How do I change or cancel an American Airlines flight?

Main Cabin and higher fares often allow changes with no change fee on many routes (you pay any fare difference); Basic Economy is more restricted. The exact rules depend on your ticket. Have your record locator ready and call us, or manage it yourself at aa.com.

What happens if my American Airlines flight is cancelled or delayed?

You are generally entitled to rebooking on the next available flight or a refund to your original form of payment; additional rights can apply depending on route and cause. Seats fill quickly, so call us right away and we will re-route you.

How do I travel with a pet, wheelchair or an unaccompanied minor on American?

These need advance arrangement and have specific rules. Call us and we will set them up correctly on your reservation, or arrange them yourself at aa.com.

American Airlines: the complete traveler's guide

Q: Can I get a seat or cabin upgrade on American Airlines?

Upgrades depend on your fare class, AAdvantage status and availability. Tell us your booking and we will check what is possible for your trip.

Everything you need for an American Airlines trip in one place — hubs and routes, cabins, baggage, check-in and AAdvantage — plus how to reach American directly or get help from a live BargainAirTicket agent, 24/7.

BargainAirTicket is an independent travel agency. We are not American Airlines and are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or operated by American Airlines. This guide is for information only. You can manage your booking yourself at aa.com at no cost. If you'd rather we handle it, our agents assist for a service fee, quoted before you're charged.

About American Airlines

A quick profile of the carrier.

Founded in 1936 and headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, American Airlines is one of the world's largest airlines by fleet size and passengers carried. It operates an extensive domestic network across the United States plus international service to the Caribbean, Latin America, Europe and Asia-Pacific. American is a founding member of the oneworld global alliance and runs the AAdvantage loyalty program.

Founded

1936

Alliance

oneworld

Loyalty

AAdvantage

LatAm gateway

Miami (MIA)

Hubs & route network

Where American is based and where it flies.

American concentrates its flights through several large connecting hubs. If you're flying American, your trip most likely routes through one of these:

DFW

Dallas/Fort Worth

Largest hub

CLT

Charlotte

East Coast connector

MIA

Miami

Latin America & Caribbean gateway

ORD

Chicago O'Hare

Midwest hub

PHL

Philadelphia

Transatlantic gateway

PHX

Phoenix

Western hub

LAX

Los Angeles

West Coast & Pacific

DCA

Washington, D.C.

Capital hub

JFK/LGA

New York

Northeast gateways

For Latin American travelers, Miami (MIA) is American's principal gateway, with heavy service to Mexico, Central America, South America and the Caribbean — often via a single connection.

American Airlines route network

Map of key American Airlines routes from Dallas/Fort Worth and Miami hubs across the US and Latin America

Illustrative map of American's main US hubs and popular Latin-America routes we book. For the full current network, see American's own map on aa.com.

Popular routes we book

US ↔ Latin America is our specialty — call for phone-only fares.

Miami → Bogotá MIA–BOGCall for fare Miami → Lima MIA–LIMCall for fare Dallas → Mexico City DFW–MEXCall for fare Miami → Buenos Aires MIA–EZECall for fare

Cabin classes & what's included

American's main fare and cabin types. Exact inclusions vary by route and aircraft.

Basic Economy

The lowest fare, with the most restrictions — limited or no changes, later boarding, and a seat assigned closer to departure. Best only if price is all that matters.

Main Cabin

Standard economy with seat selection, normal boarding, and more flexibility to change on many routes (fare difference may apply).

Main Cabin Extra

Economy seating with extra legroom and earlier boarding.

Premium Economy

A separate cabin on many wide-body international routes, with a wider seat, more recline and upgraded service.

Flagship Business / First

Lie-flat or premium seating on select long-haul and transcontinental routes, with priority services and lounge access on eligible fares.

Not sure which fare fits your trip and budget? An agent can compare them for you on the call.

Not sure which fare or route is best?

Tell an agent your dates and we'll find the right American Airlines option — plus phone-only fares across 500+ airlines.

Call +1 (833) 667-2918

Baggage — the essentials

General guidance. Exact allowances and fees depend on cabin, route and AAdvantage status — confirm on aa.com or with us.

Carry-on:

Most fares include one carry-on plus a personal item. Basic Economy may limit you to a personal item on some routes.

Checked bags:

Charged by count and weight on most domestic and short-haul routes; some international routes and premium cabins include checked bags.

Overweight / oversize / extra:

Usually cheaper when added ahead of time rather than at the airport. Sports gear, instruments and special items normally need advance arrangement.

We can confirm your exact allowance and pre-pay bags for you — just call.

Check-in & boarding

How to be ready on the day.

Online check-in on aa.com and the American Airlines app generally opens 24 hours before departure and closes shortly before the flight. Airport bag-drop and boarding cutoffs vary by airport and by whether your trip is domestic or international — arrive early for international departures. Checking in early usually gives you better seat availability.

Boarding is done in groups shown on your boarding pass; premium cabins, elite status and certain credit cards board earlier.

AAdvantage loyalty program

American's frequent-flyer program.

AAdvantage lets you earn miles and Loyalty Points on flights and with partners, redeemable for flights, upgrades and more. Higher tiers unlock priority check-in and boarding, free bags and lounge access on eligible fares. Miles also work across oneworld partner airlines. If you have an AAdvantage number, give it to us when booking and we'll add it to your reservation.

American Airlines: frequently asked

Quick answers — call us for anything specific to your booking.

How do I change or cancel my flight?+

Main Cabin and higher fares often allow changes with no change fee on many routes (you pay any fare difference); Basic Economy is more restricted. Rules depend on your exact ticket. Have your record locator ready and call us, or manage it yourself at aa.com.

What happens if my flight is cancelled or delayed?+

You're generally entitled to rebooking on the next available flight or a refund to your original payment; added rights can apply by route and cause. Seats fill fast — call us right away and we'll re-route you quickly.

Can I get a seat or cabin upgrade?+

Upgrades depend on fare class, AAdvantage status and availability. Tell us your booking and we'll check what's possible.

How do I travel with a pet, wheelchair or as an unaccompanied minor?+

These need advance arrangement and have specific rules. Call us and we'll set them up correctly on your reservation, or arrange them yourself at aa.com.