American Airlines Flight Cancellation Policy: What You Need to Know

Cancellation policy of an airline is what you should know once your travel plans change which can happen without prior notice. American Airlines has a cancellation policy that gives you different options depending on the type of ticket you have bought. This article is designed to help you learn how the American Airlines Cancellation Policy works and what the things are that to expect if/when you cancel a flight.

Refundable Tickets

If you've bought a refundable ticket, you have the ultimate flexibility. Refundable tickets:

Full Refund: You can cancel your flight anytime prior to departure and we will refund to you the full buy amount in your original form of payment.

No Fees: There are no cancellation fees, so if you think your travel plans might change, then refundable tickets are the way to go.

Non-Refundable Tickets

Non-refundable tickets are a bit more restrictive, though there are still some options too:

Penalty for Cancellation: If you will cancel a non-refundable ticket you will have to pay the penalty fee for it. This fee may vary according to the route as well as type of the ticket.

Travel Credit: After cutting the deduction the remaining balance will be given to you in terms of travel credit which can be used for future flights till one year from the date of ticket purchased.

Cancellation within 24 hours with no risk: whatever the ticket type, American Airlines lets you cancel any ticket purchased within the first 24 hours and get a full refund.

Award Tickets

If you booked your flight using AAdvantage miles, the American Airlines cancellation policy is a bit different:

Mileage Refund: You can cancel your award ticket and miles will be redeposited into your account. However, there may be a fee associated with this except if you have elite status or are eligible for a waiver.

Fees: The cancellation fee on an award ticket will depend on your situation but if you have elite status, the fees are often waived.

Involuntary Cancellations

Sometimes, you can’t do anything to prevent a cancellation (such as when American Airlines cancels your flight). In those cases:

In case your flight with American Airlines is cancelled, you will be given the option of receiving a full refund or getting rebooked to the next available flight with no additional charge.

Additional Considerations

Here are few more points to be remembered about the cancellation policies of American Airlines.

Weather and Emergencies: If there’s bad weather or a similar situation, we might have some extra flexibility to change flights when we need to.

Same-Day Changes: If you don’t want to cancel but need to change your flight, same-day changes are also an option for you, often at a reduced fee, depending on availability.

Conclusion

Knowing the American Airlines cancellation policy can help you save time, money and frustration. Whether you’ve booked a refundable or non-refundable fare, there are provisions in place to assist you if your plans change. Be sure to always check your fare type and its associated cancellation stipulations when booking travel, so there are no surprises should you need to cancel.