Mar 28, 2020, 8:55 am
Last edit by: seawolf
If your flight have been cancelled*** (you should also be able to refund on schedule changes of >120* minutes (241 minutes for tickets purchased on or after 8 Apr 2020), nonstop to connection or connection reduced to less than minimum connection time) and you want to refund, no need to call AA, just do the following:
1. Take screenshot/email of new rebooked flights/or no rebooked flights as evidence of change.
2. Note down ticket number in original email if print receipt option is not available.
3. Cancel reservation
4. Submit refund request online.
5. Go back to page after a 3-4 days to check refund status.
*NOTE: site for refunds is https://prefunds.aa.com/refunds/
*NOTE AA has changed the change time from 121 to 241 minutes for tickets purchased on or after April 8, 2020.
***Airline defines cancelled as IRROPS that occur day or a couple of days prior to departure.
Another way is to reach out to the Twitter team at @AmericanAir.
April 3, 2020: The US DOT posted today an enforcement notice regarding refunds by carriers: https://www.transportation.gov/airconsumer/latest-news
1. Take screenshot/email of new rebooked flights/or no rebooked flights as evidence of change.
2. Note down ticket number in original email if print receipt option is not available.
3. Cancel reservation
4. Submit refund request online.
5. Go back to page after a 3-4 days to check refund status.
*NOTE: site for refunds is https://prefunds.aa.com/refunds/
*NOTE AA has changed the change time from 121 to 241 minutes for tickets purchased on or after April 8, 2020.
***Airline defines cancelled as IRROPS that occur day or a couple of days prior to departure.
Another way is to reach out to the Twitter team at @AmericanAir.
April 3, 2020: The US DOT posted today an enforcement notice regarding refunds by carriers: https://www.transportation.gov/airconsumer/latest-news
Enforcement Notice Regarding Refunds by Carriers Given the Unprecedented Impact of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency on Air Travel - The U.S. Department of Transportations Office of Aviation Enforcement and Proceedings, a unit within the Office of the General Counsel, is issuing this notice to remind the traveling public and U.S. and foreign carriers that passengers should be refunded promptly when their scheduled flights are cancelled or significantly delayed. Although the COVID-19 public health emergency has had an unprecedented impact on air travel, the airlines obligation to refund passengers for cancelled or significantly delayed flights remains unchanged.
Requesting refund for a canceled flight
Mar 30, 2020 | 2:59 pm
#106
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: NYC
Programs: AA 2MM, Bonvoy LTT, Hilton Gold
Posts: 15,009
Trip is booked for April 10th. Viewing it on "My Trips" says
"Your flight changed.
Please check back soon to see what changed."
But, as shown, all flight legs and times are unchanged from the original booking. Presumably AA will provide information about the changes as the departure date draws near?
The cynic in me says this is AA trying to prod me now into canceling for a voucher, instead of waiting for a full refund.
"Your flight changed.
Please check back soon to see what changed."
But, as shown, all flight legs and times are unchanged from the original booking. Presumably AA will provide information about the changes as the departure date draws near?
The cynic in me says this is AA trying to prod me now into canceling for a voucher, instead of waiting for a full refund.
Mar 30, 2020 | 7:04 pm
#108
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: San Diego
Programs: GGL
Posts: 1,274
Another data point. I cancelled a week ago and today prefund status shows as under review, where it previously showed that it couldnt find anything. Fingers crossed the refund shows up in the next day, or two. No sign of the mileage upgrade going back into my account as of yet.
Mar 30, 2020 | 9:03 pm
#109
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 1,504
I had the same thing -- a AAward flight this weekend on RJ that disappeared. I'm not surprised that it is cancelled, since the airline is not flying, but there was no notice and my reservation no longer shows. Since RJ is completely shutdown, my suspicion is that those refunded miles won't be available until RJ reopens.
I called AA and got through right away. Should get a refund. Sadly the agent sounded defeated and resigned to the new norm.
Last edited by nas6034; Mar 31, 2020 at 6:14 am
Mar 31, 2020 | 12:23 pm
#110
Join Date: Sep 2019
Location: Chicago
Programs: Hilton Gold, Bonvoy Gold
Posts: 243
I cancelled a LGA–ATL flight yesterday and requested a refund online. I just checked the status and it's already showing as "Issued to American Express Card ending in...." Nothing actually showing on my Amex statement yet—I assume it should be there within a day or two—but I did not expect it that quickly.
Mar 31, 2020 | 12:27 pm
#111
Join Date: Sep 2019
Location: Chicago
Programs: Hilton Gold, Bonvoy Gold
Posts: 243
Last week I rang up to cancel two flights and was told that a refund had been processed for them both. One refund has already been processed and the amount has been credited back to my card. I just went to check the status of the other one and the system didn't recognise the refund claim. When I try to start a refund claim it shows the "total sale amount" of the ticket as $139.56, even though the ticket actually cost me $576. Is there something I'm missing here or should I just ring up?
Mar 31, 2020 | 1:18 pm
#112
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,253
Last week I rang up to cancel two flights and was told that a refund had been processed for them both. One refund has already been processed and the amount has been credited back to my card. I just went to check the status of the other one and the system didn't recognise the refund claim. When I try to start a refund claim it shows the "total sale amount" of the ticket as $139.56, even though the ticket actually cost me $576. Is there something I'm missing here or should I just ring up?
Mar 31, 2020 | 1:22 pm
#113
Join Date: Sep 2019
Location: Chicago
Programs: Hilton Gold, Bonvoy Gold
Posts: 243
When you say "flights" do you mean "tickets"? I ask because if there were multiple "flights" (segments) on a ticket and you have flown some or all of them, calculating the refund may not always be intuitive. If not, I would simply call AA and ask for an explanation. Could be an error and easily fixed sooner rather than later.
Mar 31, 2020 | 1:47 pm
#114
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: NYC
Programs: AA 2MM, Bonvoy LTT, Hilton Gold
Posts: 15,009
Sorry, I should have been more precise. The booking was for LAXLHR and LHRJFK, and I have flown neither leg so I wanted to cancel and get a refund for the whole thing. AA made significant changesthe first leg was moved to six hours earlier, while LHR to JFK ended up being routed via MIA and arriving in New York about six hours later than originally scheduled. I will probably just give them a call later today or tomorrow but I just wanted to check I wasn't missing anything obvious.
Mar 31, 2020 | 8:23 pm
#115
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: San Diego
Programs: GGL
Posts: 1,274
Sorry, I should have been more precise. The booking was for LAXLHR and LHRJFK, and I have flown neither leg so I wanted to cancel and get a refund for the whole thing. AA made significant changesthe first leg was moved to six hours earlier, while LHR to JFK ended up being routed via MIA and arriving in New York about six hours later than originally scheduled. I will probably just give them a call later today or tomorrow but I just wanted to check I wasn't missing anything obvious.
Apr 1, 2020 | 6:59 am
#116
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: New York
Programs: DL Diamond, AA 2MM, Marriott Lifetime Plat
Posts: 167
I had the same thing -- a AAward flight this weekend on RJ that disappeared. I'm not surprised that it is cancelled, since the airline is not flying, but there was no notice and my reservation no longer shows. Since RJ is completely shutdown, my suspicion is that those refunded miles won't be available until RJ reopens.
Apr 1, 2020 | 2:09 pm
#117
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: New Orleans
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 655
Cancelled 2 C class (purchased) tickets to AMS on 3/20, was told by AAngel that I would get a credit, but frequent checking of my account didn't show any credit until today. The transaction was posted by Aviator as effective on 3/27.
The flights (outbound and return) were scheduled for mid April. They no longer showed up under my reservations. Was not offered, and did not ask about, taking a credit voucher w/ 20 % or -0- % enhancement.
Summary: Wait for AA to cancel, call and request a refund. Suppose if you want the 120 % credit voucher you have to ask for it.
The flights (outbound and return) were scheduled for mid April. They no longer showed up under my reservations. Was not offered, and did not ask about, taking a credit voucher w/ 20 % or -0- % enhancement.
Summary: Wait for AA to cancel, call and request a refund. Suppose if you want the 120 % credit voucher you have to ask for it.
Apr 1, 2020 | 2:46 pm
#118
Join Date: Sep 2019
Location: Chicago
Programs: Hilton Gold, Bonvoy Gold
Posts: 243
Same thing for me. Still no refund showing up on my CC (no miles deposit either) since the status went from cant find it, to under review, but when I previously submitted a receipt query, the ticket price was showing around $500, whereas I paid around $900. I was waiting to see what was actually refunded before looking into it any further.
Apr 1, 2020 | 5:03 pm
#119
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: AA Executive Platinum/Million Miler, Marriott Titanium Elite-Lifetime, Hilton Gold
Posts: 3,881
Apr 1, 2020 | 5:50 pm
#120
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: San Diego
Programs: GGL
Posts: 1,274
I rang up. I didn't entirely understand what the problem wasI think it was something to do with the ticket change turning a non-stop LHRJFK route into LHRMIA and MIAJFKbut the upshot is that they're now processing the correct refund. It'll take 710 business days, presumably because it was done over the phone and not online (an agent the other day told me refunds are being processed much more quickly when done via the prefunds site).