mlm

The event was cancelled and rescheduled for a year from now My flight for Oct. 2020 is still listed as a "Go". I was hoping for a change of more than 1 hour so I could get a refund but this hasn't happened.

If I change my flight now to a "fake date" can I then change it a 2nd time to the "real date" without paying a fee when the 2021 schedule comes out ? I don't want a voucher if at all possible. I could get 2 tickets for the price I paid for the flight I originally booked. I'm in the Main cabin and have no elite status.

Thank you.

xliioper

Not really understanding. While they are now waiving change fees, they will charge for fare difference (if higher) or provide a voucher (good for a year) if new fare is lower. This will apply even when booking the same route.

mlm

I'm sorry I didn't make my question clear. The flights for October 2021 are not out yet. I can't book the actual flight I'll need until AFTER my originally booked flight is over. I'm asking if I should cancel my upcoming flight and book a "fake" flight to buy time until the AA schedule for October 2021 is out. This will require cancelling two flights and I wasn't sure if this is allowed with AA.

Often1

Still not making sense.

Just cancel the existing ticket and you will have a credit for the full amount to apply to the purchase of a new ticket when the schedule opens up. Purchasing a ticket and changing that is just extra work for you. Either way, you will ultimately pay the same amount, bearing in mind that the chances that anything you book more than 30-40 days out will almost certainly be significantly changed so not worth doing anyway.

AAExecPlatFlier

Seems like he wants a cash refund vs a credit.

You should be able to make as many changes (paying any additional add collects) as you want. But if you are hoping that one of the changes results in a change that would afford you a refund, I am unclear/don’t know if it would be refundable gives that you changed your original ticket. You would have to ask AA.

Often1

Simply unclear what OP is trying to accomplish. Bottom line is that he can make as many changes as he wishes to make. If the new fare is higher, he pays the difference. If the new fare is lower, he receives a credit for the difference. Fare rules aside, if AA cancels or significantly changes the timing, he is entitled to a refund of the then existing ticket (if there is one).

But, I suppose that we really need to wait for OP to return and explain exactly what it is that he wants.

Blumie

I think the OP has been reasonably clear (even if not perfectly clear), and I think you have answered his/her questions.

fly747first

And moving forward, AA will not be charging change fees no matter how many times a ticket gets reissued though differences in fare will still apply

Lufthomie

We had a flight with non refundable tickets to PVR this past April, we cancelled but retained the credit. When we cancelled in March we were advised we have until the end of this year 2020 to rebook with no additional charges. A few weeks ago we rebooked for a new flight to CDMX at the end of Oct 2020. When speaking to customer service we were advised that if we cancelled our new reservations that we would have until Dec 2021 to use the flight credit. Last weekend my cousin decided to rebook his flight which he had cancelled and was told the same time frames (Dec 2021).
I think the current C-19 state of affairs will determine if AA pushes no change fees for non refundable tickets out beyond 2021 but the way I see it I could change my reservations every week if I felt like it, at least until Dec 2021. Am I wrong? Wouldn't be the 1st time and definitely wont be the last.

fly747first

The chances of the airline industry recovering and achieving pre-Covid demand levels in 2022 is highly doubtful at this point so we may see more customer-friendly changes in 2021 as all carriers will be fighting to bring customers back in the air

JDiver

If what you want is a refund to the original form of payment, I believe the threshold is now four hours, not one.

fly747first

Right unless there is a significant product change. Even after the new 4-hour rule when AA made a change to my schedule and they had nothing SFO MIA that day with flat beds, they offered a full refund acknowledging that I was on a much higher because previously I had SFO JFK (321T in F) MIA and after the schedule change, there was absolutely nothing to get me to MIA on the same day with a proper flat bed product.

mlm

Thank you all. In my case, it is a 1 hour schedule change since I had booked prior to the policy change made in April 2020. I have requested a refund so I'll wait and see if I receive a refund or a voucher.