American Airlines Missed Flight Policy (All You Need To Know)

Missing a flight is no fun. You’re rushing to the airport to catch your flight, but unfortunately, you’ve missed it.

If you’ve missed a flight with American Airlines, keep reading. I’ll tell you what you need to do and more!

American Airlines Missed Flight Policy In 2024

American Airlines allows passengers to rebook a missed flight without any extra charge in 2024. Passengers more than two hours late have to pay a fee since it is considered a no-show. American Airlines generally does not refund missed flights. The air carrier allows passengers to rebook a flight within 15 minutes before or after departure.

What happens if you miss your flight with American Airlines? Do you need to rebook? Do you get a refund? Find out the answer to these questions and more!

What Happens If I Miss My Flight On American Airlines?

If a passenger has missed a flight due to their own fault (leaving the house too late, missed transportation, traffic, etc.) — American Airlines allows passengers to rebook their flight.

That said, passengers can rebook the next available flight without paying any additional fees.

However, if a passenger arrives after two hours of the scheduled departure time, they cannot rebook their flight.

What Happens If I Miss My Flight Because Of Security?

American Airlines will sometimes delay a flight if there are a lot of passengers stuck in security.

Generally, if passengers cannot get to the gate in time, American Airlines is not legally required to help.

Unfortunately, missing a flight due to security is considered the passenger’s fault.

Also, American Airlines will offload the passenger’s checked bags to be returned to the passenger.

Do You Have To Pay For A Missed Flight On American Airlines?

American Airlines charges passengers a fee for missing their flight. That said, the fee can vary from $75 to $500 depending on if the flight was domestic or international.

Also, there is a 15-minute policy that allows passengers to rebook flights that are delayed for more than three hours.

Can I Get A Refund If I Miss My Flight With American Airlines?

Can I Get A Refund If I Miss My Flight With American Airlines?

American Airlines will not typically refund missed flights.

That said, American Airlines will still not refund flights if the cause of missing the flight was out of the passenger’s control.

Instead, American Airlines will rebook the passenger on another flight.

To rebook a flight, passengers will need to navigate to the American Airlines website. From here, they will need to navigate to the “Your Trip” section.

In the “Your Trip” section, customers need to fill out the required details. After this, passengers can go to the “Find Your Trip” tab and change their flight.

Which American Airlines Fare Classes Are Refundable?

Life happens, and flexibility with a flight ticket is important.

If passengers find themselves with their plans in the air, they will be glad to hear that class F, J, and Y tickets are refundable.

Furthermore, passengers will be able to switch their tickets. Also, First and Business Class passengers can change their flight on the same day without additional fees.

On top of that, it is worth noting that refundable tickets are usually a bit pricier than a standard fare.

Can You Reschedule A Missed Flight With American Airlines?

Passengers are allowed to reschedule a missed flight.

However, if the flight is not rescheduled within 15 minutes before or after departure — it will be considered a no-show.

Also, passengers will be able to rebook a flight if they are on time but have missed the flight due to other circumstances at no extra charge.

Do You Have To Check-In Again For A Connecting Flight With American Airlines?

American Airlines does not require passengers to check in twice for a connecting flight. So, if passengers only have one boarding pass, they will be guided via an announcement.

Moreover, sometimes passengers need two boarding passes, but they will be guided through this process.

Do I Need To Check-In 24 Hours Before My American Airlines Flight?

Yes, passengers will need to check in 24 hours before departure.

That said, if passengers have not checked in at least 45-60 minutes before their flight, they are at risk of losing their seats.

American Airlines’ 15-Minute Rebooking Policy

American Airlines’ 15-minute rebooking policy entails that passengers can rebook a missed flight if it is within 15 minutes before or after departure.

If the passenger has rebooked later than this, it will be considered a no-show.

Does American Airlines Charge If You Change Flights?

American Airlines does not charge customers for a domestic flight change. However, customers wishing to change flights on the same day will need to pay a fee of $75-$150.

Also, First and Business Class passengers can change their flights on the same day without paying this fee.

To know more, you can also read our posts on whether or not American Airlines has first-class, if you can get a free checked bag with American Airlines, and American Airlines refund policy.

Conclusion

Missing a flight with American Airlines is not the end of the world, as passengers have many options to recover the value of their missed flight.

For example, if a passenger has missed a flight due to their fault, they have the option of rebooking the flight up to two hours after departure.

However, American Airlines will not refund the full value of a missed flight if the passenger does not rebook within the given time frame.

Lastly, the passenger will have to pay a missed flight fee if they wish to refund their ticket.

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Marques Thomas

Marques Thomas graduated with a MBA in 2011. Since then, Marques has worked in the retail and consumer service industry as a manager, advisor, and marketer. Marques is also the head writer and founder of QuerySprout.com.

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