Last edit by: dstan
For tickets purchased Wednesday, April 8, 2020 or after, see https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/amer...020-after.html
More changes: Saturday, March 14, 2020, 10:40 PM .
Official announcement from American Airlines: http://news.aa.com/news/news-details...3/default.aspx
American Airlines Announces Additional Schedule Changes in Response to Customer Demand Related to COVID-19
NOTE: also see AA Waiving Change Fees for Travel Purchased March 1 - May 31 (Coronavirus)
(information current as of April 15, 2020)
https://www.aa.com/i18n/travel-info/travel-alerts.jsp
(Previous travel waivers require rebooked travel to start by the earlier of the stated date OR the 12-month validity of the original ticket)
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This thread is dedicated to discussion and questions pertaining to changing travel on AA motivated by COVID-19 novel Coronavirus but not covered by AA travel alerts or waivers.
For those destinations covered by AA Coronavirus-related travel alerts and waivers see Coronavirus COVID-19 AA paid & award China et al cancel / change / questions
Link to AA travel alerts
Link to thread AA schedule changes - free flight change / cancellation / refund (consolidated)
Link to thread AA 2020 schedule adjustments / changes due to coronavirus
AA agents have occasionally allowed passengers with booked travel wishing to cancel because of Coronavirus concerns to cancel without fees, but this is not AA official policy. Possible reasons:
Events, meetings, etc. you were to attend have been cancelled due to Coronavirus concerns, so your trip would be in vain.
You have documentable health conditions that your doctor feels are sufficient to cancel travel plans.
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
New General Change Fee Waiver (released ≈April 7-15)
New Change Fee waiver for South Pacific (released ≈March 20?)
New Change Fee waiver for Canada, Caribbean, .Central and South America (released ≈March 20?)
New Change Fee waiver for Europe (released March 12, expanded to Middle East)
Change Fee Waiver for Flights Booked before March 1, 2020 for travel March 1 – May 31 (extended March 20)
Change Fee Waiver for Flights Booked before March 1, 2020 for travel March 10 – April 30 (released March 9)
• AA Award Travel - Per multiple first-hand accounts (including by dstan), under the above General Travel Waiver, AA Award Travel booked before March 1 for travel between March 1, 2020 – April 30, 2020 can be canceled for a full refund of all fees and taxes paid AND free redeposit of miles (reinstatement fee waived).
Change Fee Waiver for Flights Booked between March 1, 2020–March 30, 2020 (extended 3/5)
Change Fee Waiver for Flights Booked between March 1, 2020–March 16, 2020 (original 3/1)
https://www.aa.com/i18n/travel-info/...conditions.jsp
This waiver is valid only for tickets issued on American Airlines ticket stock. Tickets can be identified by a 13-digit ticket number beginning with American Airlines code ’001’. Tickets issued by other airlines with a different carrier code (ticket numbers not beginning with ‘001’) are subject to the waiver policy of that airline.
This policy excludes bookings through AAdvantage® award tickets.
American Airlines Vacations packages purchased between March 1, 2020 at 4:30 p.m. CT and March 31, 2020 at 11:59 p.m. CT, also qualify for the one-time change fee waiver. Changes must be made prior to the departure of your original flight. Any difference in fare or hotel rate will apply.
Contact American Airlines Vacations
Updated: March 9, 2020
More changes: Saturday, March 14, 2020, 10:40 PM .
Official announcement from American Airlines: http://news.aa.com/news/news-details...3/default.aspx
American Airlines Announces Additional Schedule Changes in Response to Customer Demand Related to COVID-19
NOTE: also see AA Waiving Change Fees for Travel Purchased March 1 - May 31 (Coronavirus)
Current AA Travel Waivers for COVID-19
(information current as of April 15, 2020)
https://www.aa.com/i18n/travel-info/travel-alerts.jsp
- All Pre-May 31 Bookings (announced 4/7) - change fees waived, tickets booked on/before May 31, travel Mar 1–Sep 30, rebooked travel start by Dec 31, 2021
Previous AA Travel Waivers for COVID-19
(Previous travel waivers require rebooked travel to start by the earlier of the stated date OR the 12-month validity of the original ticket)
- South Pacific - change fees waived, tickets booked on/before March 16, travel March 16–May 31, rebooked travel start by Dec 31
- Canada, Caribbean, Central and South America - change fees waived, tickets booked on/before March 17, travel March 16–May 31, rebooked travel start by Dec 31
- Europe and the Middle East (announced 3/12, expanded to Middle East) - change fees waived, tickets booked on/before March 11, travel March 11–May 31, rebooked travel start by Dec 31
- All Pre-March 1 Bookings (announced 3/9, extended 3/20) - change fees waived, tickets booked on/before March 1, travel March 11–May 31
April 30, rebooked travel start by Dec 31 - All March 1–March 30 Bookings (announced 3/1 , extended 3/5, extended 4/7) - change fees waived, tickets booked March 1–April 30 (originally March 16, then March 30), travel Mar 1, 2020–Jan 30, 2021, rebooked travel complete within 12-month ticket validity
- Italy - refund or change fees waived, tickets booked on/before Feb 27, travel Feb 27–Apr 24, rebooked travel Feb 27–June 30
- South Korea (ICN) - refund or change fees waived, tickets booked on/before Feb 24, travel Feb 24–May 1, rebooked travel Feb 24–June 30
- Hong Kong (HKG) - refund or change fees waived, tickets booked on/before Jan 28, travel Jan 28–July 1, rebooked travel Jan 28–Aug 31
- China (PEK, PVG) - refund or change fees waived, tickets booked on/before Jan 24, travel Jan 24–Oct 23, rebooked travel Feb 1–Dec 31
- Wuhan, China (WUH) - refund only, tickets booked on/before Jan 23, travel Jan 23–Mar 31
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
This thread is dedicated to discussion and questions pertaining to changing travel on AA motivated by COVID-19 novel Coronavirus but not covered by AA travel alerts or waivers.
For those destinations covered by AA Coronavirus-related travel alerts and waivers see Coronavirus COVID-19 AA paid & award China et al cancel / change / questions
Link to AA travel alerts
Link to thread AA schedule changes - free flight change / cancellation / refund (consolidated)
Link to thread AA 2020 schedule adjustments / changes due to coronavirus
AA agents have occasionally allowed passengers with booked travel wishing to cancel because of Coronavirus concerns to cancel without fees, but this is not AA official policy. Possible reasons:
Events, meetings, etc. you were to attend have been cancelled due to Coronavirus concerns, so your trip would be in vain.
You have documentable health conditions that your doctor feels are sufficient to cancel travel plans.
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
New General Change Fee Waiver (released ≈April 7-15)
No change fee if you bought your ticket before May 31, 2020
Information current as of April 15, 2020
Keep in mind:
Travel must be completed on or before December 31, 2021. The change fee will be waived but you may still owe any difference in ticket price when you rebook your trip.
Information current as of April 15, 2020
If you're traveling to / through / from:
All cities served by AmericanThe change fee is waived if you:
- Booked an American Airlines flight
- Bought your ticket on or before May 31, 2020
- Are scheduled to travel March 1 - September 30, 2020
- Can travel on or before December 31, 2021
Change your trip or cancel and rebook later
You’re allowed to make changes to your trip once. You can change it now, or cancel and rebook later.Keep in mind:
Travel must be completed on or before December 31, 2021. The change fee will be waived but you may still owe any difference in ticket price when you rebook your trip.
New Change Fee waiver for South Pacific (released ≈March 20?)
Novel Coronavirus - South Pacific
Information current as of March 20, 2020
Keep in mind:
We’ll send an email that includes your ticket number after you cancel your trip. Keep this handy so you can refer to it when you call to rebook.
Information current as of March 20, 2020
If you're traveling to / through / from airports in:
AustraliaThe change fee is waived if you:
- Booked an American Airlines flight
- Bought your ticket on or before March 16, 2020
- Are scheduled to travel March 16 - May 31, 2020
- Can travel March 16 - December 31, 2020 or within 1 year of date the ticket was issued, whichever is earlier.
Change your trip or cancel and rebook later
You’re allowed to make changes to your trip once. You can change it now, or cancel and rebook later.Keep in mind:
- Travel must start by December 31, 2020 or within 1 year of date the ticket was issued, whichever is earlier.
- The change fee will be waived but you may still owe any difference in ticket price when you rebook your trip.
Change or cancel online
Here's how:- Find your trip
- If your trip is eligible, you'll see 'Change trip' or ‘Cancel trip’ in the top toolbar
We’ll send an email that includes your ticket number after you cancel your trip. Keep this handy so you can refer to it when you call to rebook.
Call to rebook
After you cancel your trip online, please call Reservations when you’re ready to rebook. You’ll need:- Your ticket number (American tickets have a 13-digit number that begins with ’001’)
- Your 6-character confirmation (also called a ‘Record Locator’)
New Change Fee waiver for Canada, Caribbean, .Central and South America (released ≈March 20?)
Novel Coronavirus - Canada, Caribbean, Central and South America
Information current as of March 20, 2020
Keep in mind:
We’ll send an email that includes your ticket number after you cancel your trip. Keep this handy so you can refer to it when you call to rebook.
Information current as of March 20, 2020
If you're traveling to / through / from airports in these countries:
- Argentina
- Aruba
- Brazil
- Canada
- Cayman Islands
- Chile
- Colombia
- Costa Rica
- Ecuador
- El Salvador
- Guatemala
- Guyana
- Panama
- Peru
- St. Maarten
- Uruguay
The change fee is waived if you:
- Booked an American Airlines flight
- Bought your ticket on or before March 17, 2020
- Are scheduled to travel March 16 - May 31, 2020
- Can travel March 16 - December 31, 2020 or within 1 year of date the ticket was issued, whichever is earlier.
Change your trip or cancel and rebook later
You’re allowed to make changes to your trip once. You can change it now, or cancel and rebook later.Keep in mind:
- Travel must start by December 31, 2020 or within 1 year of date the ticket was issued, whichever is earlier.
- The change fee will be waived but you may still owe any difference in ticket price when you rebook your trip.
Change or cancel online
Here's how:- Find your trip
- If your trip is eligible, you'll see 'Change trip' or ‘Cancel trip’ in the top toolbar
We’ll send an email that includes your ticket number after you cancel your trip. Keep this handy so you can refer to it when you call to rebook.
Call to rebook
After you cancel your trip online, please call Reservations when you’re ready to rebook. You’ll need:- Your ticket number (American tickets have a 13-digit number that begins with ’001’)
- Your 6-character confirmation (also called a ‘Record Locator’)
Novel Coronavirus - Europe and the Middle East
Information current as of March 20, 2020
Keep in mind:
We’ll send an email that includes your ticket number after you cancel your trip. Keep this handy so you can refer to it when you call to rebook.
Information current as of March 20, 2020
If you're traveling to / through / from airports in these countries:
- Austria
- Belgium
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Hungary
- Iceland
- Ireland
- Israel
- Italy
- Latvia
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Netherlands
- Norway
- Poland
- Portugal
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- UK
The change fee is waived if you:
- Booked an American Airlines flight
- Bought your ticket on or before March 16, 2020
- Are scheduled to travel March 11 - May 31, 2020
- Can travel March 11 - December 31, 2020 or within 1 year of date the ticket was issued, whichever is earlier.
Change your trip or cancel and rebook later
You’re allowed to make changes to your trip once. You can change it now, or cancel and rebook later.Keep in mind:
- Travel must start by December 31, 2020 or within 1 year of date the ticket was issued, whichever is earlier.
- The change fee will be waived but you may still owe any difference in ticket price when you rebook your trip.
Change or cancel online
Here's how:- Find your trip
- If your trip is eligible, you'll see 'Change trip' or ‘Cancel trip’ in the top toolbar
We’ll send an email that includes your ticket number after you cancel your trip. Keep this handy so you can refer to it when you call to rebook.
Call to rebook
Please call Reservations when you’re ready to rebook. You’ll need:- Your ticket number (American tickets have a 13-digit number that begins with ’001’)
- Your 6-character confirmation (also called a ‘Record Locator’)
No change fee if you bought your ticket before March 1 Expand Information current as of March 20, 2020
Keep in mind:
We’ll send an email that includes your ticket number after you cancel your trip. Keep this handy so you can refer to it when you call to rebook.
If you're traveling to / through / from:
All cities served by AmericanThe change fee is waived if you:
- Booked an American Airlines flight
- Bought your ticket on or before March 1, 2020
- Are scheduled to travel March 1 - May 31, 2020
- Can travel March 1 - December 31, 2020 or within 1 year of date the ticket was issued, whichever is earlier
Change your trip or cancel and rebook later
You’re allowed to make changes to your trip once. You can change it now, or cancel and rebook later.Keep in mind:
- Travel must start by December 31, 2020 or within 1 year of date the ticket was issued, whichever is earlier.
- The change fee will be waived but you may still owe any difference in ticket price when you rebook your trip.
Change or cancel online
Here's how:- Find your trip
- If your trip is eligible, you'll see 'Change trip' or ‘Cancel trip’ in the top toolbar
We’ll send an email that includes your ticket number after you cancel your trip. Keep this handy so you can refer to it when you call to rebook.
Call to rebook
After you cancel your trip online, please call Reservations when you’re ready to rebook. You’ll need:- Your ticket number (American tickets have a 13-digit number that begins with ’001’)
- Your 6-character confirmation (also called a ‘Record Locator’)
• AA Award Travel - Per multiple first-hand accounts (including by dstan), under the above General Travel Waiver, AA Award Travel booked before March 1 for travel between March 1, 2020 – April 30, 2020 can be canceled for a full refund of all fees and taxes paid AND free redeposit of miles (reinstatement fee waived).
Change Fee Waiver for Flights Booked between March 1, 2020–March 30, 2020 (extended 3/5)
https://www.aa.com/i18n/travel-info/...conditions.jsp
Terms and conditions
If you purchased a ticket on American Airlines between March 1, 2020 at 4:30 p.m. CT and March 31, 2020 at 11:59 p.m. CT, you may change your flight once without paying a change fee. Tickets must be purchased for travel between March 1, 2020 and January 30, 2021.Exception policy
- We will waive the change fee only on published Non-Refundable Fare tickets.
- Tickets must be purchased between March 1, 2020 at 4:30 p.m. CT and March 31, 2020 at 11:59 p.m. CT, with original travel between March 1, 2020 and January 30, 2021.
- Changes must be made prior to the departure of your original flight.
- New travel must be completed within 1 year of original ticket issue date.
- Any difference in fare will apply.
- Change your trip online or by calling Reservations.
This waiver is valid only for tickets issued on American Airlines ticket stock. Tickets can be identified by a 13-digit ticket number beginning with American Airlines code ’001’. Tickets issued by other airlines with a different carrier code (ticket numbers not beginning with ‘001’) are subject to the waiver policy of that airline.
This policy excludes bookings through AAdvantage® award tickets.
American Airlines Vacations packages purchased between March 1, 2020 at 4:30 p.m. CT and March 31, 2020 at 11:59 p.m. CT, also qualify for the one-time change fee waiver. Changes must be made prior to the departure of your original flight. Any difference in fare or hotel rate will apply.
Contact American Airlines Vacations
Updated: March 9, 2020
AA Trip Cancellation & Coronavirus: Discussion & Questions
#661
Join Date: Feb 2017
Programs: CATHAY PACIFIC
Posts: 71
Has anyone used the cancelled ticket for a new trip? I called AA and the supervisor told me that I cannot book in a lower class fare. The class should be the same or higher. I booked main cabin and want to book a new ticket with basic economy. I didn't see any policies related to this on the website or on the cancellation email.
#662
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: FLL
Programs: AMEX Platinum, IHG Diamond and Ambassador
Posts: 28
How long on Prefunds?
I applied for a refund over 2 weeks ago and the status is still “pending review”. Anyone else have experience how long the prefunds process is taking? Should I continue to wait or what? Appreciate your advice. Thanks.
#663
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: BER
Programs: BA GGL, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 1,843
#666
Join Date: Apr 2020
Posts: 2
Requesting a refund on a re-issued flight
Hi there,
My apologies if this is in the wrong place or should be part of a larger thread. I was just hoping for any advice on my situation, I can't find anything similar:
Feb 17th, I booked myself and my husband's family (6) tickets from US to the UK- my home country (STL to LHR, via ORD).
Mid-march, AA changed the outbound flights by 4 hours
April 13th, AA changed the return flight by 3.5 hours and with a different layover (Dallas), re-issuing the tickets and giving us new ticket numbers
I was told by AA I need to cancel these flights before I can try to claim a refund. But this decision will be based on the new re-issued tickets, not the original ones. The issue is with that is any flights changed by more than 90 minutes booked before April 8th are eligible for a refund, while flights booked after this date are only eligible if the change is more than 4 hours.
This means, if I cancel my tickets and try to claim a refund, I will probably not be eligible. But that would purely be due to the change AA made by re-issuing our tickets on April 13th. I feel that since I booked on Feb 17th, the 90 minute schedule change policy should apply.
Does anyone have any advice on this? Or just to tell me I'm in the wrong here? I just feel it's unfair for my husband's family not to get a refund based on something AA did, not us.
Any words of wisdom much appreciated!
My apologies if this is in the wrong place or should be part of a larger thread. I was just hoping for any advice on my situation, I can't find anything similar:
Feb 17th, I booked myself and my husband's family (6) tickets from US to the UK- my home country (STL to LHR, via ORD).
Mid-march, AA changed the outbound flights by 4 hours
April 13th, AA changed the return flight by 3.5 hours and with a different layover (Dallas), re-issuing the tickets and giving us new ticket numbers
I was told by AA I need to cancel these flights before I can try to claim a refund. But this decision will be based on the new re-issued tickets, not the original ones. The issue is with that is any flights changed by more than 90 minutes booked before April 8th are eligible for a refund, while flights booked after this date are only eligible if the change is more than 4 hours.
This means, if I cancel my tickets and try to claim a refund, I will probably not be eligible. But that would purely be due to the change AA made by re-issuing our tickets on April 13th. I feel that since I booked on Feb 17th, the 90 minute schedule change policy should apply.
Does anyone have any advice on this? Or just to tell me I'm in the wrong here? I just feel it's unfair for my husband's family not to get a refund based on something AA did, not us.
Any words of wisdom much appreciated!
#668
Join Date: Apr 2020
Posts: 2
AA did it automatically - they changed our return flight and re-issued the tickets. No correspondence, other than a new confirmation email: "We made a change to your flight, and this is your updated itinerary. We issued new ticket numbers but did not charge you."
#669
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: AA Executive Platinum/Million Miler, Marriott Titanium Elite-Lifetime, Hilton Gold
Posts: 3,217
#671
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: KSUX
Posts: 906
Call back and politely escalate to a supervisor if needed. I had the exact same thing happen. My flight on AA to LHR was canceled when they suspended flights to the UK but the return flight to ORD was still scheduled since it was on BA. Since my original flight wasn't for almost seven weeks I held off calling AA so others with more immediate needs could be taken care of until closer to my flight. In the meantime BA had two schedule changes that caused AA to reticket me twice without asking for my approval which I explained when he noticed I had been reticketed. It took him a few minutes but he got everything canceled and helped me get the refund request submitted.
#672
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Chicago
Programs: AA EP, UA Gold-MM, UA 1K (former), GS (former),SPG LT Platinum, Hyatt Diamond, HH Diamond
Posts: 2,299
Airline Credit Use Question
I have a single reservation with 4 people on it which was bought by me with my credit card. Due to current events we won't be making the trip so I will be cancelling the tickets. Assuming the flight isn't cancelled and I am unable to obtain a refund and will have to settle for a credit. When I get the credit will I have to use it for the same 4 people that was on the original itinerary or will it just be a "bucket" of funds that I can use for myself (or anyone else)?
TIA
TIA
#674
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: Bristol
Programs: BA Silver, Hilton Gold, Caesars Diamond
Posts: 923
Iv got CDG-LHR-JFK-LAX-LAS booked for June 18 (through AA). I see BA only has one flight to LHR and that’s several hours after my booked flight, I assume this means they’ve cancelled the others? AA are only showing my flights from JFK onwards in my booking on the app (and won’t display any on the web site), and have rerouted from there. Any idea if this means I can now cancel? They haven’t sent me anything or mentioned changes, and could still reroute me I suppose. Thanks
Last edited by PxC; May 4, 2020 at 11:01 pm