wmz

TLDR - Is the ticket purchase cutoff (at the airport) for a flight 1 hour before takeoff? I think I was overcharged $71.

Bought my first walk-up fare today for AA 6024 (4:10PM). I tried to do it over the phone at 3PM, but the agent said I had to go to the airport, since it was within 2 hours. I got to the airport at 3:25PM, and the agent quoted a 1 hour cutoff rule. Instead, the agent said I had to buy a ticket for AA 6025 (5:40PM) and standby for 6024. The fare was $71 more. I had plenty of time to go through security and clear the standby list for 6024, which I ended up taking.

I'm skeptical of this 1 hour cutoff, since it's not written anywhere, the AA app was presenting a fare to me available for airport purchase at 3:26PM, and the OP of this thread was able to purchase a ticket ~45 mins before takeoff. Do I have grounds to request a refund?

Screenshot of the available fare on the app:

Daniel Solis

I have booked a ticket at the airport 50 minutes prior to departure without a problem. Maybe it depends on the airport. The agent however did say that she has to hurry and type everything in because it will lock her out when it too close to departure.

3Cforme

I can recall a ticketing cut-off of 60 minutes, but in the hyperlinked, detail-deleted mess presented as the Domestic Contract of Carriage, can't find it presently.

Antarius

I booked one at T30 a couple weeks ago.

wetrat0

I don't know the ticketing cut off. However, there is a T-45 checkin cutoff for all flights except the shuttle. So I can't imagine that it would be possible to buy a ticket after T-45 since you would at that point be unable to check in. 3:25 PM to 4:10 PM (from the OP) is exactly 45 minutes.

USFlyerUS

I can't imagine it's 60 min for Shuttle flights, so it's likely not a universal policy.

IADCAflyer

And IIRC its two or three hours for award bookings.

Often1

I would send a note to AA asking for a refund, citing the T-45 check-in and ask that if AA can't make the refund that it document the T-60 ticketing deadline for you. Make sure that you ask for a refund as opposed to some customer service gesture.

The mere fact that others have been able to book later doesn't mean much. Same thing as excess weight in checked bags, size of cabin bags, change fees and the like. It's largely about the individual agent unless the terminal locks the agent out at T-60.

Dave Noble

I don't know how citing a 45 minute check in rule would do anything other than support the AA agent's position

It was only at T-45 that the person turned up at the airport

It would not be possible to get to the ticketing desk, process the purchase of the ticket and get checked in by T-45 , when arriving at the airport at T-45

meb55

I've done T-30 between Canada & US. I had no expectations but the agent was willing to try at the ticketing/check-in desk. They were able to sell me the ticket no problem, but then it clicked over to boarding and was under control of the boarding gate so they actually couldn't check me in. They had to call down to the boarding gate, who were able to get me checked in, and then they could print the boarding pass. I had no real expectation and was pleasantly surprised. It was the last AA flight for the night and I would've been on another carrier.

mvoight

OP arrived at the airport at T-45, so it would not be possible to check in by T-45 if the ticket was not even purchased yet.

wmz

I tried tweeting AA and asking for the $71 fare difference refund. Their response was that they do have a cutoff (but didn't confirm 1 hour). Responded and asked where the T-60 cutoff is documented, so we'll see what they say. This seems like a pretty important detail for anyone who needs a last-minute fare.

Dave Noble

Whether there is a 60 minute cutoff seems irrelevent - by your own statement, you indicated that you didnt get to airport until T-45 by which time it is documented that passengers need to be checked in

wmz

I guess that makes sense, and I wasn't actually aware that T-45 check-in was a documented rule for domestic flights without checked bags (never had a situation where I wasn't able to check in earlier). So it seems that realistically, the cutoff is something like T-60, which gives enough time for the ticket to be issued for the T-45 check-in cutoff. However, I guess some agents will still make the effort, given that the computer's check-in cutoff is actually T-27.

Dave Noble

It is documented at https://www.aa.com/i18n/travel-info/arrival-times.jsp