How Do I Change My American Airlines Flight?

Booked an American Airlines flight, and something came up that now stops you from traveling with them. Use American Airlines change flight service to adjust your travel plans according to your will. AA makes it easier for you to change your itinerary and get an alternate flight according to your current situation.

Wondering how you can change your American Airlines flight? You can do it for a small fee online or free of charge, depending on your fare type. Read the subsections below and find out everything you should know about American Airlines flight changes.

What Is American Airlines Flight Change Policy?

American Airlines has established a set of rules that allow you to confirm flight changes without any hassle. You can review the detailed American Airlines change flight policy below and book a new flight at your convenience.

  • You can request flight changes up to 2 hours before the departure time.
  • Changes to American Airlines flights originating in North or South America can be made free of charge.
  • For flights originating from outside of these two regions flight change fees will apply depending on the type of fare.
  • AA also gives you 24 hours after booking tickets to make flight changes free of charge as long as it departs at least 2 days from the booking time.
  • Cancel your nonrefundable tickets first to reschedule them after 24 hours of booking.
  • The airline also allows you to make changes to your preferred seats.
  • You must pay a difference in fare to American Airlines whenever your new flight costs are higher than the initial fare.
  • If your new flight costs less than the initial fare, you will receive a travel credit for the reduced fare.
  • AA award flights booked as a web special fare with miles can not be changed directly, and you must cancel and rebook them to switch your schedule.
  • All changes or cancellations are available online as well as through their customer service.
  • You can not change Basic Economy tickets after 24 hours.
  • AA allows you to change the departure airport, arrival airport, departure and arrival dates, etc.

Also, note that you may complete travel for changed American Airlines flights within one year of the original ticketing date.

How To Change A Flight On American Airlines?

You can request American Airlines to change flight online or connect with their customer service team for assistance with changes. To know the detailed methods, take a look at the steps below:

Change Your Trip Online

  • Go to the American Airlines website or mobile app.
  • Click on the Manage Trips/Check-in option.
  • Find your trip using your confirmation code & last name.
  • You can also log in to your AAdvantage account.
  • Select the Change Trips option from the menu.
  • Choose a new flight according to your needs.
  • Review your changes.
  • Check for any fees and fare differences.
  • Confirm payment and complete the changes.

Remember to pay the associated fee in full to finalize your flight change on American Airlines. Check your email for confirmation of your new flight trips.

Change Flight Through Customer Service

This option is best if you need a live person’s help in changing your flights. You can either visit AA helpdesk at the airport or call their change flight customer service team for assistance. To change American Airlines flight through customer service, here are the steps you can take:

  • Dial American Airlines phone number.
  • Follow the IVR menu to choose Flight Change.
  • Request a live person for assistance.
  • Share your current situation.
  • Give him your flight itinerary details & personal information.
  • Share new flight requirements.
  • Get some available options.
  • Confirm the desired one and continue.
  • Finalize your changes by paying fees and the difference in fare.

You can always check your email to check and confirm your new flight as well as find flight number and other information.

Can you change an Award flight with American Airlines?

Yes, you can always change an American Airlines award flight and sometimes absolutely free of charge. Here are the detailed steps to change one online:

  • Log in to your AAdvantage account online.
  • Find My Trips page and locate the award flight,
  • Click on it and select the Blue “Change trip” button.
  • Check the box that says, “Yes, I Want to Change This Flight.”
  • Search for new flight options
  • Select your new flight
  • Click Continue to confirm the changes.

The airline will require a fare difference for taxes and additional fare that increased for the changed flight. But remember that you can not change your award flights booked as web special fares using miles balance.

How Much Is The American Airlines Flight Change Fee?

American Airlines does not charge anything for changing refundable domestic flights originating from North or South America. If your flight is originating anywhere outside that location, you must pay from $0 to $750 based on your flight type, route, and fare information. Refer to the table below for a better understanding of the charges:

Fare TypeTravel Beginning in North/South AmericaTravel Outside of North/South America
Basic EconomyFree within 24 hours of booking  
Not allowed afterwards
Not available after 24 hours of booking
Main CabinFree$0-$750*
Premium EconomyFree$0-$750*
Business ClassFree$0-$750*
First ClassFree$0-$750*

Some AAdvantage members are exempt from the American Airlines change flight fee. For additional details, check the American Airlines 24-hour flight change policy.

Important: American Airlines will waive off flight change fee for any fare class tickets bought before 11 November 2024, except bfor asic economy passengers.

Does American Airlines Allow Changes To Return Flights?

Yes, it does. If you simply wish to change your return flight date on American Airlines, there are some conditions under which you can do so. Here are the details:

  • Your fare must be eligible for flight changes.
  • You can change as long as the alternate AA flights have available seats.
  • Pay the said amount to process the changes.
  • For only changing the inbound flight, complete your outbound journey first.

Make sure to check the detailed fare rules under My Trips and request schedule changes accordingly. You can also connect to American Airlines for changing flights booked via travel agents. However, it is best to connect with the agents directly for a better transition.

Will AA Allow Flight Changes On the Same Day?

Yes, American Airlines will allow you to change your flights on the same day as departure. Here are some important points related to American Airlines same-day flight change you should know of:

  • You have up to 2 hours before the departure time to process any flight changes you want.
  • Any changes within 24 hours of the departure time need an additional fee, depending on the fare and route.
  • You can either find a confirmed seat on the next available flight AA flight or request to fly on standby.
  • The same Day Change fee starts from $60 per person per way except for flights to/from London.
  • You can not fly standby for any flights outside the US. Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands US market. 

Make sure to call American Airlines change your flight phone number or use their official website to request same-day standby. 

Final Words

Understand American Airlines change flight policy as detailed above, and you are ready to choose an alternate flight itinerary based on your current status. Use any method mentioned above from online to offline, and request AA to change your flight. If the airline changes your flights instead, you will be compensated by an alternate schedule accordingly. For better information on flight changes and the associated fees and policy, call American Airlines or connect with FlyTriphub. Our team can assist you with flight changes and more related to AA at no extra cost.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Q.1 How much does it cost to change an American Airlines flight?

A: American airlines does not charge anything for changing fully flexible domestic fares and same-day changes start at $60. For more details on costs, call their customer service agent or check their website.

Q.2 Is American Airlines still waiving change fees?

A: Yes, American airlines will waive off the change for all tickets booked before 11 November 2024 for flights booked in any fare except AA Basic Economy.

Q.3 How much does it cost to reschedule a flight?

A: Rescheduling an American Airlines flight can cost anywhere from $0 to $750 based on your fare type, rules, routes, and time of booking. Your departure time also affects flight change costs.

Q.4: Is there any way to change a Basic Economy ticket on American Airlines?

A: No, generally, these can not be changed, but there are a few exceptions. You can change domestic AA basic economy flight schedule within 24 hours of booking if the flight departs at least 2 days from booking time.