Oct 28, 2015, 12:22 pm
Last edit by: Prospero
AA schedule changes - free flight change / cancellation / refund
The latest change policy may be read here (Thanks to MRP Alert for resource link.)
The above link appears to be broken. The latest change policy, as of June 13, 2023, can be found here.
As of March 2022:
NOTE: The Detailed Fare Rules for your ticket(s) details refundability, etc. You can read (and print to PDF, etc.) before you purchase. Regardless of fare title (Refundable, Flexible, etc.) you should read these prior to purchase.
Older posts may be read here.
The latest change policy may be read here (Thanks to MRP Alert for resource link.)
The above link appears to be broken. The latest change policy, as of June 13, 2023, can be found here.
As of March 2022:
- Limited changes allowed if schedule change is 60 minutes or less.
- More flexibility if schedule change is 61 minutes or more.
- Refunds on non-refundable fares typically require a schedule change of 241 minutes or more.
NOTE: The Detailed Fare Rules for your ticket(s) details refundability, etc. You can read (and print to PDF, etc.) before you purchase. Regardless of fare title (Refundable, Flexible, etc.) you should read these prior to purchase.
beachfan has shared:
I believe if it's an equipment swap, to a less desirable plane (I.e, 777 to 738) then yes, full refund, otherwise it's 120 minutes. One Mile at a Time blog covered this and referred to the contract of carriage (or whatever the linked document is called; it's titled general rules).
http://onemileatatime.boardingarea.c...irplane-change
International Tariff (March 2023)
International General Rules
I believe if it's an equipment swap, to a less desirable plane (I.e, 777 to 738) then yes, full refund, otherwise it's 120 minutes. One Mile at a Time blog covered this and referred to the contract of carriage (or whatever the linked document is called; it's titled general rules).
http://onemileatatime.boardingarea.c...irplane-change
International Tariff (March 2023)
International General Rules
Code:
SCHEDULE CHANGE IN THE EVENT, AFTER TICKET ISSUANCE, SCHEDULE CHANGES ARE MADE BY AA THAT: (I) AFFECT A PASSENGER'S DEPARTURE AND/OR ARRIVAL BY 2 OR MORE HOURS; (II) RESULT IN THE ADDITION OF AN INTERMEDIATE STOP ON THE PASSENGER'S ITINERARY; (III) RESULT IN A SUBSTITUTION OF EQUIPMENT NOT ACCEPTABLE TO THE PASSENGER; OR (IV) IF A CANCELLATION OR A CHANGE IN EITHER AIR OR TOUR ITINERARY IS INITIATED EITHER BY AA OR IT'S TOUR OPERATORS WHICH IS UNACCEPTABLE TO THE PASSENGER, THE PASSENGER WILL HAVE THE OPTION OF CANCELLING WITHOUT PENALTY, OR REROUTING ON DIFFERENT FLIGHTS TO/FROM THE SAME OR DIFFERENT DESTINATION. HOWEVER, THE PASSENGER MUST PAY ANY ADDITIONAL AMOUNTS RESULTING FROM THE REROUTING.
AA schedule changes - flight change / cancellation / refund policy (consolidated)
Jul 15, 2022, 8:58 am
#1171
Join Date: Apr 2011
Programs: Marriott Ambassador, AA ExecPlat, Amtrak Select Exec, former WN apologist
Posts: 1,428
I had a "supervisor" tell me the same thing last night. No changes on award tickets for a large schedule change unless its the same number of miles. Award tickets already have the ability to refund in full so basically there is no additional rights during a schedule change.
Jul 15, 2022, 9:05 am
#1172
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2019
Programs: AA: CK
Posts: 2,230
Was advised by the Twitter team that when AA has a months-ahead schedule change, even when for multiple hours, AA will only rebook onto alternate AA flights IF the same booking inventory is available. Otherwise, the customer has to pay the fare difference to AA or cancel/refund and find alternate flights. Even for EXP. Seriously?
Jul 15, 2022, 9:05 am
#1173
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Programs: AAdvantage Exec Platinum, Hertz #1 Club Gold Five Star, IHG Platinum, Marriott Gold, HHonors Silver
Posts: 2,039
There's a big difference between a schedule change and AA just arbitrarily switching your flights. For the situation mentioned just above, that's not a schedule change. The 2nd flight the person wanted to take is still operating as booked. There is absolutely no way AA can move them off the flight they booked and then ask for more miles/money to go back to it. That would be the very definition of bait and switch.
Jul 15, 2022, 11:41 pm
#1175
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: St. Louis, MO, USA
Programs: AA PPro, Mariott Gold Elite, Lowly kettle across every other loyalty program.
Posts: 778
OP I had the same issue with the Twitter team earlier in the year. Called in, had no wait, and they immediately changed me to the flight I wanted without any pushback or issue whatsoever. The Twitter team has been basically perfect for me otherwise but I do wonder if they're being more stingy with schedule changes (maybe a memo went out internally or something, who knows).
Jul 21, 2022, 7:47 am
#1176
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2001
Location: MSY; 2-time FT Fantasy Football Champ, now in recovery.
Programs: AA lifetime GLD; UA Silver; Marriott LTTE; IHG Plat,
Posts: 14,518
My mom had a schedule change for a flight a couple of weeks away. Domestic paid F, the connecting flight went away, the system rebooked her on the next one, turning a 70 minute connection into a 4 hour plus stopover.
We decided what alternative we preferred - leaving an hour earlier and thru a different connecting city, and messaged twitted with the change request. A half hour later, it was all confirmed as requested. So kudos to AA for making that so easy.
We decided what alternative we preferred - leaving an hour earlier and thru a different connecting city, and messaged twitted with the change request. A half hour later, it was all confirmed as requested. So kudos to AA for making that so easy.
Jul 21, 2022, 12:19 pm
#1177
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: LAX
Programs: UA 1K/MM, Marriott Gold
Posts: 132
I'm usually a United flyer but had booked PHX-BUR on AA for August 11 and they cancelled my flight and moved me to the later flight which gets me in too late to attend an event I have tix for that night. So - I wanted to change to an earlier flight into LAX. Both the app and the website give me a message that I have to call to change this flight which is mind blowing for a such a simple thing. I'm on hold with for at least 20 minutes because when I tried to choose 1 for a call back it keeps telling me it was an invalid choice and then I reached my maximum allowed choices. Then the agent tells me I couldn't change it because it was basic economy - which it wasn't - it was main cabin extra. He's like huh - that's weird and of course changes it. Is this normal or am I just allergic to AA's tech? I would have sorted this whole thing on United in 30 seconds.
Jul 21, 2022, 12:38 pm
#1178
Join Date: Sep 2020
Programs: AA EXP, BA Gold, VS Gold, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Platinum, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 3,948
I'm usually a United flyer but had booked PHX-BUR on AA for August 11 and they cancelled my flight and moved me to the later flight which gets me in too late to attend an event I have tix for that night. So - I wanted to change to an earlier flight into LAX. Both the app and the website give me a message that I have to call to change this flight which is mind blowing for a such a simple thing. I'm on hold with for at least 20 minutes because when I tried to choose 1 for a call back it keeps telling me it was an invalid choice and then I reached my maximum allowed choices. Then the agent tells me I couldn't change it because it was basic economy - which it wasn't - it was main cabin extra. He's like huh - that's weird and of course changes it. Is this normal or am I just allergic to AA's tech? I would have sorted this whole thing on United in 30 seconds.
Not being able to change online / having to call or contact via Chat or Twitter is, unfortunately, pretty much the norm.
Jul 31, 2022, 11:18 pm
#1179
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: SF, CA, US
Programs: AA Plat Pro, UA MM Gold, HHonors Silver, Marriott Bonvoy Plat, IHG Ambassador
Posts: 1,236
I just checked my CMH-DFW-SFO trip for this fall and noticed that my first leg has moved up by almost 3 hours and my DFW layover is now almost 4 hours. My arrival time is still the same though (but later than what I originally booked due to an earlier schedule change). I hate this new itinerary. Any chance of getting this changed without extra spend? There doesn't appear to be any AA departures close to my original departure time, but at the very least I'd prefer to get on an earlier DFW-SFO flight to shorten the layover.
Aug 1, 2022, 5:46 am
#1180
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: RDU <|> MMX
Programs: AA EXP 2MM, SK EBS
Posts: 12,483
I just checked my CMH-DFW-SFO trip for this fall and noticed that my first leg has moved up by almost 3 hours and my DFW layover is now almost 4 hours. My arrival time is still the same though (but later than what I originally booked due to an earlier schedule change). I hate this new itinerary. Any chance of getting this changed without extra spend? There doesn't appear to be any AA departures close to my original departure time, but at the very least I'd prefer to get on an earlier DFW-SFO flight to shorten the layover.
Aug 1, 2022, 11:54 am
#1181
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: Denver
Programs: AS, AA, UA, Hilton, Marriott, Caesars DE
Posts: 2,070
So based on reading I believe this should work, but would like reassurance. I am looking to book a ticket that has relatively high fare costs in January, there is one flight with a 20 hour overnight layover that is significantly cheaper. My plan is to book that ticket and hope for a schedule change, then ask AA to move me to a flight with a reasonable layover/that gets to my destination same day? Otherwise, I can always cancel the ticket for a voucher and use it for a different flight if the price drops.
Aug 1, 2022, 7:03 pm
#1182
Join Date: Sep 2021
Posts: 3
Schedule Change
Flying FRA-CLT in Oct. When I pull up the status on AA.com or the app, I get the message:
SCHEDULE CHANGE
Your flight changed. Please check back soon to see what changed.
The only thing different than when booked 4 months ago is the arrival time is 10 mins earlier.
Have you seen this before? It has been like this for 2 days.
SCHEDULE CHANGE
Your flight changed. Please check back soon to see what changed.
The only thing different than when booked 4 months ago is the arrival time is 10 mins earlier.
Have you seen this before? It has been like this for 2 days.
Aug 1, 2022, 7:11 pm
#1183
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: RDU <|> MMX
Programs: AA EXP 2MM, SK EBS
Posts: 12,483
Flying FRA-CLT in Oct. When I pull up the status on AA.com or the app, I get the message:
SCHEDULE CHANGE
Your flight changed. Please check back soon to see what changed.
The only thing different than when booked 4 months ago is the arrival time is 10 mins earlier.
Have you seen this before? It has been like this for 2 days.
SCHEDULE CHANGE
Your flight changed. Please check back soon to see what changed.
The only thing different than when booked 4 months ago is the arrival time is 10 mins earlier.
Have you seen this before? It has been like this for 2 days.
Aug 3, 2022, 5:00 pm
#1185
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: NYC
Programs: AA 2MM, Bonvoy LTT, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 14,639
US DoT proposing rules to define what type of schedule changes will allow for a refund. There are several conditions which (if proposal remains unchanged) allow for a refund including:
- Flight no longer on schedule
- Changes >=3 hours for domestic and >6 hours for international
- Downgraded aircraft