donotblink

AA just posted this: Newsroom - American Airlines Waiving Change Fees for Customers Purchasing Travel Between March 1 and March 16 - American Airlines Group, Inc.FORT WORTH, Texas — American Airlines announced today it will waive change fees up to 14 days prior to travel for customers who purchase travel between March 1 and March 16. This change offers customers the best fares with even more flexibility. The offer is available for any of American’s published fares. Additional updates on existing travel alerts can be found on aa.com/travelalerts.

Frequently asked questions

What are the effective travel dates for waived change fees?
Any ticket purchased from March 1 at 4:30 p.m. CST and March 16, 2020 at 11:59 p.m. CST will not incur change fees if changes are made 14 days prior to travel.

How far ahead can you purchase travel for?
This is available for any of American’s published fares.

What are the effective purchasing dates for waived change fees?
March 1 through March 16

About American Airlines Group
American Airlines offers customers 6,800 daily flights to more than 365 destinations in 61 countries from its hubs in Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas-Fort Worth, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, Phoenix and Washington, D.C. With a shared purpose of caring for people on life's journey, American's 130,000 global team members serve more than 200 million customers annually. Since 2013, American has invested more than $28 billion in its product and people and now flies the youngest fleet among U.S. network carriers, equipped with industry-leading high-speed Wi-Fi, lie-flat seats, and more inflight entertainment and access to power. American also has enhanced food and beverage options in the air and on the ground in its world-class Admirals Club and Flagship lounges. American was recently named a Five Star Global Airline by the Airline Passenger Experience Association and Airline of the Year by Air Transport World. American is a founding member of oneworld®, whose members serve 1,100 destinations in 180 countries and territories. Shares of American Airlines Group Inc. trade on Nasdaq under the ticker symbol AAL and the company's stock is included in the S&P 500. Learn more about what's happening at American by visiting news.aa.com and connect with American on Twitter @AmericanAir and at Facebook.com/AmericanAirlines.

james318

Is this COVID-19 related?

donotblink

presumably, but this is valid for all routes through the end of schedule...that's super valuable...book anything you think you might want to take and know there won't be a $200 change fee!

cmtlatitudes

Here's some additional details from an AA email I just received:

Updated March 1, 2020

If you purchased your tickets directly from American Airlines, you may change your flight once without paying a change fee if the change is made at least 14 days in advance of your outbound travel date. Tickets must be purchased between March 1, 2020 at 4:30pm CST and March 16, 2020 at 11:59pm CST for travel between March 1, 2020 and January 26, 2021.

Exception policy

• We will waive the change fee only for tickets purchased between March 1, 2020 and March 16, 2020, with original travel between March 1, 2020 and January 26, 2021.
• Tickets must be changed at least 14 days prior to the departure of your original flight.
• New travel must be completed within one 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 by American Airlines. 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 other airline.

This policy excludes bookings through AAdvantage award tickets. Only the flight component of an AA Vacations package is eligible under this policy.

chicago747

So do you think if someone buys a ticket during this time frame and the prices goes down, you'll be able to get a voucher for the fare difference?

JoeWoodstock

My guess is that is related to a decline in AA bookings, overall, for the past week or two. The number of people holding off on booking flights is most likely substantial.

--woodstock

EmailKid

Um, given how COVID-19 has decimated travel, I'd have to think there is a direct corrolation. Just as an example, look at what LH is doing with cancellations and layoffs.

• Any difference in fare will apply.

Darn

rasheed

I think so. In the past, the change fee would have eaten all or most of that savings. Now sometimes the vouchers they issue suck though because of the extra work to use them for the residual after you change your ticket.

I think this might be the start of some very good promotions.

Of note, Basic Economy appears to be included.

twa777

I presume this waiver gets a bit messy with award tickets, as some changes are actually considered "changes" (where I'd expect those fees would be waived too), while other changes require reinstatement and reissuing of the ticket (and there's nothing listed about reinstatement fees being waived, right?)

cmtlatitudes

See #4 above.

Award tickets are excluded: "This policy excludes bookings through AAdvantage award tickets. Only the flight component of an AA Vacations package is eligible under this policy."

Kacee

AA is simply following B6 and AS, both of which have already offered a more generous version of same (AA having added 14 day requirement, which kind of defeats the whole purpose).

It is to incent bookings by pax who are concerned about having to cancel their plans due to COVID-19.

hur88

How would it work for Basic Economy?
The ticket is non-changeable so there wouldn't even be a change fee to waive. Or are they relaxing restrictions on the ticket and allowing changes?

donotblink

AA is being more generous in the sense this is good for travel through the end of schedule.

etiene

Also interested in whether you would get a voucher back if the price went down. Also: are AA willing to process an entirely new itinerary as a "change" to a booking - or would that be cancellation and rebook [and thus not covered]?

Kacee

Really? Which one would you rather have? Personally the 14 day advance cancel requirement makes AA's waiver worthless to me.