Planning
- Up to 15 minutes prior to scheduled departure for Platinum Pro, Executive Platinum or Concierge Key AAdvantage members with an agent
- Up to 75 minutes prior to scheduled departure for any AAdvantage or OneWorld status passengers through the website or app
- All other passengers requests are not allowed
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For Admirals Club, Flagship, and other premium lounge options and entry requirements, see AA.com.
For all other OneWorld lounge options and entry requirements, see oneworld.com/airport-lounges.
For reviews on lounges, use loungebuddy.com.
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Never rely on a seat map as an indicator of upgrades or available space.
Replace the following placeholders with your flights details:
https://www.aa.com/seats/view?flightNumber=[NUMERIC_FLIGHT_NUMBER]&departureMonth=[NUMERIC_MONTH]&departureDay=[NUMERIC_DAY]&originAirport=[3_LETTER_IATA_DEPARTURE_AIRPORT_CODE]&destinationAirport=[3_LETTER_IATA_ARRIVAL_AIRPORT_CODE]
Example:
https://www.aa.com/seats/view?flightNumber=2739&departureMonth=4&departureDay=18&originAirport=MIA&destinationAirport=CUR
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Consider the following:
- Most flights begin boarding at least 30 minutes before departure. Do you plan on needing overhead bin space?
- A typical flight takes 15-20 minutes to deplane. Unless you’re sitting in the front, you need to factor in time to deplane.
- Will you be clearing customs? Do you have Global Entry?
- Doors close 10 minutes before departure.
Is the connection time legal?
Published MCT (minimum connection times) are available on ExpertFlyer.com under Travel Information > Min Connect Times. For example, a domestic-to-domestic connection when traveling on AA through DCA is 30 minutes.
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Schedule changes happen frequently and it’s important to carefully follow changes. Depending on the type of change, you may have different options available. The most comprehensive guide can be found on Saleslink.
In summary,
- Refunds are not permitted for a schedule change less than 4 hours
- You may be eligible for co-terminal options
- You could change from a connection to a non-stop
- You could take another flight on the same day or within 1 day before or after the original departure time
See also: Is my connection time too short?
Seat changes can happen when there is an equipment change or due to other passenger accommodations. If there was additional payment made for those seats, a refund can be requested through https://prefunds.aa.com. If the seat change is significant (from Premium Economy to economy), you can call reservations and request to be accommodated on another flight due to “level of comfort.”
You can set alerts using ExpertFlyer to monitor schedule, seat/equipment changes.
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The following contains information about AA’s Flight Information (FLIFO) in native format, which is accessible through ExpertFlyer and most GDSs. FLIFO information is available for current day and the previous 7 calendar days.
Basic Example
AA0001/01JAN AAA 0900 9 40 BBB 4 T4 49A 1400 4AAA/OUT0854 OFF0922 *0822 2BBB/IN1413 *1413
- First line is self-explanatory. Date is of departure from first airport.
- Lines starting with airport codes contain the scheduled information. The first 4 columns contain arrival information: bag claim, terminal, gate, and scheduled arrival time. This is followed by departure info: scheduled departure time, terminal, and gate
- Operational lines start with a number, and are added as the flight progresses or are needed. Following the number is the airport for which the line applies, a slash, and then the information expressed in local time. At the end of each line is an asterisk followed by the time when the line was last updated, expressed in Central Time zone, and, at times, another asterisk followed by the sign-in of the person who did the entry. Times in this section always follow the 24 hour clock to minimize confusion. Here’s what each number contains:
- Warnings. Free text, generally it’s CX or FX (entire flight cancelled), LX (leg cancelled), OVR (diversion ‘over’ to), RTN (return) followed by an explanation in free-text, or a simple free text
- Gate arrival information. Contains one of the following:
- PRE, the preliminary time of gate arrival (plane has not yet left the ground);
- ETA, the expected time of gate arrival (plane enroute);
- ON, the time of landing (plane still taxiing);
- IN, the time of gate arrival
- Flight delay information: Either ETD, expected time of departure, or DCSN, time at which further decision will be made. This almost always often followed by freetext summarizing the reason for the delay (see below for contractions)
- Actual departure information: OUT for time the plane left the gate, OFF for the time the front wheel lifted off the runway
- Miscellaneous (airport?) notes. Often signed with a FTWDP xxxxx, or Fort Worth Dispatch and the last name of the dispatcher.
- Miscellaneous (segment?) notes
- Reaccomodation notes. Freetext
Typical Contractions and Abbreviations Used
Lines starting with 3 (delays)
xxx ATC air traffic control at xxx xxx ATC FLOW air traffic control flow control at xxx AIR START aircraft engines needed to be air started (from ground equipment) ATC air traffic control ATC xxx FLOW air traffic control flow control at xxx ANNEX ? ARNTP air interruption AUTO UPDATE self explanatory, but kind of weird AWTG CREW awaiting crew AWTG FA*S awaiting flight attendants A/E awaiting equipment A/EQ awaiting equipment A/E F111 awaiting equipment, arriving as flight 111 AWTG HOUGH awaiting Hough (i.e. pushback tow, from its maker) AWTPUSHCREW awaiting pushback crew AWTQ awaiting equipment (aircraft) AWTQ/111 awaiting equipment, arriving as flight 111 AWTQ/111ATC awaiting equipment, arriving as flight 111 and delayed by ATC BGRM bag room BRDG boarding C/E change of equipment xxx CAC company arrival control at xxx CEQ ? CGO LDNG cargo loading CGRO LDG cargo loading CTX delay in bag scanning for explosives LATE THRU late arrival of incoming leg of thru flight LOADING cargo loading LT THRU late arrival of incoming leg of thru flight MNTC maintenance OPNL operational OPNSVCG operations servicing (i.e. working on) equipment (aircraft) PSVC passenger services P/S passenger services RMVG PAX having to remove a passenger SABRE computer system problem(s) SCVG servicing (typo) SVC servicing (cleanup, catering, mechanical) SVCG servicing (cleanup, catering, mechanical) SVCG SEAT servicing (fixing) a seat
Other
A/C aircraft
ACCT on the account of (i.e. because)
AUTO REACCOM automated program that rebooks all reservations was run
CHG EQ change equipment (airplane)
INTMD LNDG intermediate (unscheduled) landing
MECH mechanical issue
OTS out of service
PSBL DLA possible delay
STUB ORIGIN stub; used on multi-segment flight when a downline segment operates without waiting
for the arrival of a prior segment who has been delayed
WL OPT will operate
Example: change of flight
AA0001/01JAN ‡DTE CHNG FLT‡ ORIG 01JAN AAA 1655 23 BBB ‡ D31 D D36 0455 0700 D D36 CCC 1145
- The warning above highlights the fact that this flight operates over multiple dates; the date is the one of departure from the first airport.
- The ‡ after BBB marks where the change of date takes place
- In this example, the information for BBB-CCC is for the flight on 02JAN
Example: diversion due to onboard problem
AA0001/01JAN AAA 1840 14 ZZZ 1956 2100 BBB C25 C C26 2020 2150 C C21 CCC M2 C18 2325 4AAA/OUT1840 OFF1851 *1751 2ZZZ/IN1956 *2001 4ZZZ/OUT0001 OFF0007 *0007 2BBB/IN0044 *0046 4BBB/OUT2212 OFF2224 *2224 1BBB/INTMD LNDG ZZZ/MECH/CHG EQ AND CONTINUE TO BBB *2249*QSDABC 5BBB/STUB ORIG BBBCCC/LATE INBOUND *2249*QSDABC 2CCC/IN2335 *2336
- This flight was originally scheduled to fly from AAA to BBB and then to CCC. Its scheduled was later edited to add an intermediate landing at ZZZ (we don’t know that from just looking at this info)
- The 1BBB/ warning line tells us what is going on and why
- The 5BBB/ notes line tells us that the BBB-CCC flight will operate without waiting for the inbound
Adopted from Archive.org
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American Airlines releases schedules 331 days in advance. Therefore, add 331 days to today’s date, and that’s how far in advance you can book.
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There is no “best time” to buy. Airlines use dynamic pricing which factor multiple variables.
Use Google Flights to see whether the price is typical and track ticket price history.
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Do not use Seatguru as they have been decommissioned as of March 2020.
For accurate seating maps, use https://www.aerolopa.com/.
For seat reviews information, use https://seatmaps.com/.
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For business class tickets (including award travel) departing out of LHR, passengers are subject to the Air Passenger Duty which applies to all airlines.
Specific to flights operated by British Airways, the carrier imposes charges which are much higher than other airlines. These charges are more apparent for award travel, and less noticed on revenue fares. When redeeming for award travel, the carrier imposed charges are passed to the passenger which devaluates most redemptions flying with British Airways.
For award travel, search for flights operated by Finnair (via HEL) or Iberia (via MAD or BCN) to avoid these fees.
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Sometimes you will not be able to check in online through the website or app. This generally means there’s a document check required (visa, health, etc.) and you must check-in at the airport. It is no cause for alarm.
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