American Airlines Cancellations Policy

Have you booked your flight ticket with AA, but an emergency forced you to cancel American flight? There are straightforward procedures under a customer-friendly American Airlines cancellation policy. 

Whether you want to cancel your flight or your booking has been cancelled, you may be eligible for full refund. However, there is an American Airlines 24 hour cancellation policy that increases the chance of getting a full refund. 

The information on this page is intended to provide you with comprehensive information on the American Airlines cancel flight rules so you are able to make sound decisions when necessary. 

What is American Airlines Cancellation Policy?

American cancellation policy refers to the guidelines that allow traveler to cancel their existing flight when they are in a situation to cancel their plans. However, different fare types have diverse rules for cancellation, as follows - 

AA Cancel Flight For Refundable Tickets 

American Airline flight cancellations for refundable tickets are eligible for full refund. However, the refund will be credited in the original form of payment. 

Flight Cancellations For Non-Refundable Tickets 

American Airlines cancellations for non-refundable flight tickets are not eligible for refunds. Unless you cancel your flight within the first 24 hours. However, they offer travel credits for future bookings.

The only exceptions to not getting a refund after canceling a non-refundable ticket are in the following circumstances - 

• If one the passengers in group reservations passes away.
• There is an AA flight schedule change of more than 4 hours, and your decide not to travel. 
• There is flight schedule change of 90 minutes or more within 72 hours of your original departure time, and you decline to travel. 

Note - If any of the above cases apply, you can request a full refund here. 

AA Basic Economy Flight Cancellation

American Airlines basic economy tickets are non-refundable.  

Rules For American Airlines Flight Cancellations

American Airlines cancellations guidelines have a few unavoidable rules and regulations that you must know while booking to avoid future disruptions. 

• As per the American Airlines cancel flight policy, you can cancel your flight for free when requested within 24 hours of booking. 
• American Airlines 24 hour cancellation policy is applicable to all passnegers regardless of their ticket type. 
• After American Airlines cancel flight, eligible passengers can get a full refund in the original form of payment. It may take around 7 to 10 business days to receive a refund. 
• For tickets booked through a third-party agent, you need to contact them for cancellations.
• American Airlines cancellation policy promises to give you miles back in the event you booked your ticket with miles. 
• Flights booked with basic economy tickets are not changeable. That means if you not decide to fly on the original flight you booked, you’ll likely to loose the entire value. 

American Airlines 24 Hour Cancellation Policy

According to American Airlines 24 hour cancellation policy, a passenger must cancel their flight within 24 hours of purchasing the ticket in order to not pay any American Airline cancellation fee. If you request flight cancellation outside this risk-free 24-hour period, you’ll be liable for paying charges as per the guidelines to cancel American flight. 

American Airlines Cancelled Flight Policy

American Airlines always strives to facilitate passengers' travel with all-inclusive boarding services. However, sometimes, unpredictable situations may force the airline to delay or cancel a flight. 

American flight cancellation policy has some alternatives for passnegers in the event that they cancel passengers flights. Take note of the following points: 

• AA will rebook the next available flight for the passenger. 
• The airline will automatically reroute your baggage at your new flight check-in.

How To Cancel A Flight On American Airlines?

Do you need to cancel American flight? There are both online/offline approaches available to cancel your flight. Via website and dialing the American Airline cancellation phone number, passengers can learn easy steps to cancel their flight and rebook a new one as per their choice. 

Method 1 - Cancel American Flight Online

Passengers who want to know how to cancel flight American Airlines using the official website can adhere to the steps mentioned below and learn - 

Step 1 -  Open the official website of American Airlines.

Step 2 - Click on the “Your Trips” or “Check In” tab.

Step 3 - Enter your reservation confirmation number.

Step 4 - Follow the prompts/instructions to retrieve your booking.

Step 5 - Choose the flight that you want to cancel.

Step 6 - Hit on the “Cancel” the flight.

Step 7 - Now, the prompt will ask you to confirm the cancellation.

Step 8 - Click on the “Confirm” button.

Step 9 - Once the process is done, they will send you an AA cancel flight confirmation on your registered mail ID. 

Method 2 - American Airlines Cancel Flight Via Phone Call

Passengers can dial the American Airlines cancellation phone number to speak with the agent and ask them to cancel their flight. To know the process, look for the instructions below - 

Step 1 - Dial the American Airlines cancellation phone number 1 (800) 433-7300 or contact at +1-866-738-0741 for mutual consultation from OTA experts. 

Step 2 - listen to the instructions and follow the IVR prompts.

Step 3 - Once you are connected to the agent, convey that you want to cancel your flight.

Step 4 - Share your booking details with the executive.

Step 5 - Pay the American Airline cancellation fee when your booking is not eligible for free changes. 

Method 3 - AA Cancel Flight At The Airport

Passengers who want to cancel their flight via mutual consultation with executives at the airport can do so as per the American Airlines cancellation policy. You can visit the customer support desk and ask them to cancel your flight. Provide your booking details and pay the cancellation cot if required along with the reason to cancel American flight. 

Once your request is approved and your flight is cancelled, you will be asked to book another available flight. Otherwise, as per the American cancellation policy you have the option to not decide on the trip. In that case, the airline will reimburse you the cost as travel credit or in the original form of payment, whichever is. It depends on your fare type. 

What is American Airlines Refund Policy?

As per the American Airlines refund policy, if you cancel your flight within 24 hours of purchasing the ticket, you are entitled to get a full refund in the original form of payment. Reimbursement is also possible if you cancel your reservation at least two days before the scheduled flight departure.  

Although, basic economy ticket is never considered refundable unless they are cancelled within 24 hours of booking as per the American Airlines cancel flight policy. 

Points To Remember For American Flight Cancellation Refund

AA refund process basically depends on the time you booked your trip and when your flight has been cancelled. However, passengers need to know some significant terms and conditions associated with the refund process of AA flight cancellation. 

• Automatic refunds will be processed when the flight is canceled within 24 hours of booking or 48 hours before the scheduled departure time. 
• The executive will refund the value of your ticket except service charges via reservations phone system and nonrefundable taxes. 
• Beyond the risk-free 24-hour window, you’ll need to follow a few steps to get a complete refund. You may call the Airline’s customer service department at 1 (800) 433-7300 or contact +1-866-738-0741 for quick assistance from OTA. 

How To Get Refund For Cancelled Flight American Airlines?

Flight cancellations often happen for valid reasons. You don’t do it on a happy note. Hence, to ensure a better consumer experience, American Airlines cancellation policy ensures that passengers are refunded to the maximum possible extent. 

Step 1 - Wait Until Your Flight Is Declared Cancelled.

There are two situations. First, when you have voluntarily canceled your trip because you no longer need to travel (reason may be any). Second, if your flight is delayed for more than four hours, officially canceled, and eligible for a refund as per the American flight cancellation guidelines, you may request for a refund. 

Step 2 - Request For American Airlines Cancellations Refund 

In order to get a refund for AA flight cancellations, follow the procedure below - 

Visit prefunds.aa.com > you’ll see a pop-up saying your ticket value is safe > choose the blue “Refunds” option > Enter ticket number and the passenger’s name associated with the canceled booking > Click submit.

Step 3 - Verify The Canceled Booking Information

Read your booking information carefully > Make sure the correct booking was pulled for the refund request > After verification successfully, click on the “Continue” button. 

Step 4 - Review Your Eligibility For A Refund

Evaluate whether your booking is eligible for a refund. If you are eligible, click the blue "Continue" button to proceed and send American Airlines a formal refund request. 

Step 5 - Enter your Contact Details

In the next step, you will need to enter your content details. This information includes your full name, address, email address, and phone number. After filling in all the details, click on the “Continue” button. 

Step 6 - Verify And Evaluate Your Refund Request

After reviewing all the details regarding your refund request, you will need to select a “reason for refund” from a drop-down menu that best describes the reason for your refund request. When the verification is done, click on the blue “Submit” button. Moreover, upload supporting documents when asked. 

Step 7 - Keep Your Refund Request Confirmation Number

After completing the final review process and uploading all the supporting documents, you will receive a refund confirmation number. Keep it safe, as you may need to follow up on a refund request or contact the AA customer service department. 

Step 8 - Get a Refund or Check the Status

Passengers may get a refund within seven business days in the event that their booking was purchased using a credit card. However, if you have not received a refund and need to check out its status, you may check by visiting this link- 

American Airlines Flight Credit After Cancellation

As per the American airline ticket cancellation policy, if a confirmed booking is delayed more than four hours and a passenger dies, the original value of their ticket can be issued as a travel credit or flight credit. Moreover, these flight credits can be used for booking future flights. 

American Airlines Flight Credits: Types

American Airlines issues three types of travel credits in the event of flight cancellations. Trip Credits, Flight Credits, and Travel Vouchers. All of these can be used to book future flights. 

Trip Credits - Trip credits are issued as refunds and can be used on domestic or international paid flights originating in the US. Moreover, it expires within a year from the date of issue.

Flight Credits - Flight credits are issued for tickets that are unused or canceled flights. These credits must be used within a year from the date of ticket issue. It is non-extendable and not eligible for reissue once it expires. AA does not accept invalid or expired Flight Credits. 

Travel Vouchers - American Airlines travel vouchers can be electronic or paper and are valid on flights only. These must be used within one year from the date of issue. Moreover, eight credits are allowed per passenger. 

How To Use Flight Credit American Airlines To Rebook?

If you have an American Airlines AAdvantage member account and your account number was mentioned in the reservation prior to cancellation, you can follow these steps to access your account and examine available flight credits.

Step 1 - You will need a six-digit confirmation code and a 13-digit ticket number (begins with 001). (Note - Please pay attention that there separate ticket numbers for add-ons like seats, upgrades, and bags.)

Step 2 - Open the official website of American Airlines.

Step 3 - Choose the option “Manage Trips/Check-In”

Step 4 - Tap on “View canceled trips” and enter your flight details.

Step 5 - On the “Your Trip” page, you’ll find your flight credit details.

Step 6 - To rebook a new flight using flight credit, open the official AA website and find your new flight.

Step 7 - On the payment screen, choose “Add Flight Credit”

Step 8 - Enter the ticket number from your canceled flight and apply the credit.

Step 9 - To pay any remaining balance, you may use your credit card. 

American Airline Cancellation Fee

As per the American Airlines cancellation policy, if you cancel your flight within 24 hours of purchasing the ticket, no charges will apply. However, if you cancel your trip after the risk-free period (24 hours), the cost to cancel an American flight depends on the fare type you purchased as per the American Airlines 24 hour cancellation guidelines. 

Take a closer look at the table given below regarding American Airline cancellation fee. 

Ticket Type	American Airline cancellation fee/charges
Basic Economy	No charges for cancelling an American Airlines flight (no matter if it is domestic of international).
Economy	$200 (For all domestic and Internation Flights)
Premium Economy	$200 (For all domestic and Internation Flights)
Award Tickets	$25-$150 (Depends on the reward type)

Please Note - American Airlines flight cancellation fee is subject to change. Thus it is advised to contact American Airlines customer support executive to know the updated flight cancellation fee.