AA rebooked me into an overnight layover. What are my options?
 

I booked LIR-ORD-DAY in economy, paid for with CSR. I was departing at roughly 3pm and arriving in DAY shortly after midnight with a brief layover in ORD. There has been a schedule change on AA's end, and the ORD-DAY leg no longer departs late enough for us to make the connection. AA has rebooked us on the first ORD-DAY flight the following morning, leaving us with an overnight layover in ORD.

The only problem with this is that I live in CVG - the whole reason I booked the return to DAY was to avoid an overnight layover without paying a much higher fare. I know that I can cancel for a full refund and then buy a new flight, but I'm hoping to avoid that since prices are now much higher.

If I call in to make changes to the new itinerary, what are the restrictions? Am I forced to keep the LIR-ORD-DAY routing? Can I change to CVG instead? Can I change the ORD layover to MIA or something instead? I just want to get an idea of what my options are before I call (won't let me change online).

You can definitely change the routing to go through MIA or somewhere else. Given the schedule change you should be able to change your final destination to CVG as well given the proximity between the two, especially if there are no longer LIR-DAY options on AA that don't involve an overnight.

If you can find a LIR-XXX-CVG same day routing I would call AA and ask specifically for that. With schedule changes HUCA is the name of the game, some agents are bad and won't let you switch to anything else while others can be very flexible.

In my experience, if you have an alternate routing you prefer, they'll be happy to rebook you on it. They won't rebook you into another airline, though.

Edit: and they should be willing to change your origin/destination airport to nearby ones.

They’ll work with you within reason. Usually a destination airport no more than 100 or so miles away. And plus or minus a day of the original dates. Or a refund.

The world is yours.

But seriously, just pick the routing you want and as long as there is revenue seats for sale in the same cabin regardless of fare you shouldn't have a problem asking for them.

I have a schedule change that has left us with an overnight stay at MIA, and it's no longer possible to do the trip in one day. (Carribean-MIA-LAX.) Does AA typically provide a hotel in these situations?

AA never provides a hotel in these situations.

How fixed is the rule of no rebooking on another airline? Anyone had any exceptions? I ask because an AA schedule changed is cutting hours off a day trip I have planned; there is an AS flight that would restore those lost hours, and I was hoping with the partnership ...

We are flying this week out of ANC, originally a two segment itinerary with both flights booked on American. They made a huge schedule change and said we had to call. I found an itinerary that worked for us (first segment Alaska, second segment American) and when I called I asked for those specific flights. The agent seemed grateful I knew what I wanted and booked my requested itinerary for us without any pushback.

Was the AS a codeshare flight? May make a difference if listed as codeshare or not.

When I requested the new flights they were for sale on the Alaska site but not the American site. I made my original purchase with American and worked with an American agent for the rebook.

Thanks, this is very helpful to know when I call in!

Depending on the agent, sometimes more. AA cancelled a flight that resulted in me missing LAX-SYD. They let me go to MEL instead.

If they change schedule by more than 4 hours, or from a non stop to a connecting flight they will usually accommodate you on alternate flights the day of, the day before, or the day after. The key is to research what will work for you, check there are seats for sale on those flights. Then call in requesting those specific flights and stating that you have a change in schedule more than 4 hours, and/or a non stop to a connection and are requesting an even exchange of your current ticket onto those flights,

Ideally find flights on AA metal, if none available try for code share flights. Changing routing is okay as well, and you can change origin/destination so long as the new origin/destination is within 300 miles of the original. If an award ticket, find award seats on the flights you want at ANY level. They will usually accommodate changes to any award ticket, even web savers, to anything now available on AA metal as an award within the above constraints (except that they wont use partner airlines or code shares for award changes).

As always being pleasant, understanding of the fact that schedule changes are a fact of life right now and being prepared, go a long way to getting the flights that you want.

Yes, called in today; agent told me they would rebook on my Alaska only if my schedule change was for more than 4 hours. Mine was two and a half, so no love.