Customer service plan

Unaccompanied minor service

American Airlines and American Eagle's unaccompanied minor service allows children in certain circumstances to travel alone on our flights.

Guidelines for our unaccompanied minor service:

• Children 5 years and older may travel on American Airlines or American Eagle on non-stop or same-plane flights.
• Children must be 8-14 years old to travel itineraries requiring a connection on American Airlines or American Eagle, connecting flights must be through the following airports: CLT, DCA, DFW, JFK, LAX, LGA, MIA, ORD, PHL, PHX.
• Children 15-17 years old are considered young adults and are not required to use the unaccompanied minor service. However, the unaccompanied minor service is available to them upon request and under the same provisions.
• American Airlines and American Eagle do not accept unaccompanied children (UMNR) when their itinerary includes a connection to/from another airline, including codeshare and oneworld^® partners.
• A charge is assessed for providing unaccompanied minor service.

When taking your child's reservation, we will request telephone numbers for parents or guardians. At check-in, you will also be asked to provide names, addresses, and home and business phone numbers for you and the party meeting your child. This information is used in identifying the party meeting your child upon arrival, and it will assist us in contacting you if necessary. We recommend checking in early at the airport to ensure that you have adequate time to complete the required paperwork and pre-board your child.

The welfare of unaccompanied minors is a matter we take very seriously. In advance or upon check-in, if there is a possibility that your child's flight might be delayed or misconnect for any reason, we may change your child's flight schedule, including the departure date.

An airport representative will assist your child at the connecting city, escort your child to his or her next flight, and deliver your child to the person meeting him or her at the destination airport. We do not accept reservations for an unaccompanied child if it would mean his or her connecting flight would be the last flight of the day.

Additional details on our unaccompanied minor service are available from Reservations.

Helpful suggestions:

• You should stay with your child until he or she boards the aircraft and remain at the airport until the flight leaves the gate
• Provide your child with an extra copy of his or her contact phone numbers
• Before going to the airport, explain what will happen during the child's trip and let them know what to expect; this may include teaching him or her about airplanes, sounds, connecting flights, etc.
• Provide your child with books, food or other items which can help entertain him or her during the trip
• Let us know if it is your child's first flight so that, if time permits, we can give him or her a little extra attention

Customers with disabilities

American Airlines and American Eagle endeavor to provide passengers with disabilities dignified, professional, and courteous service at all times. We have a team of employees who regularly consult with disability advisory groups on how we can improve airline accessibility and the quality of our service.

Reservations special assistance coordinators

American Airlines and American Eagle Reservations Offices maintain a staff of Special Assistance Coordinators (SACs) whose function is to make pre-travel arrangements for our customers with disabilities. They have been specifically trained to work with customers who have self-identified as having a disability and are requesting special assistance.

The Reservations representative who responds to the customer's initial call passes pertinent information to a SAC. They will then personally contact the customer to arrange their special needs and provide a toll-free number for follow up questions. This information is communicated to Airport and Flight Services personnel to ensure all American personnel are notified and prepared to fulfill the customer's request.

Pre-reserved seats

American Airlines and American Eagle block a limited number of seats on each aircraft to accommodate customers who identify themselves as having a qualified disability. Adjacent seats are provided, under certain circumstances, for customers with disabilities who must travel with a companion for assistance.

Carry-on assistive devices

Canes, crutches and walkers capable of being collapsed small enough to fit into approved overhead and under seat stowage areas do not count toward your carry-on baggage item limit. They must be small enough to be stowed in such a manner as not to protrude into any seating row floor space or main aisle. Items such as seat cushions, detachable control boxes, armrests or footrests may also be carried on board with you.

Electronic medical assistive devices such as CPAP machines, respirators, ventilators that use non-spillable batteries may be accepted in the cabin on an individual basis provided they meet certain safety testing standards.

Wheelchairs

American Airlines and American Eagle accept motorized and non-motorized assistive devices for transport. When necessary, we will disassemble and reassemble wheelchairs or assistive devices for customers when they travel. American Airlines and American Eagle provide storage for one passenger's collapsible, manual wheelchair in the cabin of each aircraft. This service is available on a first-come, first-served basis and has priority over carryon baggage belonging to other customers who board at the same city, provided the customer follows the pre-boarding procedure. In-cabin stowage space for assistive devices cannot be pre-reserved, but American Airlines and American Eagle accept carryon wheelchairs, provided they collapse to fit in an overhead bin or under a seat.

Non-collapsible wheelchairs/scooters are accepted as checked baggage. These items can be checked at the main ticket counter or the departure gate. American Airlines and American Eagle offer a special wheelchair service that allows you to check your wheelchair at the departure gate and claim it at your arrival gate free of charge. Although you can arrange to claim your chair at the connecting city, we recommend that the chair be checked through to the final destination. The additional time required to claim and recheck your chair at the connecting city may compromise your ability to make your connection. American Airlines and American Eagle have wheelchairs and our representatives provide wheelchair service at connecting airports. Please let us know you will need this assistance when making your reservation.

Assistive devices approved for cabin transport do not count toward the combined number of checked and carryon baggage a passenger is allowed free of charge, nor do they count toward the limit on carryon items you may bring on board.

Boarding assistance

If you have special needs, upon request, pre-boarding assistance will be provided to you, allowing you the opportunity to be seated prior to general boarding. A special aisle chair is available to assist you if you are unable to walk, and all of our jet aircraft are equipped with specially designed seats that feature moveable aisle armrests to help make seating easier.

Medical oxygen

Customers requiring inflight medical oxygen may use only FAA-approved portable oxygen concentrators (POCs) during all phases of the flight. A 48-hour advance notice is required to complete medical paperwork and to ensure that an adequate supply of fully-charged batteries is available to power the device. Please contact Reservations at 1-800-433-7300 to arrange for assistance.

FAA approved POC:

Complaint resolution officials for customers with special needs

We have employees at airports who are trained as Complaint Resolution Officials (CROs) and are available during operating hours. A Corporate Complaint Resolution Official is also available to assist CROs 24 hours per day, seven days per week.

American Airlines and American Eagle have devoted extensive resources and efforts to ensure our customers and their bags travel on the same flight. In the event your checked bags do not arrive on your flight, reasonable efforts will be made to ensure that the bag is returned to you within 24 hours for flights within the U.S. Since we cannot guarantee the delivery of baggage carried by another airline, our goal to return bags within 24 hours applies only when we are the carrier taking you to your final destination. When checked baggage is delayed, an American Airlines/American Eagle Baggage Service Representative will compensate reasonable interim expenses to purchase items necessary for immediate use. Returning your bags may take longer on international flights due to flight duration, frequency of flights, or Customs & Immigration procedures at the destination airport. American Airlines and American Eagle attempt to contact customers whose unclaimed checked baggage contains contact information. If American determines that your baggage is lost, you will be reimbursed for any checked baggage charges.

If you are unable to locate a bag upon arrival, you should notify a baggage service agent prior to leaving the airport. At that time, the bag delivery procedure will be explained, and you will be provided with a delayed baggage receipt explaining the baggage recovery process. You can also check the status of bags online.

Delayed bag search Opens another site in a new window that may not meet accessibility guidelines.

Once a delayed or misrouted bag is located, a delivery company will return the bag to your local address at our expense. There are some circumstances that may inhibit our ability to return your bags within 24 hours:

• No local name/address/phone numbers are provided
• You are located at a remote location or an "unreachable" address, such as a cruise ship or a camping site
• You changed your delivery address, but did not notify us
• We have limited flight schedules to your destination
• Operational circumstances prevent American Airlines or American Eagle from being able to locate or deliver your bags within this timeframe

A record of your delayed baggage report is available and includes the contact information and delivery address you provided when you filed your report. Visit our delayed bags page for more information.

Delayed bags

Helpful suggestions:

Although statistics suggest it is highly likely your luggage will arrive with you, there is a possibility it might inadvertently be misrouted. For this reason, it is important to place your name, address, and telephone number(s) on the outside and inside of your bag. This will also make your bag easier to identify when claiming it at your destination. You should also carry certain items onboard with you. These could include, but are not limited to, travel documents, medication, jewelry, cash, keys, business documents, electronics, or other items of particularly high personal value.

Domestic travel is defined as travel in which the itinerary remains within the U.S., including Puerto Rico and/or the U.S. Virgin Islands. American Airlines and American Eagle will reimburse up to $3,800 per ticketed domestic customer for lost or damaged checked baggage, subject to claim verification. The specific procedures for making lost or damaged baggage claims will be provided to you at the time a claim is filed. We will not pay for normal wear and tear on checked baggage or for loss or damage to belongings you carry on board in the passenger cabin. Certain items (e.g., cash, jewelry, cameras) are excluded from liability for lost or damaged checked baggage. A complete list of the limitations and exclusions is in our conditions of carriage and is also available upon request.

International travel is defined as travel in which the itinerary contains one or more segments of travel outside of the U.S., including Puerto Rico and/or the U.S. Virgin Islands. For travel governed by the Warsaw Convention, we will reimburse up to $9.07 per pound, up to a maximum weight of 70 pounds per checked bag (a maximum of $634.90 per checked bag). For travel governed by the Montreal Convention, we will reimburse up to 1,288 SDR's per ticketed customer. These limits may be lower for additional pieces to certain international destinations or when using connecting carriers.

Federal regulations require that checked baggage remain unlocked. Improperly packed items (e.g., boxes) or those considered fragile (e.g., paintings) may not be covered under American Airlines or American Eagle's baggage liability provisions. If the value of the contents of a checked bag exceeds our standard coverage you may purchase additional baggage insurance. This insurance, known as excess value coverage, may be purchased at the ticket counter when checking in. Excess value insurance does not cover damage. Not all high value items are covered by this insurance, so you should verify with the agent that your specific belongings are included.

Make sure you have enough time to check in, check your baggage and get through security:

• Check-in and arrival
• Minimum time for checking in and arriving at the gate
• Cutoff times for checking bags

You can also check the latest travel alerts to learn about circumstances that could affect schedules, airport operation and parking, as well as flight status information for gates and times.

• Travel alerts
• Get flight status information

The AAdvantage^® program, the first frequent traveler program in the industry, began in 1981. Anyone wishing to enroll in the AAdvantage^® program can do so instantly at any American Airlines or American Eagle ticket counter, online at the aa.com website, or by calling 800-433-7300.

AAdvantage^® members earn mileage credits by flying on American Airlines, American Eagle and oneworld^® carriers, as well as on other airline participants. Members also earn mileage credits when using affiliated credit/debit cards or by purchasing products/services from participating car rental and hotel companies, retailers and a wide variety of service providers. In fact, over half of all miles earned are for products and services other than flying.

Members can earn miles at more than 1,000 participating companies, which include over 30 hotel chains representing more than 60 brands, more than 20 airlines, eight car rental companies, 12 financial companies and over 350 brand name retailers. In addition, members can earn miles when making purchases with one of more than 100 affinity card products in over 40 countries.

AAdvantage^® terms and conditions

Your AAdvantage^® miles do not expire if you have at least one qualifying transaction within the previous 24 months. All types of mileage-earning and redeeming transactions are included - anything from a mileage-earning flight on American Airlines or American Eagle to purchases using the Citi^® / AAdvantage^® card. If you’re a primary AAdvantage^® credit cardholder or under 21 years of age, you are not subject to the 24-month qualifying activity period.

AAdvantage^® benefits are numerous and varied. You can claim a flight award, for any seat on any flight, with no blackout dates. All awards can be issued in any name you designate, subject to the rules prohibiting the sale or barter of awards. In addition, you can donate your miles to the Miles for Kids in Need® program, which provides transportation for seriously ill children.

American Airlines reserves the right to change AAdvantage^® program rules, regulations, Flight awards and special offers at any time without notice and to end the AAdvantage^® program with six months notice. Any such changes may affect your ability to use the mileage awards or credits that you have accumulated. Members may not be able to obtain all offered awards at all times or use awards for all destinations or on all flights. Unless specified, AAdvantage^® miles earned through promotions/offers do not count toward status qualification or Million Miler^SM status. Flight awards, mileage accrual and special offers are subject to government regulations. American Airlines is not responsible for products or services offered by other participating companies.

Assistance when your flight has been delayed or canceled

We expect, as you do, that American Airlines will operate flights on time. On occasion, the weather or other challenges can make it difficult, if not impossible, to stay on schedule. When a delay or cancellation does occur, our goal is to get you to your destination safely, and as quickly as possible.

Whenever possible give us a cell phone number when you make a reservation or check in and sign up for flight status notifications on aa.com.

How we notify you

We will provide timely and frequent updates about known delays, cancellations and diversions within 30 minutes of becoming aware that the flight is impacted. We will strive to provide the best available information about the duration of delays and the flight's anticipated departure time.

• We will contact you in advance, whenever reasonable, at the phone numbers you provided in your reservation.
• We will provide phone, email and text updates for customers who sign up for flight status notifications on aa.com.
• If you booked with a travel agency, a team member will try to contact the agency if we don’t have your phone number.
• If your flight is diverted due to a medical emergency, severe weather, or other situation, we will notify you at the gate before departure, when possible, or make an announcement on board.

Flight delays and cancellations

Delays and cancellations caused by us

When your flight is canceled, significantly delayed, or a delay could cause you to miss your connection, we’ll rebook you on our next flight with available seats at no additional cost. If no American Airlines flights are available until the next day, we’ll rebook you on one of our partner airlines at no additional cost.

In cases where a delay or cancellation is caused by us, upon request we’ll give you:

• A voucher for an approved hotel with available rooms if you are delayed overnight if you’re away from your city of residence.
• Transportation to a hotel and back to the airport by hotel shuttle / third-party transportation service, or a transportation voucher.
• Meal vouchers if your delay is 3 or more hours after your scheduled departure.

If we can’t provide you with a voucher for an approved hotel, we’ll reimburse you for reasonable hotel costs. If a hotel shuttle / third-party transportation service isn’t available, or we can’t provide you with a transportation voucher, we’ll reimburse you for reasonable transportation costs.

Diversions

If your flight is diverted to another city and we don’t board to your final destination before 11:59 p.m., we’ll give you:

• A voucher for an approved hotel with available rooms.
• Transportation to a hotel and back to the airport by hotel shuttle / third-party transportation service, or a transportation voucher.
• Meal vouchers if you are delayed in the diversion city for more than 3 hours.

If we can’t provide you with a voucher for an approved hotel, we’ll reimburse you for reasonable hotel costs. If a hotel shuttle / third-party transportation service isn’t available, or we can’t provide you with a transportation voucher, we’ll reimburse you for reasonable transportation costs.

Delays beyond our control (like weather)

When your flight is canceled, significantly delayed, or a delay could cause you to miss your connection, we’ll rebook you on our next flight with available seats at no additional cost.

If the delay or cancellation is caused by events beyond our control (like weather), you are responsible for your own overnight accommodations, meals and incidental expenses. American Airlines agents may be able to help you find a hotel.

If you decide not to fly because of a flight cancellation or a significant delay, you can request a refund for the remaining ticket value and related optional fees.

Request a refund Opens another site in a new window that may not meet accessibility guidelines.

Essential customer needs during extraordinary delays

Our top priority is the safety and well-being of our customers, and we are focused on having all our flights arrive and deplane on schedule. On very rare occasions, there may be extraordinary events that result in lengthy onboard delays on the ground (other than on an active runway or taxiway) with no access to a terminal gate for more than 2 hours.

We have detailed contingency plans at every U.S. airport to address these situations. In such events, we will make every reasonable effort to ensure your essential needs, including:

• Snacks
• Water
• Restroom access
• Basic medical assistance

Every American Airlines U.S. airport team has an operational contingency plan to address these needs, including coordination with the airport and other airlines. Each plan designates a local control person to coordinate and communicate with our operations team at headquarters.

Our goal is to have families seated together. We guarantee children 14 and under will be seated adjacent to an accompanying adult at no additional cost, including Basic Economy fares, if you meet all these conditions:

• Everyone is booked in the same reservation
• Adjacent seats are available in the same class of service your child is ticketed at the time of booking
• You choose seats for the entire reservation or skip seats for the entire reservation (if you choose Basic Economy, then skip choosing seats for the entire reservation)
• You don’t make a change to your seat assignments once they’re assigned to you
• The plane’s seat layout allows it based on the number of children in your reservation
• The original flight isn’t switched to a smaller aircraft

If these conditions aren’t met, we will still try to seat children adjacent to an accompanying adult.

American Airlines and American Eagle, like most airlines, overbook flights. We do this because historical information shows that some people do not cancel their reservations when they change their travel plans. Overbooking is done in the best interest of both customers and the airline. Without the revenue produced by filling seats that would otherwise go empty, every airline would have to compensate by raising fares. And just as important, selling our seats in this manner allows us to say "yes" rather than "no" a lot more often when customers call for a seat on the flight of their choice. Just because a flight is overbooked, it does not necessarily mean that customers with reservations will not be accommodated on their flight. The overwhelming majority of overbooked flights depart with all customers who have reservations and are present for departure.

If at departure time more customers with confirmed reservations are present than there are seats available, gate agents will first ask for volunteers who are willing to give up their seats in exchange for compensation and a confirmed seat on a later flight. On extremely rare occasions, a customer may be denied boarding on an involuntary basis, if a sufficient number of volunteers are not obtained. In such events, we will usually deny boarding based upon check-in time, but we may also consider factors such as severe hardships, fare paid, and status within the AAdvantage^® program. With few exceptions, persons denied boarding involuntarily are entitled to compensation under federal law.

Additional information concerning our overbooking policies can be found in our conditions of carriage. Upon request, reservations representatives or airport agents will advise you if your flight is overbooked at the time your reservation is made or during airport check-in. Keep in mind that most overbooked flights do in fact have sufficient seats to accommodate all customers who are present for departure.

Customers calling our reservations office or visiting our airline ticket offices or ticket counters will be offered the lowest available fare, exclusive of Internet only fares, when specific dates and times are provided. If you do not provide specific information about your travel requirements, we will provide you with a range of fares for your general needs. In the event the lowest available fare is not quoted, American's liability is limited to the difference between the fare quoted and the lowest available fare for which the customer was eligible at that time. If lower AA fares are available online or elsewhere, we will advise this is the case.

Helpful suggestions:

• Basic Economy is our lowest fare available but comes with restrictions
• State preferred dates of travel
• Bear in mind that most of the lowest fares usually require advance purchase, minimum stay and flexible travel plans
• Make reservations and purchase tickets as far in advance as possible
• Avoid peak travel days immediately prior to or after a holiday
• Consider near-by alternate airports
• Request specific fares, if eligible (e.g., senior citizen fares or active military fares)
• Check fare options on our website, aa.com

In the U.S., please contact American Airlines or American Eagle at 800-433-7300 for further information. If assistance is needed in Spanish, you may dial 800-633-3711. If you have a hearing or speech impairment, you may contact American Airlines or American Eagle at 800-543-1586. International reservations are handled through local offices, and those numbers can be found in local telephone directories.

American Airlines strives to process eligible refunds after we receive all required information. Keep in mind, some optional products and services tickets are not refundable. Read our refunds FAQs for details.

Refunds FAQs

Some countries have different rules about refunds, and if so, we will follow those rules.

Tickets, optional products and services

Refunds to a credit card

For all eligible tickets and optional products and services bought within the U.S. with a credit card, refunds will be processed within 7 business days of receiving the request and required information. Keep in mind, it may take up to 2 billing cycles to show on your credit card statement.

Refunds for credit card purchases will be made only to the credit card account. Service charges are collected for some refunds.

Cash or check refunds

If you paid for tickets and optional products and services with cash or a check, we’ll process the refund within 20 business days of receiving the request and required information.

Refunds of taxes

You can request a refund of eligible taxes included in the ticket price. If eligible, we'll refund the original form of payment.

• Destination-specific taxes not imposed by us may be eligible
• Taxes we must pay whether you travel are not eligible.

Request a refund

You can request a refund online, by contacting Reservations, or by mail or fax.

• Request a refund online Opend another site in a new window that may not meet accessibility guidelines.
• Contact Reservations

Mail to:

American Airlines
Attention: Passenger Refunds
4000 E. Sky Harbor Blvd.
Phoenix, AZ 85034

Required documents and information

Submit all required documents and information with your refund request including:

• The receipt for a valid ticket or optional products and services before the expiration date. Keep in mind, tickets and optional services expire 1 year from the date they are issued.
• The ticket number for electronic tickets
• A brief written explanation
• Your name, address, and phone number

Please note, some requests may take longer, for example, tickets bought outside the U.S. in another currency or tickets that require research or verification. We are not liable for longer processing times.

When you buy a ticket on aa.com or through American Airlines Reservations at least 2 days prior to departure, you have up to 24 hours from the time you first buy your ticket to request a refund. The 24 hour refund policy applies to all ticket types, but you have to cancel your trip to get a refund.* Reservations booked as part of group block do not qualify for the 24 hour refund.

AAdvantage^® award tickets can be canceled anytime on aa.com. We’ll reinstate your miles and refund eligible taxes and fees up to 1 year after the ticket issue date, but you have to cancel your trip before your first flight departs. There is no fee to reinstate your miles.

Canceling flight and upgrade awards and reinstating miles

Refunds will be issued in the full amounts, less:

• Sale-imposed nonrefundable taxes
• Service charge for booking through Reservations
• Taxes we must pay whether or not you travel

Some countries have different rules about refunds, and if so, we will follow those rules.

Our normal refund policies apply after 24 hours. If you make changes to your trip after 24 hours you may owe any difference in ticket price and change fees.

Cancel your trip

To cancel your trip, find your trip on aa.com or contact Reservations and refunds will be processed automatically.

Find your trip

Call Reservations

If you can’t cancel your trip online or need additional information call Reservations for help.

Contact Reservations

Aircraft assignment

American Airlines and American Eagle Reservations representatives will advise you when it will be necessary for you to move from one aircraft to another during your travel, including when the flight number remains the same.

Travel itinerary policy

American Airlines and American Eagle tickets are priced and sold based on the itinerary, and not as individual flight segments. If you foresee or must make a change to the itinerary while en route, you must contact American Airlines or American Eagle to determine how this may affect the ticket and remaining travel plans. For example, if you do not show up for one segment of your itinerary, we may cancel your reservations on all remaining flight segments.

Aircraft configuration

American Airlines and American Eagle Reservations representatives are able to provide you with a wide variety of information related to the American Airlines and American Eagle fleets. Aircraft configuration, seat size, and seat pitch are just a few examples of information that can be obtained from our Reservations representatives. This information is also available at the aa.com website.

Itinerary changes

American Airlines and American Eagle commit that we will advise you of any changes to your itinerary in a timely manner and will contact you via contact information which you provided in your reservations for any changes to flight schedules after booking.

Service with domestic codeshare partners

American Airlines and American Eagle will make their Customer Service Plan readily available to all of our domestic Codeshare partners and, to the extent possible, make every reasonable effort to ensure our partners offer comparable levels of service.

Handling of customer issues

Our goal is to be a service and product leader in the airline industry. When customer service issues arise, we try to resolve them at the first point of contact. As a result, we have devoted resources to the front line and rely on our personnel to solve most issues throughout the travel journey.

After travel, our Customer Relations department is also dedicated to addressing customer comments, compliments and concerns. While we typically respond within a few days; customers can expect at least an acknowledgement within 30 days and resolution within 60 days. All customer feedback is personally read and a response is sent to the customer.

Customer Relations information, along with other customer insight from things like focus groups, surveys or media, is assessed and shared throughout American Airlines and American Eagle. We have the privilege and responsibility to address and initiate appropriate action to improve our customer experience – we view our customer’s voice as the most valuable tool to enhance product and services.

Contact Customer Relations

Should you prefer to use U.S. Mail, the address is:

U.S. Mail/Overnight Mail
American Airlines Customer Relations
4000 E. Sky Harbor Blvd.
Phoenix, AZ 85034

Helpful suggestions:

• Be as specific as possible, including dates and flight numbers
• Provide all supportive documentation, such as copies of your tickets and certificates