American Airlines Domestic First Class Ultimate Guide [2023]

American Airlines is one of the largest airlines in the world and you might be wondering about what the first class experience is like on a domestic flight in the US.

Most of my domestic first class experiences have been on United but I have had a few on American and I thought it would be helpful to put together an article that covers everything you need to know about American Airlines domestic first class.

What is domestic first class on American Airlines?

Domestic first class on American Airlines is the top premium cabin offered on domestic flights within the US. It is also often the same product offered to other nearby international destinations, such as Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean.

Domestic first class on American Airlines typically comes in a two class cabin configuration (first class + economy) but there’s also something called “Flagship First,” which is a three cabin configuration (first class + business class + economy).

The most common type of domestic first class seating is the standard recliner seat, which you will be able to find from many destinations and on aircraft like the 737-800.

When flying domestically this is called “business/first” or just “first” but when flying on shorter international flights it is called “business.” When people refer to “domestic first class” this is typically what they mean.

But you can also fly on lie-flat seats when flying in first class on domestic routes.

First class cabins with lie flat seats are also usually only flown on select routes from hubs but these can be on many different types of aircraft (I will break down these in more detail below). In some cases, these will be known as “Flagship Business.”

Three class cabins with a first class and business class cabin are only flown on a couple of premium transcontinental routes in the US and on aircraft like the A321T or 777-300ER. This is known as “Flagship First.”

Don’t Miss out! Find out which American Airlines credit card can set you up with a big bonus, lounge access, free checked bags, and a short-cut to AAdvantage elite status! Read more here!

Pricing in miles

If you want to use miles to book a domestic first class flight on American Airlines, it’s going to cost you 25,000 miles one-way for a MileSAAver award.

Tip: It’s possible to find web special awards lower than 25,000 miles one way.

If the award includes travel on an aircraft that offers lie-flat seats in the U.S. and Canada, the Business/First levels will be 7,500 miles higher.

If you are redeeming on the three class cabin such as the Flagship First on the A321T, you will be shelling out 50,000 miles for a one-way flight.

For more information about how to maximize your American Airlines miles be sure to check out our top uses of AA miles.

Aircraft & Routes

There are quite a few different aircraft that you can fly on when it comes to American Airlines domestic first class.

And these aircraft have different seats so it’s a good idea to do some research to find what type of aircraft you would prefer to fly on. (Google Flights is an easy way to do this.)

The most common aircraft operated by American Airlines is the 737-800 so that is the most likely aircraft you will be flying on.

That aircraft has a standard reclining first class seat and will have four rows of first class.

Two first class seats
American Airlines first class seats on a 737.

The A321-200 and A319-100 are two other very common aircraft that American Airlines uses, and you will probably see them pop up in your searches. The seats will be pretty standard and you will likely encounter four or five rows of first class.

While narrow-body aircraft will be the most common you will encounter with American Airlines, due to different scheduling policies, you can also get wide-body planes on domestic routes sometimes.

If you are trying to fly on a lie-flat seat then consider booking a flight on one of the following aircraft:

  • 777-300ER
  • 777-200
  • 787-9
  • 787-8
  • A321T
  • A330-200
Lie flat on the 777-200.

In the past, you may have also looked for fully lie flat seats on the 757, 767, and A330–300. However, many/all of those aircraft have recently been retired, so I’m not sure it will be possible to fly first class on them in the future.

Typically, you will have your best luck finding these wide-body planes flying between premium routes or across the country from AA hub to AA hub.

Routes to consider include the following:

  • DFW — MIA
  • DFW — HNL
  • DFW — LAX
  • DFW — OGG
  • DFW — ORD
  • JFK — LAX
  • JFK — SFO
  • MIA — LAX

Some of these wide-body aircraft will feature some of the top business class seats like the 777-300ER which offers the Zodiac and the 787-9 which offers the B/E Aerospace Super Diamond seat.

The first class perks

If you choose to fly first class on a domestic flight with American Airlines, you can expect to receive a number of perks.

Priority check-in

When you show up to the airport, you’ll be able to check-in at a desk that is separate from the standard check-in desk.

Look for the sign that states “Priority” as shown below and that is where you will be able to check-in and check your baggage.

Passengers who can use this priority check-in area include:

  1. First, Business, and Premium Economy passengers
  2. AAdvantage Executive Platinum, Platinum Pro, Platinum and Gold members
  3. AirPass travelers
  4. oneworld Emerald, Sapphire and Ruby members
  5. Citi AAdvantage Executive cardholders
  6. Eligible corporate travelers
Priority check-in area for first class passengers at airport
Priority check-in area for first class passengers.

Priority security

You will be allowed to enter the priority security line which will offer an expedited security waiting time in many cases.

Personally, I just choose to jump in to the TSA Pre-Check line and you might even want to jump ahead to CLEAR if you have it.

With TSA Pre-Check you can enjoy the following benefits:

  • Shoes can stay on
  • Belt can stay on
  • Light jackets can stay on
  • Laptops allowed to stay in bag
  • Liquids (3-1-1 Rule) can stay in bag

Checked baggage benefits

When flying on first class domestically, you’ll be offered two free checked bags. What’s more, these bags can weigh up to 70 pounds.

The typical checked baggage fees for American Airlines are $30 for the first bag and $40 for the second bag so you’re looking at saving at least $70 whenever you check two bags.

Keep in mind that you can also get free checked baggage on domestic flights with the Citi Platinum Select Card.

Lounges

American Airlines lounges are known as Admirals Clubs. These are pretty standard airport lounges that offer comfortable places to relax along with light snacks, free drinks, and free Wi-Fi. You can also choose to purchase certain meal items and premium alcoholic beverages.

Related: Admirals Club Houston IAH (Terminal A) Review

Many domestic first class passengers wonder whether or not they will have lounge access.

In most cases, you will not get airport lounge access when flying domestic first class with American Airlines. Typically, you will need to be flying internationally to get access.

If you are flying domestically, you can get lounge access if you are flying on certain premium routes like the following:

  • New York (JFK) and Los Angeles (LAX)
  • JFK and San Francisco (SFO)

Note that if you are flying between other premium routes, you will only get lounge access if you are flying on the right type of aircraft.

  • LAX and Boston (BOS) – traveling on A321T aircraft only
  • LAX and Miami (MIA) – traveling on Boeing 777-300 aircraft only

Of course, if you want lounge access you can always purchase it by getting a day pass or by purchasing an annual membership.

Tip: The annual fee for the Citi AAdvantage Executive World Elite MasterCard is only $450 so if you get approved for that card you can save a lot of money on your membership.

Sitting area at American Airlines Admirals Club Houston IAH
American Airlines Admirals Club Houston (IAH).

Priority boarding

When flying domestic first class, you will board with “Group One,” so you will be boarding directly after pre-boarding.

You will see a sign near your departure gate that clearly indicates where to line up. When it is time to board, you will line up on the left side which is designated for priority groups and consists of groups one through four.

Tip: If for some reason you show up late to boarding, you can bypass the line at any time by heading through the left side.

To find out more about how the American Airlines boarding process works, click here.

Boarding sign showing priority groups on left and main groups on right.
Boarding sign for American Airlines.

The flight experience

Below, I will walk you through some of the features of flying first class on an American Airlines 737 since that is such a common aircraft.

Pre-departure

You will be among the first to board the plane so you will easily make your way to your seat at the front. You should have no issue with overhead storage bin space as there are compartments reserve specifically for first class passengers.

American Airlines first class overhead storage bin space.

Once you get settled in your seat, you may be offered a drink which includes complimentary alcoholic beverages.

You may also be brought out a hot towel at some point and your seat may already have a (very thin) blanket and headphones that may be sponsored by Avis.

Freshen up with a hot towel in first class.

The cabin

The first class cabin is located in the front of the plane and you will also have access to the first class lavatory.

The number of first class seats in the first class cabin and the configuration all depends on the type of aircraft you’re flying on.

A standard 737 or similar will have a 2-2 configuration and may have four or five rows of first class seats. A smaller aircraft may only have two rows of first class like the A319 or even a 1-2 configuration.

American Airlines first class on the Airbus A319.

The seat

The typical domestic first class seat is going to be a traditional reclining seat and not a lie flat seat.

You will have much more legroom than you would in economy.

You can expect the pitch to be around 40 inches to 42 inches compared to economy which is around 31 inches. (It’s worth noting that you can get some pretty decent legroom of around 34+ inches with Main Cabin Extra.)

American Airlines first class seat showing legroom.
Enjoy extra legroom on American Airlines first class.

The seat will also be wider and more comfortable. For the width, you’re looking at over 20 inches versus an economy seat which is closer to 17 inches.

There typically is a neck support that you can mold to your liking.

Folded neck support on first class seat
First class seat neck support.

Your main tray table will usually pop out of your armrest on an aircraft like a 737. It’s pretty spacious and can function as a workstation as well.

In addition to your main tray table, there will also be multiple cocktail trays that can be pulled out.

You may be able to pull out these cocktail trays from the front/side of your seat.

Bloody Mary on seat cocktail tray.
The drink trays are a great use of space.

There may also be a tray that folds down from in front of you.

Back of the seat drink tray.

Also, you may or may not have an in-flight entertainment screen built in the seat in front of you.

If you don’t have a screen right in front of you, there may be a larger screen at the front of the cabin or you may just be expected to stream entertainment via a mobile device/laptop.

You should be given instructions on how to set up your entertainment on your own device.

Instructions on how to connect in-flight entertainment.
Many aircraft require you to connect your own device for entertainment.
Back of American Airlines first class seat.
Not all first class seats have monitors in the back.

You should have access to power outlets but you may not on all aircraft. On a narrow body like a 737, look for the outlets in the middle between the seats.

It’s worth pointing out that there are new American Airlines first class seats for domestic flights. The cabin has more noticeable privacy partitions, better seat cushions, more underseat storage, 5-volt USB ports, and they even added phone/tablet holders.

Dining and drinks

Went flying first class domestically, you’ll be offered complimentary alcohol and food, depending on the length of the flight and the time of your flight.

Here is what you can generally expect:

  • Flights under 700 miles: Light snacks (fig bar, cookies, and/or pretzels)
  • Flights between 700 and 899 miles: Warm mixed nuts and a plated snack (fruit/cheese, pita/hummus, or spinach dip/pita). A small dessert may be offered.
  • Flights between 900 and 1,298 miles: Warm mixed nuts and a three course meal. A small dessert maybe offered.
  • Flights between 1,299 and 2,199 miles: An appetizer with your entree and dessert. You might receive cake for lunch desserts and ice-cream for dinner desserts.
  • Flights over 2,200 miles: The above plus you’ll receive a choice of dessert. You might receive made-to-order sundaes or a cheese plate for both lunch and dinner desserts.

Tip: No meals are offered between 1:30pm and 4pm on flights under 900 miles.

There are some flights under 900 miles that will receive a more extensive meal service. These include flights on the following routes:

  • Chicago (ORD) – AUS/BDL/BOS/DCA/EWR/JFK/LGA/MSY/RDU
  • Dallas (DFW) – BJX/ORD/MEX/QRO/SLP
  • Fort Lauderdale (FLL) – PAP
  • Los Angeles (LAX) – DEN
  • Miami (MIA) – DCA/IAD/PAP
  • New York (LGA) – ATL
  • Phoenix (PHX) – MZT

When flying on premium transcontinental routes such as between JFK and LAX/SFO or MIA-LAX you can expect an upgraded dining experience.

For example, you might be offered three meal choices, better service, printed menus, tablecloth linens, etc.

If you are flying on a smaller regional jet you can expect the following meal offerings:

  • Up to 175 miles: A light snack mix along with beverage service
  • 176-899 miles: Snack basket
  • 900-2199 miles: Warm mixed nuts, two meal options, and dessert.

If your flight has scheduled meal service, you can pre-order your meals starting 30 days before your flight and up to 24 hours before departure.

H/T: Flyertalk

To give you a sense of what to expect on a shorter flight of around 2 hours I’ve broken down the meal experience below.

Initially, you may find a nice little refreshing mint waiting on your seat.

Packaged peppermint.
First class mint.

As things get closer towards meal service, you may be brought some warm mixed nuts to hold you over. Note that you may not get these for early morning flights.

Bowl of mixed nuts.
Warm mixed nuts.

On the handful of times that I have flown American Airlines, I did not think that the food was too bad.

I’ve enjoyed the dishes like ravioli, lasagna, salad, and some fantastic desserts. Typically, you will be offered a vegetarian dish and a meat dish.

Meal on tray table
American Airlines first class meal.
Plate with piece of bread
American Airlines first class bread.
Plate with a piece of cake.
American Airlines first class dessert.

Sometime after your meal service or just any time during the flight, you may be offered additional snacks. In some cases, they may bring around a basket of snacks and allow you to select whatever appeals to you.

Bag of chocolate chip cookies.
First class snacks on American Airlines.

American Airlines domestic first class FAQ

How many miles do I need to book American Airlines domestic first class?

For a standard domestic first class MileSAAver award, prices will begin at 25,000 miles.

If you are flying on a lie-flat seat you will have to pay an additional 7,500 miles.

If you are flying on Flagship First, prices start at 50,000 miles one way.

How can you get lie flat seats in American Airlines domestic first class?

You can get lie flat seats by selecting the right type of aircraft on a specific type of route.

These include the following aircraft:

  • 777-300ER
  • 777-200
  • 787-9
  • 787-8
  • A321T
  • A330-200

And these aircraft can sometimes be found on the following routes:

  • DFW — MIA
  • DFW — HNL
  • DFW — LAX
  • DFW — OGG
  • DFW — ORD
  • JFK — LAX
  • JFK — SFO
  • MIA — LAX

Do you get free checked baggage when flying American Airlines domestic first class?

Yes, you will receive two free checked bags.

Do you always get a meal on American Airlines domestic first class?

No, you will only receive a meal if your flight is a certain distance or route. If your flight is over 900 miles, you can expect a meal although some routes offer meals on flights shorter than that.

Do you get lounge access with American Airlines domestic first class?

No, you normally will not get lounge access. However, if you’re flying on a premium route such as from New York to Los Angeles, you will get access to a lounge.

Do you get priority boarding with American Airlines domestic first class?

Yes, you will be able to board with Group 1.

Do all first class seats have TV monitors?

No, unfortunately some first class seats will not have TV monitors installed for in-flight entertainment.

Can unaccompanied minors travel in first class?

Yes, unaccompanied minors may travel in first class.

Final word

As you can see, there are a lot of details regarding the American Airlines domestic first class experience. There are quite a few different products out there and they come with different features and special offerings.

American Airlines 777-200 Business Class Review (SCL-MIA)

Since 2014, we’ve done a lot of international flying including lots of the first class and business class products out there. But while we were focused on international airlines for so long, we had very little experience with what the long-haul product was like on US carriers.

Luckily, that would finally change when we booked a flight from Santiago, Chile to Miami on American Airlines’ 777-200. Here’s how it went and how it failed to meet my expectations.

Booking American Airlines 777-200 business class

This flight was initially a connecting flight on LATAM from SCL->BOG->MIA.

But after searching for award availability I saw American Airlines open up and we wanted desperately to mix up the airlines on this trip since we would have been flying LATAM’s (dated) business class product 5X!

So I called Qantas and I was able to change the flight and I was surprised to find the American Airlines flight was actually cheaper at 68,400 miles compared to 75,000 miles. Fees were only $62. The downside was they charged me a change fee in miles of 5,000 miles.

Still, we avoided the connection late in the trip and finally I would be able to try out AA’s long-haul, lie-flat product!

Getting to SCL

This flight was the returning leg of a 17-day trip down to Latin America where we spent most of our time exploring Easter Island, which had been a bucket-list destination for me for over a decade.

At this point of the trip, we were running on fumes and so we just stayed at the Holiday Inn Airport Hotel before we departed.

We actually booked two nights so that the night of the trip we would be able to stay in the room as long as we wanted, which was a great call.

About three hours and 15 minutes prior to departure we made our way from the hotel over to the international terminal which was a pretty short walk. As the sun sets very late here in the summer, it was a beautiful and breezy walk over to T2.

Check-in

We made our way over to the priority check in for American Airlines and there was basically no one around.

However, the people in front of us had some type of issue and were occupying the priority desk so it would have been much faster for us just to join the main line. We were not in a rush though so there was no big deal.

American airlines boarding

After getting through check in we made our way through a long immigration line and then through security pretty quickly before trying to find an airport lounge.

We walked past a LATAM lounge and I thought maybe there was a snowball’s chance in hell there was still some way to get in with an international business class AA boarding pass but my dreams were quickly dashed. No chance.

So we then made our way over to our gate area where we would pass by a Pacific Club VIP lounge open to Priority Pass members (and apparently everyone else at the airport).

The line was backed way out out of the door and not moving at all.

lounge line

Worse, it didn’t look like there was much space inside and we decided that we would just hang out in the terminal since the lounge options were lacking.

I enjoyed some of the sites in the terminal, especially the Easter Island themed artwork. But after exploring some of the terminal, we soon found ourselves chowing down at McDonalds, as it was one of the few places with seating open so late.

Boarding

Boarding was a little bit interesting and I think I finally convinced myself to just ditch the whole trying to board first strategy.

The reason I try to board first is to get photos and video of an empty cabin.

The photos look a lot better because they are cleaner and allow you to see the cabin in detail. Plus I don’t have to worry about any privacy issues or getting in the way of other passengers.

I usually line up at boarding around 30 minutes prior to it beginning and find a spot (that is not in the way) to line up at.

But I think after doing this for so many years, I’m finally kind of over it.

For one, about 25% of the time there are people who are very determined to board first for some unknown reason.

These people will try to cut you (outright or slyly) and sometimes just give you some kind of negative reaction or looks because you lined up before them. It’s truly the weirdest sense of competitiveness.

Other times, you may just get cut by a clueless passenger who pays absolutely no mind to anyone lining up. Usually you can call them out or a gate agent will but sometimes they quickly get through and you are stuck behind them.

Also, preboarding often boards just seconds before you and so they are often in the cabin shot anyway, so the efforts to line up early end up not mattering.

In this case, I talked with a boarding agent about where I could stand so that I would not be in the way and as soon as I stood there I initiated a long line up of business class passengers who came out of the wood works.

So now, well before boarding was beginning there was now a long line of passengers extending out into the terminal.

When boarding finally began, we had to go through an additional screening on the jet bridge for liquids. The agent going through my bags did not have speed as an asset so I ended up losing my top boarding position up front anyway.

When we finally got on the plane, there was an elderly-ish couple blocking the aisle in our cabin and access to our seats. They were obviously having some kind of issue and getting a crew member involved but it wasn’t clear to me what was going on.

The cabin already feels a little bit claustrophobic to me and the added congestion didn’t help.

American Airlines 777-200 Business Class cabin
American Airlines 777-200 Business Class cabin.

But finally, we were able to make it to our seat.

The 777 comes with B/E Aerospace Super Diamond seats. I believe the last time I flew these seats was in 2018 when flying on Virgin Australia business class on the 777-300ER. I generally had a good impression of the seats but remember a few challenges they posed.

American Airlines 777-200 Business Class cabin seat
B/E Aerospace Super Diamond seats.

First, let’s talk about counter and storage space: two of my favorite things in business class.

I love that the seats have a good amount of counter space with the compartments closed. You can easily prop up a laptop if needed, place random things on the counter, etc. It just makes life easier.

American Airlines 777-200 Business Class B/E Aerospace Super Diamond seat

Then you can utilize the two storage compartments on the side for smaller personal items. One of the storage compartments is only about a couple of inches deep while the other one is about 4 inches deep. So while storage opportunities are there, they aren’t the greatest.

It’s also worth pointing out that Virgin Australia’s 777 has an additional (but arguably useless) storage compartment that the seat did not have which was located right behind the 777 pamphlet you see in the photos.

American Airlines 777-200 Business Class seat

In the deeper compartment, you’ll find to USB ports, the headphone jack, and the power outlet. This is also where you will pull out the in-flight entertainment controller.

I like the simplicity of the outlets being right there so you don’t have to contort your body or go on a mad scavenger hunt to find them. When I flew this seat in Virgin Australia’s 777 this compartment only had one USB port so it was interesting to see another one.

B/E Aerospace Super Diamond seat storage
B/E Aerospace Super Diamond seat storage
B/E Aerospace Super Diamond seat storage

The next thing that stood out was the 18.5-inch TV monitor. After flying on LATAM’s business class, this TV monitor represented an instantly recognizable upgrade. I was excited to use it and enjoyed the quality.

B/E Aerospace Super Diamond seat

I found the entertainment options to be plentiful with good movies. You can also use the touchscreen to navigate which I found to be very responsive. No complaints here.

B/E Aerospace Super Diamond seat screen

It was then time to check out the Bang & Olufsen headphones. Once again, I was excited for these because LATAM does not provide you with very high-quality headphones so I was relieved to get back to premium audio gear!

American Airlines 777-200 Business Class headphones

Unfortunately, when I opened the headphone case, I instantly noticed how worn down these were. I don’t expect these headphones to be brand new but they felt and looked extremely worn, and some of the wiring was even exposed and frayed.

They still worked okay from what I could tell but I expected better.

American Airlines 777-200 Business Class headphones
American Airlines 777-200 Business Class headphones

Then it was time to try out the Shinola Detroit amenity kit. They provided us with a pretty compact and plain amenity kit but I liked the zipper design and overall feel of the bag, which felt like a quality amenity kit.

AA business class Shinola Detroit amenity kit.
AA business class Shinola Detroit amenity kit.

On the inside we had socks, a short writing pen, toothbrush with toothpaste, earplugs, an eye mask, and lip moisturizer and lotion by D.S. & Durga. There didn’t seem to be a lot of creativity that went into the kit but the products were seemingly quality.

I guess I had been left a little bit impressed by LATAM’s long-haul kit that came with some uniqueness like a bamboo toothbrush with sugar cane cap and vibrant design but this plain Jane kit wasn’t a big deal by any stretch.

AA business class Shinola Detroit amenity kit.
AA business class Shinola Detroit amenity kit.

I like the seat controls on the B/E Aerospace Super Diamond seat. They are very simple and right there for easy access. I also found them to be pretty responsive. The lighting controls for my seat did not work, however.

Also, I should probably mention that the Wi-Fi did not work on the plane (despite charging us), which was another let down because I really wanted to test it out.

These seats have an interesting little armrest that can be raised and also they have a small storage compartment underneath them.

15 minutes after loading the plane, pre-departure beverages were served with champagne, water, and orange juice coming out on a tray. I recorded myself grabbing a cup of orange juice to which the flight attendant responded, “Really, you going to do this now?”

Apparently, despite showing no signs of straining, she was struggling to serve a few partially filled plastic cups and me recording myself grabbing a cup (which maybe added half a second) was causing too much strain for her.

Whether she meant her comment to be joking or not, I’m not sure, but because this was my first (and only) interaction with her she definitely came off as rude.

I’ve been getting pre-departure drink photos or videos for years and never had a flight attendant get chirpy like that.

The interaction pretty much set the tone for the service for the entire flight which I found to be at best forgettable. Interactions were brief, uninspired, and all business.

It was one of those flights where the majority of the crew feels like they are just doing what they have to do to get the job over with.

I may not have realized just how mediocre things were if it were not for the JetBlue Mint flight I would take in the next 24 hours which reminded me what quality premium service is all about! More on that amazing flight later.

Dining

I had pretty high expectations for the dining as I fully expected American Airlines to blow away LATAM’s product. But of course that would not happen.

American Airlines 777-200 Business Class menu
The menu

The tray table is simple enough to utilize as you simply pull the lever on the bottom and then it comes out to you.

A tablecloth was then brought out as dinner approached.

Nuts along with my beverage of choice, sparkling water, were then brought out.

Then the entire meal, including bread, was brought out at once.

The seasonal salad with quinoa was pretty fresh as was the smoked trout. The main parmesan breaded chicken breast looked very appetizing and I was excited to give it a shot.

Unfortunately, it had this uncanny moistness to it that caused the breading to get very soggy and it just didn’t sit right. It was edible but didn’t deliver like I thought it would.

I took one bite of the grilled polenta and immediately ruled that out. So the dinner on the hole was mostly a swing and a miss in terms of rising above mediocrity.

American Airlines 777-200 Business Class dinner
Dinner on American Airlines 777-200 Business Class.

I will say that the chocolates given out were absolutely amazing and the one true highlight of dinner.

And now, let’s fast forward to breakfast.

Surely breakfast would deliver at a higher level?

Unfortunately, that was not the case. I was given one of the slimiest pieces of ham I’d ever seen along with basically inedible potato frittata. The fresh fruit got me through breakfast but I was once again very disappointed with the dining on American Airlines.

American Airlines 777-200 Business Class breakfast
Eating on a flight shouldn’t feel punitive.

Bedding

I eventually put the seat in lie-flat mode to get some decent rest.

Unfortunately, at this time I was just checked out so I did not get any good bed photos. It’s a pretty long bed at around 78 inches and for the most part you have a good amount of width so as to be comfortable. I did have a slight gap between the cushions in my seat which made lying flat a bit uncomfortable, though.

The other thing I don’t like about the seat is that when reclined it’s difficult to get in and out of especially when you are trying to put your shoes back on to get to the bathroom. (AA did not provide any slippers.)

Speaking of the bathroom, I really did like the bathroom on the 777-200. It was spacious, modern looking, and well-kept.

American Airlines 777-200 Business Class lavatory

I ended up maybe dozing off for a short amount of time but not nearly as long as I thought it would on this flight considering that we departed at midnight.

Before I knew it, we were on the approach to Miami and finally arriving back in the US.

I hate to say it but this was probably one of the most disappointing long-haul flights I’ve done.

Part of it was this was my first time flying with American Airlines on the long-haul and I had worked up these expectations that were probably too high. I imagined them at the very least blowing LATAM out of the water which definitely did not happen.

In fact, I would say that based on this trip the soft product of LATAM was clearly better than American Airlines. The service was certainly more memorable and I even enjoyed the food better. That’s something that I did not expect before going on this trip and to be honest it was kind of a bummer.

Again, I’m very thankful for the JetBlue Mint flight we would go on just a day after this flight because I felt like I was losing some of my love for long-haul flying.

I had done so little long-haul flying since the pandemic and I was starting to wonder if things were just that much different in a post covid world.

Turns out, no, flying can still be an awesome experience but the soft product really does matter. A lot.

As we arrived back at MIA, Global Entry was a breeze and we didn’t have any issues getting back into the country. Felt good to be back.

Final word

Overall, this flight fell well short of my expectations.

For the most part, I’m a fan of the 777-200 hard product having basically flown it before and found it pretty comfortable and private. So from a comfort standpoint, it was a pretty worthwhile experience.

But the soft product on this flight was severely lacking. I didn’t care for 80% of the food and the service was bottom-tier, minimal effort, etc.

I really wanted to enjoy this flight and have good things to say but it seemed like American Airlines just didn’t put forth any effort into making the flight memorable. So unfortunately for me, my first long-haul flight with American Airlines was overall a big dud.

American Airlines Boarding Groups Guide (Get The Best Seats!) [2023]

The boarding process for American Airlines is very similar to most other major airlines, such as United Airlines boarding. Below, I’ll show you how the American Airlines boarding groups work, including things like the boarding order and how to make sure you have room for your carry-on bags. 

I’ll then tell you everything you need to know about things like check-in and checked baggage so you’ll know when you can get to the airport and check your bags before your plane closes for boarding.

How do American Airlines boarding groups work?

American Airlines has a total of nine boarding groups and at the time of boarding each group should be called up individually. Note that it’s possible that each group might not get called up individually.

For example, sometimes agents might lump several groups together. So it’s a good idea to always monitor when you think you should be boarding.

Below are all of the different American Airlines boarding groups and the different types of passengers who will board.

Pre-boarding

If you are a passenger requiring assistance, such as an unaccompanied minor you’ll be able to board with American Airlines pre-boarding. (If you need to make special travel arrangements, you can make them online or call 800-433-7300.)

Pre-boarding is also where those with ConciergeKey members (the highest elite level) are allowed to board along with Five Star customers. However, those who need assistance getting in their seat should be called before elite members.

Boarding Group 1

First class or two cabin international Business class passengers will board in Group 1. Two cabin business class planes are those aircraft without a “true” first class (i.e, the highest class on the aircraft is business class).

Also, after a recent change, AAdvantage Executive Platinum members will board in this group.

Other passengers who can board with Group 1 are those active duty U.S. military members with military I.D.

Boarding Group 2

Group 2 allows those to board with Platinum Pro or those who have oneworld Emerald elite status. This is also where those business class passengers can board in those three cabin aircraft that do have first class.

Boarding Group 3

Group 3 allows those to board with Platinum or those who have oneworld Sapphire elite status.

Boarding Group 4

Group 4 allows those to board with American Airlines Gold and oneworld Ruby status. It also offer boarding to those with Air Pass and passengers flying Premium Economy.

If you hold the premium Citi AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard you can also board with Group 4. This is the premium AA credit card issued by Citi that comes with Admiral’s Club access and additional AA perks like priority check-in, priority airport screening (where available), in-flight savings, and free checked baggage.

This card also offers a pretty decent sign-up bonus at times so it can be one of the best ways to rack up a lot of AA miles in a hurry.  

If you purchased Priority Boarding, you can also board with Group 4. The cost for Priority boarding can be from $9 to $74. Unless you’re flying on a Basic Economy fare, you can buy Priority for your trip on American marketed and operated flights during the following times:

  • Check-in on aa.com
  • Check-in at an airport kiosk
  • Through Reservations before departure.

Boarding Group 5

Group 5 is known as “Preferred Boarding.”

If you are flying Main Cabin Extra, you can board with this group and if you are an eligible corporate traveler you can also board with Group 5. (Main Cabin Extra is essentially economy with extra legroom and perks like complimentary alcohol on board.)

Finally, if you have an eligible AAdvantage credit card like the Aviator Red or the Citi Platinum Select, you’ll get preferred boarding. Cards like the Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select also offer you complimentary checked baggage for domestic flights for you and several companions. If you do a lot of flying on American that can save you a lot of money.

In case you’re wondering, here are all of the eligible cards that will get you preferred boarding:

  • Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite Mastercard
  • CitiBusiness / AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite Mastercard
  • Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Select American Express Card
  • Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Select Visa Signature
  • AAdvantage Aviator Silver Mastercard
  • AAdvantage Aviator Red Mastercard
  • AAdvantage Aviator Business Mastercard

Group 5 is great because you shouldn’t have issues with overhead storage space. On a couple of recent flights I took, I had Group 5 boarding, and we had plenty of space in the overhead storage bins — it wasn’t an issue at all.

Boarding Groups 6 through 8

Group 6 consists of Coach Groups and then also Basic Economy on longhaul transoceanic flights. Basic Economy is the class that doesn’t allow you many perks like selecting a seat.

Group 6 boarding is when things start to get a little tricky with overhead storage space. It all depends on certain factors like how many elite travelers there are on your flight. You will often be able to find overhead storage space in Group 6 and even Group 7 but it might not always be right where you’re sitting.

Once you get higher up into Group 8, finding overhead storage space becomes much more difficult and you might have to gate check your bag in some cases.

Related: Airline Overhead Storage Bin Etiquette Guide

Boarding Group 9

Group 9 consists of Basic Economy within the U.S., Canada, Mexico & Caribbean. You will be the last to board the plane so as you can probably expect, finding overhead storage space can be very difficult to impossible.

H/T: Flyertalk

American Airlines plane on the tarmac

Missing your boarding group

If you are a higher boarding group and you arrive when a later boarding group is boarding you should be able to enter through your lane and bypass their line. For example, let’s say you’re a business class passenger who can board in Group 2.

Now let’s say that you were hanging out in the lounge and lost track of time and now they are calling for Group 5 when you arrive. You should be able to bypass any other groups and simply make your way to the gate agent in that case.

A polite way to do this is to head to the front of your boarding group line and then try to signal to the gate agent that you have a higher boarding group pass. This will allow you to cut the line without potentially causing an unwanted confrontation with other passengers.

Some people argue that you should just join the current line instead of cutting but that is a matter that is open for debate.

Boarding with other groups

If there are other members in your party that you’d like to board with this shouldn’t be a problem as long as you are moving “down.”

For example, if someone with a Group 3 boarding pass wants to board with Group 5 that should be okay. However, if someone with a Group 5 wants to board with Group 3 that would not be allowed.

American Airlines boarding group sign
American Airlines boarding groups.

How early should I get to the airport for American Airlines?

American Airlines states that you should arrive two hours before your flight for a domestic flight and three hours before your flight for an international flight.

That’s usually a pretty good rule of thumb, but I would also recommend to consider whether or not you have to check bags or not. If you’re not checking in bags you can often shave off 15 to 30 minutes for your arrival time.

Also, if you can rely on things like TSA Pre-Check and CLEAR you can shave some more time off your arrival.

Related: How Early Should You Get to the Airport?

When can I check in for an American Airlines flight?

If you’re like me and you enjoy getting to the airport early, you’ll probably want to know how early you can check-in for your flight.

You can check-in online or from the app starting 24 hours before and up to 45 minutes before departure (90 minutes for international).

When can I check my bags for American Airlines?

When checking your bags at the airport there are two deadlines you need to know about.

The first is the latest that you can check your bags and the second is the earliest that you can check your bags. By the way, if you are looking for information about American Airlines baggage fees click here.

The latest you can check your bags

To check bags at the airport, you must be there a certain amount of time before scheduled departure.

If you are flying within the United States, you’ll need to check your bags at least 45 minutes prior to departure. If you’re flying to or from destinations outside the U.S., you’ll need to check your bags at least 60 minutes prior to departure. 

But note that some airports require you to check your bags even sooner before departure. Check out the rules from the airports below (supplied by American Airlines).

Airport locationAirport codeCheck-in before scheduled departure
ArubaAUA75 minutes
Barcelona, SpainBCN75 minutes
Buenos Aires, ArgentinaEZE75 minutes
Dublin, IrelandDUB75 minutes
Georgetown, GuyanaGEO90 minutes
Madrid, SpainMAD75 minutes
Paris, FranceCDG75 minutes
San Juan, Puerto RicoSJU60 minutes
St. Croix, U.S. Virgin IslandsSTX90 minutes
St. Kitts and NevisSKB90 minutes
St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin IslandsSTT90 minutes
Tampa, Florida
Applies only to the Consolidated Rental Car Center		TPA90 minutes
Tel Aviv, IsraelTLV75 minutes

The earliest you can check your bags

The earliest you can check your bags in will depend on the airport.

Generally, I try to check my bags in no earlier than four hours — this is a common deadline for many airlines and some might even impose a three hour deadline.

If an airline allows you to check bags earlier than 4 hours before departure consider that you are increasing the odds of your baggage getting lost by handing them over way before the airline typically has a standard procedure for them (just something to think about).

You can’t check bags more than 4 hours before departure when flying from the following airports:

  • Charleston (CHS)
  • Denver (DEN)
  • Fort Lauderdale (FLL)
  • Honolulu (HNL)
  • Kahului (OGG)
  • Kansas City (MCI)
  • Las Vegas (LAS)
  • Orlando (MCO)
  • Portland, Oregon (PDX)
  • Salt Lake City (SLC)
  • Seattle (SEA)
Honolulu (HNL) is one of several locations where you can’t check your bags earlier than four hours prior to your flight time.

When will American Airlines board the plane?

The time for boarding an American Airlines plane depends on what type of aircraft that you’re flying on.

For the most part, flights will start boarding 30 to 50 minutes before the scheduled departure. Generally, the larger the aircraft or the farther the destination, the sooner the boarding will begin.

Here are some estimated boarding times based on destination via Flyertalk. Keep in mind that these could differ based on your actual flight and boarding could occur earlier.

50 minutes prior to departure

From/To the United States and:

  • Europe
  • Middle East
  • Asia
  • South American destinations: Asuncion, PY; Brasilia, BR; Belo Horizonte, BR; Curitiba, Br; Buenos Aires, AR; Rio de Janeiro, BR; Sao Paulo, BR; Lima, PE; Montevideo, UY; Porto Alegre, BR; Recife, BR; Salvador, BR; Santiago, CL; Sao Paulo Viracop, BR

45 minutes prior to departure

From/To the United States and:

  • Caribbean
  • Central America
  • Hawaii
  • Mexico
  • South American destinations: La Paz, BO; Santa Cruz, BO; Maracaibo, VE; Caracas, VE; Bogota, CO; Cali, CO; Medellin, CO; Guayaquil, EC; Quito, EC

35 minutes prior to departure

Domestic on these aircraft types: A321, A321S, A330, B757, B767, B787, B777

  • Within the 48 contiguous states
  • Alaska
  • Canada

30 minutes prior to departure

Domestic on these aircraft types: A319, A320, A321T, E190, S80, B737

  • Within the 48 contiguous states
  • Alaska
  • Canada
Boarding gate area for American Airlines
Boarding group for American Airlines.

After you check your bags and get through security you will need to wait until the plane begins the boarding process. You can find the estimated boarding time on your boarding pass.

Just note that this time is subject to change depending on the status of delays. In addition, it’s always possible that your gate could change as well so always keep your eye on the monitors.

When to arrive at the gate

You need to make sure you arrive at the gate 15 minutes prior to the scheduled departure for flights departing from points within the U.S., Puerto Rico, and Virgin Islands.

For flights departing from points outside the U.S., Puerto Rico, and Virgin Islands, i.e., Canada, Mexico, Europe, Asia, Central/South America, Caribbean, Bahamas, Bermuda, make sure you arrive 30 minutes prior to scheduled departure.

If you are not at the gate at that time, it’s possible that they will give your seat to someone else. The doors close 10 minutes before departure and you will not be allowed to board once the doors close.

Note: In the event you are coming from a connecting flight that was late, keep in mind the flight attendants will hold the door open for you — at least for a short while.

Coronavirus changes

If you are boarding a flight during the pandemic, don’t be surprised if you are asked to maintain 6 feet apart from other passengers while awaiting boarding. In addition, you will likely be required to wear a mask while waiting in the boarding area.

Related: American Airlines Lost and Found Guide

American Airlines Boarding FAQ

How can I get priority boarding on American Airlines?

You can get priority boarding by having elite status or flying in certain cabins such as business class.

You can also get priority boarding with Group 4 if you have the Citi AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard.

When do Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select members board?

Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Select cardmembers get to board with Group 5 which is known as “preferred boarding.”

When does business class board?

If you are flying internationally on a two cabin business class aircraft you will be able to board with group one.

How many boarding groups does American Airlines have?

There are a total of 10 boarding groups if you include pre-boarding.

Can I board with other groups?

You can board with other groups as long as you are boarding with a group that is lower than your initial boarding group.

For example, if you are in Group 5 you can board with Group 6 but not Group 4.

When does basic economy board?

Basic economy will be the very last to board and they will board with Group 9.

What happens if I miss my boarding group?

If you miss your boarding group, you should still be able to board as soon as you arrive to the boarding area (assuming that you arrive while the gate is still open).

When does boarding start?

Boarding will usually begin about 30 to 50 minutes prior to the scheduled departure time.

Final word 

The boarding process with American Airlines is pretty straight forward. There are many ways to get Preferred Boarding (Group 5) and those should allow you to have overhead storage bin space without much issue so I would generally try to get into that group.

American Airlines Lost and Found Guide (What to Expect) [2023]

Losing an item when flying can be an incredibly stressful and frustrating experience. But there are many people who lose items on planes or in airports every day that get reunited with their valuables — even expensive items like laptops and tablets!

So if you recently lost an item on an American Airlines flight there is still hope for you. In this article, I will break down what to expect with the American Airlines lost and found process.

American Airlines Lost and Found

Items left on American Airlines aircraft are returned to their rightful owners all the time so if you have left something on the plane don’t lose hope and just follow these guidelines.

If you are exiting or have just exited the plane and realize you left an item on the plane you should contact the nearest gate agent immediately. However, if you have already left the airport then you will need to file a claim online.

NOTE: This is a different process than losing your luggage. If your luggage has been lost or it’s not showing up at the baggage claim there is a separate process for reclaiming your baggage.

Tip: Use WalletFlo for all your credit card needs. It’s free and will help you optimize your rewards and savings!

Still at the airport

If you are just exiting the plane or have already exited the plane and are still located in the airport then your best course of action is to contact an American Airlines agent.

I would advise you to head over to the gate that you arrived at and try to speak to an agent at the desk right there. Even better, if you can locate a crew member or even a pilot from your flight they might be willing and capable of going back on the plane and retrieving your item.

If they are searching for a small item such as a wedding ring and they cannot locate it American Airlines planes are deep cleaned every night. This means that the cleaning crew might be able to find it later so you still have hope but the process to recovering the item will be a little different (you’ll likely have to rely on the online process discussed below).

If you have already made your way through the airport and you were not able to make your way back to the gates without going through TSA airport security then you may want to contact an American Airlines agent at an information desk.

Provide them with all of your details like your flight number and a detailed description of the item and they might be able to take action right there on the spot. There are reports of people getting their items delivered to them while they are waiting at baggage claim services so there is a possibility you can get your item back before even leaving the airport.

If they can’t help you then be sure to get clarification on the next step. They may ask you to file a claim online yourself or they may be able to take some initiative for you. Either way, just make sure that you are very clear on what your next step is to retrieve your items before you leave the airport.

Boarding gate for American Airlines
Contact an agent at the gate as soon as possible to improve your odds of recovering your item.

Security

If you suspect that you may have lost your item at or near a TSA security checkpoint chances are that your item may have been placed in the TSA lost and found. TSA has its own lost and found department for different airports. You can find the contact information for the relevant airport you need here.

Related: What Happens if Your Item Is Not Allowed Through TSA Security? Can You Get It Back?

Around the airport

If you think that your item may just be sitting around the terminal somewhere then you likely want to contact the lost and found for the airport. Typically, an airport will have a phone number for its lost and found and a dedicated email address that you can get in touch with.

Below are some of the main airports that American Airlines serves. You should be able to find the contact information for the airport pretty easily.

If you think you may have left the item within a bar or restaurant at the airport then try to contact that individual business. Sometimes contacting a specific business within an airport can be difficult to do so one method is to contact a business nearby and ask one of their employees to walk over to the business you were trying to contact and inquire about your item.

I actually had to do this one time when I left my wallet in the rental car and the Avis rental car desk was not answering the phone. I got into contact with one of the neighboring rental car services and they walked over and got somebody at Avis on the phone for me.

As soon as you get in touch with someone your goal is to quickly get a point of contact via email. This will help you keep everything in writing and allow you to confirm details such as the location that the item should be delivered and how shipping will work out.

Try to insist on getting a (non-generic) email contact as soon as possible and don’t rely on someone to just “get back with you.”

If the entity locates your item they may choose to hand it over to the airport lost and found so that they do not have to deal with it but you can also work out a situation where they mail the item to you directly (that’s what I have done in the past).

The situation can sometimes take a long time to get worked out so my advice to you would be to be as patient as possible while these things are processed. Try to keep in touch on a weekly basis until you receive your item because if you do not hear anything there is a chance that your “claim” could be closed without you getting notified.

Tip: Use the free app WalletFlo to help you travel the world for free by finding the best travel credit cards and promotions!

If you’ve already left the airport

If you have already left the airport or you are not able to contact an agent while you are still there then you should file a claim online.

American Airlines uses a third-party service to process their lost and found claims. It is a different service used from other airlines like JetBlue but you will be going through the website: www.chargerback.com.

The online form will ask you to fill out the following information:

  • Category — you will need to choose the type of category your lost item belongs to. Once you select the item type such as an iPhone you will then need to input more description details (this is where you can enter your serial number)
  • Flight information — provide your airline and flight number
  • Date you lost the item
  • Airport that you lost item at
  • Unique description — if there is anything that makes your item stand out this is the place to and put those details
  • If you were item has a tracking device like an AirTag you can list that here
  • Contact information — input all of your basic contact information

Once you finish inputting all of your details you will be issued a tracker number. If your item is discovered then you should be hearing back from American Airlines via email. In the event they track down your item you can then arrange for your item to be shipped to you and you will have to cover the cost.

American Airlines states that they will search for your item for up to 30 days.

American Airlines lost and found form
The American Airlines lost and found form is simple to fill out.

Admirals Club

If you think that you left an item in the Admirals Club then once again my advice would be to first try to persuade an American Airlines agent to check the lounge for you. If you were not able to get someone to check the lounge for you then you likely will need to file the claim online as shown above.

When you are not sure

If you simply have no idea where your lost item might be then my advice would be to contact all of the departments above.

Third-party claim providers

If you are searching for solutions to your lost and found issues you may come across businesses that require you to pay to handle your lost and found claims. I would generally try to avoid these services.

Unless they have an amazing reputation for their services, there is not a need to pay someone to file a lost and found claim for you. Also, some of the lost and found providers for the airlines explicitly ban these type of services. So my advice would be to work directly with the airline, airport, or TSA to retrieve your item.

Final word

If you lose an item when flying American Airlines your first step is to check with agents at the airport to see if they can immediately retrieve your item. If that is not practical then you can file a claim online and American Airlines will search for your item for 30 days. In the event that they locate the item you can pay to have it shipped to you.

American Airlines Unaccompanied Minor Policy (Fees & Forms) [2023]

Sending your child unaccompanied through an airport to another destination can seem like a pretty daunting task. There are a lot of things that can come up and present challenges for your minor and you obviously want to make sure that they are in good hands.

In this article, I will break down everything you need to know about the American Airlines unaccompanied minor policy, including things like the fees and forms. I’ll also show the different rules that apply to different ages and provide some tips for unaccompanied minors.

What is the American Airlines unaccompanied minor policy?

American Airlines has an unaccompanied minor policy that requires children aged five through fourteen to be accompanied through the airport for an additional fee. 

However, there are several limitations and restrictions that apply depending on the age of your child and potentially the location of their travel so be sure to keep reading below for more details.

Don’t Miss out! Find out which American Airlines credit card can set you up with a big bonus, lounge access, free checked bags, and a short-cut to AAdvantage elite status! Read more here!

What are the American Airlines unaccompanied minor fees?

The unaccompanied minor service fee is $150 plus tax each way. So a round trip will cost you $300 in service fees plus the remaining tax (plus the amount of your airline ticket).

If there are two or more unaccompanied minors from the same family then you only have to pay the $150 service fee one time. So for example, if you had three children setting out on a one way flight the total that you would have to pay is $150 (plus tax).

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American Airlines unaccompanied minor rules

Age restrictions

Your child may only be eligible for the unaccompanied minor service on certain routes depending on its age. Basically, your child will have to be at least eight years old in order to travel on the connecting routes through certain airports. Otherwise, your child will have to fly on nonstop for direct flights.

If there is a connecting flight, your child will be chaperoned through the terminal to make their connection.

Here are the current rules for different ages via AA.com.

Age rangeRestrictions
0-4Cannot travel alone.
5-7• Unaccompanied minor service required
• Gate escort and guardian contact required
• Nonstop flights only
8-14• Unaccompanied minor service required
• Gate escort and guardian contact required
• Nonstop flights, or any connecting flight through Charlotte, NC (CLT), Washington Reagan, D.C. (DCA), Dallas Forth Worth, TX (DFW), New York, NY (JFK and LGA), Los Angeles, CA (LAX), Miami, FL (MIA), Chicago, IL (ORD), Philadelphia, PA (PHL) and Phoenix, AZ (PHX)
15-17• Unaccompanied minor service optional, service fee still applies
• Gate escort and guardian contact required
• Nonstop flights, or any connecting flight through Charlotte, NC (CLT), Washington Reagan, D.C. (DCA), Dallas Forth Worth, TX (DFW), New York, NY (JFK and LGA), Los Angeles, CA (LAX), Miami, FL (MIA), Chicago, IL (ORD), Philadelphia, PA (PHL) and Phoenix, AZ (PHX)

Note: Children 2-14 years old can travel as an “accompanied minor” with someone 16 years or older. 

Want more details? Check out the Ultimate Guide to Unaccompanied Minor Policies

Other restrictions

American Airlines won’t accept unaccompanied minors when their itineraries include:

  • A connection to/from another airline, including codeshare and oneworld® partners
  • Ground/co-terminal connections (unaccompanied minors under 15 years, can’t use ground transportation alone)
  • The last flight of the day from the final connection city, unless it’s the only scheduled flight offered
  • Overnight connecting flights, unless it’s the only scheduled flight offered

How the process works

Unaccompanied minor form

You will need to fill out the unaccompanied minor form whenever you arrive at check-in at the airport. This is a pretty basic form and if you want to get an idea of what it looks like you can click here.

I would not print out that specific form and fill it out because the form that you need to fill out at the airport might be different or updated. However taking a glance at that form should give you an idea of what you’ll need to know when filling out the form at the airport and give you a sense of what terms and conditions you’re agreeing to. 

Basically the form requires you to identify the individual who may be picking up your minor at the final destination. You also will likely be agreeing that American Airlines has the authority to take “appropriate” measures to ensure the minor’s custody in the event that the individual identified to pick up the child does not arrive. 

Something that you need to note is that the form must remain with the child throughout the entire flight.

Documents

You will also need to bring documents to provide proof of age. This could be in the form of something like a birth certificate or passport. These documents might also be required for TSA, so keep them handy.

Get a security pass

In order to escort your minor all the way to the gate you will need to get a security pass. So be sure to bring your government issued ID in order to obtain this pass. The parent or designated adult will be expected to remain at the gate in order to supervise the child until the time of departure.

It is recommended that you arrive early at the airport in order to ensure that you have enough time to get this pass and to fill out all necessary paperwork.

Pick up

When picking up a minor at the destination the adult needs to be sure to pick up a security pass so they will need to have the government issued ID on them when they arrive at the airport. They will then be allowed to access the gate where the flight will be arriving.

It’s a very good idea to arrive extra early because many flights do arrive extra early and you want to make sure that you are there at the gate when they exit. If you would like to monitor the flight to see exactly when it is scheduled to arrive you should check out the website or app like Flight Aware.

International travel

If your minor is traveling internationally you might not be able to accompany them through security into the gate. And in that case an American Airlines representative will accompany them and supervise them until the flight departs.

Also, anyone under 18 traveling internationally without both parents may be required to present a Letter of Consent.

Tips for unaccompanied minors

If your minor is flying unaccompanied for the first time then you should probably consider some of these additional tips.

Introduce them to the airport

It can make the child feel much more comfortable if you take a pre-visit to the airport just to familiarize them with the airport and some of the agents working there. Let them see what the agents look like so that your minor can easily identify them and ask for help whenever their trip comes up.

Inform the gate agent

If this is your minor’s first ever flight be sure to inform the gate agent about that so that they can take extra protective measures to ensure the safety and comfort of your minor. This is especially the case if you think that your child will be emotional/scared during the flight.

It also can be a good idea to write detailed notes for the flight attendants so that they are aware of any restrictions you have regarding diet or certain things you think they should be aware about regarding your child.

Keep them entertained

It’s a good idea to have your minor pack some things that will keep them entertained so that they do not get very bored on the flight. The flight attendants are not able or required to devote 100% of their attention during the flight to keeping your child occupied, entertained, etc. 

Tablets are obviously a great choice here but you may also think about things like books, coloring books, toys, etc. If your child will have electronics on them be sure to give them some headphones so that they are not distracting or annoying other passengers.

Keep them fed

It is suggested that you pack some extra food and snacks for your child. If you are wondering what types of food and snacks you can bring to the airport and onto the plane click here for more about that.

If your child is getting ready to go on a longer flight consider eating a nice meal with them at the airport prior to departure. If you suspect that they might want to order something from the in-flight menu, you may have to lend them your credit card just so that they have some way of paying for the food since many airlines do not accept cash.

Minimize the carry-ons

It is a good idea to limit your minor to only one carry-on bag so that they do not risk forgetting the additional bag.

American Airlines Unaccompanied Minor FAQ

What is the age requirement for the American Airlines has unaccompanied minor policy?

Children aged five through 14 are subject to the unaccompanied minor policy.

How much is the unaccompanied minor fee?

The fee is $150 plus tax each way.

If there are two or more unaccompanied minors from the same family, you only have to pay the $150 fee one time.

How can I avoid the fee?

You can use airline credits to avoid the fee with some credit cards such as the Amex Gold Card. 

Can an unaccompanied minor make connections on flights?

An unaccompanied minor will have to be at least eight years old to fly on connecting flights and only certain connections are permitted.

What forms do I need to fill out?

Whenever you arrive to check in at the airport, you will be required to fill out a basic form in order to proceed with the unaccompanied minor process.

This form will ask for contact information for the adult dropping off the child and the adult picking up the child.

You will also need to bring your government-issued ID and you might need to supply proof of age with something like a birth certificate or passport.

Can I accompany the child on international flights?

On international flights, you may not be able to accompany the child all the way to the gate. Instead, an American Airlines representative will supervise them.

Do unaccompanied minors get priority boarding?

Unaccompanied minors should be able to board the plane during pre-boarding which is the very first group to board.

When you arrive at the gate be sure to inquire with the gate agent to ensure that you can partake in pre-boarding.

Do I need to arrive early at the airport?

It’s recommended to arrive about 30 minutes earlier to the airport than usual to ensure that you have enough time to process the unaccompanied minor forms.

If you are picking up an unaccompanied minor, you should also arrive earlier than the expected arrival time because flights often arrive earlier than scheduled.

What if I am connecting on a different airline?

American Airlines will not accept unaccompanied minors when the itineraries involve connecting on a different airline (even if it is a codeshare or oneworld partner).

Final word

Sending your unaccompanied minor through the airport into their destination does not have to be a very stressful experience.

But you definitely need to know about the different policy restrictions and rules for doing so and also try to make an extra effort to make your minor as comfortable as possible throughout the process.

Cover photo by LoadedAaron.

American Airlines Baggage Fees Guide (Checked, International, Military) [2022]

American Airlines is a huge airline just like United and Delta, and just like those other legacy carriers it comes with baggage fees.

In this article, I’ll discuss the specific American Airlines baggage restrictions and fees for carry-ons, checked bags, and international flights and show you some ways to avoid these fees. I’ll also talk about special circumstances such as for overweight baggage, pet policies, and military privileges.

Interested in finding out the hottest travel credit cards for this month? Click here to check them out!

What are American Airlines baggage fees?

American Airlines generally charges $30 for your first checked bag and allows one free carry-on and personal item. However, fees can vary based on the number of checked bags and your specific routes. Keep reading below for more details.

How can I avoid AA baggage fees?

You can avoid AA baggage fees in several different ways. One of the easiest and quickest ways to avoid the fees is to use the right credit card but I will explain all the different routes below.

AAdvantage and Oneworld elite status

American Airlines has four tiers in its loyalty program called AAdvantage, and each tier offers some type of checked baggage fees that are waived. Depending on your status, you might get 1 to 3 baggage fees waived.

Below, you can see the requirements for each elite status tier and the free baggage allowance.

AAdvantage Gold / Oneworld Ruby

  • 30,000 Loyalty Points
  • 1 bag fee waived

AAdvantage Platinum / Oneworld Sapphire

  • 75,000 Loyalty Points
  • 2 bags fees waived

AAdvantage Platinum Pro / Oneworld Emerald

  • 125,000 Loyalty Points
  • 3 bags fees waived

AAdvantage Executive Platinum / Oneworld Emerald

  • 200,000 Loyalty Points
  • 3 bags fees waived

Note: Oneworld status holders from other airlines don’t need to worry about Loyalty Points, that is for AAdvantage status.

If you are an AAdvantage elite member and you have others on the same reservation, then you and all other passengers (excluding group reservations) can get the same checked baggage fees waived that your status tier allows.

Fare types

The only fare type that includes bags would be first/business class or premium economy seats. No true economy fare will include bags and this includes Main Cabin Extra and of course Basic Economy.

If you wanted bags included in your ticket price, you must be flying a premium cabin seat.

Flying to certain destinations 

You can avoid AA baggage fees by flying on certain routes. Be sure to check out the chart below which breaks down all of these different destinations and their corresponding prices.

Credit Cards

American Airlines has many different credit cards that have free baggage as a benefit. There are cards issued by Citi and Barclays and both have advantages and disadvantages.

However, note the AA co-branded cards listed below will only give you a free bag on domestic itineraries. This is in contrast to the United Explorer Card which offers free baggage on international itineraries. 

Citi issued AA cards

  • Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select Card
  • CitiBusiness AAdvantage Platinum Select Card
  • Citi AAdvantage Executive Card

Each of the Citi cards mentioned above offers a free bag along with a handful of other benefits like companion tickets if you spend a certain amount.

Both Platinum cards offer the first checked bag for free for you and up to four companions. The Executive card offers the first checked bag for free for you and up to eight companions. But again note that all these free checked bags are for domestic itineraries only.

Don’t Miss out! Find out which American Airlines credit card can set you up with a big bonus, lounge access, free checked bags, and a short-cut to AAdvantage elite status! Read more here!

Barclaycard issued AA cards

  • AAdvantage Aviator Red
  • AAdvantage Aviator Silver
  • AAdvantage Aviator Business

Each of the Barclaycards offers slightly different benefits.

Both the Aviator Red and Business cards offer the first checked bag for free for you and up to 4 companions. The Aviator Silver offers the first checked bag for free for you and up to eight companions.

There are also credit cards that offer travel credits helping you reduce or eliminate the baggage fees.

Chase Sapphire Reserve

The Chase Sapphire Reserve is one of the hottest travel rewards credit cards. It earns 3X the points on dining and travel and comes with a host of valuable benefits. One of these perks is a $300 travel credit that can be used on anything that codes as travel, including your baggage fees.

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

CAPITAL ONE VENTURE benefits

One of my favorite cards to use to cover miscellaneous travel purchases is the Capital One Venture card. It’s a popular credit card that comes with a bonus of 50,000 miles after you spend $3,000 in the first three months.

It earns 2% cashback on all purchases toward travel, and the points can be used to cover virtually any travel purchase.

Tip: Check out the free app WalletFlo so that you can optimize your credit card spend by seeing the best card to use! You can also track credits, annual fees, and get notifications when you’re eligible for the best cards!

American Airlines personal item and carry-on restrictions

Every passenger, no matter what fare or class, can bring on a personal item and carry-on bag when flying American Airlines.

Personal item

When flying AA, you can bring one personal item onboard and it can be anything that can go under the seat in front of you or under the ottoman in business or first class. Personal items must not exceed:

  • 18 x 14 x 8 inches (45 x 35 x 20 cm)

Some examples of personal items would be a briefcase, purse, laptop, and small backpack.

Related: What’s a Personal Item on a Plane?

Carry-on

You can bring one carry-on item in any class when flying AA. Carry-on items must not exceed:

  • 22 x 14 x 9 inches (56 x 36 x 23 cm) including handles and wheels

Soft-sided garment bags up to 51 inches / 130 cm (length + width + height) can also be taken as your carry-on item.

For your carry-on item, you can bring a suitcase, bag, garment bag, carrycot, pushchair or child seat for infants, and any required mobility aids, such as a wheelchair. Some items will be gate checked for free. As long as it doesn’t exceed the dimensions above, you will be fine.

Musical instruments are also considered a carry-on item and must fit in the overhead bin or under the seat in front of you.

All items over the above dimensions will be subject to fees. I will go over special checked item fees below.

Liquids

The same TSA standards apply to American Airlines flights operating within the US, arriving, and departing from the US. You can review a list provided by the TSA of permitted and prohibited items which may be included in carry-on baggage including the 3-1-1 Liquids Rule.

American Airlines checked baggage fees

The prices below are for one-way flights on AA, not roundtrip, and must not exceed 62 in (158 cm) in overall dimensions. Here are all the fees for all the destinations and regions below:

RegionBag 1Bag 2Bag 3Bag 4+
Domestic$30$40$150$200
Mexico$30$40$200$200
Haiti$0 / $30$65$200$200
Caribbean (except Cuba and Haiti)$30$40$200$200
Central America$30$40 / $65$200$200
Guyana and Suriname$30$40$200$200
South America (except Guyana, and Suriname)$0 / $45$65$200$200
Transatlantic$0 / $75$100$200$200
Transpacific$0$100$200$200

Seasonal pricing applies for tickets issued on / before May 11, 2021 for travel on June 1 – August 19 and December 7 – January 12 and for tickets issue on / after May 12, 2021 for travel June 1 – August 19 and November 27 – January 10.

These fares seem pretty high but compared to other airlines, these fees aren’t that different. Remember, if you have status, you don’t have to pay these fees, even when you are flying on a Basic Economy ticket.

In comparison to other international airlines, United charges the following rates:

  • $35 for the first checked bag
  • $45 for the second checked bag
  • $150 to $200 for the third checked bag ($200 for some international flights)

If you want all the tips on how to deal with checked baggage and how to avoid fees, be sure to check out the ultimate guide to checked luggage. Click here to check out that article.

American Airlines checked baggage allowance

When flying economy or premium economy without status, checked bags must not exceed 62″ (158 cm) in overall dimensions and exceed 50 lbs (23 kg) .

If you’re flying with Executive Platinum status, Oneworld Emerald status, business or first class your weight limit is 70 lbs (32 kg).

American Airlines excess checked baggage fee

Overweight bags and/or bags that exceed the dimensions will receive an extra fee.

Oversize bags

Oversize bags are larger than 62 in (158 cm) but keep in mind that American Airlines won’t accept checked bags over 126 in (320 cm).

Here are the oversize baggage fees:

  • Between U.S., Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands and Canada: $200
  • Mexico, Caribbean, Central America, Guyana and Suriname: $200
  • South America (except Guyana and Suriname): $150
  • Europe, Israel and Qatar: $150
  • China, Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, India, Australia and New Zealand: $200

Overweight bags

Overweight bags are over 50 pounds, and American Airlines won’t accept checked bags over 100 lbs (45 kgs.) First, business, Executive Platinum, and Oneworld Emerald members can check bags up to 70 lbs (32 kg) for free.

Here are the overweight baggage fees:

  • Between U.S., Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands and Canada
    • 51 lbs (23 kg) – 70 lbs (32 kg): $100
    • 71 lbs (32 kg) – 100 lbs (45 kg): $200
  • Cuba
    • 51 lbs (23 kg) – 70 lbs (32 kg): $100
    • 71 lbs (32 kg) – 100 lbs (45 kg): Not Accepted
  • Mexico, Caribbean (excluding Cuba), Central and South America
    • 51 lbs (23 kg) – 70 lbs (32 kg): $100
    • 71 lbs (32 kg) – 100 lbs (45 kg): $200
  • Europe, Israel and Qatar
    • 51 lbs (23 kg) – 70 lbs (32 kg): $100
    • 71 lbs (32 kg) – 100 lbs (45 kg): Not accepted
  • China, Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, India, New Zealand and Australia
    • 51 lbs (23 kg) – 70 lbs (32 kg): $100
    • 71 lbs (32 kg) – 100 lbs (45 kg): $450 (not accepted to/from Australia)

Remember these fees will go on top of the regular checked luggage fees. So if you were checking one overweight bag in for a US flight you would have a total of $130 in fees. ($30 for the first checked baggage fee and $100 for the overweight baggage fee.)

Sports baggage on American Airlines flights

If you want to bring sporting equipment on your AA flight, you must keep in mind maximum size and weight limitations.

American Airlines states:

When traveling with any sports equipment, the maximum linear size (length + width + height) is 126 in / 320 cm, and the maximum weight is 70 lbs / 32 kgs, subject to the airplane size and available cargo space.

Any sports item not specifically mentioned and not prohibited will be charged standard checked bag fees up to 50 lbs / 23 kgs and 126 in / 320 cm (oversize fees don’t apply).

  • Antlers
  • Archery
  • Baseball bats
  • Bicycle
  • Bowling
  • Camping equipment
  • Curling equipment
  • Fencing equipment
  • Fishing
  • Golf clubs
  • Hang gliders
  • Hockey, cricket and lacrosse equipment
  • Javelin and pole vault
  • Oars and paddles
  • Parachute
  • Scuba gear (with tanks)
  • Scuba gear (without tanks)
  • Shooting equipment
  • Skateboards
  • Skis (snow/water) and snowboards
  • Watersports boards
  • Tennis, badminton, squash, or racquetball
  • Windsurf

For items not mentioned, you will be subject to standard checked baggage, oversize, and overweight fees.

Please refer to AA’s website for details about each of the sporting equipment above.

Musical instruments in the cabin

When flying AA with musical instruments, they can come as your carry-on if they are within 22 x 14 x 9 inches (56 x 36 x 23 cm) or can be checked with a maximum size of 150 in (381 cm) and 165 lbs (75 kg.) Anything larger has to be shipped via cargo.

Your bags are subject to baggage excess fees on top of the standard checked baggage fees.

Tips when traveling with musical instruments

Contact AA before your flight to guarantee the aircraft type can handle your baggage size. If you are checking your musical instrument, make sure it’s in a hard-sided case.

If you want to bring your musical instrument onboard without putting it in the overhead bin, you can buy another seat. Contact AA to reserve a second seat for your musical instrument.

Tip: Use WalletFlo for all your credit card needs. It’s free and will help you optimize your rewards and savings!

American Airlines military baggage policy

AA does have a unique benefit for military personnel besides waived baggage fees. Active duty military personnel and dependents (or up to 2 guests) can access Admirals Clubs for free and all you need is your military ID.

For active duty military personnel and dependents, while traveling on orders, you get 5 checked bags for free. While traveling on leisure, you are able to check 3 bags for free. One must present a military ID at check-in. Learn more here.

If you want to learn more about military benefits for airlines, I suggest reading our article.

Access the American Airlines Admirals Club for free as a military member.

When can I check-in bags for American Airlines?

Check-in depends on your departure city. For airports that only serve one AA flight a day, the check-in counters typically only open up 3 hours prior to the scheduled departure.

Bags must be checked in at least 40 minutes prior to the scheduled departure on domestic flights. For international flights, bags must be checked in at least 60 minutes prior to the scheduled departure.

American Airlines pet policy

You can bring your dog or cat in a kennel for your carry-on. You will be subject to a carry-on pet charge and the kennel must fit under the seat in front of you.

You will be subject to a $125 per kennel carry-on charge for your pet at the time of check-in with the agent. Always refer to AA’s own website for pet restrictions as they change frequently requiring you to contact AA before the flight.

If you want to place your pet in the cargo hold. Refer to AA’s policy on checked pets. Make sure you contact reservations 48 hours prior to your departure and it will be $200 per kennel ($150 to/from Brazil.) To learn more about checked pets, click here.

American Airlines Baggage Fees FAQ

How much does it cost to check a bag on American Airlines?

American Airlines will generally charge you $30 per checked bag.

How can I check a bag for free?

You can check your bag for free by using a travel rewards card like the Amex Platinum Card that comes with a $200 airline credit.

There are also co-branded American Airlines cards that come with free checked bag benefits.

And finally, if you have elite status or are flying in specific cabins such as business class or first class, you will get free checked baggage.

How heavy can my checked bag be?

Checked bags must not exceed 50 pounds. If you have status or are flying in a premium cabin, your baggage may weigh up to 70 pounds.

What are the oversized baggage fees?

If your bag is larger than 62 inches, you will be charged $200 for flights in the US.

What are the overweight baggage fees?

The overweight baggage fees range from $100 to $200 depending on the weight of your bag.

Do military members get free baggage on American Airlines?

Active duty military personnel and their dependents, while traveling on orders, get five checked bags for free.

And when traveling on leisure, active military personnel can get three bags checked for free. Be sure to present your military ID at check-in.

Do I get a free carry-on?

Yes, you will be able to bring on a free carry-on as long as it does not exceed the dimensions of 22 x 14 x 9 inches (56 x 36 x 23 cm).

What if my bags are lost or damaged?

If your bags are lost or damaged make sure you report it to American Airlines immediately. It is imperative to make a claim in person or online after the flight.

You can either go to baggage services at the airport or online. Please refer to this link.

What if I lost an item on American Airlines?

You can file a lost and found report with AA here, but it is best to find a crewmember at the airport before leaving and reporting the lost item to the AA ground staff or gate agents.

Make sure you try all these steps here to ensure you find your lost item. You can read more about the lost and found for American Airlines here.

Final word

American Airlines isn’t known for cheap baggage fees, as the fees are almost on every flight. Basic economy tickets are also subject to baggage fees, even on international itineraries. However, if you hold an AA co-branded credit card or have status with AA or Oneworld airline, you can get those baggage fees waived.

American Airlines Lounge (Admirals Clubs) Access Guide [2022]

Lounge access can truly be a lifesaver in certain situations as it can provide a much needed spot to refresh and relax. But sometimes the lounge access policies can be a little bit confusing because there are so many different ways to get access.

In this article, I will break down the American Airlines lounge access policies which include both Flagship Lounges and Admirals Clubs. I’ll cover everything including prices, guest policies, and also entrance into partner lounges.

What are Admirals Clubs?

Admirals Clubs are the standard airport lounges for American Airlines and you can find them all around the globe (keep reading below for a full list of locations).

In these lounges, you may find comfortable places to relax, free food and drink, showers, business meeting rooms, kids room, and sometimes other amenities as well.

In my experience Admirals Clubs are pretty nice but I would not put them on the same level as Amex Centurion Lounges.

I found Admirals Clubs to be pretty basic in terms of what they offer for free but they still get the job done. For example, for breakfast you might find Oikos and Chobanil yogurt along with a selection of fruits including pineapple, cantaloupe, melon, and mixed grapes, and possibly hard-boiled eggs.

If you do want hot food items you can pay for those and you can also pay for premium drinks.  For example, a Bloody Mary may cost you $10 and an imported beer may cost $8.

If you are interested in what the full experience is like, you can read my full review of the Admirals Club at Houston IAH. (Just note that that is one of the smaller AA lounges and there are definitely more equipped Admirals Club lounges like those at DFW.)

Don’t Miss out! Find out which American Airlines credit card can set you up with a big bonus, lounge access, free checked bags, and a short-cut to AAdvantage elite status! Read more here!

What are Flagship Lounges?

Flagship lounges are the premier lounges offered by American Airlines. These are only found in a handful of airports and offer a more premium dining and drinking experience.

For example, you can find dishes created in partnership with the James Beard Foundation, a premier American culinary organization. The admission policy for Flagship lounges is a little different but there is some overlap and I will go over the access policy in detail below. 

Tip: Use the free app WalletFlo to help you travel the world for free by finding the best travel credit cards and promotions!

What is the Admirals Club access policy?

There are several different ways that you can get access to an Admirals Club. For example, you could get access based on a purchased lounge membership, the class of your airline ticket, or certain types of elite status. I will break all of those down in detail below.

Before jumping into the different ways to get admission, it’s worth noting that as of November 2019 American Airlines made changes to their admission policy. Now, you must have a boarding pass for same-day travel on an “eligible flight” to enter a lounge. 

An “eligible flight” would include any departing or arriving flight that is marketed or operated by American, any oneworld airline, or Alaska Airlines.

Different types of Admirals Club admission types

Below I will go into detail about all the different types of admission types for an Admirals Club lounge.

One thing that you need to remember is that the policies for things like documents needed for entry and guest entry can differ based on the type of admission you are granted. So remember to not assume that the guest policies will be the same each time you visit a lounge.

Admirals Club members

The first way to get access to an American Airlines airport lounge is to have an Admirals Club membership. These memberships come in different forms and you might have an annual membership or even a lifetime membership.

One of the easiest ways to get an Admirals Club membership is to get the Citi AAdvantage Executive World Elite MasterCard. This card has some great perks that would interest anybody looking to frequently fly with American Airlines, such as: 2X on purchases on American Airlines, free baggage, and priority boarding privileges.

If you are a primary cardholder on this card you will get a complementary Admirals Club membership.

You might also get an Admirals Club membership if you are a ConciergeKey or AirPass member with Admirals Club privileges.

If you are okay with spending some cash you can also purchase an Admirals Club membership. The price of your membership will be based on the type of elite status you have and also on whether or not you are purchasing an individual membership or a group membership.

Here are the prices. You should keep in mind that the annual fee for the Citi AAdvantage Executive World Elite MasterCard is only $450 so if you get approved for that card you can save a lot of money on your membership.

Membership typeAAdvantageAAdvantage GoldAAdvantage PlatinumAAdvantage Platinum ProAAdvantage Executive Platinum
Individual – new$650$625$600$575$550
Individual – renew$600$575$550$525$500
Household – new$1,250$1,225$1,200$1,175$1,150
Household – renew$1,200$1,175$1,150$1,125$1,100

You can also purchase a membership with miles at the following rates:

Membership typeAAdvantageAAdvantage GoldAAdvantage PlatinumAAdvantage Platinum ProAAdvantage Executive Platinum
Individual – new65,00062,50060,00057,50055,000
Individual – renew60,00057,50055,00052,50050,000
Household – new125,000122,500120,000117,500115,000
Household – renew120,000117,500115,000112,500110,000

Lounges that offer access:

If you have an Admirals Club membership then these are the lounges that you will have access to:

  • Domestic and international Admirals Club locations
  • All Alaska Airlines Lounges (when departing on flights marketed and operated by American, Alaska Airlines or Virgin America)
  • All Qantas Clubs (when departing on same-day flights operated by Qantas, or operated by American out of Auckland, New Zealand or Sydney, Australia)
  • Select partner lounges operated by third parties (on same-day flights operated by American)

What you need to enter:

In order to be admitted into the lounge, you will need the following items:

  • Government-issued photo ID
  • Admirals Club membership card or Citi AAdvantage Executive World Elite MasterCard or AAdvantage elite status card
  • A boarding pass for same-day travel on an eligible flight. (Same-day priority verification cards will be accepted.)

What is the guest policy?

You will be allowed to bring in immediate family members which would include your spouse, domestic partner and/or children under 18 or up to 2 guests. It’s worth noting that guests must be accompanied by the eligible member and present boarding passes for same-day travel on American or a partner airline.

Eligible first class and business class passengers

If you are flying first class or business class then you might get lounge access but it depends on your route.

If you are flying domestically, you can get lounge access if you are flying on certain premium routes like the following:

  • New York (JFK) and Los Angeles (LAX)
  • JFK and San Francisco (SFO)

Note that if you are flying between other premium routes, you will only get lounge access if you are flying on the right type of aircraft.

  • LAX and Boston (BOS) – traveling on A321T aircraft only
  • LAX and Miami (MIA) – traveling on Boeing 777-300 aircraft only

If you are flying on an international route then you will get lounge access for the following routes:

Flights between the U.S. and:

  • Asia
  • Australia
  • Central America
  • Europe
  • Mexico City (MEX)
  • New Zealand
  • South America

It’s worth reiterating that for Mexico you only get lounge access if flying between the US and Mexico City. I have personally flown American Airlines to other Mexican destinations and unsuccessfully persuaded an agent to allow me access. :/

If you meet the criteria above, you can also get access to the American Flagship lounges.

What you need to enter:

  • First or Business boarding pass
  • Government-issued photo ID

What is the guest policy?

You will be able to bring in one guest with you and children over two count as a guest. Also, any guest accompanying the customer must be traveling on a departing oneworld flight.

American Airlines first class.

Qualifying AAdvantage Executive Platinum, Platinum Pro and Platinum

If you hold elite status with American Airlines you can get lounge access as long as you hold Executive Platinum, Platinum Pro, and Platinum and you are flying on the following routes:

Flights between the U.S. and:

  • Asia
  • Australia
  • Central America
  • Europe
  • Mexico City (MEX)
  • New Zealand
  • South America

If you meet the criteria above, you can also get access to the American Flagship lounges.

What you need to enter:

  • First or Business boarding pass
  • Government-issued photo ID

What is the guest policy?

You will be able to bring in one guest with you and children over two count as a guest. Also, any guest accompanying the customer must be traveling on a departing oneworld flight.

Oneworld Emerald and Sapphire

If you hold elite status with the oneworld alliance you can also get access. This includes customers on all departing flights marketed and operated by American or a oneworld airline (regardless of cabin).

AAdvantage Executive Platinum, Platinum Pro and Platinum customers traveling solely on North American itineraries don’t qualify.

If you meet the criteria above, you can also get access to the American Flagship lounges.

What you need to enter:

  • Qualifying boarding pass with oneworld Frequent Flyer number
  • Government-issued photo ID

What is the guest policy?

You will be able to bring in one guest with you and children over two count as a guest. Also, any guest accompanying the customer must be traveling on a departing oneworld flight.

Admirals Club One-Day Pass customers

Another route that you can go is to purchase a one day pass at domestic and international Admirals Club locations for $59.

The cool thing about a day pass is that you should be able to use it at multiple Admirals Club lounges if you have a connection. For example, I recently purchased a day pass and I was able to use the lounge in Houston (IAH) and Dallas (DFW) on the same day.

Another cool thing is that the day pass purchases usually trigger airline incidental credits. So if you have a card like the American Express Gold Card that has a $100 airline credit, then you can essentially get into the lounge for free.

Purchasing a day pass can be tricky sometimes because they will only sell you a day pass if they are not at capacity. So if you are flying during busy hours then you might want to have a back up plan.

One thing to keep in mind is that the Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite does not provide you with a complimentary day pass to lounges. Unlike the United Explorer Card which gives you an annual free day pass for two people, that is not one of the perks of the Platinum Select.

What you need to enter:

  • Government-issued photo ID
  • One-Day Pass
  • A boarding pass for same-day travel on an eligible flight

What is the guest policy?

You can bring up to three children that are under 18. Children must be accompanied by the adult day-pass holder and present boarding passes for same-day travel on American or a partner airline.

Citi AAdvantage Executive Card authorized users

If you are an authorized user for the Citi AAdvantage Executive World Elite MasterCard you will not get a complete Admirals Club membership but you will still get entry into Admirals Club lounges.

One of the coolest things about this card is that you can add up to 10 authorized users for free which means that you can give free access to up to 10 individuals which is pretty crazy. Authorized users still get guest access so it is an extremely lucrative deal.

As an authorized user, you will get access to domestic and international Admirals Club locations.

What you need to enter:

  • Valid Citi AAdvantage Executive World Elite MasterCard
  • Government-issued photo ID
  • A boarding pass for same-day travel on an eligible flight

An important requirement to remember here is that you will need to have your valid Executive card on you when visiting a lounge in order to get in. Since you won’t have an official Admirals Club membership, that card is the only ticket to your admission.

What is the guest policy?

You will be allowed to bring in immediate family members which would include your spouse, domestic partner and/or children under 18 or up to 2 guests. It’s worth noting that guests must be accompanied by the eligible member and present boarding passes for same-day travel on American or a partner airline.

Admirals Club locations

As mentioned earlier, you can find Admirals Clubs all across the globe. Here are the current locations:

  • Atlanta, GA (ATL)
  • Austin, TX (AUS)
  • Boston, MA (BOS)
  • Buenos Aires, Argentina (EZE)
  • Charlotte, NC (CLT)
  • Chicago, IL (ORD)
  • Dallas / Fort Worth, TX (DFW)
  • Denver, CO (DEN)
  • Honolulu, Hawaii (HNL)
  • Houston, Texas (IAH)
  • London, England (LHR)
  • Los Angeles, CA (LAX)
  • Mexico City, Mexico (MEX)
  • Miami, FL (MIA)
  • Nashville, TN (BNA)
  • New York J.F. Kennedy, NY (JFK)
  • New York LaGuardia, NY (LGA)
  • Newark, NJ (EWR)
  • Orange County, CA (SNA)
  • Orlando, FL (MCO)
  • Paris, France (CDG)
  • Philadelphia, PA (PHL)
  • Phoenix, AZ (PHX)
  • Pittsburgh, PA (PIT)
  • Raleigh Durham, NC (RDU)
  • Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (GIG)
  • San Francisco, CA (SFO)
  • Sao Paulo, Brazil (GRU)
  • St. Louis, MO (STL)
  • Tampa, FL (TPA)
  • Toronto, Canada (YYZ)
  • Washington D.C. (DCA)

Tip: Use WalletFlo for all your credit card needs. It’s free and will help you optimize your rewards and savings!

Parter lounges

You can also get access to partner lounges which again can be found all around the world. The list of partner lounges is pretty long but I will give a rundown of the locations that you can find partner lounges in.

One very important thing to note with partner lounges is that sometimes you might have to have a same-day departure on an American Airlines operated flight to get access. Or if you are flying on certain airlines like Qantas, you may need to show a same-day boarding pass for a Qantas operated flight or an American Airlines marketed flight operated by Qantas.

So just because you see a lounge listed below, don’t assume you’ll get access and instead be sure to check about the requirements for that specific lounge and in particular what type of boarding pass you will need. You should be able to find the requirements here.

Asia

  • Beijing, China (PEK): Air China Business Class Lounge
  • Delhi, India (DEL): Plaza Premium Lounge
  • Hong Kong (HKG): Plaza Premium Lounge G35
  • Seoul, South Korea (ICN): Asiana Airlines Business Lounge East (Terminal 1 Main)
  • Shanghai, China (PVG): Air China Business Class Lounge
  • Singapore, Singapore (SIN): The Qantas Club
  • Tokyo, Japan (HND): Japan Airlines Sakura Lounge
  • Tokyo, Japan (NRT): Japan Airlines Sakura Lounge

Europe

  • Amsterdam, Netherlands (AMS): Aspire Lounge 41
  • Athens, Greece (ATH): Goldair Lounge
  • Berlin, Germany (TXL): British Airways Lounge
  • Barcelona, Spain (BCN): AENA Lounge
  • Dublin, Ireland (DUB): 51st&Green Lounge (operated by the Dublin Airport Authority)
  • Dubrovnik, Croatia (DBV): Airport Business Lounge
  • Edinburgh, Scotland (EDI): British Airways Lounge
  • Frankfurt, Germany (FRA): Japan Airlines First Class and Sakura Lounge
  • Lisbon, Portugal (LIS): ANA Lounge
  • London, England (LHR): British Airways Galleries Club Lounge (T3 and T5)
  • Milan, Italy (MXP): SEA Sala Montale Lounge
  • Munich, Germany (MUC): Airport World Lounge
  • Prague, Czech Republic (PRG): MasterCard Lounge
  • Reykjavik, Iceland (KEF): Icelandair Saga Lounge
  • Rome, Italy (FCO): Passenger Lounge
  • Shannon, Ireland (SNN): Boru Lounge
  • Zurich, Switzerland (ZRH): Primeclass Lounge

Middle East

  • Doha, Qatar (DOH):
    • Al Safwa – Customers flying in First
    • Al Mourjan – Customers flying in Business, oneworld® Emerald
    • Silver Lounge South – oneworld® Sapphire
    • Oryx Lounge – Admirals Club members, Citi® credit cardholders
  • Tel Aviv, Israel (TLV): Dan Lounge

South America

  • Bogota, Colombia (BOG): El Dorado Lounge
  • Buenos Aires, Argentina (EZE): VIP Lounge
  • Montevideo, Uruguay (MVD): Aeropuertos VIP Club
  • Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (GIG): Plaza Premium Lounge
  • Santiago, Chile (SCL): Andes Lounge

South Pacific

  • Adelaide, Australia (ADL): The Qantas Club; Qantas International Business Lounge
  • Auckland, New Zealand (AKL): Qantas International Business Lounge
  • Alice Springs, Australia (ASP): The Qantas Club
  • Brisbane, Australia (BNE):
    • The Qantas Club
    • The Qantas Brisbane International Lounge
  • Broome, Australia (BME): The Qantas Club
  • Cairns, Australia (CNS): The Qantas Club
  • Cambridge, Australia (HBA): The Qantas Club
  • Canberra, Australia (CBR): The Qantas Club
  • Coffs Harbour, Australia (CFS): The Qantas Club
  • Darwin, Australia (DRW): The Qantas Club
  • Devonport, Australia (DPO): The Qantas Club
  • Emerald, Australia (EMD): The Qantas Club
  • Gladstone, Australia (GLT): The Qantas Club
  • Gold Coast, Australia (OOL): The Qantas Club
  • Kalgoorlie, Australia (KGI): The Qantas Club
  • Karratha, Australia (KTA): The Qantas Club
  • Launceston, Australia (LST): The Qantas Club
  • Mackay, Australia (MKY): The Qantas Club
  • Melbourne, Australia (MEL):
    • The Qantas Club
    • Qantas International Business Lounge
  • Perth, Australia (PER):
    • The Qantas Club
    • Qantas International Business Lounge
  • Port Hedland, Australia (PHE): The Qantas Club
  • Rockhampton, Australia (ROK): The Qantas Club
  • Sydney, Australia (SYD):
    • The Qantas Club
    • Qantas International Business Lounge
  • Tamworth, Australia (TMW): The Qantas Club
  • Townsville, Australia (TSV): The Qantas Club
  • Wellington, New Zealand (WLG): The Qantas Club

US

  • Anchorage, U.S. (ANC): Alaska Lounge
  • Los Angeles, U.S. (LAX): Alaska Lounge
  • New York, U.S. (JFK): Alaska Lounge
  • Portland, U.S. (PDX): Alaska Lounge
  • San Diego, U.S. (SAN): AirSpace Lounge
  • Seattle, U.S. (SEA):
    • Alaska Lounge – Concourse C
    • Alaska Lounge – North Satellite
    • Alaska Lounge – Concourse D

Flagship lounge access

There is some overlap with the Admirals Club lounge access. One of the biggest differences is that you don’t get access to Flagship lounges if you have an Admirals Club membership or a Citi Executive Card. But here is a rundown of the people who qualify for Flagship lounge entry.

  • Eligible first class and business class passengers
  • Qualifying AAdvantage Executive Platinum, Platinum Pro and Platinum
  • oneworld Emerald and Sapphire
  • ConciergeKey

You can read more about the Flagship lounges here.

Flagship lounge locations

As mentioned above, the locations for Flagship lounges are much more limited.

  • Chicago (ORD)
    • Terminal 3 Concourse H/K
    • Daily: 5:00 am – 10:00 pm
  • Dallas / Fort Worth (DFW)
    • Terminal D Between gates D21 and D22
    • Daily: 5:00 am – 10:15 pm
  • Los Angeles (LAX)
    • Terminal 4 Near gate 40
    • Daily: 4:30 am – 1:00 am
  • Miami (MIA)
    • Concourse D Near gate D30
    • Daily: 5:30 am – 11:00 pm
  • New York (JFK)
    • Terminal 8 On the mezzanine level after Concourse B security checkpoint
    • Daily: 4:30 am – 12:15 am
  • Philadelphia (PHL) (COMING SOON)

It’s worth pointing out that you can also get access to the International First Class Lounge – Terminal 3 in London (LHR). However, you only get access if you’re traveling in first on a qualifying international or transcontinental flight marketed and operated by American or a oneworld airline.

American Airlines Lounge FAQ

Do you get free food in an Admirals Club?

Yes, you get free food in most lounges but typically you are limited to light dishes, such as yogurts and fruits.

How much does a day pass cost?

A day pass for Admirals Club locations will cost $59.

Can you get access with a credit card?

Yes, you can get access to Admirals Clubs with the Citi AAdvantage Executive World Elite MasterCard. 

Can I bring in a guest?

You can bring in immediate family members which include people like your spouse and children that are under 18 or you can bring up the two guests.

How much does an annual membership cost?

The price for an individual membership depends on your elite status but they begin at $650 per year for basic members.

Do you get access to partner lounges?

Yes, you can get access to many different partner lounges including Alaska Airlines and Qantas.

Do business class passengers get lounge access?

Business class passengers will get lounge access when flying internationally and on select domestic routes.

Final word

Overall, the lounge access policy for Admirals Club and Flagship lounges is pretty clear-cut. If you are looking for an easy way to get access, I would recommend looking to the Citibank Executive Card since that is a great way to save money and give free access to authorized users.

American Airlines Pet Policy Guide [2022]

For many people, traveling is already a stressful experience. But when you add in traveling with a pet that you love and care for, that stress can multiply pretty quickly. One way that you can reduce that stress is to be knowledgeable and prepared when dealing with an airlines pet policy.

In this article, I will tell you everything you need to know about the American Airlines pet policy including things like fees and the restrictions and limitations. I will also cover special restrictions for things like international routes and flight connections.

What is the American Airlines pet policy?

You can travel with your pet as a carry-on, checked pet, or via American Airlines cargo as long as you provide adequate carriers for your pets, supply any needed documentation, and pay the fees I’ll outline below.

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What are the fees for traveling with your pet?

The fees that you pay will depend on the type of pet that you have (e.g., service animal) and the method of transportation (checked, carry-on, etc.).

Checked pet fees

If your pet is traveling as checked (meaning it’s not coming with you as a carry-on) then Active-duty U.S. Military and State Department personnel will be charged a $200 fee per kennel for routes within and between the United States and Canada, Mexico, Central and South America and the Caribbean.

If you do not belong to one of those groups are bringing your pet as a “cargo pet” the price will vary.

Not all airlines allow checked pet animals so that’s something to consider. 

Carry-on pet fees

If your pet is traveling as a carry-on in the cabin then you will be charged a $125 fee per kennel for routes within and between the United States and Canada, Mexico, Central and South America and the Caribbean. Compare that to the $95 pet fee for Southwest. 

And finally, if you are traveling with a service animal you will not be charged an additional fee.

These fees are for each way of travel. If your itinerary includes a voluntary stop over or connection that is more than four hours then your charges will apply for each connection segment.

All of the pet fees are nonrefundable. So if your pet ends up not taking the flight you will be unable to recover the fee.

Don’t Miss out! Find out which American Airlines credit card can set you up with a big bonus, lounge access, free checked bags, and a short-cut to AAdvantage elite status! Read more here!

How to avoid AA pet fees

One of the easiest ways to avoid pet fees is to use the right credit card. The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is a good card for general travel expenses and its points can be used to offset airline pet fees since they will often code as travel.

You can also use an incidental credit attached to a travel credit card. For example, the Platinum Card has a $200 incidental credit.

Other cards like the Chase Sapphire Reserve have a $300 travel credit that could be used on virtually any type of travel purchase including pet fees.

American Airlines pet international restrictions

If you are flying with a pet on an international route you need to be mindful of potential special restrictions and fees that can be very high.

In some cases, you may not even be allowed to fly with your pet but in others you may have to supply some sort of verification for things like shots.

Below are some of the restrictions you might encounter.

London, England (LHR)

Dogs and cats traveling to LHR need approval from the Heathrow Animal Reception Center (HARC). The HARC charges a fee (£366) for animals that do not meet the criteria for assistance animals and you should contact them at least 7 days before your flight.

Transatlantic

If you would like to fly with your pet as a carry-on on a transatlantic flight meaning a flight between say the US in Europe, You will not be allowed to do so.

Your pet can fly as checked luggage to certain locations. The UK does not allow pets with the exception being London (LHR) and Manchester (MAN) allowing pets to fly as American Airlines cargo.

Transpacific

If you are planning on crossing the Pacific ocean, you should know that carry-on pets are not allowed. Japan does allow for checked pets from Japan to Los Angeles (LAX) but you must book a flight less than 11 hours and 30 minutes.

Need tips for bringing pets to a hotel? Click here to read more.

American Airlines carry-on pet rules

If your furry friend is going to accompany you as a carry-on, here are some things to keep in mind. As mentioned, you will need to pay the $125 carry-on fee and your pet must remain inside the kennel at all times.

Your pet carrier will act as your carry-on so you will NOT be allowed to bring in a personal item, a carry-on item, and your pet carrier. Find out more about American Airlines baggage fees here.

Space requirements

  • Pets must be able to stand and sit erect, turn around normally and lie down in a natural position in their kennel (without touching any side or the top of the container)
  • If your kennel is not collapsible it cannot exceed the undersea dimensions of the aircraft. You can contact reservations to verify maximum dimensions for your journey.
  • Soft-sided collapsible kennels can be slightly larger but still need to fit under the seat without having to excessively collapse the kennel, have to be secure, padded, made of water-repellant material and have nylon mesh ventilation on 2 or more sides.

There are limitations on the total number of kennels allowed on certain flights:

  • 7 kennels on American flights, excluding service animals
  • 5 kennels on American Eagle flights; 1 in First

For this reason, you may want to call ahead and make your reservations to guarantee a spot. You can find the appropriate American Airlines customer service phone number to call here.

If you are flying business class or first class on certain flights, there may not be enough room for your carry-on pet. The type of aircraft that don’t have enough room include:

Boeing

  • 757-L
  • 757-EW
  • 767
  • 777-200
  • 777-300
  • 787-8
  • 787-9

Airbus

  • A330-200
  • A330-300

American Airlines checked pet rules

American Airlines allows you to travel with up to two checked pets. Pets are accepted on a first come basis so again you will want to contact reservations as soon as you know you will be traveling with your pet. You also need to contact reservations at least 48 hours prior to your trip.

American Airlines recommends that you allow extra time at check-in. So you will want to arrive early but just remember that you can’t check pets more than four hours before your flight.

You will then need to complete a checklist with an airport agent and then provide a health certificate. This health certificate must be issued by a vet within:

  • 10 days of your travel
  • 60 days of your return (travel on the same ticket)
  • 10 days of your return (travel on a separate ticket)

Kennel guidelines

You need to pay special attention to all of the guidelines for kennels when transporting your pet.

Size

The kennel needs to be spacious enough so that your pet can stand, turn, sit and lie down in a natural position. If your pet is forced to touch any side of the container while in this natural position, the kennel may not be big enough.

There also may be specific maximum size requirements based on the aircraft that you are flying on.

Material

The kennel must be made up of wood, metal, plastic or some other type of similar material. Basically, it needs to be sturdy.

Door

The kennel must have a door and it needs to be made of a welded or cast metal. The kennel must also be secured at the top and bottom with bolts and or screws. It will need to be secured by yourself with release cable ties on all four corners and American Airlines will provide complementary ties.

It also needs to be rigid and secure enough so that no animal can escape through the gaps or potentially poke body parts through the gaps. It needs to be leak and escape proof with a secure fastened door and have ventilation on three sides for US domestic flights and four sides for international flights.

Food and water

You need to have separate food and water dishes attached securely to the inside of the kennel. You also need to have a small bag of food attached to the top that could cover the animal for 24 hours.

Finally, the kennel must be clean and have absorbent material or litter but not anything like straw or wood shavings.

Connections

If you are traveling with your pet on connecting flights then checked pets will only be allowed on fights connecting in the following airports:

  • Charlotte, NC (CLT)
  • Chicago O’Hare, IL (ORD)
  • Dallas / Fort Worth, TX (DFW)
  • Los Angeles, CA (LAX)
  • New York Kennedy, NY (JFK)
  • New York LaGuardia, NY (LGA)
  • Miami, FL (MIA)
  • Philadelphia, PA (PHL)
  • Phoenix, AZ (PHX)
  • Washington Reagan, DC (DCA)

Aircraft restrictions

Checked pets cannot travel on the following aircraft:

  • A321
  • A321neo
  • A321S
  • A321H
  • A320
  • A319

Sedation

Sedation is not recommended because it could potentially cause breathing issues for your pet (things get complicated with the pressurized cabins). If your pet is sedated, you’ll need to give AA agents the name of the medication, the amount and date and time the animal took it.

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Temperature restrictions

Heat restrictions

American Airlines will not let you travel with a pet if a current or forecasted temperature is above 85°F (29.4 degrees C) in any location of your itinerary.

Cold restrictions

American Airlines will not let you travel with a pet if the ground temperature is below 45 degrees Fahrenheit (7.2 degrees C) at any location on your itinerary.

Note that you can get the cold temperature restrictions waived if you have a letter from a licensed vet. This letter will need to include the following information:

  • Your name and address
  • Your pet’s name
  • Your vet’s name and signature
  • Your vet’s accreditation date and number
  • The temperature your pet is acclimated to

The letter must be dated:

  • Within 10 days of the first flight your pet will be on
  • Within 30 days of any other trips in the same itinerary

Note: If the temperature is below 20 degrees Fahrenheit (-6.6 degrees C), your pet cannot be checked even with a letter from your vet.

Is traveling as a checked pet safe?

The safest way to travel with your pet is as a carry-on. You are right there with them and can monitor them the entire time in case they need a little bit of comfort or care. But when they fly as a checked pet you are completely removed from them during the duration of the flight and for some time before and after the flight.

According to the DOT, over half a million pets flew in cargo in 2016 and of those animals, 26 died and 22 were injured. So the accident rate was 1 per 10,000 pets.

So if those stats are accurate, you have a one in 10,000 chance of something happening to your pet. Now those stats don’t account for the potentially stressful experience that your pet will have. For some people, a one in 10,000 chance is still too much risk with a pet while others will feel comfortable with those odds.

Personally, I would try to avoid shipping my pet in cargo if possible.

Service and support animals (and notice)

Service animals and emotional support animals have specific requirements but there is no additional charge for them if they meet all of the requirements.

Some people get confused about the difference between these two types of animals and hopefully this will clarify. Emotional support animals assist individuals with emotional, psychiatric or cognitive disabilities. For these type of animals, advance notice and approval is required to bring them on board in the cabin.

Trained service animals have been specifically trained to perform life functions for individuals with disabilities like visual impairments, deafness, etc. American Airlines encourages advance notice for trained service animals but it is not required. 

Limit on emotional support animals

  • 1 emotional support / psychiatric service animal per person

Types of animals accepted

  • Cats and dogs (trained miniature horse may be permitted as a service animal) are generally acceptable as service and support animals
  • Any other animals must comply with the US Department of Transportation requirements for health and safety including documentation of the animal’s up to date vaccination records and may not cause significant cabin disruption

Age requirement

  • Animals must be 4 months or older

Behavior

  • Animals must be clean and well-behaved

Size requirements

  • Animals must be able to fit at your feet, under your seat or in your lap (lap animals must be smaller than a 2-year old child)

Approval

  • Final approval for travel will not happen until you arrive at the airport and it is determined that the animal will safely fit at your feet.

Keep in mind that your animals on board cannot:

  • Be seated in an exit row
  • Protrude into or block aisles
  • Occupy a seat
  • Eat from tray tables

So, if it is determined that your animal is too large or heavy you might need to:

  • Rebook on a flight with more open seats
  • Buy a ticket for the animal
  • Transport the animal as a checked pet

Find out more about AA service animals and emotional support animals.

American Airlines Pet Policy FAQ

How much is the American Airlines pet fee?

For a checked pet, the fee is $200 per kennel for Active-duty U.S. Military and State Department personnel only and varies for others. For carry-ons the fee is $125 per kennel. These prices are for each way of travel.

How can I avoid the pet fees?

You can use airline credits to avoid the fee with some credit cards such as the Amex Platinum Card. 

Are the pet fees refundable?

All of the pet fees are nonrefundable.

Can you bring a pet on an international flight?

You can bring pets on some international flights but in many cases you will need to bring verification for shots. Also, your pet may not be able to fly as a carry-on on overseas flights.

Can you bring a carry-on in addition to the pet?

Your pet carrier will count as your carry-on so you will only be able to bring in a personal item in addition to your pet carrier.

How many pets can I check?

American Airlines allows you to travel with up to two checked pets.

Can you checked pet a fly on a connecting route?

Checked pets are only allowed on connecting flights in the following airports:

Charlotte, NC (CLT)
Chicago O’Hare, IL (ORD)
Dallas / Fort Worth, TX (DFW)
Los Angeles, CA (LAX)
New York Kennedy, NY (JFK)
New York LaGuardia, NY (LGA)
Miami, FL (MIA)
Philadelphia, PA (PHL)
Phoenix, AZ (PHX)
Washington Reagan, DC (DCA)

Should I give my dog a sedative?

It is generally not recommended to give your dog a sedative because it could cause breathing issues. Check with your vet for guidance.

Final Word

The American Airlines pet policy is pretty straightforward. You are looking at paying anywhere from $125-$200 depending on the type of transportation method for your pet. You just need to be mindful about restrictions on certain routes and destinations and you should be all set!

Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® Review [2022]

Advertiser Disclosure: UponArriving has partnered with affiliate partners and may receive a commission from card issuers. UponArriving does not display all credit card offers and affiliate relationships may impact how offers are presented. 

The Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® is a popular premium airlines credit card that’s perfect if you’re eyeing elite status with American Airlines or you are interested in Admirals Club access.

In this article, I’ll go over the Citi AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard benefits likes its bonus, airport lounge access, free checked baggage, priority boarding, and more!

Welcome bonus

The Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® currently offers a welcome bonus of 50,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after spending $5,000 in the first 3 months.

50,000 miles could cover a round trip in domestic first class, which could net you over $1,200 in value!

We’ve also had some great flights thanks to AA miles, especially on partners like Etihad, Qatar, British Airways, etc. where 50,000 AA miles got us closer to $4,000 and $5,000 in value in first class!

While a higher bonus could return, 50,000 miles is a pretty sweet offer and this card is more about the benefits than anything.

Book partners like Qatar with AA miles.

Tip: Use WalletFlo for all your credit card needs. It’s free and will help you optimize your rewards and savings!

Application rules

Citi has somewhat complicated application rules which is something that WalletFlo can help you automate.

In addition to standard Citi application rules, once you pick up a bonus on this card, you can’t get its bonus again for 48 months, as the rules state:

American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles are not available if you have received a new account bonus for a Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive account in the past 48 months.

The good news is this means that you can get other AA cards without violating this rule and really build up a huge balance of AA miles!

Credit card strategy tip

Although the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® is a great card, I’d be sure to hit up the best Chase cards first like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card which offers 80,000 points after spending $4,000 in the first three months.

That’s because once you’ve opened five cards in the past 24 months, you will no longer be eligible for cards like the Sapphire Preferred.

So it usually makes sense to go for those cards first and then tap cards like the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®.

Bonus earning & Loyalty Points

The Citi AAdvantage Executive earns the following rates:

  • 2X on purchases on American Airlines
  • 1X on all other purchases

The Citi AAdvantage Executive is not a great card for bonus category spend since it only offers 2X on AA purchases.

But the awesome thing about this card is that for every dollar you spend you earn one Loyalty Point which is the new American Airlines loyalty program currency. This means that you can spend your way into elite status.

Here’s a look at the elite levels and the corresponding threshold for Loyalty Points.

Elite StatusLoyalty Points
AAdvantage Gold®30,000
AAdvantage Platinum®75,000
AAdvantage Platinum Pro®125,000
AAdvantage Executive Platinum®200,000

There are a few things to note about Loyalty Points:

  • You can earn Loyalty Points with all AAdvantage cards but you only earn Loyalty Points per base dollar spent — you don’t earn extra Loyalty Points for special bonus multipliers.
  • There is a special perk on this card that allows you to earn a bonus of 10,000 Loyalty Points if you spend $40,000 in qualifying year (defined as beginning on March 1st and ending on February 28th).
  • The welcome bonus does NOT count towards Loyalty Points.
  • You can supplement your earnings with spending through things like: AAdvantage eShopping, SimplyMiles, AAdvantage Dining, etc.

Admirals Club membership

The Citi AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard grants cardholders 18 years of age or older with full membership privileges to Admirals Club lounges, which may also include access to other airline lounges and clubs (e.g., Alaska, Qantas Clubs, oneworld or partner lounges, etc.).

This membership is worth up to $650 so getting it as a perk is a huge deal! 

Note: same-day boarding passes on American Airlines or partner airlines will be required for entry.

Admirals Club lounges are pretty standard domestic lounges.

In these you might expect to find comfortable spots to relax in along with modern and fresh decor. As far as drinks go, you’ll find coffee, tea, soft drinks, house wine, beer, and spirits (premium drinks will cost you).

And for complimentary food, it’s usually lighter snacks, fruits, yogurt, breads, oatmeal, although some will serve up something special like avocado toast. You can also order dishes from the menu but you’ll generally have to pay for those.

Some Admirals Club lounges will have shower suites and children play areas. You can read more about my Admirals Club experience here. 

Admirals Club breakfast.

Authorized users

Authorized users can get into the Admirals Clubs but they don’t get the full membership.

Citi states, “Full Admirals Club® membership privileges do not apply to a credit card authorized user,” so authorized users don’t get access to the partner lounges.

To access an Admirals Club lounge, authorized users must present their credit card (along with other needed things like an ID, boarding pass, etc.).

Primary cardmembers need only show their AAdvantage number and ID/boarding pass.

Flagship Lounges

Neither membership nor the credit card authorized user access benefit provides access privileges to the Arrivals Lounge, International First Class Lounges, or Flagship Lounge facilities, including Flagship First Dining.

Guest policy

This card has a pretty good guest policy for lounges.

You can get your immediate family members in for free (spouse or domestic partner and children under 18) or you can bring along up to two guests traveling with the primary credit cardmember or authorized user. 

The fact that authorized users can bring in up to two guests is pretty awesome.

Admirals Club at IAH.

Authorized users

One of the biggest features of this card is that you can add up to 10 authorized users to your account for no additional cost.

That’s some crazy value when you consider how many people could get Admiral’s Club access for essentially nothing.

But note: authorized users do not receive the first checked bag free or boarding benefits.

First checked bag free

Primary credit cardmembers may check one bag and avoid AA baggage fees when traveling on domestic itineraries.

All flights on the itinerary must be domestic flights marketed by American Airlines and operated by American Airlines or American Eagle.

(This benefit will not be available for travel on codeshare flights booked with an American Airlines flight number but operated by another airline — see the terms and conditions for more on eligible airlines.)

The cool thing about this perk is that it offers the free first checked bag to up to eight companions traveling with the eligible primary credit cardmember (as long as they are listed in the same reservation). That’s a ton of value if you can utilize this perk for a large group of people.

Airport experience

The Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® can help upgrade your airport experience with the following benefits:

  • Priority check-in (where available)
  • Priority airport screening (where available)
  • Priority boarding privileges

Up to eight companions traveling with the eligible primary credit cardmember will also get these perks if they are listed in the same reservation.

For benefits to apply, your account must be open seven days prior to air travel and the reservation must include the primary credit cardmember’s AAdvantage number seven days prior to travel.

These benefits apply when traveling on flights marketed and operated by American Airlines, or on flights marketed by American Airlines and operated as other eligible airlines.

Priority check-in (where available)

Priority check-in offers you a special counter area for you to check in at many airports. These check-in areas (seen below) can have much smaller crowds than the standard check-in areas so you can save a lot of time.

American Airlines priority check-in at DFW.

Priority airport screening (where available)

Priority airport screening will allow you to bypass the main security line. This can save you a lot of time in some cases but I’d generally just go with the TSA Pre-Check line or even CLEAR if you have it.

Priority boarding privileges

The priority boarding benefit will display on your American Airlines boarding pass as “Group 4.”

This is the final group in the priority boarding group, so you’ll be boarding before all the economy passengers but you’ll still have some first class and elites in boarding in front of you. To find out more about the American Airline boarding groups click here. 

American Airlines boarding area at IAH.

25% Discount

The Citi AAdvantage Executive offers a 25% savings on inflight purchases of food and beverages on flights operated by American Airlines when you use your Citi AAdvantage Executive card.

Keep in mind that the discount does not apply to any other inflight purchases like in-flight wifi. 

Global Entry or TSA Pre-Check credit

The Executive will grant you a Global Entry or TSA Pre-Check application fee, every five years up to $100.

TSA Pre-Check is a program that costs $85 to join and allows approved passengers to go through a separate security screening process that is less demanding than the security screening open to the public.

Meanwhile, Global Entry provides you with TSA Pre-Check in addition to expedited entry back into the US. You can read about how to get approved here.

No foreign transaction fees

This card has no foreign transaction fees which is pretty standard for a major airline cobranded credit card.

Annual fee

  • $450

This is a very reasonable annual fee considering how much lounge membership is worth and the fact that you could add up to ten authorized users for free.

Benefits and protections

Citibank dropped pretty much every major travel benefits and protection from their cards as of September 22, 2019. Some of the benefits and protections that were dropped consisted of:

  • Worldwide Car Rental Insurance
  • Trip Cancellation & Interruption Protection
  • Worldwide Travel Accident Insurance
  • Citi Price Rewind
  • Trip Delay Protection
  • Baggage Delay Protection
  • Lost Baggage Protection
  • Roadside Assistance Dispatch Service

For this reason, you don’t want to use this card for purchases that you really need or want built-in travel insurance/protections for.

So when it comes to purchasing flights and prepaid hotels, you would be much better off with a card like the Chase Sapphire Reserve® or Chase Sapphire Preferred which provides you with much better protections.

Final word

The Citi AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard is the card to get if you’re interested in AAdvantage elite status, Admirals Club access, and/or have a family or group of people who want in on the travel savings.

If you have people you trust as authorized users, the ceiling for your value with the Citi AAdvantage Executive can be very high.

It’s also great for groups because you can get all of those travel perks for up to eight companions, which again means a lot of value.

Advertiser Disclosure: UponArriving has partnered with affiliate partners and may receive a commission from card issuers. UponArriving does not display all credit card offers and affiliate relationships may impact how offers are presented. 

Editorial Disclosure: Opinions, reviews, analysis & recommendations are UponArriving’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any of these entities. 

American Airlines Basic Economy vs Main Cabin (Key Differences) [2022]

Almost every major airline offers some version of Basic Economy.

When it comes to booking Basic Economy with American Airlines, you’ll want to know the difference between Basic Economy and Main Cabin (or standard economy).

In this article, I’ll tell you everything you need to know about Basic Economy and these differences.

What is American Airlines Basic Economy?

American Airlines Basic Economy is the cheapest fare available on some American Airlines routes. While it is the cheapest fare, it comes with limitations on important things you’ll care about like: change fees, seat selection, boarding, free checked bags, and upgrades.

Sometimes you can pay to obtain some of these benefits like seat selection or you can obtain them for free by having elite status or certain co-branded credit cards. (I’ll break down all of the information you need to know below.)

For your reference, the different type of fares you can choose from when booking an American Airlines ticket include:

  • Basic Economy
  • Main Cabin (standard economy)
  • Main Plus (access to Main Cabin Extra and preferred seats if available)
  • Premium Economy
  • Business Class
  • First Class

Note that these different fares will not be available on every route.

Related: American Airlines Domestic First Class Ultimate Guide

Don’t Miss out! Find out which American Airlines credit card can set you up with a big bonus, lounge access, free checked bags, and a short-cut to AAdvantage elite status! Read more here!

Booking American Airlines Basic Economy

Booking in American Airlines Basic Economy ticket is very straightforward. As you are searching for available tickets, you’ll see one designation for Basic Economy and you really can’t miss it, especially when you see the confirmation message.

Tip: Use the free app WalletFlo to help you travel the world for free by finding the best travel credit cards and promotions!

Carry-on bags

One of the most important things to look out for when booking basic economy is whether or not you are given a free carry-on bag. Some airlines will require you to pay for anything you bring on the plane beyond a personal item.

However, for both short-haul and long-haul flights, American Airlines allows you to bring a free carry-on when flying Basic Economy. This is the same policy for Main Cabin.

The dimensions for your carry-on need to be no greater than 22 x 14 x 9 inches (56 x 35 x 23 cm), which is the same requirement for Main Cabin.

If for some reason there is no room for your carry-on item (since you may be boarding last), you can check your carry-on bag for no additional charge.

Personal item

Just like in Main Cabin where you are allowed a carry-on bag, you will also be allowed to bring a personal item.

A personal item is usually a smaller carry-on such as a smaller backpack, purse, laptop bag, camera bag, etc. These typically need to go under your seat so that you are not taking up too much room in the overhead storage bin.

However, if there is plenty of room in the overhead storage bin there’s usually not a problem putting your personal item up there.

The dimensions for your personal item need to be no greater than 18 x 14 x 8 inches (45 x 35 x 20 cm), which is the same requirement for Main Cabin.

Related: What’s a Personal Item on a Plane?

Seat selection

You can choose a specific seat at any time but you will have to pay a fee.

If you don’t choose a seat, you will be automatically assigned a seat for free at check-in. This will most likely mean getting placed in a middle seat if the plane is full but that is not always the case.

For groups with Basic Economy tickets, American Airlines cannot guarantee that you will be seated together.

It’s worth noting that you can select a seat for free if you are an AAdvantage member with status.

If you’re a family traveling with children under 15, and do not already have seats assigned, the American Airlines seat selection system will try to find seats for you to sit together before departure. However, this may not always be possible.

At the very least they will assign seats so that children under 15 are next to at least adult.

Related: American Airlines Unaccompanied Minor Policy (Fees & Forms)

Boarding

American Airlines has a pretty standard boarding process.

As you would probably expect, flying basic economy means that you’ll be boarding last. Your exact boarding group will depend on your destination though.

If you are flying within North America you will likely be boarding in Group 9 but if you are flying internationally you will likely be in Group 8.

Citi/AAdvantage or AAdvantage Aviator Mastercard cardmembers can still get priority or preferred boarding privileges.

For example, If you hold the premium Citi AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard you can board with Group 4.

If you have an eligible AAdvantage credit card like the Aviator Red or the Citi Platinum Select, you’ll get preferred boarding in Group 5.

Remember, you only need to hold these cards — you don’t have to purchase your ticket on them.

In-flight experience

The in-flight experience should be basically the same whether you are flying Main Cabin or Basic Economy.

You still have access to the same type of in-flight entertainment, wi-fi, drinks, and snacks. You’ll need to pay for food and drinks in Basic Economy but you also have to pay for them in Main Cabin.

Also, you’ll have access to the same type of seats and lavatory.

Related: American Airlines Main Cabin Extra 737-800 Review

Checked baggage

Unlike Main Cabin fares which get free checked baggage on many international routes, your options for getting free checked baggage are much more limited when flying Basic Economy.

When flying within the U.S., Canada, Central America, Mexico, Caribbean, and Guyana & Suriname you do NOT get a free checked bag with basic economy.

Seasonality can change the checked baggage fee but typically you’ll be paying $30 for your first bag and $40 for your second bag.

The exception here is if you are an AAdvantage status member. In that case, you still get the free bag that you are entitled to.

Also, if you have an eligible AAdvantage credit card, you are exempt when flying within the U.S. and Canada.

When flying to and from Europe and South America you will also NOT get a free checked bag. But once again there is an exception if you are an AAdvantage status member.

Your first checked bag for a transatlantic flight may be $75 and your second bag may be $100.

The good news is that you can get a free checked bag when flying to and from Israel and also to and from countries in Asia/Oceania such as India, China, Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand.

Refunds and changes

Whether or not you can change a Basic Economy ticket for free depends on where your flight is originating from.

Basic Economy fares bought on or after April 1, 2021, are non-refundable and non-changeable for flights originating in North America, South America and certain countries in Asia.

For flights originating outside North or South America the no change fee applies.

This is a major difference from Main Cabin tickets because most of those tickets can be changed for free.

Earning miles and loyalty points

As of January 1, 2022, Basic Economy fares earn award miles and Loyalty Points.

Upgrades

With a standard Basic Economy seat you will not be eligible for upgrades. However, if you have elite status you may be eligible for some upgrades. Also, Citi/AAdvantage or AAdvantage Aviator Mastercard cardmembers can still get upgrades.

Note: Upgrades from Basic Economy fares are only allowed for AAdvantage status members who book 24 hours before departure.

Final word

American Airlines Basic Economy tickets are not so undesirable because you still get benefits like a free carry-on and even a free checked bag on some routes.

Also, if you have elite status or have a co-branded American Airlines credit card, you’ll be able to still enjoy some perks like choosing your seat and getting upgrades.

When calculating the price difference between Main Cabin and Basic Economy you want to pay attention to the costs for:

  • Change fees
  • Seat selection
  • Checked baggage fees

Getting a sense of those fees will help you make a good decision when it comes to choosing between the two.

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