Feb 27, 2020, 12:59 pm

FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides

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)

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)

Quote:

No change fee if you bought your ticket before May 31, 2020

Information current as of April 15, 2020

If you're traveling to / through / from:

All cities served by American

The 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

Keep in mind, you may owe any difference in ticket price when you rebook your trip.

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?)

Quote:

Novel Coronavirus - South Pacific

Information current as of March 20, 2020

If you're traveling to / through / from airports in:

Australia

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 16 - May 31, 2020
Can travel March 16 - December 31, 2020 or within 1 year of date the ticket was issued, whichever is earlier.

Keep in mind, you may owe any difference in ticket price when you rebook your trip.

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

Find your trip

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?)

Quote:

Novel Coronavirus - Canada, Caribbean, Central and South America

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.

Keep in mind, you may owe any difference in ticket price when you rebook your trip.

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

Find your trip

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 Europe (released March 12, expanded to Middle East)

Quote:

Novel Coronavirus - Europe and the Middle East

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.

Keep in mind, you may owe any difference in ticket price when you rebook your trip.

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

Find your trip

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’)

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)~~

Quote:

No change fee if you bought your ticket before March 1 Expand Information current as of March 20, 2020

If you're traveling to / through / from:

All cities served by American

The 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

Keep in mind, you may owe any difference in ticket price when you rebook your trip.

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

Find your trip

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)
~~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

Quote:

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.

Contact 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

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Feb 26, 2020, 10:27 am

#61

cmtlatitudes

Join Date: Sep 2017

Location: DCA/IAD & BUF

Posts: 1,400

Quote:

Originally Posted by jmail1

Have a trip planned in a couple of weeks US-NRT-SIN-Bali then returning via Doha (and Islamabad of all places.)

Still planning on going. The only country we'll officially enter is Indonesia, so hopefully quarantine isn't expanded to transit passengers.

No, that's the nightmare scenario. An infected asymptomatic supercarrier waiting for their connecting flight in an international airport terminal. Mingling with potentially hundreds of people getting on flights heading to different parts of the globe.

It's an interesting point though. If anyone knows how major airports are handling screening (and detaining or quarantining?) for in-transit passengers, please chime in.

I leave in less than a week for 5 weeks in Australia, followed by 2 weeks in Africa/Europe. Theoretically anyway. Right now, as of today, I still plan on departing on schedule. That said, my concerns about potential quarantine impacts far from home are on my mind more each day as events continue to unfold, particularly with the latest canary island hotel quarantine. All it is takes is one unknowingly infected person passing through and once realized, everyone else being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Personally, I wouldn't advise anyone who doesn't have the means to adjust plans real time and/or 'get out of dodge' on a moment's notice during their travels - (assuming they can) - to travel internationally right now. My tickets are award tickets, but I have the peace of mind knowing I'm not relying on them, and can purchase pretty much whatever ticket I need to to get back to the US at the first rumblings of increased or extended travel impacts at home, or where I'll be. And, silly as it sounds, based on CDC's announcements yesterday, I'm taking some basic precautions to stock at home before I leave, that I normally would not. It kind of sucks to go on a bucket list trip and have to keep connected to monitor and assess coronavirus updates on a daily or even more frequent basis. But the situation changes rapidly and the alternative is not to go.

Feb 26, 2020, 3:38 pm

#62

robertablake

Join Date: Nov 2017

Location: CLT

Programs: AA EXP, 2 Million Miler

Posts: 821

Quote:

Originally Posted by cmtlatitudes

It's an interesting point though. If anyone knows how major airports are handling screening (and detaining or quarantining?) for in-transit passengers, please chime in.
.

When connecting through HKG, they were checking the temperature of everyone connecting to any flight.

Feb 26, 2020, 4:22 pm

#63

kcmd

Join Date: May 2012

Location: DCA

Programs: AA EXP Marriott Ambassador

Posts: 229

Still traveling but an upcoming to SIN has been delayed until the firm feels we need to travel there. Odd, I know, but they're just cautious like that. But for those that mentioned before, Flu is far more deadly and we usually don't even think twice about it. I think the issue is incubation period, atypical presentation, and transmission, which is garnering most of the hype.
https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/burden...-estimates.htm

Feb 27, 2020, 8:41 am

#64

Phasers

Join Date: Mar 2010

Programs: AA EXP, AA LT Gold, SPG Plat 75

Posts: 890

Quote:

Originally Posted by kcmd

The flu is not more deadly in the context of mortality rate. It just infects many more people and thus has a higher raw number of caused deaths.

Right now the coronavirus has a mortality rate of ~2% or more (some estimates have it as high as 8%), whereas the flu is ~0.1%, thus making coronavirus a minimum of 20x more deadly than the flu virus.

FAA1996 likes this.

Feb 27, 2020, 11:35 am

#65

GetSetJetSet

Suspended

Join Date: Dec 2009

Location: En Route

Programs: Many

Posts: 6,798

Any luck get AA to waive fees to change/cancel flight to Europe?

Supposed to go to Europe in ~2 weeks. Not sure it will be a good idea by then with the way the virus is spreading. Anyone have any luck with a waiver?

Feb 27, 2020, 11:47 am

#66

Antarius

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Aug 2012

Location: KHOU/KIAH

Programs: AA EXP | Marriott Bonvoy Titanium| Hyatt Globalist

Posts: 11,247

I doubt it, but you can ask.

Unless you plan to sit in a bubble or at home for the next year i wouldn't be this worried about traveling to Europe.

ijgordon and johnash like this.

Feb 27, 2020, 11:52 am

#67

AAir_head

Join Date: Dec 2006

Location: Washington DC Metro Area

Posts: 1,067

Unless you fall in a high-risk category and your doctor advises you not to travel, it seems unlikely barring either a CDC or State Department issued Travel Advisory to avoid unnecessary travel. If your doctor advises you not to go due to some specific health concern for you, having it in writing maybe sufficient for AA to consider waiving change/cancel fees.

It's hard to believe given the tone and tempo of current media attention, but the risk to travel to Europe at the moment is fairly low...lower, in fact, than that presented by the ordinary flu.

I'll be going to Italy in the next few months along with several family members--several are freaking out, but there's really not good cause to be overly alarmed yet. Even for Italy, State and CDC are advising only increased/enhanced precautions as of today.

Safe travels!

Feb 27, 2020, 11:55 am

#68

GetSetJetSet

Suspended

Join Date: Dec 2009

Location: En Route

Programs: Many

Posts: 6,798

Quote:

Originally Posted by AAir_head

Nope, young and healthy. Headed to Paris then skiing in Switzerland. Today is the cut-off to cancel my Swiss hotel. Worried that in two weeks the Italian outbreak could spill over into Switz and by then i'll end up eating the hotel and the flights. Was considering pushing the entire trip. In the alternative I may just cancel the hotel and if nothing happens closer in I will rebook, otherwise just forget skiing and stay in Paris.

Feb 27, 2020, 11:55 am

#69

aamilesslave

Join Date: Apr 2001

Location: DFW

Programs: AA EP 3MM, UA Silver, Bonvoy LT TIT, Hyatt Explorist, HH Silver, Caesars PLT

Posts: 7,259

Quote:

Originally Posted by Antarius

Unless you plan to sit in a bubble or at home for the next year i wouldn't be this worried about traveling to Europe.

Except for Italy. My company has been pretty conservative before banning travel to certain countries. But South Korea and Italy were added to the travel ban list yesterday, along with previously banned travel to China, Hong Kong, and Macau. (Japan and Singapore are on the watch list but business travel is still permitted to those countries.)

Feb 27, 2020, 11:57 am

#70

Often1

Suspended

Join Date: Aug 2010

Location: DCA

Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL

Posts: 50,262

I suspect that AA will implement blanket waiver policies -- if the need arises -- as it did for China rather than dealing with this on a one-off basis. Further, I expect that at least the US carriers will move in unison or at least within a few hours of each other, if they move at all.

I would just keep watching the situation as it might change tomorrow, the day after, or not at all.

Bottom line, if there is no waiver, would you really travel if you felt unsafe doing so?

Feb 27, 2020, 12:03 pm

#71

GetSetJetSet

Suspended

Join Date: Dec 2009

Location: En Route

Programs: Many

Posts: 6,798

Quote:

Originally Posted by Often1

I don't feel unsafe traveling as things stand today. As I mentioned I worry about IF things are bad in two weeks. Today is the cutoff to cancel my hotel for free. Out of an abundance of caution I thought it might be prudent to just cancel the hotel and flight now and go another time vs. keeping the hotel booked, then if the situation gets out of hand and I can cancel my flight with a waiver i'll be stuck holding the bag on a very expensive hotel. There's always a chance the hotel would be reasonable if there are extenuating circumstances, but who knows.

Feb 27, 2020, 12:03 pm

#72

AAir_head

Join Date: Dec 2006

Location: Washington DC Metro Area

Posts: 1,067

Quote:

Originally Posted by GetSetJetSet

Whatever credit card you paid with (assuming you used one) may cover you if you end up needing to cancel--check the T&Cs. If trip cancellation is covered, there's always some squishy language to the effect of a situation/condition that 'would prevent a reasonable/prudent person from continuing the trip' or some such.

If you're not outside the window for coverage, you might consider buying trip insurance that will cover nonrefundable travel expenses--several will allow you to buy insurance within a few weeks of your initial purchase for a given trip--if you have enough money at risk, it may be worth it for the peace of mind. That's an individual decision, of course.

Cheers!

Feb 27, 2020, 12:10 pm

#73

SamOF

Join Date: Oct 2007

Location: DCA

Programs: DL DM, AA EXP, various hotel

Posts: 2,227

Quote:

Originally Posted by GetSetJetSet

Could you cancel just the hotel then see what happens? I have a hard time imagining that your cancelled room with get snapped up between now and your trip.

Feb 27, 2020, 12:13 pm

#74

GetSetJetSet

Suspended

Join Date: Dec 2009

Location: En Route

Programs: Many

Posts: 6,798

Quote:

Originally Posted by SamOF

Could you cancel just the hotel then see what happens? I have a hard time imagining that your cancelled room with get snapped up between now and your trip.

I'm leaning towards doing this. The only downside is, a bunch of friends are meeting us there, so if we cancel the room and it ends up being sold out and we have nowhere to stay they'll be pretty ticked off. For reference this is St. Moritz and 2 or 3 of the Big 5 hotels are already sold out on those dates, so there's a non-zero chance that if I cancel the room i'll lose it.

Feb 27, 2020, 12:13 pm

#75

AAir_head

Join Date: Dec 2006

Location: Washington DC Metro Area

Posts: 1,067

Quote:

Originally Posted by aamilesslave

For company-funded travel, that's of course up to them; and they'd be making that decision with the knowledge they will be incurring cancellation penalties in the absence of waivers (unless they have a corporate travel contract that allows for fully flexible fares and/or fee-free close-in changes).

For personal travel, unless you're on a short list of people essential to your company's operations, you're on your own and not bound by the company's ban. Unless your "company" is a government/government agency...which may or may not have the authority to curtail where you can go when you're "off the clock".