when does a paper ticket expire ?
 

Hi all.

I am wondering how long a full-fare paper ticket is valid for reissue. I know that unused restricted fares are generally good for one-year. Does an un-restricted ticket have a longer life ?

Thanks!

One year from date of issue, restricted tickets can normally be reissued within the same time frame, subject to the change fee.

All have the same life. However, you can change the unrestricted for no fee and more than once.

If you have not used any part of the ticket, a domestic ticket has a two year exhcange life(value less change fee). International tickets are much more complicated and it depends upon the fare rules used to buy the ticket.

Thanks (as always) for the kind advise. I guess I will get the full-fare tickets issued for another flight, and then have the flexibility to change later.



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I do not think that AA has any expiration for their tickets. They used to have a one-year expiration that was changed awhile ago.

United paper tickets are now good forever (E-tickets stay in the computer for a little over a year from issue date - by printing them out they become paper tickets, good forever).

I don't see how under US law a regular ticket you purchase can ever become worthless. Courts have ruled that there can be no expiration for gift certificates, for instance. I would imagine you can get the airline to re-issue.

I had some old upgrade coupons on AA and they cheerfully accepted them without a second thought. After all, I had paid for them one time or another. Why should the money I paid all of a sudden become worthless (that's what inflation is for :-))