exec Elite
Posts: 6,177
Mar 20, 2016, 1:47 pm
#35
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: PHL
Programs: AA Executive Platinum; Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,662
A vote for HOLD
At least twice now when I had an itinerary on hold, when I went to pay the next day, the price had dropped. Once by $0.60 and once by $14.00. So I like the hold feature. If there was only the 24h refund feature, I would be unlikely to check the next day to see if the price had dropped, so the HOLD feature is preferable for me.
Mar 20, 2016, 2:00 pm
#36
Join Date: May 2006
Location: SAN
Programs: Lots of faux metal
Posts: 6,413
Mar 20, 2016, 2:41 pm
#38
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: FIND ME ON TWITTER FOR THE LATEST
Posts: 27,730
Mar 20, 2016, 2:54 pm
#39
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2001
Programs: DL 1 million, AA 1 mil, HH lapsed Diamond, Marriott Plat
Posts: 28,190
If AA decides to change from 24-hour hold to 24-hour free cancelation, they could still implement an extended hold (for fee) system. United, who offers 24-hour cancelation rather than a free hold, also as a program they call Farelock which allows you to pay to hold the price on a reservation for either 3 or 7 days. https://www.united.com/CMS/en-US/pro.../FareLock.aspx
I'm surprised DL hasn't copied UA on that one.
Mar 20, 2016, 2:59 pm
#40
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 464
The 5-day hold feature, and the ability to extend the hold, if possible, was nice for AAward flights. As I now think the worst when it comes to AA, I assume this will get eliminated as well.
Mar 20, 2016, 3:04 pm
#41
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Watchlisted by the prejudiced, en route to purgatory
Programs: Just Say No to Fleecing and Blacklisting
Posts: 102,095
Mar 20, 2016, 3:23 pm
#42
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Melbourne
Programs: ►QFWP/LTG►VA WP►HyattExpl.►HiltonGold►ALL Silver
Posts: 21,990
Rarely, if ever, has that type information from those two in relation to AA been inaccurate.
Mar 20, 2016, 3:57 pm
#43
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: jfk area
Programs: AA platinum; 2MM AA, Delta Diamond, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 10,291
April 1 is less than 2 weeks off
At https://www.aa.com/i18n/utility/hold_mktpg.jsp, aa.com still lists the hold feature. April 1st is less than 2 weeks away--AA should make a prominent announcement that a change is about to occur.
Mar 20, 2016, 4:21 pm
#44
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: KSUX
Posts: 906
Ugh I hope they don't do away with holds because I'm sure just like every other company they process your payment almost instantly but will take their sweet time processing the refund.
Mar 20, 2016, 4:33 pm
#45
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: South Florida
Programs: AA LTG (EXP), Hilton Silver (Dia), Marriott LTP (PP), SPG LTG (P) > MPG LTPP
Posts: 11,329
I've received many calls from customers saying we haven't processed a credit return when in fact we had. Talking with our merchant processor, they tell me each card issuer gets to define how they handle transactions and they will jump on charges to possibly catch bogus charges, but they have no incentive to do the same with credits.
I truly hope this is an April's Fools joke someone has started.
