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...)
Apr 22, 2016, 9:43 am
#286
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
It has been there a while. More money for AA. There's no refund if used till end or not.
Apr 22, 2016, 10:22 am
#287
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: SFO
Programs: AA PLT, EXP, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 42
Apr 22, 2016, 11:15 am
#288
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: MSN
Programs: AA, BAEC Gold
Posts: 3,921
I have seen 3 and 7 day paid holds on domestic itineraries for a while. I am usually looking a few weeks out so I don't know whether they are offered closer in. The offer may only be made if AA is willing to take the seat(s) out of inventory for the duration so loading may be a factor too.
Apr 22, 2016, 11:35 am
#289
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Programs: AAdvantage Exec Platinum, Hertz #1 Club Gold Five Star, IHG Platinum, Marriott Gold, HHonors Silver
Posts: 2,034
The multi-day hold only shows up if you click the Hold option. It doesn't show up without that.
Apr 23, 2016, 9:49 pm
#290
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: US
Programs: AAdvantage
Posts: 1,753
I have no idea what criteria AA uses to determine whether or not to offer the paid hold, but I have been offered them on rather cheap O fares if that helps narrow anything down.
Apr 24, 2016, 9:16 am
#291
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Chicago Area
Posts: 369
So, just took advantage of the new 24 hour cancel policy. Flight booked after the change in policy for a flight 2 months out. Cancelled within 24 hours. Seems great right? Well I was told that I must apply for a refund, which I did immediately. So far two weeks has gone by, no refund. Refund page states pending review. While this new policy may seem consumer friendly to some, the holding up of the refund seems inexcusable.
Apr 24, 2016, 9:25 am
#292
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: FIND ME ON TWITTER FOR THE LATEST
Posts: 27,730
Apr 24, 2016, 11:00 am
#293
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
So, just took advantage of the new 24 hour cancel policy. Flight booked after the change in policy for a flight 2 months out. Cancelled within 24 hours. Seems great right? Well I was told that I must apply for a refund, which I did immediately. So far two weeks has gone by, no refund. Refund page states pending review. While this new policy may seem consumer friendly to some, the holding up of the refund seems inexcusable.
Different points of sale for AA flights may refund tickets at a different pace than other points of sale. That is another thing to consider when booking flights for a trip that may be subject to change in rather short order.
Apr 24, 2016, 2:28 pm
#294
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2012
Location: MCO
Programs: AA, B6, DL, EK, EY, QR, SQ, UA, Amex Plat, Marriott Tit, HHonors Gold
Posts: 12,809
Apr 25, 2016, 7:29 am
#296
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Orange County, CA, USA
Programs: AA (Life Plat), Marriott (Life Titanium) and every other US program
Posts: 6,411
One reason is because many (most?) credit cards still have the policy that you can't place a dispute until the charge has "appeared on your statement." So there is a delay of 1 to 30 days until it is even possible to place a dispute.
Apr 25, 2016, 7:50 am
#297
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2012
Location: MCO
Programs: AA, B6, DL, EK, EY, QR, SQ, UA, Amex Plat, Marriott Tit, HHonors Gold
Posts: 12,809
Interesting. For me, both American Express and Citi give the option to dispute the charge as soon as it's posted (not necessarily once the statement has closed) so I can't imagine a delay of more than a day or two. Barclay seems a bit more complicated though I've admittedly only been using them for a month now.
Apr 25, 2016, 9:54 am
#298
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Global
Posts: 5,992
Granted, I can't say for sure I have disputed something from each one, but, I have had my fair share over the years and whenever there was an issue, the dispute was immediate.
Last edited by Global321; Apr 29, 2016 at 2:23 pm
Apr 25, 2016, 9:59 am
#299
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 have never heard of that. I have cards from most major backs. The second something is charged, I can dispute it.
Granted, I can't say for sure I have disputed something from each one, but, I have had my fair share over the years and whenever there was an issue, the dispute was immediate.
Granted, I can't say for sure I have disputed something from each one, but, I have had my fair share over the years and whenever there was an issue, the dispute was immediate.
Seems the smaller banks have tougher hurdles hoping everything works out before they have to do something. Just like their processing rules where charges may show up immediately but credits take a different path and may takes many days. I guess they want to hold onto your money as long as they can (funny banks do that).
Apr 25, 2016, 10:06 am
#300
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Global
Posts: 5,992
Yes, different banks have different rules. I seem to recall the only time I tried a dispute with AA, my bank came back almost instantly denying the dispute saying AA's system had confirmed the charge. I had to call to get an agent to actually submit the dispute and it cleared within a few days.
Seems the smaller banks have tougher hurdles hoping everything works out before they have to do something. Just like their processing rules where charges may show up immediately but credits take a different path and may takes many days. I guess they want to hold onto your money as long as they can (funny banks do that).
Seems the smaller banks have tougher hurdles hoping everything works out before they have to do something. Just like their processing rules where charges may show up immediately but credits take a different path and may takes many days. I guess they want to hold onto your money as long as they can (funny banks do that).
Personally, I would not accept that answer from my bank.
