Economy Class
- Complimentary snacks and soft drinks for basic economy class passengers and the addition of complimentary meals for other passengers.
- Alcoholic drinks complimentary with “extra” tickets but otherwise need to be purchased on-board.
- Seat-back audio/video on-demand on most flights. Shared screens or streaming on own device on some aircraft.
- Basic economy fare passengers pay a fee to choose seats in advance. Otherwise, seat selection is complimentary.
- Wi-Fi available on some flights for a fee. Click here to see if your flight is wi-fi equipped.
- Seat pitch average of 31-32 inch and width average of 17 inch.
- Extra legroom of up to 36 inch included with “extra” tickets.
Premium Economy
- Available on selected aircraft including 777-300s, 787-9 and A330-200s.
- Seat-back audio/video on-demand. Bigger entertainment screens and noise-cancelling headphones provided.
- Wi-Fi to be purchased.
- In-seat power and USB ports provided.
- Premium meal service and complimentary drinks, including alcoholic drinks.
- Amenity kits, blankets and pillows supplied.
- Seat pitch of 38 inch and seat width of 18-19 inch.
Business Class
Short-distance International Flights
- Restaurant quality meals and alcoholic beverages served complimentary.
- See Click here for specific information on the in-flight entertainment options on your flight.
- Wi-Fi available on some flights for a fee. Click here to see if your flight is WiFi equipped.
- Seat-back audio/video on-demand on most flights. Tablets provided on 767-300s and shared overhead screens on 757-200s.
- In-seat power.
- Blankets and pillows provided.
- Lie-flat beds and a seat width of 19-21 inch.
Transcontinental Flights
- Similar to short-distance international flights with the addition of amenity kits and noise-cancelling headphones.
First Class
International Flights
- Restaurant quality meals with complimentary drinks, including alcoholic drinks.
- Lie-flat beds with a seat width of 21.5 inch.
- In-seat power and USB ports with every seat.
- Wi-Fi available to be purchased.
- Blankets, pillows, pyjamas and amenity kits supplied.
- Seat back audio/video on-demand, live television and noise-cancelling headphones supplied.
Transcontinental Flights
- Similar to first class international flights but with no pyjamas supplied.
- Seat width of 21 inch.
- Began in 1930 from the consolidation of numerous small airlines many of them purely used for mail routes
- America’s largest domestic airline by the end of the 1930s
- Operated American Overseas Airlines (AOA), a trans-Atlantic division, which served a number of European countries from 1945 to 1950
- AOA merged with Pan American World Airways in 1950
- Began major route expansion in January 1979, initiating new destinations across the US and the Caribbean
- During next decades continued to introduce new routes, new aircraft and new fare types including super saver fares
- Founding member of oneworld alliance in 1999
- Parent company AMR Corporation filed for bankruptcy protection in November 2011 so some routes were cut and aircraft grounded
- In 2013, American Airlines merged with US Airways to create the largest United States airline.
- A330-200
- A330-300
- A319
- 777-200
- 777-300ER
- 767-300
- 757-200
- 737-800
- A321
- A320
- 787-8
- 787-9
- Envoy Air
Denied boarding
If a flight is oversold (more passengers hold confirmed reservations than there are seats available), no one may be denied boarding against his or her will until airline personnel first ask for volunteers who will give up their reservation willingly, in exchange for compensation of the airline’s choosing. If there are not enough volunteers, other passengers may be denied boarding involuntarily in accordance with the following boarding priority of American.
Domestic Transportation
- No compensation if the carrier offers alternate transportation that is planned to arrive at the passenger’s destination or first stopover not later than one hour after the planned arrival time of the passenger’s original flight;
- 200% of the fare to the passenger’s destination or first stopover, with a maximum of $650, if the carrier offers alternate transportation that is planned to arrive at the passenger’s destination or first stopover more than one hour but less than two hours after the planned arrival time of the passenger’s original flight; and
- 400% of the fare to the passenger’s destination or first stopover, with a maximum of $1,300, if the carrier does not offer alternate transportation that is planned to arrive at the airport of the passenger’s destination or first stopover less than two hours after the planned arrival time of the passenger’s original flight.
International transportation
- No compensation if the carrier offers alternate transportation that is planned to arrive at the passenger’s destination or first stopover not later than one hour after the planned arrival time of the passenger’s original flight;
- 200% of the fare to the passenger’s destination or first stopover, with a maximum of $650, if the carrier offers alternate transportation that is planned to arrive at the passenger’s destination or first stopover more than one hour but less than four hours after the planned arrival time of the passenger’s original flight; and
- 400% of the fare to the passenger’s destination or first stopover, with a maximum of $1,300, if the carrier does not offer alternate transportation that is planned to arrive at the airport of the passenger’s destination or first stopover less than four hours after the planned arrival time of the passenger’s original flight.
Cancellation
When cancellations and major delays are experienced, you will be rerouted 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.
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 you will be rerouted on the next American 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, subject to availability.
American will provide amenities for delayed passengers, necessary to maintain the safety and/or welfare of certain passengers such as customers with disabilities, unaccompanied children, the elderly or others to whom such amenities will be furnished consistent with special needs and/or circumstances.
Long flight delays
If major delay is experienced, passengers will be rerouted on the airline’s next flight with available seats. If the delay was caused by events within the airline’s control and the passenger does not get to his/her final destination on the expected arrival day, reasonable overnight accommodations will be provided, subject to availability.
The airline will provide amenities for delayed passengers, necessary to maintain the safety and/or welfare of certain passengers such as customers with disabilities, unaccompanied children, the elderly or others to whom such amenities will be furnished consistent with special needs and/or circumstances.
The airline is not responsible for any special, incidental or consequential damages if it does not meet this commitment.
Lengthy Tarmac Delays at US airports
U.S. and foreign air carriers do not permit an international flight to remain on the tarmac at a U.S. airport for more than four hours without allowing passengers to deplane subject to safety, security, and ATC exceptions. This applies to small hub and non-hub airports, including diversion airports.
American will make every reasonable effort to ensure that essential needs of food (snack bar such as Nutri-Grain®), water, restroom facilities, and basic medical assistance are met.
Notification of the status of delays must be given every 30 minutes while the aircraft is delayed, including reasons for delay, if known.
Baggage
In the case of delay or loss, an initial complaint must be presented to American prior to leaving the arrival airport for which the baggage was checked or should have been checked. At the latest, such initial report must be made within four hours of the arrival of the flight on which the passenger traveled. For passengers purchasing the American Airlines baggage delivery service provided through BAGS VIP Luggage Delivery in advance of travel, the initial report must be made within 12 hours of the arrival of the flight on which the passenger traveled.
In the case of damage to baggage you must file an initial report with American prior to leaving the arrival airport, or at the latest, within 24 hours from the date of receipt of the baggage.
Liability for loss, damage or delayed delivery of checked baggage is limited to the actual value of the baggage or $3,400, whichever is less, unless the passenger declares a higher value for loss of baggage, not to exceed $5,000.00 including the $3,400 standard liability per passenger and pays the airline a sum of $2.00 per $100.00 (or any portion thereof) of excess value. Excess valuation coverage is not available for and does not apply to excluded items listed in Conditions of Carriage.
People with disabilities and people with reduced mobility
The airline has detailed policies on Customers with Disabilities. They employ Reservations Special Assistance Coordinators to pre-plan customers’ requirements at time of booking. A limited number of seats are blocked for disabled customers and where necessary adjacent seats are provided for companions travelling with disabled customer to provide assistance. Assistive devices are accepted for travel and assistance is offered to disassemble and/or check wheelchairs and are not included in passenger’s checked baggage allowance. Pre-boarding is offered.
See the airlines full conditions of carriage here
NOTE: Conditions of Carriage refer to the country of origin and may not be applicable to all jurisdictions.
Passenger rights for US airlines flying into Europe click here
To lodge a complaint with the airline click here
To lodge a complaint with the US Department of Transport (DOT) click here
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