Related post: Earn up to 65K miles on Citi AA cards!
After years of devaluations and cuts, American has gone above and beyond in enhancing their program this year.
In April they shocked the world by bringing back the ability to spend your way to lifetime million miles elite status for the remainder of 2020. Alas it appears that the million miler spending promotion will not be extended for 2021 spending. The million miler announcement overshadowed their extension of elite status from 1/31/21 to 1/31/22.
In August they matched United’s free tickets changes, but did it much better. They included Canada in free changes and they allowed voucher refunds when changes are made to a less expensive ticket.
Plus they also removed basic economy restrictions. Passengers with basic economy fares can now purchase upgrades, priority boarding, preferred or main cabin extra seating, or same day confirmed flight changes.
Elite members on basic economy fares can now get free upgrades, use upgrade certificates, select free preferred or main cabin extra seating, and make same day confirmed flight changes!
American also eliminated standby fees on all tickets, including basic economy and award tickets.
Last month they announced that they will lower elite status requirements and allow spending on their cards to replace spending on flights to help earn elite status.
Last week they announced that they would eliminated all award redeposit fees and all phone booking fees. They also paused mileage expiration is now paused through 6/30/21. American previously announced that miles won’t expire until a member hits 22.5 years old.
And today they’re announcing the elimination of all change fees for all flights, except basic economy, when your travel originates in North or South America!
You’ll just have to change or cancel your flight before your scheduled departure time.
Best of all, if you switch to a less expensive flight you will get back a voucher for the difference. Take that, United.
It’s truly incredible to see American make a 180 from their customer unfriendly policies. Let’s see how their competitors respond!
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24 Comments On "WOW! American Now Eliminates Change Fees On International Tickets For Good!"
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Does this include partner awards?
Yes.
For Good*
Lets see how long till they reverse course
Might just stick around. This is a better way to differentiate basic economy from economy.
Have they stopped delaying your flights too? 😉
Lol, I have had a few good streak running actually.
can we get an AA is AAwesome like we had AA is AAwful?:) its only fair
Is that not what these posts have been?
If Delta gets their act together Dan will stop calling it SkyPesos and start calling it SkyBitcoin 🙂
off topic
will they start route JFK-TLV? when?
#Don’tHoldYourBreath
To be perfectly clear, this applies to all paid AND award tickets (except B.E.)? Did they just make all non-refundable tickets a thing of the past?
I also read thatthese changes are only in effect until the end of this year. IOW, you must buy this year. True?
https://www.dansdeals.com/points-travel/airlines/airline-news/master-chart-comparing-new-airline-change-fee-waivers/
How about canceling the flight altogether?
Did AA just make payed airline tickets like hotel reservations?
Or only when changing?
There are no refunds on non-refundable paid tickets unless your flight is cancelled.
Got it. Thanks.
So what do you mean by:
“You’ll just have to change or “cancel” your flight before your scheduled departure time”?
For a voucher/flight credit.
Thank You.
On domestic basic economy does that have no change fees?
https://www.dansdeals.com/points-travel/airlines/airline-news/master-chart-comparing-new-airline-change-fee-waivers/
Could be that after they weeded out people that weren’t too profitable for them they are able to be a little more generous
There is a devaluation coming, I’m sure
How is this handled with award tickets using points? Same as southwest?
I booked flights for 7 people in my family, and needed to cancel. They were 60 per flight. So now I want to book $400 of travel for myself, but they are saying that i can only use $60 of the $400, and i can only use $60/per person rather than just using the $430 for one person. Is there any way around this?