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We’re sure you’re more than familiar with American Airlines, considering it’s the world’s largest airline — but this handy review brings together all the information you might need when considering flying with them.
Maybe you need to know about the airline’s fare structure, which changed not too long ago to incorporate the basic economy fare level. Or you might be interested to know how far a premium economy seat would recline if you were to upgrade.
We’ve outlined all of the info you need below, including those pesky extra fees (like baggage fees), inflight amenities, customer satisfaction rankings, and more.
Airline: American Airlines
Alliance: Oneworld
Category: Legacy domestic and international airline
Frequent Flyer Program: AAdvantage
Tagline: “To care for people on life’s journey”
About/Mission Statement: “American Airlines and American Eagle are in business to provide safe, dependable and friendly air transportation to our customers, along with numerous related services. We are dedicated to making every flight you take with us something special. Your safety, comfort and convenience are our most important concerns.” (source)
Daily Flights: Nearly 6,700 (including codeshare partners)
Fleet: 937
Main Hub: Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW)
Destinations: Nearly 269 domestic destinations, 81 international destinations (in 48 countries)
AAdvantage is the loyalty program for American Airlines where you can earn miles through flying, shopping, eating out, or spending on certain credit cards.
American Airlines is a part of the Oneworld alliance, which means you can earn AAdvantage miles by flying with any of its Oneworld partners in addition to several other airline partners (including American Eagle regional flights).
If you travel regularly with American, then it’s definitely worth signing up — you can also work your way up its elite membership statuses to gain benefits such as additional checked baggage, priority check-in, and no-fee changes.
Hot Tip: Check out our post on the best ways to earn lots of American Airlines AAdvantage Miles and you’ll be redeeming your award flights in no time!
American offers a range of fare options that offer flexibility when flying its domestic and international routes.
Basic Economy
This starts from its entry-level basic economy, fare which used to be just a seat and a small personal item to carry on. However, you are permitted to bring 1 piece of standard carry-on luggage.
As you can see from the table, there is no option to change or cancel the ticket when flying domestically or to other short-haul destinations.
So the prices may look attractive, but it may be worth checking out American’s Flexible fare category if your journey plans aren’t 100% and are likely to change.
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| Route Type | Bags | Choose Seat (fee) | Eligible for Upgrades | Make Changes (fee) | Boarding Group |
| Domestic U.S. routes, Canada, Central America, Mexico, and Caribbean* | Checked: No free bags† Carry-on: 1 personal item and 1 carry-on | 48 hours before departure | No | Not permitted | Group 9** |
| Europe | Checked: No free bags†† Carry-on: 1 personal item and 1 carry-on | When at the point of booking | No | Yes | Group 8** |
*Excluding the following destinations: Alaska, U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Haiti, Cuba, Panama, and El Salvador
**Not applicable to AAdvantage elite status members or eligible AAdvantage credit cardmembers
†Not applicable to AAdvantage elite status members. Eligible AAdvantage credit cardmembers are exempt only when flying within the U.S. and Canada
††Not applicable to AAdvantage elite status members
Lowest Fare
For all destinations that American offers, you will have the option to select the Lowest Fare. This will give you the standard prices for economy (which it refers to as “Main Cabin”), premium economy, business, and first class (if available on the flight).
Hot Tip: If you’re torn between economy fare options, check these in-depth articles on the difference between AA Economy and AA Basic Economy and the difference between AA Main Cabin Extra and Preferred.
On domestic, Canada, and Mexico flights (plus some medium-haul international flights), the fares you will be quoted won’t include any checked baggage — this will have to be added on separately.
The cabin class standard fares have different allocations for baggage allowance, eligibility for upgrades, priority boarding, and change fees.
Here is a top-level view of the different cabin classes — check out our “Inflight Amenities and Seat Specs” section below for more detailed information on amenities and entertainment:
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| Main Cabin (Economy) | Premium Economy | Business | First | |
| Checked baggage allowance | 1 piece* | 2 pieces** | 2 pieces*** | 2 pieces**** |
| 1 piece of carry-on + personal item | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Choose seats | No charge | No charge | No charge | No charge |
| Eligible for upgrades | Yes | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Priority check-in, security, and boarding | No | Priority | Priority | Priority |
| Five Star Service available to add to your booking, including meet and greet services. | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Access to airport lounge for qualifying flights | No | No | Yes | Yes |
*Excludes Basic Economy. Applies to transatlantic and transpacific flights. Select cities in Asia and South America get 1 extra checked bag.
**Only 1 free checked bag on flights to/from Hawaii.
***AAdvantage Executive Platinum members get 1 extra checked bag.
****On planes with both business and first class, you get 1 extra checked bag (or 2 if you’re AAdvantage Executive Platinum).
Flexible Fare
This fare type is available for Main Cabin and premium economy, business, and first class.
Fully Flexible Fare
This fare type is available for the Main Cabin and First Class
Passengers are permitted to change their flight up until the same day of travel, and refund to the original form of payment.
American’s baggage allowance is dependent on your destination. If you’re taking a domestic flight within the U.S., then you will need to add on baggage if choosing to fly Main Cabin (regular economy).
This is also applicable on some medium-haul international flights to places such as the Caribbean or Central America. Be sure to check the inclusions when searching for a flight or booking through the call center.
American Airlines Carry-on Allowance
These are applicable for all fare types and cabin classes
1 personal item: FREE
1 standard carry-on: FREE
Size Restrictions
American places seasonal restrictions on checked luggage during its busy period.
Hot Tip: For more information, check out our detailed article for American Airlines Baggage Fees & Tips to Cover the Expenses.
Checked baggage must not exceed 23kg for economy and premium economy; 32kg for business and first class fares; and must not exceed max linear dimensions of 62” (158cm).
Main Cabin:
^^This $75 charge applies for the 1st bag in transatlantic basic economy.
Free Checked Baggage Allowance for Premium Classes
**The fee for a 3rd bag is charged on a 2-cabin aircraft; there is no charge for a 3rd bag on a 3-cabin aircraft
Complimentary Checked Luggage
In addition to passengers flying in premium classes, those with elite status are eligible for complimentary checked luggage.
Change/Cancellation Fees (Cash Tickets)
Same-day change:
Customers requiring extra space onboard: (All cabin classes) second ticket at the same rate if arranged at the same time as buying the first ticket
Tickets issued by Reservations Department: $25 (domestic), $35 (international)
Award tickets issued by Reservations Department: $30 (domestic), $40 (international; fees vary by country)
Assistance by Reservations Department: $50 (Applies to voluntary trip changes by customer, not a booking initially created by American Airlines Reservations or on aa.com)
Tickets issued by American Airlines travel centers: $35 (A higher charge may apply in Colombia and Chile due to government requirements)
Voluntary change to the ticket before travel date: $0 (domestic), up to $750 (international; charge varies depending on the type of ticket purchased)
Same-day standby is complimentary for all passengers, however, higher priority is given to elite passengers.
Cancellation: If you cancel a non-refundable ticket, you can apply the unused value of the ticket toward a future trip (no later than 1 year from the date your original ticket was issued). Change fees may apply.
Seat selection: There isn’t a straightforward pricing structure for American’s seat selection; it depends on your fare type and route. Some flights don’t appear to give you the option to select a seat at all, and Economy Basic doesn’t allow it either.
We ran a search for a flight from Dallas to London in Main Cabin, and seat selection ranged from $91 to $128 per one-way flight.
Unaccompanied minor: $150 + tax (per one-way route)
Transporting a pet as carry-on: $150 per kennel (to/from the U.S. and Canada, Mexico, Central America, Colombia, and the Caribbean)
Transporting a pet as checked: $200 per kennel (to/from the U.S. and Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, and the Caribbean); $150 to/from Brazil
Hot Tip: We’ve also gone into detail on American Airlines’ award flight change and cancellation fees.
For domestic journeys to Central America, Canada, or the Caribbean, AA provides snacks plus non-alcoholic drinks for journeys over 250 miles.
If you’re traveling to Hawaii on a Flagship route, then a meal plus beer or wine is included; a meal is also included if traveling between New York and Los Angeles or New York and San Francisco, as well as Boston to Los Angeles, Miami to Los Angeles and New York to Orange County.
For flights over 700 miles, meals and refreshments are available to purchase. The type of food is dependent on what time you fly, but it ranges from a charcuterie plate to a cheese and dip tray and costs around $9 to $11 when purchased inflight.
On long-distance international flights, a meal plus beer or wine is served, with spirits available on flights to Japan, Hong Kong, Australia, and New Zealand.
For flights not eligible for complimentary food beverages, these can be purchased for:
There are several cards that will reimburse you for excess fees and general travel expenses.
This is achieved by redeeming your points or miles against your travel expenses at the time of paying off your statement, or by using the annual “travel/airline” credit that comes with the card.
The following Capital One cards allow you to redeem Capital One miles for 1 cent each as a statement credit for previous travel purchases (within 90 days):
Terms Apply / Rates & FeesThe Capital One Venture X card is an excellent option for travelers looking for an all-in-one premium credit card.
Learn More(at Capital One’s secure site)
$1,350
19.99% – 29.99% (Variable)
The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is the premium Capital One travel rewards card on the block.
Points and miles fans will be surprised to see that the Capital One Venture X card packs quite the punch when it comes to bookings made through Capital One, all while offering the lowest annual fee among premium credit cards.
Depending on your travel goals and preferences, the Capital One Venture X card could very well end up being your go-to card in your wallet.
$1,350
19.99% – 29.99% (Variable)
Terms Apply / Rates & FeesThe card offers unlimited miles at 1.25x per $1 and no annual fee. When you consider the flexible rewards, frequent travelers come out on top.
Learn More(at Capital One’s secure site)
$360
19.99% – 29.99% (Variable),0% intro on purchases for 15 months
Interested in a travel rewards credit card without one of those pesky annual fees? Then say hello to the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card.
In addition to no annual fee, the Capital One VentureOne card offers no foreign transaction fees.
But is this card worth its salt, or is it merely a shell of the more popular Capital One Venture card?
American Airlines also offers several co-branded AAdvantage credit cards that offer benefits such as flight discounts, free checked bags, statement credits for inflight purchases, and more.
Status lovers will enjoy the variety of benefits that come with this card. From free bags to reduced-price inflight beverages, AA still flies in style.
Learn More(at Citi’s secure site)
$700
$99, waived for first 12 months
21.24% – 29.99% Variable
Blue skies and fair winds make for a good day to fly! Choosing your airline can be difficult, since factors like location, time, and destination all go into whether or not you can fly somewhere.
An easy choice for many people is American Airlines, because they’re the largest airline in the world. If you’re an American, you’ve probably flown American Airlines at least once.
Frequent fliers tend to enjoy the treatment they can get, from boarding privileges to free bags to lounge access. There’s many reasons to fly with AA, and if so then getting a Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite™ Mastercard® could be for you.
Access to Admirals Clubs, tons of added benefits, and a way to spend towards elite status make this a great option for American Airlines loyalists.
Learn More(at our partner’s secure site)
$980
21.24% – 29.99% Variable
Earn 2x miles per dollar spent on American Airlines flights and at grocery stores, all without needing to pay an annual fee.
Learn More(at our partner’s secure site)
$140
21.24% – 29.99% Variable
Main Cabin (Economy)
American describes this cabin as having “All the essentials” for an enjoyable flight.
Amenities include:
Main Cabin Extra
Upgrade to Main Cabin Extra and you’ll enjoy more space with extra legroom and early boarding (after elite members), with preferred group 5 boarding.
Hot Tip: Read more about AA’s boarding process here so you’ll be prepared for your flight!
Premium Economy
Enjoy an “Elevated travel experience” with privileges at the airport and in the air.
Amenities include:
Business Class
Business is the highest class and level of service available on American’s shorter international flights to the Caribbean, Mexico, Canada, Puerto Rico, and certain destinations in South America.
Amenities include:
First Class
First class is available on domestic flights within the U.S., and it gets you American’s “highest level of service.”
Amenities include:
Flagship Business — International
“A premier experience for the long haul,” Flagship Business is available on international flights to Asia, Australia, Europe, New Zealand, and South America. Here’s what it includes:
*Flagship Business is only available on aircraft with lie-flat seats: B772, B773, B788, B789, A321T
Flagship Business — Transcontinental
Available on flights from Los Angeles to New York, San Francisco to New York, and Los Angeles to Boston, you can “Travel coast-to-coast in luxury.”
Hot Tip: Flagship Business Plus is a new fare category that allows business class passengers to use Flagship check-in, get 3 free checked bags, and use Flagship First Dining in Los Angeles (LAX), Dallas (DFW), Miami (MIA), and New York (JFK).
Flagship First — International
Available on flights to Asia, Australia, Europe, and South America when traveling on a B773 aircraft.
Flagship First — Transcontinental
Available on flights from Los Angeles to New York, San Francisco to New York, and Los Angeles to Boston, you can travel “Coast-to-coast in comfort” with Flagship First.
Bottom Line: Flagship Business and Flagship First are the most luxurious options on American Airlines.
American Airlines has a large fleet of aircraft with varying cabin configurations. We’ve included details of a few of its planes below, and you can see a full list of all 32 plane variations here.
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| Airbus A319 – Version 1 – 128 seats each | ||||||
| Class | Seat Count | Seat pitch | Seat width | Wi-Fi (fee) | Entertainment | Power |
| First | 8 | 38″ | 21″ | Y | Personal device | Y |
| Main Cabin Extra | 24 | 34″, bulkhead, exit row | 17.7″ | Y | Personal device | Y |
| Main Cabin | 96 | 30″ | 17.3″-18″ | Y | Personal device | Y |
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| Boeing 737 MAX | ||||||
| Class | Seat Count | Seat pitch | Seat width | Wi-Fi (fee) | Entertainment | Power |
| First | 16 | 37″ | 21″ | Y | Personal device | Y |
| Main Cabin Extra | 30 | 33″, bulkhead, exit row | 16.6″-17.8″ | Y | Personal device | Y |
| Main Cabin | 126 | 30″ | 16.6″-17.8″ | Y | Personal device | Y |
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| Boeing 777-200 – 273 seats | ||||||
| Class | Seat Count | Seat pitch | Seat width | Wi-Fi (fee) | Entertainment | Power |
| Business | 37 | Lie-flat | 21.9″ | Y | Seatback screen, live TV | Y |
| Premium Economy | 24 | 38″ | 18.5″ | Y | Seatback screen, live TV | Y |
| Main Cabin Extra | 66 | 35″-36″ | 17.1″-18.1″ | Y | Seatback screen, live TV | Y |
| Main Cabin | 146 | 31″-32″ | 17.1″-18.1″ | Y | Seatback screen, live TV | Y |
As with any airline, American does have its fair share of disgruntled customers — but it also has a great deal of happy loyal ones who appreciate the frequency of flights and ability to fly direct to many locations, both domestic and international.
Customers often take to American’s social media channels to air their grievances for late departures or their disappointment with “shabby” planes.
With nearly 6,700 flights and half a million passengers per day (AA and branded codeshare partners), it’s inevitable that the airline is not going to have a perfect track record with time-keeping — but just where exactly does it stand?
Within the March 2023 Air Travel Consumer Report, it was reported that of its 138,943 flights scheduled to depart the U.S. in January 2023 (AA and branded codeshare partners), 2% were canceled, ranking it the seventh-worst airline of the 10 featured in the report.
Its huge fleet of varying ages seems to be a bone of contention for many customers due to the inconsistencies of modernization and entertainment onboard.
The general complaints you see about American Airlines on social media and from Tripadvisor reviews are pretty consistent with the types of complaints logged in the March 2023 Air Travel Consumer Report. The most prominent is about flight delays and cancellations.
These are the total complaints by category lodged against American Airlines in January, February, and March of 2023:
For the same period in 2022, American had 1,276 complaints, so it looks like it is striving to make some improvements to customer satisfaction. Let’s hope it continues!
Skytrax Ranking: 3 Star Airline (out of 5)
Skytrax Customer Rating: 3/10
Tripadvisor Airline Review Rating: 3.5/5 (average from 76,507 reviews)
Kayak Customer Rating: 7.2/10 (average from 9,119 reviews)
AirHelp.com Overall Rating: 7.84/10 (quality of amenities, on-time arrivals, and how well an airline resolves flight delay compensation claims)
American Airlines has a 7/7 safety record as awarded by AirlineRatings.com. This takes into consideration whether the airline has an IATA Operational Safety Audit Certification, combined with information from the World’s Aviation Governing Body, plus government and crash records.
You can see from the complaint results that flight issues such as cancellations and delays are the biggest problems customers have with the performance of American Airlines, but there is good news on the horizon!
Comparing the March 2023 Air Travel Consumer Report with the March 2022 Air Travel Consumer Report, the number of complaints logged for this category for the same time period in 2022 (December-April) has almost halved (971 vs. 484).
American Airlines is the world’s largest airline and takes its corporate responsibility seriously in supporting global and community initiatives.
Current partners include Stand Up to Cancer, Make-a-Wish, American Red Cross, and Unicef with regular donations and aid provided during crisis.
AA personnel have dedicated over 155,000 volunteer hours to good causes, and 20 million miles have been donated to local charities by American Airlines.
Let’s face it: American Airlines is never going to be the most luxurious airline out there.
It’s got a mission to get passengers from A to B as frequently and safely as possible, and that might be on an airplane with no seatback entertainment!
But it does have its loyal customers, and the premium cabin classes on the newer Airbus models have been well-received.
For domestic and short-haul flights though, competition is fierce, with the likes of low-cost airlines Alaska and Southwest giving American a run for its money.
From running a few domestic flight searches using the same departure and date criteria, American’s fares were higher or comparable to these 2 low-cost airlines, with no notable additional offerings from American — and they both boast higher customer satisfaction ratings!
However, American does have a monopoly on direct routes and availability, which is sometimes where convenience trumps personal preference.
The information regarding the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite™ Mastercard® was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.
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