My 24-hour hold option for paid itineraries is still there, but when I put an award itinerary on hold for a family member last week I was surprised to find it was only a 24-hour hold. Flight was 13 days out.

My hold option is gone for both online and app, but when I fake book through the app and close it, the hold is there. #cheapworkaround

The hold was there for my non-elite member companion, but I've not see the hold option in over a month on any trip I book.

Earlier this week I was trying to book an international ticket for my wife and me. I have some Flight Credits I wanted to apply. I got to the last screen and clicked Flight Credit and I got an error message saying I had to call to use them and I should put the reservation on hold.

Of course there wasn't a hold button any longer. Real helpful, AA.

I didn't get the Hold option when I made a reservation to WAS-CDG last week, so I didn't complete it. This week, I did get the hold option for the same itinerary.

At very least retain the 24-hour free hold for elites
 

I'm lifetime Platinum with a lifetime Admirals Club membership and through the years convinced colleagues to switch to American. And for years I've used the free 24-hour hold in order to find the proper AA flights and then lock up hotels, car rentals, etc. Only occasionally did I change the original booking, and even if I did, it was still on American. Two weeks ago, I likewise didn't see the free 24-hour hold so I put United and Delta on my screen and booked Delta at $500 more but also with their assurances of a fully refundable full business class fare. Plus they give me a lie flat seat with no seatmate and a much more professional experience (cabin crew, clubs, and everything else) start to finish.

American: How much longer are you going to tick off your important (and once loyal) business travelers? At very least, make the 24-hour free hold a perk for elites.

As lifetime Platinum, the hold - reserve feature for business and personal travel has been an important piece of planning. I must be in the beta group because it disappeared on me. Silly me, I didn't check flyertalk first to see if this was happening to other and called AA technical support. The agent didn't give lots of details and not sure she really knew a lot but said the feature was going away since you could be refunded within 24 hours of purchase.

A curious thing I did find however is if you go to your AA account shortly after selecting a flight and look towards the bottom of the screen you (or at least I) found that trip I was checking out with a record locator! HOWEVER it does NOT have the old language about held til midnight of the next date. Instead says it expires that same date.

Talk about confusing! Disappointed in AA removing this great planning option from it's site.

So becuase AA didn;t offer a free hold, you spent $500 with a differemt carrier that doesn't offer a free hold? both airlines would allow for 24 hour refund - if you rarely changed it, does it matter whether you pay and refund or hold?

Still live for me (thankfully), I just used it today. Will be sad when/if it goes away.

I would be willing to do the same out of spite if I had options. Hold was an awesome feature that set AA apart. I badly want it back. I only have AA as an option unless I want to drive two hours. (which will be required for me for a few months next year due to construction) I will see how that goes. When MHK goes under maintenance, I know that SW will offer nonstop flights to a couple destinations I travel to. Losing hold may be enough to push me over the edge.

I don't know how to do it online, but it still exists (last week) when you book via the platinum reservations phone line.

Ending the hold feature is of minor significance as long as the no change fee rule remains. I suppose it discourages buying BE.

This would be the biggest issue for me. My success rate with using credits online when making a booking is greater than 0%, but much less than 100%.

Plus it will be a real pain booking complicated itineraries, not to mention I’ve caught AA phone agents quoting higher prices than what is offered on the website a few times this year.

I had to call the Ex Plat desk yesterday to help with a change. The agent said that they are updating the software and that the hold button was coming back in the next couple of weeks.

obviously, only time will tell if that information is correct or not

Yesterday was able to put two tickets on hold. One under my account (Exec Plat status) and the other on my wife's (no AA status).
I was trying to apply flight credits to each which I was not able to do so I had to call in. Nice to be able to hold the reservations and it made it easier for the agent and me!