How To Cancel an American Airlines Basic Economy Flight for a Partial Credit

It used to be that basic economy flights were completely nonrefundable. If you needed to cancel your flight, you were generally just out of luck.

While many of the restrictions that come with cheaper basic economy fares are still in place, the American Airlines basic economy cancellation policy now allows travelers to cancel their flights for a partial Trip Credit (after paying a cancellation fee).

Here's how the policy works.

Can You Cancel an American Airlines Basic Economy Ticket?

American Airlines AAdvantage^® members can cancel basic economy fares (even if it's outside the 24-hour cancellation window) if:

• The ticket was booked in the U.S. directly through American Airlines, not a third party.
• The itinerary originates in one of the 50 U.S. states and consists of flights marketed and operated by American Airlines.
• The traveler is a U.S. resident.
• The traveler's AAdvantage number is included in the reservation before cancellation.
• The ticket is canceled through aa.com or the American Airlines app before the first flight departs.

Credit: Alfred GF/Pexels

American Airlines Basic Economy Cancellation Fee

You'll receive a Trip Credit minus a cancellation fee when you cancel a basic economy ticket on American Airlines' website or in its mobile app. The fee varies by your destination:

• $99 for flights within the 48 contiguous U.S. states
• $129 for flights to/from Hawaii and Alaska within the U.S.
• $129 for flights departing from the U.S. to Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Caribbean (excluding Dominican Republic), Mexico, Central America, Colombia, Guyana, Peru, and Canada
• $199 for flights departing from the U.S. to Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Uruguay, Europe, Middle East, India, China, Japan, South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand

Note that you must cancel before the first flight departs. If the cancellation fee is more than the ticket price, you won't receive a Trip Credit.

Related: Best Credit Cards for Travel Purchases

How To Cancel a Basic Economy Ticket

The easiest way to cancel your American Airlines basic economy ticket is online or through the mobile app.

To get started, log in to your AAdvantage account and select Your trips from the AAdvantage dropdown menu.

Screenshot of American Airlines

From the Upcoming Trips page, select the reservation you want to cancel. On the trip details page, click Cancel trip.

Screenshot of American Airlines

You'll then see a confirmation screen where you can review the cancellation details, including the amount of Trip Credit you'll receive.

What Happens to Your Travel Credit After You Cancel?

If you cancel an eligible basic economy ticket, you'll receive a Trip Credit for the original fare minus the cancellation fee. AAdvantage members have 12 months from the date the Trip Credit is issued to use it toward future travel. You can find your Trip Credits in your account at aa.com or through the American Airlines mobile app.

You can also use your Trip Credit to book a flight for someone else.

Is It Worth Canceling a Basic Economy Ticket?

You'll pay a cancellation fee of at least $99 to cancel a basic economy ticket on American Airlines. So if you're definitely not going to fly your purchased basic economy ticket, and the fare is more than the cancellation fee, it probably makes sense to cancel the ticket and at least get something.

On cheaper basic economy tickets, it's best to book only if you're nearly certain you'll actually fly. For more expensive basic economy tickets, where the fee is a smaller percentage of the actual fare, the math changes a bit. Still, it stings to pay nearly $100 (or more!) to cancel a ticket only to get a Trip Credit that expires.

Bottom Line

American Airlines basic economy tickets offer more flexibility than they once did. Eligible AAdvantage members can cancel their tickets and receive a Trip Credit minus a cancellation fee of $99 to $199, depending on the destination.

Still, you'll want to weigh the savings of a basic economy fare against the potential cancellation fee before booking, especially if your travel plans aren't set in stone.