How Do I Cancel My American Airlines Flight and Get a Refund or Credit?

This article discusses what you should do if you have to cancel your trip on American Airlines and want to get credit for the ticket price. A detailed set of instructions for canceling the flight and getting the credit information are provided. The various cancellation fees that apply are discussed.

Jul 9, 2020

Unforeseen circumstances can cause you to suddenly need to change your travel plans. Most American Airlines tickets can be cancelled for a fee, with the exception of basic economy tickets. Typically, you will be given a voucher that you can use toward a future flight instead of a refund. Read on to learn what to do if you need to cancel or change your American Airlines flight.

How to Cancel Your Flight

To cancel your American Airlines flight, follow this procedure:

  1. Go to American Airlines' home page.
  2. Click on the Log In button in the navigation bar.
  3. Log in to your account.
  4. Scroll to the middle of the page to view the section under the Your Trips / Check In header.
  5. Find the trip you want to cancel in the list there.
  6. Click on the View/Change button next to the trip you want to cancel.
  7. Click on the Cancel Trip button at the top.
  8. Follow any other instructions you are given.
  9. Save the email you are sent by the airline. It has the ticket number and the record locator number you will need if you plan to book another trip using the funds you had paid for this one.

If you booked with a travel agent you will need to make the cancellation through the travel agent. If you used any of your credit card points to book the flight, you need to contact your credit card company to make the cancellation.

Cancellation Fees

If your ticket was refundable, you will not owe a cancellation fee. If it was nonrefundable, you will owe a $200 fee for domestic flights and up to $750 for international flights.

If you try to cancel your flight on the day you were supposed to travel you will have to pay an additional $75 fee if your flight was domestic or a short-haul international flight.

If you need help canceling your flight or using the credit you get from it, contact American Airlines' customer service. You can contact them by phone, on Facebook, on Twitter, and with their online help desk.

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Jeff truly believes that all customers deserve good service. He’s been building tools, inventing phone tree hacks and helping customers since before his days at GetHuman. He's also a Google GDE and involved in the Angular community.

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