Nov 5, 2016, 8:54 am
Last edit by: JDiver
AA Offers Random 24 Hour HOLD 3 Nov 2016
As of 3 Nov 2016, AA randomly offers free 24 hour hold to those booking travel over seven days out, and some still report being offered up to 7 days hold for $15.99.
As of 1 Apr 2016, 24 hour free cancellation, except bookings purchased within seven days of travel, is standard.
NOTE: Hold and 24 hour cancelation online can be used until eliminated.
As of 3 Nov 2016, AA randomly offers free 24 hour hold to those booking travel over seven days out, and some still report being offered up to 7 days hold for $15.99.
As of 1 Apr 2016, 24 hour free cancellation, except bookings purchased within seven days of travel, is standard.
NOTE: Hold and 24 hour cancelation online can be used until eliminated.
Current refunds policy:
"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."
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).[/SIZE]
update July 2016[/COLOR]
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, 04 Nov 2016: American Starting to Limit 24 Hour Holds When Purchasing Tickets Online.
"American has started to remove the 24 hour hold option from its website and will no longer show it to all customers on all itineraries. Presumably they’re split-testing to understand the role that holds have on purchase decisions."
"American has started to remove the 24 hour hold option from its website and will no longer show it to all customers on all itineraries. Presumably they’re split-testing to understand the role that holds have on purchase decisions."
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.
ARCHIVE: AA 24 Hour Cancellation Policy: Offer 24 Hour Hold (obsolete)
Don't forget to look at other venues for tickets, such as OTAs, if purchasing within the 7 day window and you would like some hedging protection. Expedia offers 24 hour cancellation on AA itineraries within the 7 day window and many AA itineraries can be held via Expedia Trip Lock (which charges a small fee to hold a fare for 48 hours).
Free 24 hr Hold on aa.com Offered Randomly as of 3 Nov 2016
Aug 24, 2017, 12:59 pm
#92
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Oct 19, 2018, 12:26 pm
#94
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 113
AA Award hold seat pricing variable
Every time I place the same award tickets on hold (I'm waiting to actually purchase it, so continue to rehold the same itinerary) the seat prices change (I have lost status unfortunately, so have to contend with paying for better seat assignments). Why do the prices change/increase like that? (For context, this is for next summer, so it's not like we're getting much closer to fly date.) Any strategies to make sure the prices are the lower amount when I am actually ready to purchase?
Oct 19, 2018, 12:37 pm
#95
Join Date: Aug 2015
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Every time I place the same award tickets on hold (I'm waiting to actually purchase it, so continue to rehold the same itinerary) the seat prices change (I have lost status unfortunately, so have to contend with paying for better seat assignments). Why do the prices change/increase like that? (For context, this is for next summer, so it's not like we're getting much closer to fly date.) Any strategies to make sure the prices are the lower amount when I am actually ready to purchase?
Even if it's for next summer, there are plenty of factors that determine why American raises those prices and when those changes take place. American is (as they always have been) under constant pressure to optimize profit on every route whether that be selling out flights or squeezing out every incremental dollar possible with ancillary fees including "premium" seat selection. There are plenty of discussions about the best time to book tickets, award and otherwise but I can say this: If you found sAAver seats on the times/routes that you want in your preferred cabin, then I wouldn't think twice about booking it as that inventory may or may not ever continue to be there.
Good luck on your trip!
Oct 19, 2018, 12:54 pm
#96
Join Date: Aug 2017
Programs: AA PLT, IHG Spire
Posts: 550
The seat prices always seem a bit random, but I think that as departure approaches, if people haven't been paying for the premium seats the prices will generally go down until people grab them. But farther out, like in your case, I think its just a bit of American trying to take advantage of the leisure traveller who doesn't fly very often. You can always book and then select premium seats later after you have ticketed.
Oct 29, 2018, 1:40 am
#97
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: ATL
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 55
Option to hold reservation not offered -- isolated incident?
Couldn't place an online hold on a travel reservation for January. An online search suggests some time ago AA has stated the Hold option will be discontinued. Is that now being implemented? Or is this an isolated incident?
Oct 29, 2018, 10:59 am
#104
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: ATL
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 55
I'll assume this was a one-time glitch.
Oct 29, 2018, 12:30 pm
#105
Moderator: American AAdvantage
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
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Posts: 62,948
Thanks for taking the time for this. I tried re-booking and this time I was able to hold the itinerary for a week. FWIW, I didn't overlook an option to hold on the original attempt ... I saved the webpage to disk to readily review the flight/fare details when I couldn't hold the original reservation. I just confirmed there was no hold option presented with other payment options.
I'll assume this was a one-time glitch.
I'll assume this was a one-time glitch.
