Customer Service Plan | Lowest Fare Availability | Baggage Delivery | Baggage Liability |
Ticket Refunds | Accommodation of Customers with Special Needs | Flights with Oversales |
Check-in Requirements And Baggage Acceptance Cutoff Times | Customer Loyalty Program - AAdvantage |
Other Travel Policies
Customer Service Plan
Customer Service Plan effective Feb. 3, 2012
American Airlines and American Eagle are in business to provide safe, dependable and friendly air transportation to our customers, along with numerous related services. We are dedicated to making every flight you take with us something special. Your safety, comfort and convenience are our most important concerns. American Airlines and American Eagle initially submitted their joint Customer Service Plan to the Department of Transportation (DOT) in 1999 and updated it in 2010 and 2011.
American Airlines and its regional airline partner American Eagle serve almost 250 cities around the world, from Abilene to Zurich, and operate more than 3400 daily flights. Our combined fleet numbers more than 900 aircraft. In addition to our extensive domestic service, we serve numerous destinations in Europe, Asia, the Caribbean, Canada, Mexico, and Latin America. The American frequent flyer program, AAdvantage®, is the oldest and largest in the world.
We are in business to provide safe, dependable, and friendly air transportation to our customers, along with numerous related services, in the hopes that you will fly us again and again. We work very hard to make your entire experience with us, from making a reservation to deplaning at your final destination, a positive one. Although we are successful in this effort most of the time, there are times when things do not go as smoothly as we, and you, would like. Operating a network of more than 3400 flights and servicing hundreds of thousands of passengers each day is challenging and complex. Inevitably, some of our flights are affected by adverse circumstances, some of which are within our control and some of which are not.
This Customer Service Plan addresses a number of the service goals we have defined for ourselves. Every customer is important to American Airlines and American Eagle, and we are dedicated to making every flight you take with us something special. Your safety, comfort, and convenience are our most important concerns.
- Lowest fare availability
- Delays, cancellations, and diversion events
- Essential customer needs during extraordinary delays
- Assistance when your flight has been delayed or cancelled
- Baggage delivery
- Baggage liability
- Guaranteed fares and 24 hour hold policy
- Ticket refunds
- Accommodation of customers with special needs
- Flights with oversales
- Frequent Flyer Program - AAdvantage
- Other travel policies
- Service with domestic codeshare partners
- Handling of customer issues
Lowest Fare Availability
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:
- 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
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Delays, Cancellations, and Diversion Events
American Airlines and American Eagle will provide customers at the airport and onboard an affected aircraft with timely and frequent updates regarding known delays, cancellations, and diversions within 30 minutes of becoming aware of the flight irregularity, and will strive to provide the best available information concerning the duration of delays and, to the extent available, the flight's anticipated departure time.
It is American Airlines and American Eagle's policy to contact you in advance, whenever reasonable, at the phone number(s) provided in the reservation record. If you booked your reservations with a travel agency, Reservations representatives attempt to contact the agency when no customer phone contact exists. In addition, we provide phone, email and text updates for those customers who sign up for Flight Status Notification via aa.com.
When cancellations and major delays are experienced, we will attempt to reroute you on our next flight with available seats. If the delay or cancellation was caused by events within our control and we do not get you to your final destination on the expected arrival day, we will provide reasonable overnight accommodations, subject to availability. If a flight is adversely affected by events beyond our control, you are responsible for your own overnight accommodations, meals and incidental expenses. American Airlines or American Eagle personnel may be able to help you obtain accommodations in these circumstances.
It is sometimes necessary for flights to divert, or land at a location other than the flight's intended destination. Medical emergencies and severe weather conditions are examples of situations when a flight could land in another city. If we believe there is a reasonable possibility that a flight will be diverted, that information will be provided to you before departure, when available. For example, the Orange County/John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana, California, has a curfew for inbound flights of 11 p.m. due to noise restrictions. If we are aware that headwinds will be particularly strong enroute and will impact the flight's arrival time, perhaps making the flight arrive too late to land at Orange County, an announcement will be made that it is possible that the flight will land at Los Angeles International Airport instead. In the event a diversion decision occurs after the aircraft has departed, the in-flight crew will inform you.
In extreme circumstances, it is possible that a flight will cancel while on the ground in the city to which it was diverted. When this happens, we will attempt to reroute you on the next American Airlines or American Eagle flight with available seats, or in some circumstances on another airline or some other alternative means of transportation. If we are unable to reroute you, reasonable overnight accommodations will be provided by American Airlines or American Eagle, subject to availability.
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 very lengthy onboard delays. These are situations in which an aircraft is delayed on the ground (other than on an active runway or taxiway) but does not have access to a terminal gate for more than two hours. We have developed detailed contingency plans at every domestic airport to address these situations. In such events, we will make every reasonable effort to ensure your essential needs, such as snack food, water, restroom facilities, and basic medical assistance, are met. Every American Airlines and American Eagle U.S. airport team has an operational contingency plan in place to address these needs, which includes coordination with the local airport authorities and other airlines serving the airport when appropriate. Each plan designates a local control person to coordinate activities of the local team and communicate with our central operations team at headquarters.
Helpful Suggestions:
Whenever possible give us a cell phone number when you make a reservations or check in and sign up for Flight Status Notification on aa.com
Assistance When Your Flight Has Been Delayed or Cancelled
We expect, as you do, that American Airlines and American Eagle 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.
For more information related to the services we provide to mitigate the effects of cancellations and misconnections, please click on the following link:
Tips for Assistance When Your Flight Has Been Delayed or Cancelled
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Baggage Delivery
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 brochure explaining the baggage recovery process. You will also be given a local or toll-free phone number that can be used for follow-up. For all U.S. locations, the number is 800-535-5225. This call center is available 24 hours a day to assist you. You will also receive periodic updates regarding the status of your baggage. You may also view the status of your baggage on www.aa.com/bagstatus. For international locations, hours of operation may be limited, but a local phone number is provided so you can obtain baggage information.
Once a delayed or misrouted bag is located, a delivery company will return the bag to your local address at our expense. Listed below 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
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.
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Baggage Liability
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 $3,300 (the amount will increase to $3,400 for travel beginning on June 6, 2013) 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 1,131 SDR's per ticketed customer. These limits may be lower for additional pieces to certain international destinations or when using connecting carriers.
Helpful Suggestions
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.
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Guaranteed Fares and 24 hour hold policy
When you make a telephone reservation with American Airlines or when you make a reservation via aa.com, the reservation can be held and the fare quoted will be guaranteed for 24 hours or until 11:59 p.m. Central Time the following day, whichever allows you more time to purchase your ticket. If you elect to make changes to the itinerary within this timeframe, the ticket price may change and once payment is received, normal refund policies apply to the ticket.
For additional information, 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.
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Refunds
American Airlines and American Eagle will strive to process eligible refunds in the time frames set out below, upon receipt of all required information. Some and optional products and services tickets are not refundable.
For all eligible paper and electronic tickets and optional products and services purchased within the U.S. with a credit card or cash, refunds will be provided within 7 business days of receipt of the required refund information. (The credit card refund may take up to two billing cycles before appearing on a credit card statement, so you should contact your credit card company directly to verify receipt of the credit.) Tickets and optional products and services purchased with a check will be refunded within 20 business days of receipt of the required information.
Refunds for electronic tickets can be obtained by contacting our Reservations department or through the Refund section on our website at aa.com. In addition, refunds on tickets (paper and electronic) less than $3,000 can be obtained at any of our U.S. airport ticket offices or city ticket offices. All other refund requests should be sent to the following address:
American Airlines, Inc.
Passenger Refund Services
P. O. Box 200025
El Paso, Texas 88520-0025
Certain refund requests cannot be accommodated in the time frames discussed above. For example, refunds for lost tickets must be held for 90 days to ensure that they are not found and used. Tickets with adjustments (for example, a customer buys a First Class ticket but actually travels in the main or coach cabin) require that we verify the itinerary and class of service flown, and this can take up to 45 days. Tickets purchased through a wholesaler that include non air portions cannot be processed as they are handled by the tour provider. Tickets that were purchased outside the U.S. require special handling because we must ensure that currency conversion rates are calculated correctly.
Refunds for credit card purchases will be made only to the credit card account. Service charges are collected for some refunds (e.g., lost tickets).
Helpful Suggestions:
To ensure a prompt refund, you must submit all required documentation and information, including:
- Valid ticket or optional products and services receipt submitted to us before expiration date (tickets and optional services expire one year from the date of issue)
- Original unused flight coupons for paper tickets
- Ticket number for electronic tickets
- Brief written explanation
- Your name, address, and telephone number(s)
- Form of payment used to purchase the ticket
- Additional documents/support may be required and can be viewed at www.refunds.aa.com
Accommodation of Customers with Special Needs
Unaccompanied Minor Service
American Airlines and American Eagle's unaccompanied minor service allows children in certain circumstances to travel alone on our flights.
We have established the following 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 8-11 years old to travel itineraries requiring a connection on American Airlines or American Eagle
- Children 12-17 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, American Eagle, and AmericanConnection 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
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. This may include teaching him or her about airplanes, sounds, connecting flights, etc. - in general, just what to expect
- 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
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. In addition, they have been trained as Complaint Resolution Officials to effectively resolve any disability complaints.
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
- AirSep LifeStyle - RTCA sticker required
- AirSep FreeStyle
- AirSep Free Style 5
- AirSep FOCUS
- Devilbiss iGO
- Inogen One
- Inogen G2
- Inogen One G3
- Inova Labs - Lifechoice
- Invo Labs LifeChoice Activeox
- Invacare XPO2 includes model numbers (XPO100 and XPO100B)
- Invacare SOLO2
- Oxlife Independence
- Oxus, Inc. RS-00400 POC
- Precision Medical EasyPluse
- Respironics Inc's EverGO
- Respironics SimplyGo
- SeQual Eclipse models 1, 2 and 3
- SeQual Eclipse 3 - 1000B
- SeQual SAROS
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.
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Flights with Oversales
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. Bear in mind that, as stated above, most overbooked flights do in fact have sufficient seats to accommodate all customers who are present for departure.
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Check-in Requirements And Baggage Acceptance Cutoff Times
Arrival at the Airport
Please review the suggestions so that you have enough time to catch your flight. In addition, you can 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.
Within the U.S. as well as flights to Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands check in:
- At least 60 minutes prior to departure if not checking bags
- At least 90 minutes prior to departure when checking bags
- At least two hours prior to departure
- Exception for Honolulu (HNL) - Two and a half hours prior to departure
- At least two hours prior to departure to complete all necessary international requirements
| Flights departing | Recommended Check-In Time |
|---|---|
| Aruba, Aruba (AUA) | 180 minutes |
| Bermuda, Bermuda (BDA) | 150 minutes |
| Buenos Aires, Argentina (EZE) | 180 minutes |
| Canada (All cities) | 180 minutes |
| Dublin, Ireland (DUB) | 180 minutes |
| Lima, Peru (LIM) | 180 minutes |
| Mexico (All cities) | 180 minutes |
| Nassau, Bahamas (NAS) | 180 minutes |
| Paris Charles De Gaulle, France (CDG) | 180 minutes |
| Port-au-Prince, Haiti (PAP) | 180 minutes |
| Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago (POS) | 180 minutes |
| San Pedro Sula, Honduras (SAP) | 180 minutes |
| Tegucigalpa, Honduras (TGU) | 180 minutes |
Minimum Time for Checking In and Arriving at the Gate
To retain your pre-reserved seat on a confirmed flight, please adhere to the minimum check in and gate arrival times listed. We have suggested airport arrival times above to help you check in and get through Security with enough time.
For flights originating in the U.S.:- Minimum check-in (obtained a boarding pass) is at least 30 minutes before scheduled departure
- Arrive at the gate and be ready to board at least 15 minutes prior to scheduled departure
- Minimum check-in is at least 60 minutes before scheduled departure
- Arrive at the gate and be ready to board at least 30 minutes prior to scheduled departure
Note: Particular seats on the aircraft are not guaranteed.
Minimum Time for Checked Baggage AcceptanceTo help us get your bag on the same flight with you, we have implemented baggage acceptance cutoff times. Please present your bag to an airline representative for check-in no later than the stated cutoff times for the departure airport.
For flights within and between the U.S., Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands:- Check bags at least 30 minutes prior to scheduled departure
- Check bags at least 60 minutes prior to scheduled departure
| Flights departing | Baggage Acceptance Cutoff Time |
|---|---|
| Anchorage, Alaska (ANC) | 40 minutes |
| Atlanta, Georgia (ATL) | 40 minutes |
| Buenos Aires, Argentina (EZE) | 75 minutes |
| Chicago O'Hare, Illinois (ORD) | 40 minutes |
| Cincinnati, Ohio (CVG) | 45 minutes |
| Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas (DFW) | 40 minutes |
| Denver, Colorado (DEN) | 45 minutes |
| Honolulu, Hawaii (HNL) | 45 minutes |
| Las Vegas, Nevada (LAS) | 45 minutes |
| Los Angeles, California (LAX) | 45 minutes |
| Miami, Florida (MIA) | 45 minutes |
| Newark, New Jersey (EWR) | 40 minutes |
| New York (JFK) | 45 minutes |
| Orlando, Florida (MCO) | 40 minutes |
| San Francisco, California (SFO) | 40 minutes |
| San Juan, Puerto Rico (SJU) | 40 minutes |
| St. Croix, U.S Virgin Islands (STX) | 45 minutes |
| St. Thomas, U.S Virgin Islands (STT) | 60 minutes |
| Tampa, Florida (TPA) | 40 minutes |
| Washington Dulles, District of Columbia (IAD) | 40 minutes |
Notes:
In Orlando and Fort Lauderdale, baggage for confirmed flights may only be accepted up to four hours prior to confirmed departure.
When arriving in the U.S. from an international city, you will claim your checked bags at the first stop within the U.S. and proceed through Immigrations/Customs. If you're flying internationally and connecting to another airline, check the applicable country's Customs procedures to determine whether checked baggage needs to be re-checked with the other airline upon arrival into that country.
Return to TopCustomer Loyalty Program - AAdvantage®
- 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, AmericanConnection® 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.
aa.com/aadvantage
Your AAdvantage miles do not expire if you have at least one qualifying transaction within the previous 18 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.
AAdvantage benefits are numerous and varied. You can claim an AAnytime® award, valid for travel whenever you like - no travel embargo dates, no restrictions - as long as the flight is not sold out. If you have a more flexible plan, you can claim MileSAAver® awards. These awards are subject to capacity controls (a seat inventory control process used by airlines) and travel embargo dates, but they can be claimed with fewer miles than AAnytime awards. 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, travel 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 elite-status qualification or Million MilerSM status. AAdvantage travel 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.
Beginning in 2000, an annual report of award redemption will be published, both at the aa.com website and in the AAdvantage newsletter.
The number of awards claimed in 2012 in each AAdvantage mileage redemption category were as follows:
| AAdvantage MileSAAver and AAnytime awards: (valid on American, American Eagle and AmericanConnection only) |
5,016,942 |
| Upgrade Awards | 517,482 |
| Product Redemptions (AmericanAirlines Vacations, Magazines, etc.) |
717,260 |
| Special Mileage Awards / Other Airline / Other | 1,175,246 |
| Total Redemptions - 2012 | 7,426,930 |
Note: with the implementation of One-Way Flex Awards, AAdvantage awards are now reported as one-way awards.
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Other Travel Policies
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.
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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 problems during daily activity.
Additionally, our Customer Relations department is dedicated to addressing unresolved customer comments and concerns. The Customer Relations department will respond to our customers' written complaints within 60 days. Every complaint will be personally read and a response will be sent to the customer.
Customer Relations information, along with information derived from customer focus groups, discussions, and other customer research surveys, is trended and shared throughout American Airlines and American Eagle. Customer Relations and other departments have the responsibility to address and initiate appropriate corrective action and make recommendations to changes in policy based on customer feedback. Customer information is viewed as the most valuable tool available to enhance the products and services we offer.
Customer Relations can be reached immediately by clicking on the following link:
www.aa.com/customerrelations
Should you prefer to use U.S. Mail, the address is:
American Airlines Customer Relations
Mail Drop 2400
P.O. Box 619612
Dallas/Ft. Worth Airport, TX 75261-9612
Helpful Suggestions:
- Be as specific as possible, including dates and flight numbers
- Provide all supportive documentation, such as copies of your tickets and certificates
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