How To Get A Refund From American Airlines

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Get Your American Airlines Refund The Pain-Free Way

Founded in 1926, American Airlines has been one of the biggest airlines in the United States. With nearly 1,000 planes and 350 destinations around the globe, it’s the go-to airline for millions of travelers every single year.

But if you need to cancel your flight plans with American Airlines, can you get a refund? What are your options? Let aRefund.com show explain how American Airlines refunds work in order to act swiftly and soundly.

Can I Get An American Airlines Refund?

American Airlines does accept refunds on purchased plane tickets. However, the company doesn’t allow much time for you to claim refund eligibility, so it’s best that you act fast.

The company welcomes you to look up the status of your ticket and find out if the ticket can be refunded. To get started, go to this link and click on “Request a refund”.

American Airlines Refunds Explained

Like Delta Air Lines and Southwest Airlines, American Airlines has a 24-hour refund policy. From the moment you pay for tickets, you have a 24-hour window to cancel your trip, and you’ll be eligible for a refund if you do. For instance, if you buy your tickets on Monday at 9:00 AM, you’ll get a refund if you cancel your trip on Tuesday at 8:55 AM.

Here are some key takeaways for the 24-hour refund policy to take into account:

  • You will get most of your money back if eligible for a refund. The money that you won’t get back comes from sales-imposed taxes and the service fee.
  • If you order multiple tickets, you must cancel the whole trip in order to get a refund. Canceling one or a portion of your tickets does not guarantee a partial refund.
  • If you booked your flight from a third-party booking site or travel agent, you must go to the source you purchased your tickets from for how to cancel your tickets and get refunded.

American Airlines will transfer your funds back to your payment method. The company won’t distribute a refund in cash.

I Didn’t Get An American Airlines Refund For My Refundable Tickets

If you canceled your tickets within 24 hours past the time of purchase, the refund won’t be automatic, and it doesn’t matter how long you wait. You will need to contact American Airlines to ask for your refund.

You can ask for a refund in one of two ways:

  1. You can request your refund on the American Airlines Request A Refund page.
  2. You can contact reservations by phone at (800) 433-7300.

If you decide to call reservations, the staff is available 24 hours a day, so you can get on the phone right now if you have the time.

How Long Do I Have To Request An American Airlines Refund?

Those who canceled refundable tickets within a reasonable timeframe can request a refund within 1 year of the time of purchase. If you just realized you could get a refund on your canceled tickets, you might be able to still secure it. For example, if you booked a flight 10 months ago, then canceled it immediately after, the tickets will still be valid for about 2 more months. Thus, you still have time to ask American Airlines for a refund. If the tickets were purchased more than one year ago, the tickets have already expired and refunds won’t be granted.

How To Get A Refund On Non-Refundable AA Tickets

Aside from the 24-hour refund policy, American Airlines has set up additional rules of eligibility for receiving refunds if something happens outside of your control.

Here are additional ways tickets can become eligible for a refund:

  • If your flight is significantly delayed
  • If you’re an active member of the military and your orders conflict with your flight plans
  • If one of the people in your party passes away

How aRefund.com Can Step In

If you feel you’ve been unfairly cheated out of a refund for your American Airlines tickets, we at aRefund.com can show you another way to get your cash back! We’ll work with your bank and they can ultimately decide to return the money to your account balance.

aRefund.com’s refund request process goes like this:

  1. You create your account on our website or mobile app.
  2. You tell us what happened with your plane ticket purchase.
  3. We’ll write your professional letter and associate your case with a reason code necessary for the refund to go through.
  4. Your bank will receive the letter and review your case.

If the bank approves your refund, you’ll be notified by email and your funds should go into your account later in the week.

How Long Does It Take To Get An AA Refund?

When American Airlines approves your refund, it should take up to 7 days for the money to appear in your bank account or on your credit card. If you paid for our tickets using cash or a check, it will take up to 20 days for the refund to be processed. The refund will arrive at your address in the form of a check.

Can I Cancel My American Airlines Tickets After The 24-Hour Refund Policy?

American Airlines will still allow you to cancel your flight past the 24-hour refund policy. Rather than being eligible for a refund, though, the company will offer a flight credit. If you plan on flying again in the future, a flight credit might appeal to you, as you can pay next to nothing towards your next flight. The downside to flight credits is that they can’t be redeemed for cash. Flight credits are valid for a full year after they’ve been sent to you, and after that, they become void.

Airlines With No Flight Change Penalties

You probably enjoy the fact you can change flights with American Airlines without getting hit with a large fee. But if you’ve had a bad experience with this airline, you’re probably wondering if there are others that can allow you to make changes for little to no cost.

For the next time you fly, you should keep these airlines in mind:

AirlineDomestic Change Fees
Delta Air Lines$0
Southwest Airlines$0
Alaska Airlines*$0
Hawaiian Airlines*$0
Qatar Airways$0-25
Norwegian Air$0-65
Frontier Airlines$0-79
jetBlue$0-$100
All Nippon Airways$0-$500

*fees apply to basic ticket fares

Make aRefund.com Your Reliable Refund Companion

aRefund.com is available on iOS and Android devices. Download our app now to request a refund anywhere you’re reading this page!

Also, check out the dozens of other companies we’ve covered and what we’ve gathered about their stance on refunds.

DatingTinder refundHinge refundBumble refundPlenty of Fish (POF) refund Grindr refund
EntertainmentOnlyFans refundAudible refundTicketmaster refundDisney refundEventbrite refund
FinanceVenmo refundZelle refundPayPal refundCashApp refundAffirm refund
Food/

Grocery

Doordash refundInstacart refundGrubhub refundUberEats refundDomino’s refund
GamingRoblox refundRiot refundPlayStation refundXbox refundNintendo refund
Online ServiceGrammarly refundAmazon refundShopify refundLyft refundChegg refund
Streaming/

Tech

Netflix refundSpotify refundHulu refundApple refund YouTube refund
TravelFrontier Airlines refund Delta Airlines refundUnited Airlines refundAirbnb refundAmtrak refund

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What Are American Airlines Customer Service Hours?

According to American Airlines’ website, customer service for the USA is available 24 hours a day. If you’d like to call the company right now, you can do so at (800) 433-7300.

What Service Fees Are Eligible For An American Airlines Refund?

American Airlines allows refunds on certain services if you’re unable to use them. These services include pet fees, bag fees, priority boarding, and same-day flight changes.

How Do I Get A Receipt For My American Airlines Tickets?

American Airlines allows customers to download receipts for their purchases online. Visit the Request A Refund page to get started.

How Can I Tell If My AA Tickets Are Refundable?

If you’re unsure what kind of tickets you purchased from American Airlines, you can either log into your American Airlines account to view your flight information or find the booking confirmation email you’ve received. You can also call American Airlines at (800) 433-7300.

Do I Get A Refund If American Airlines Canceled My Flight?

If American Airlines cancels your flight, you are entitled to a refund. Like with voluntarily canceled flights, however, you will need to contact American Airlines Request A Refund page to start your request.