American Airlines
AAGenerous PoliciesFees & Flexibility
Baggage fees, change and cancellation rules, and basic economy restrictions for American Airlines. All data sourced from the airline's own published policies.
No changes allowed; $99 cancellation fee (domestic 48 states, AAdvantage members); $129-$199 for other regions; 24hr risk-free window applies to any fare
Source: Airline published policy · Last verified: 2026-08-09· How we source this data
Government-Tracked Metrics
The U.S. Department of Transportation tracks how airlines treat their passengers. These are the same metrics that feed into our scoring engine.
passengers filed a complaint
passengers bumped involuntarily
bags mishandled
Source: DOT Air Travel Consumer Report (complaints, denied boarding) and BTS On-Time Performance database (mishandled baggage). How we source this data. The government tracks these metrics to maintain transparency in airline consumer protection.
Reliability Snapshot
Aggregated across all American Airlines routes, sourced from BTS On-Time Performance data.
minutes
of delay minutes within the carrier's control · 20% weather / ATC
Schedule padding is the extra time an airline builds into its published schedule beyond the actual flight time. More padding can buffer against delays. Controllable delays are within the airline's power: scheduling, staffing, and maintenance. Weather and ATC delays are outside its control. Based on 245,702 delayed flights with cause data.
Aircraft American Airlines Flies
Seat specs, WiFi, power, and swap odds vary by aircraft type, not by airline. Pick a type below for the real numbers.
How American Airlines compares
See how American Airlines stacks up against any other airline on bag fees, change policy, and more.
| Spec | American Airlines | |
|---|---|---|
| Carry-on bag | Included | |
| Checked bag 1 | Up to $45 | |
| Checked bag 2 | Up to $55 | |
| Change fee | Free | |
| Cancellation | Credit only | |
| Basic economy | Carry-on included | |
| Economy seat pitch | 30" | |
| Policy Score | Generous |
Baggage and change policy data as published by each airline. Policy Score reflects fees and flexibility only.
Related Reading
Guides and articles about American Airlines and the policies that affect your trip.
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