How Much Does It Cost to Change an American Airlines Flight?

Headquartered in Fort Worth, Dallas, American Airlines is arguably the world's largest airline, topping out all other airlines in fleet size, scheduled passengers carried, and revenue passenger mile. Every other day, thousands of people depend on American Airlines to get across cities, jurisdictions, and continents—it's their trusted means of transport, without which they can't get on the move.

While these travelers tend to incur a wide range of fees when using the famed airline, only a few know what these fees truly entail. One of the lesser-known fees that have been there for a long time is the American Airlines change fees.

At first glance, change fees don't sound like something you should fret about, but guess what? You should! When they add up, American Airlines change fees can leave your budget hanging by the balance—the worst of inconveniences, especially when you're traveling. In this article, we'll take a closer look at these fees and how DoNotPay can help you appeal to them in minutes.

Understanding American Airlines Change Fees

Change fees are those charged by some airlines when you adjust your itinerary. Generally speaking, you'll need to pay flat fees in addition to the fare difference when moving to a new flight. These fees can vary depending on the airline, destination, or even how far in advance you make the change.

For American Airlines change fees, though, the story is quite different. Not too long ago (mid-2020 to be precise), the airline adjusted its change fees for flights within the following destinations:

• United States

• Canada

• Caribbean

• Central America

• Mexico

• Puerto Rico

• U.S. Virgin Islands

Later that same year, the airline further abolished change fees on international flights originating from North America to:

• Australia

• Asia

• Europe

• New Zealand

• United Kingdom

• South America

While these adjustments are a welcome reprieve for anyone traveling via American Airlines, one pertinent issue remains: same-day flight changes still cost a pretty penny. As things stand, a customer has to part with a $75 fee for their itinerary to be altered the same day.

Meanwhile, same-day flight changes between New York (JKF) and London (LHR) tend to incur a whole lot more—a $150 fee, to be exact. Honestly, that's an astronomical fee in these tough economic conditions.

How to Appeal American Airlines Change Fees

Plenty of Americans don't know that it's actually possible to appeal American Airlines change fees. Well, you can thank your lucky stars because we're about to show you exactly how to appeal these hefty fees. Generally speaking, you have two options:

1. Negotiate with American Airlines
2. Bluff—threaten to switch airlines

Let's dig deeper into each one of these options.

Get On the Negotiation Table

This sounds ridiculous, but it's far from it. Negotiating American Airlines change fees are not only possible but usually quite successful as well.

That said, you need to do some research and get ready to argue out your case. Else, your appeal will be over before it even starts. Here are some tips to help you put your best foot forward during the negotiations:

• Have a clear picture of your airline's competitor change fees

• Know exactly what you want

• Prepare a script to help you keep calm

• Always take notes during negotiations

• Never lose your cool
• Be persistent

Hopefully, the airline's representatives will agree to waiver your change fees after the first round of negotiations. Deep down, they know they'd rather say goodbye to a couple of dollars than to a loyal customer (that is, you). You have the upper hand here, so don't be afraid to bring out your A-game. The negotiations are yours to lose.

Bluff—Say That You’ll Switch Airlines

American Airlines deal with people like you every other day, so they're good at spotting empty threats. To make sure they'll take your bluff seriously, provide evidence of what their competitors are charging as change fees. Be assertive, maintain a no-nonsense but polite body language, and insist that you're willing to jump ship if they don't waive your fees.

Admittedly, this is a risky move that may backfire badly, but if you follow these tips to a tee, you're likely to come out successful.

Let DoNotPay Offer a Hand With Appealing Your American Airlines Change Fees

As good as the tips above sound, they don't always work out. The bureaucratic red tape involved can be tedious and time-consuming at times. That's why we created DoNotPay—the first of its kind AI Consumer Champion that helps people like you appeal American Airlines change fees in the fastest, easiest, most convenient way possible.

How does our app pull that off, you wonder? It's super simple:

1. Search "appeal fees" on DoNotPay, choose the Fight and Waive Fees product, and select the type of fee you want to appeal.
2. Select the merchant you want to appeal fees for and enter the details of your transaction, including an associated account if you have one.
3. Submit your case! DoNotPay will generate the best argument for your case and make sure your fee waiver request gets sent to the merchant for processing.

Remember, you have to sign up for DoNotPay on your web browser for you to enjoy this free service. But once you start exploring the wonderful world of DoNotPay, you'll wish you'd known about it earlier.

What Else Can DoNotPay Do for You?

You'd be glad to know that our app doesn't just help with fighting American Airlines change fees. We're good at recovering other fees as well.

In a world where bureaucratic labyrinths await at every corner, you need an app that makes everything easier and less stressful—that app is DoNotPay. We are also adept at solving other everyday problems, including:

• Contesting parking tickets

• Notarizing any document

• Appeal banned accounts

• Filing a complaint

Ready to give DoNotPay a try? Sign up for us today and experience a whole new world of possibilities!