American Airlines has confirmed to TPG that its generous 24-hour hold policy is officially back in operation. Some customers found this option unavailable while American ran a series of tests to determine if it was worth keeping.
These randomized trials starting in September but the Fort Worth, Texas-based carrier confirmed to TPG that those trials are now over. As part of the test, some customers weren’t allowed to make reservations in the event of polite detention. Instead, they can only cancel the booking within 24 hours of booking for a full refund. Other flyers continue to see a free hold option when booking flights.
“We continue to evaluate our product offerings for customers on aa.com and understand that customers may need flexibility when booking travel,” American said.
The number of calls received by American reservation lines in part spurred the testing process. Passengers wishing to purchase a hold ticket are often required to call if they are using Flight Credits to complete the purchase. Usually, customers can apply for a flight credit online — no calling required — if the ticket was purchased at the time of booking.
In the past, this popular free hold option was available to customers who might have been hesitant about making a reservation. Instead of booking your flight right away, you can choose to keep your flight free — giving you one day to decide whether to confirm or cancel your booking.
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Even without American’s 24-hour free hold option, you’ll still get a refund within 24 hours of purchase, assuming you purchased your ticket at least two days before your flight. This policy is governed by Regulations of the United States Department of Transportationask airlines to offer a 24-hour free hold period or a 24-hour risk-free cancellation period.
That said, American has so far been quite generous as one of the few airlines to offer both options for travelers.
The two largest US competitors are Delta Air Lines and United Airlines, does not provide the option to remain polite; instead, they allow the flyer to cancel and receive a refund within 24 hours of purchase. (It’s worth noting that both Delta and United allow you to cancel within 24 hours of purchase, even for a same-day flight, assuming you cancel your reservation before departure.)
DOT only requires free cancellation for tickets booked at least a week before the departure date, so all three airlines are more generous than the announced regulations.
As of the end of 2020, Americans also decrease change fees for most tickets. However, you can always change or cancel your flight even after the 24-hour grace period, although you’ll have a hard time getting the fare difference if you end up booking a more expensive flight.
