I have a love-hate relationship with American Airlines (AA). I live in Los Angeles and they’re my primary carrier since I have Executive Platinum status, their top tier elite level since I fly so much with them or their partners.
I chose American Airlines because my primary destinations used to be Miami and New York and they service those destinations better than their competitors — especially in Business Class, which I could often get for free thanks to my status, or find inexpensive premium tickets using miles and points.
In addition, American Airlines has excellent lounges in all three of these airports and the lounges are a haven to pass time in if your flight is delayed. On top of that, the Flagship Lounges are usually staffed with knowledgeable ticketing agents who can help when plans go awry. I also love American’s social media team because if you’re in a real bind, they usually respond right away.
What I loathe about American Airlines is that they make using their flight credits and systemwide upgrades almost impossible. For the flight credits, you usually have to call and speak to an agent so it’s a total time suck. United and JetBlue make this process quick and easy by allowing customers to do it all online.
I just called American Airlines’ Exec Plat line to use some credits that are expiring soon for a HNL-LAX trip in early January. After the agent put me on hold to check with their exchange department (my credits were from a U.S. to Canada flight), she came back to tell me that the credits couldn’t be used for the HNL-LAX trip as travel would have to be completed by December 31.
What?! I politely asked for an extension and she said sorry, she couldn’t do anything about it and that I would have to contact their customer service team.
Per her suggestion, I sent American an email via their Contact Us form of their website, asking for an extension and quickly received this automated response: “As an AAdvantage member, if you have an original ticket issued between January 1, 2020 and December 31, 2021, the value of your unused ticket can be used by September 30, 2022 for travel completed by December 31, 2022.”
Is this not the most ridiculous airline policy or am I overreacting? First of all, Covid has been raging so we’ve been very careful about flying – especially with two little kids. Secondly, my kids are in school so it’s not like they can just take off and use them before December 31. Lastly, this whole travel credit thing is a total sham. Why do they have an expiration date to begin with?
Southwest Airlines made headlines last week when they announced that they’re “eliminating expiration dates on all Southwest flight credits unexpired on, or created on or after July 28, 2022. This additional flexibility applies to all currently valid, existing flight credits, with no action required by Customers with flight credit in the bank, and will apply to any new flight credit issued.”
Now that’s how every airline should treat their customers when it comes to travel credits, instead of some scheme to rake in more money. But unfortunately, as Southwest noted, “it’s a first-of-its-kind policy among major U.S. airlines” and so far, no other airlines have followed suit.
I purchased these tickets with my own hard-earned money and ended up rightly canceling because of the pandemic. But because we’re not able to travel by a certain date, they’re just going to keep my money? This doesn’t sound right to me.
Are you having problems using your American Airlines flight credits, too? Do you think these rules are draconian too?
Im in the same boat, booked a trip to Italy for 4 of us out $3500 in vouchers. I am an emergency room nurse and could not travel. I can’t believe they will not honor voucher. Wow great way to start off the holiday.
I’m in the same boat as all of you other commenters, and this is unacceptable. AA never issued any sort of communication about this arbitrary deadline, and at the end of the day their so called “policy change” is just a money grab to keep revenue they haven’t earned. No goods or services has been exchanged. We need to bring this to the attention of our state representatives. I suggest contacting your local congressman and the congressman in DFW area where AA world headquarters is located: Kay Granger – US Congress 12th District of Texas, 202.225.5071 or your state’s Attorney General consumer complaint form online. I have done both and will post back if I gain any traction!
I am in the exact same problem as everyone else. I just read another article that stated to file a complaint with the US Department of Transportation. I just went and filed a complaint right now, maybe if enough of us file something might get addressed. It’s a long shot but worth a try.
The same happened to me. I had a cancelled trip because I was responsible, took a covid test before flying, and it was unfortunately, a positive test. Therefore, I DIDN’T fly! this was in Aug 2021, and they made it incredibly EASY to cancel, of course, reassuring me that COVID cancellations are issued credits no problem. Now when I attempt to redeem my flight credit, they tell me no, it’s expired, there’s nothing I can do. MEanwhile, I checked my emails, I never received anything even alerting me that it was going to expire.
Same issue as most are having. Had to cancel a flight that I was planning on taking last year around this time. I’ve done chat and email with customer relations and basically we’re out of $1000 dollars worth in flights even though we wanted to use those flights for this year. They refuse to budge because Sept 2022 was when they needed to be booked. I will continue to email or call , social media, etc. This is an insane policy.
I had a return flight from UK to USA booked in 2019 for Autumn 2020. It was cancelled in July 2020 and AA told me not to worry that the value of my ticket was safe and to just call them when I was ready to rebook. I tried to rebook by phone this week and was told that the tickets expired on October 31st. The agent was offhand & told me to email customer services if I wasn’t happy. Customer Services thanked me for raising the issue and highlighting problems so that they could improve and then said they hoped to improve on their high level of service the next time I was on board!! Emails to various directors then got a trip credit issued in dollars for 10% less than I had originally paid. Trying to use the trip credit by phone because the online system would not accept it, I was told that it could only be used for a flight from USA and not a return from UK. It looks like I could be $3000 out of pocket but I will be hounding the directors for a few weeks yet. The system is broken and no-one seems to have the will to fix it.
I used my Covid credits to book a family trip in Feb 2022. The trip was Aug 2022. We had to cancel because my father was diagnosed with terminal cancer, so i chose to spend the time with him. I cancelled in July 2022. Received an email that the cancellation was received, and that we would receive credit. NOWHERE in the email confirmation does it say that we have to use the credit by October 2022 or lose it! NOWHERE. Just went to book a trip to see family in Seattle and told, no you have no credit – it expired two days ago. Umm what?? You are just going to steal $1675 of my money because I could not afford to fly between August until now?? Not all of us have the luxury of planning trips whenever. Some of us have to budget and save to do so. Covid messed up our first earned vacation, and then cancer caused us the next. Now AA thinks its ethical and right of them to just steal my money all the while they continue to perform the way they do, unable to reach an agent on the phone unless you spend hours on hold!! Hours!! I wasted 3.5 hours only to be disconnected. I was forced to type in a chat with a bot before even been prompted an option to connect with “an agent” and then be told, yea, you have no credit. Sorry. The government needs to charge AA for theft!!!
Same. Nothing you can do. Just don’t fly AA.
American Airlines canceled my flight in early 2020 (rightly so) and issued me credit. I spent about 5 hours today trying to book a flight using this credit before the expiry, only to have the phone reservation representative tell me that she can’t find my credit. The only instruction she could offer was to email the customer relations team. I will inevitably end up surrendering the money I paid for this flight, for which AA canceled and then conveniently lost my credit. What a sham. From now on I am adding AA to my list of airlines to avoid (along with United).
Yep, same thing. Booked right before the pandemic hit and haven’t been able to use. When I tried to purchase a trip, just to avoid handing AA $500+ for nothing, I received a message that I could not use the credit to book online. I had to call. When I called, the on-hold time was 7-9 HOURS. I will likely never fly American Airlines again.
My family is in the same boat. Booked 2 trips to Scotland/Ireland and cancelled due to covid. We will be out thousands of dollars not being able to use the credits in time. American Airlines will never willingly get my business again.
My oh my am I frustrated. I booked 2 tickets with American Airlines for my children June 2020. Cancelled the flight due to the pandemic. We’ve each battled 2 bouts of COVID. Both children were in college, so it wasn’t easy to find time to use the $800 worth of travel credit. FINALLY, the week of 9/23–knowing the credits expired 9/30–I began trying to re-book. AA’s website recognizes the credits and their value, yet does not allow me to us them when trying to book flights. Must call. I tried calling, only to receive–‘we’re too busy, try your call again later’. It wouldn’t even allow me to request a call back at a time that worked for their CS reps. Finally, I got through on 9/29 and was on hold 2 hours before I had to drop the call. 9/30, I was on hold 9 hours–yes 9 and I have the phone record to show it–waiting for a CS rep. Their system dropped the call this time. (Who has time for this?! Not me). After 5 calls on 10/1 (again, call back later), I got into their call back system. Mario called me back–“sorry, you are too late–they expired 9/30”. I’m too late???? Your system does not allow me to be timely. Waited over an hour to talk to a supervisor and the call dropped. Called back today, 10/2 and spoke with Monique. I request to talk with a supervisor. Supervisor says, “sorry. You are too late.” Again, I’m too late??? Your system won’t allow me in, won’t allow me to book, won’t allow me to talk with anyone.
I’m miffed. They say, “You had 2 years to re-book”. Really? Did I really? As best I know, COVID has continued to be rampant. I was wary to travel–especially hearing the nightmare travel stories form this year. When I finally try to book before the end date, THEIR system craftily doesn’t allow it to happen.
To answer your question, it’s draconian. It’s thievery. It’s just plain wrong. I know no other industry that can just keep your money. If you have a good and don’t return it within the required timeframe, at least you have the good and can sell it on an online marketplace, even if it’s for less than you paid.
Grrrr….