I am sorry I wasn't even sure where I should post this, so I just guessed!

My husband bought a round trip ticket and we are needing to get the date changed for his flight home because he will not be able to make it on the orig. date. I do not even know where to begin this process. Who do I call? Where would I find this info? I need help!!! I need help SOON! Any help will be great. Thanks in advance!

First, take a deep breath.

Now, where did you buy the ticket? On which carrier? Is it domestic or international? Did you buy a changeable/refundable fare or lowest price?

it says non-refundable. However they told us as long as they are used within a year it should be fine. The tickets are back to the US from St. Maarten. The airline was American Airlines. I am not sure if he bought them through expedia or a company like that. I just know they are American Airline tickets.

Call the airline.

It will be helpful if you have either the 6 character itinery number (PNR) or the 16 digit ticket number. One or the other or both should be on your paperwork.

Explain what you're trying to do.

Hope for the best, but expect the worst as most tickets bought by non-business types are the very inexpensive non-refundable variety. Most likely you're looking at either buying a whole new ticket or paying a hefty change fee (depending on where you're going, the change fee can easily be more expensive than just buying a new ticket.)

You might be able to salvage something by using your current ticket for the outbound flight and then buying a new ticket to get home - just throw away the return potion of the initial ticket.

Just did a dummy booking at AA and took a look at the terms and conditions.

NOTE: I have no idea what class you booked into, so your restrictions will likely vary.

What I found was:

FARES CHARGE USD 150.00 OR HIGHEST FEE OF ANY CHANGED FARE COMPONENT WITHIN JOURNEY

and the change can't be to the first leg - which in your case is OK.

In English, they're saying that it'll cost you a minimum of $150 to change, and if the new itinerary is more expensive the fee will be higher. (If old flight was $400 and the new is $500 you pay $150 (minimum). If old was $400 and new is $600 you pay $200.

But again, the restrictions are different for every booking class, so you really need to call AA.

Well, I am going to call them (lucky me) I am just going to ask them if we can get the ticket re-dated I guess. I do not even know what to ask them! The ticket was 900 bucks...you figure he should just be able to come home whenever! I am new to all of this and stressed! I have to fly out at the first of next month...where is the best place to order tickets (we have to fly AA) and what type of tickets are the best? (I know 1st class...but money is a factor)

If AA is your preferred airline, we have AA Forum for all AA-specific inquires.

Before buying any ticket, you can get the fare from AA.com directly, then compare it to quotes from online engines. You can visit our Online Travel Booking and Bidding Agencies Forum and be acquainted with possible options (Expedia, Priceline, Travelocity,...). Depending on your routes/dates, AA.com may be cheaper at times. You just have to learn to research and explore all the options.

If money is tight, you can also try our Budget Travel Forum.

As for the "best" tickets, you'll get different answers from fellow FTers. Some travel for leisure, some business. Some need legroom, some generous luggage allowance. Some place comfort above everything, while some only fly economy. There's no absolute answer. It all depends on what you want and like.

If you are new to everything flying, you should first read the sticky threads at the top of each and every forum. FT often put the must-know and FAQs in sticky threads. You cannot go wrong starting from the stickies. There are tons of info and experts on FT. You'll have to explore and learn to educate yourself.

I know it's an overwhelming task to explore FT and find your answers. I've been there. We all are newbies once. Give yourself time and read and read and read. You'll get better at it each and everyday.

Welcome to FT University!

As to your question of which kind of tickets are "best" (and assuming you aren't talking First or Business class) - if you know your dates won't change, go for the cheapest possible. Within a given fare class, they'll generally get you into the same seats on the aircraft. But if there's a real chance that they may change, you may be better off with a refundable fare. The latter is more expensive up front, of course, but may save you money in situations like these. The key is reading the terms of each fare, seeing what the penalties are for changing, and deciding which best meets your needs.

When you call all you need to do is say:

I'm calling about an existing itinerary. The locator number is XXXXXX or the Ticket number is 0000000000000. My husband needs to fly home on [date] instead of the originally booked date. What are my options, and how much will it cost.

For future travel - of which I hope you have much - here's what I do.

If it is a quick hop around the US I just go onto my airline's website (happends to be UA). If I see flight times I like at a price that seems reasonable I just book it and be done with it.

For more exotic travel I start with the ITA site (some prefer Kayak). The URL is:

http://matrix.itasoftware.com/cvg/dispatch/

and put in my trip details. This returns a grid of all the possibilities and fares, and warns you about tight connections, long layovers, etc. If I see something I like I then go to either the airline specific site or to one of the online agencies (take you're pick, as far as I can tell Expedia, Orbitz, Travelocity, etc. all have their plusses and minuses.)

I always book nonrefundable fares, since I don't book until I know my travel dates are firm.

Hello Bnicole and welcome to FlyerTalk! Hope your issue was successfully resolved.