American Airlines is one of the largest airlines in the world, offering flights to destinations around the world. For many travelers, same-day travel is commonplace, whether for business or personal reasons. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at American Airlines’ same-day travel policies and what you need to know before booking your next flight.
American Airlines (American Eagle) offers a variety of options for same-day travel, including standby travel, same-day confirmed flight changes. Each of these options has its own set of rules and fees, so it’s important to choose the one that best suits your needs.
Same day flight changes
Customers who prefer a more guaranteed option can choose to pay for a same-day flight change. This allows them to upgrade to an earlier or later flight on the same day as their original booking, subject to availability. There are fees for this service, which vary depending on the type of ticket booked and the destination chosen:
|
Itinerary |
Same day confirmed change |
Standby |
|
United States, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands |
$75 |
0$ |
|
Canada and the Caribbean |
Impossible |
|
| Between / through New York JFK and London Heathrow | $175 |
Impossible |
It should be noted that these changes can be applied online or at the airport by accessing your reservation from a kiosk or by going to the American Airlines counter.
Are same-day travel changes allowed on Basic Economy fares?
American Airlines’ Basic Economy fare generally comes with restrictions, including no seat assignments and no ticket changes or refunds. However, same-day travel is permitted for passengers with this fare.
Pending trip
Standby Travel is available for customers who wish to arrive at the airport early and wait for an earlier flight than the one they have booked. This can be handy if your plans change and you need to leave earlier than expected. However, this type of flight is not guaranteed and you may have to wait several flights before a seat becomes available.
Same-day flight changes are free for Business and First Class passengers and for AAdvantage high tier holders
This service is totally free for:
AAdvantage Executive Platinum, Platinum Pro status (and companions in same reservation), Unrestricted Economy (Y fare), Business, First, AirPass℠), First, Business Flight Awards, Alaska Airlines MVP Gold 100K, MVP Gold 75K available and JetBlue TrueBlue Mosaic® members.
However, the service is not accessible free of charge to active military personnel.
Refund policy for fees paid to benefit from the Same-day travel service
If you book this service and then cancel your flight, American Airlines will refund the fees paid. However, certain conditions must be met in order to be eligible for reimbursement:
– The ticket must be eligible for a refund
– Same-day flight change must have been purchased separately from the ticket
– You must cancel your flight before the scheduled departure time (or else the flight is canceled by the airline)
– You must request the refund within 24 hours of the originally scheduled departure time.