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How to Use an American Airlines Flight Credit

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Table of Contents

How to use a flight credit on American Airlines

How to use a trip credit on american airlines, 4 steps to book a flight with american airlines flight credit, 4 steps to book a flight with american airlines trip credit, final thoughts on american airlines flight credits and trip credits.

If you've previously canceled an American Airlines flight, you may be wondering how to use American Airlines flight credits or how to use American airlines trip credits. The good news is that redeeming flight credits and trip credits to book American Airlines flights is quick and easy.

Before learning more about each, including how to redeem these American Airlines credits, you’ll want to understand how flight credits and trip credits are earned and how these travel credits function.

Here's a look at how to use an American Airlines flight credit.

» Learn more: The best airline credit cards right now

American Airlines issues flight credit for unused or canceled tickets. This type of compensation is different from trip credits because flight credits can generally be used for the passenger whose name was on the original ticket only.

Here's what you need to know about flight credits:

You can use these credits for flights only.

Flight credits can't be redeemed for extras like seats or bags.

Flight credit is valid for one year from the issue date unless otherwise noted.

You can use one flight credit per passenger when booking at AA.com (contact American Airlines to book with more than one flight credit).

Only the same passenger named on the flight credit can book and travel.

add travel credit american airlines

American Airlines issues trip credit as compensation, refunds and for the remaining value of flight credit exchanges.

Here's what you need to know about trip credits:

Trip credit is valid for non-award bookings.

You can use trip credit for domestic or international flights originating in the U.S.

These credits can't be redeemed for extras like seats or bags.

Trip credit is valid for one year from the issue date.

You can use eight trip credits in a single passenger reservation when booking at AA.com (contact American Airlines to book more than one passenger).

The trip credit recipient can use their credit to book and pay for travel for themselves or others.

» Learn more: Complete guide to American Airlines elite status

​​Where can you see your flight credit or trip credit balance?

American Airlines will send an email with flight credit and trip credit information directly to travelers. You can go back to the email to review your credit details.

You can also review your credit details another way.

If you're an AAdvantage member, you can log in to your account and check any credits by clicking on your "Wallet." If you have active credits, they will be listed here.

add travel credit american airlines

How long are American Airlines flight credits and trip credits good for?

Most American Airlines travel credits are valid for one year from the issue date unless otherwise noted.

Special rules for eligible flight credits: If you're an AAdvantage member and have an original ticket issued from Jan. 1, 2020, to Dec. 31, 2021, the value of your unused ticket can be used by Sept. 30, 2022, for travel through Dec. 31, 2022.

What can I do if my flight credit or trip credit expired?

Make sure you check your flight credit and trip credit expiration dates. American Airlines won't make exceptions if your credit expires.

Here is a breakdown of what the airline's terms and conditions state about credit expirations:

American Airlines won't reissue trip credits past the expiration date and are not responsible for honoring invalid or expired trip credit.

American Airlines won't extend or reissue flight credits past the expiration date, and expired flight credits will not be honored.

» Learn more: Everything you need to know about the American Airlines AAdvantage program

Here is how to use American Airlines flight credit:

1. Have your flight credit details ready

You can find your flight credit ticket number in the email from American Airlines or by logging into your AAdvantage account and going to your wallet.

2. Browse and select flights

Search for and find your desired flights.

3. Click “+ Flight Credit” to apply your flight credit before checking out

add travel credit american airlines

After confirming your flight details, passenger details and selecting your seats, you'll see an option to add a flight credit before finalizing the payment and checkout process.

add travel credit american airlines

4. Finish the booking and checkout process

Once you apply your flight credit, you can complete the checkout process.

If you don't have enough credit to cover the cost of your flight, you'll choose a payment method to pay the difference.

If the ticket price is less than the value of your flight credit, you will receive the remaining credit balance issued as a credit to use for future travel.

The process of using an American Airlines trip credit is similar:

1. Have your trip credit details ready

You can locate your trip credit number in your email from American Airlines or in the wallet section of your AAdvantage member account.

2. Browse and select your flights

Search for and find the flights that you want to book.

3. Click “+ Trip Credit” to apply your trip credit before checking out

Once you confirm flight details, passenger details and select your seats, you'll be able to add a trip credit before finalizing the payment and checkout process.

add travel credit american airlines

Once you add your trip credit and see that it has been applied, you can continue through the checkout process.

If you don't have enough credit to cover the cost of your ticket, you'll choose a payment method to pay the difference.

If the ticket price is less than the value of your trip credit, you will receive the remaining value issued as a credit, which you can use for future trips.

American Airlines makes it easy to redeem travel credits when booking flights on their website. Now that you know how to use a flight credit and how to use a trip credit on American Airlines, you can put any remaining credits to use. Just make sure to keep on top of travel credit expiration dates so your credits don't go unused.

How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are some of the best travel credit cards of 2024 :

Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

No annual fee: Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card

Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Luxury perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express

Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card

IHG® One Rewards Premier Credit Card

Earn 5 free nights at an IHG property after $4k in spend (each night valued at up to 60k points).

add travel credit american airlines

Type A Getaway

How to redeem american airlines flight credits.

add travel credit american airlines

DISCLAIMER: I am not an American Airlines employee or affiliated with them in any way , so unfortunately, I am not able to access flight records or help you re-book. I have simply learned some of these lessons the hard way and hope to share my knowledge so you’ll have an easier time using your credits! I’m happy to try to help if you do have questions though – feel free to reach out to me through the form on my Contact page or by leaving a comment on this post!

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many airlines began making sweeping changes to their formerly rigid cancellation policies. It’s great to retain the funds you paid; however, if you don’t have a full understanding of flight credit and voucher procedures, it’s easy to end up with unused money left on the table.

If You Only Take Away One Thing…

Before we get started, the most important piece of advice I can give you is to document, document, document! Keep every email you get from American Airlines. Take notes while you’re on the phone with Customer Service. If you expect to receive something via mail/email, add a calendar reminder to follow up if you haven’t received it in ten business days.

Before you begin redeeming, compile a spreadsheet with the following information:

  • Flight numbers, cities, and dates of your cancelled trip
  • Which passengers were originally on the ticket(s)
  • How much you paid per person for the ticket(s)
  • Record locator and ticket number(s) associated with each single ticket you cancelled (we’ll discuss the difference below)

When you redeem credits for new flights, add this information to your spreadsheet:

  • Flight numbers, cities and dates for your newly-booked flight
  • Cost of the new flight
  • Which passengers have redeemed the flight credit
  • The amount remaining (if the flight you redeemed was less expensive than your original ticket)
  • The format of your remaining funds (travel voucher or trip credit, which we’ll discuss below)

Record Locator vs. Ticket Number

Let’s talk through some key terms.

When you purchase a ticket, your confirmation email will include a six-character record locator (confirmation number). The email also includes a 13-digit ticket number (beginning with ‘001’) for each passenger. You may not notice this number right away, as you don’t need it for normal travel, but it is key when it comes to tracking your flight credits.

Customer Service Agents are typically not able to pull up credits by your name, AAdvantage loyalty account, or even your six-character record locator. Having the ticket number is the only way to ensure they’ll be able to find your credit.

Types of Credits

There are three different types of ‘credits’ American Airlines uses for travel funds resulting from cancelled flights: flight credits, travel vouchers, and trip credits.

Flight Credit

When you cancel a flight, you’ll initially receive a flight credit for the amount you originally paid. You can only book travel for the originally-ticketed passenger when redeeming a flight credit.

A flight credit is always be tied to your original 13-digit ticket number , and you’ll need to give the ticket number to the Customer Service Agent in order to redeem the credit. You may get lucky and be able to give the Agent your six-character record locator instead of the ticket number, but don’t count on this. Flight credits also may or may not show up on your AAdvantage loyalty account (they showed up in my account for only about half of the flights I cancelled).

Travel Voucher

Travel vouchers used to be issued for any remaining flight credit leftover after the first redemption (if the flight you re-booked didn’t cost as much as your original ticket). Vouchers were also used for compensating passengers for things like giving up your seat on an oversold flight.

While this practice has recently changed, you may still have a valid paper voucher (mailed to you) or electronic “e-voucher (emailed to you) to redeem.

Vouchers are essentially like gift cards with an expiration. You can use them to book travel for anyone. Treat travel vouchers like cash, as they cannot be looked up or replaced. They are not tied to a particular record locator, ticket number, or passenger name. To redeem, you’ll give the Agent the travel voucher number (and the PIN, for e-vouchers only).

Trip Credit

Flight credits and trip credits are not the same thing (couldn’t they have picked a different name?!). Flight credits are the initial value of your cancelled flight (see above), while trip credits are essentially the same as travel vouchers.

While you used to receive a travel voucher for giving up your seat on an oversold flight, you now receive a trip credit. Similarly, if you have remaining travel funds leftover after redeeming part of your initial flight credit, you’ll receive a trip credit for the remaining balance.

To redeem, you’ll give the Agent the trip credit number from your email (and be aware there may be multiple trip credit numbers if you originally purchased upgrades or add-ons like preferred seating or checked bags). Trip credits can be used to purchase travel for anyone.

Rules of Redemption

Who can i book travel for.

  • Flight credits (your initial credit after cancellation) can only be used to book travel for the passenger on the original reservation
  • Travel vouchers and trip credits (with leftover funds) can be used for anyone

When do my credits/vouchers expire?

  • For flight credits, travel must begin one year from the date of issue
  • Travel vouchers and trip credits expire one year from the date of issue (you must purchase a new ticket by the expiration date, but travel does not have to begin by that date)

How many credits/vouchers can I redeem at once?

  • You cannot apply both a credit and a voucher to a single new reservation. You have to choose one or the other
  • However, you may apply up to eight of the same type of credit/voucher to a single ticket
  • If you have a paper voucher and an e-voucher, these can be applied to the same reservation since they are both vouchers

Redeeming Credits and Vouchers

You can redeem a single flight/trip credit or up to eight travel e-vouchers on aa.com , but I recommend calling Customer Service instead (800-433-7300). This ensures you’re able to ask all of your questions, understand the credit you’ll have leftover (if any), and be aware of the expiration date of the remaining credits.

Pick Your Flights

Before you call, search aa.com to find the exact flights you want to book using your credits or vouchers. Make a note of the date, departure time, flight number, and price. Go through the steps online as if you’re going to book a ticket (you’ll put in your traveler information but will not have to input payment information). This pulls up the seat selection map so you can tell the Agent which seat you’d like to book.

Call Customer Service

Call as early in the morning as possible to minimize wait times (take advantage of American’s call-back feature). Be sure to keep your phone with you the entire time – you don’t want to miss the call and have to get in the virtual queue again. If you are booking multiple tickets or have several credits/vouchers to use, you could be on the phone with the Agent for close to an hour.

Tell the Agent which flights you want to book, and let him/her know that you have a credit or voucher to redeem. You’ll need to give your ticket number (for a flight credit), voucher number (and PIN, if you received the voucher via email), or trip credit number.

Refer to your notes throughout the re-booking process (and take more notes during the call, too). Be sure you know the amount of your credit and how much your new ticket costs. Ask as many questions as you need to, especially if you expect to have money leftover.

Mail Your Voucher (If Applicable)

If you have a paper/hard copy travel voucher, you’ll need to mail it in once you have booked your tickets. The Agent will walk you through the steps, including which address to send it to and what to include in the envelope. Take a picture of the voucher (front and back) before putting it in the mailbox. It’s also a good idea to use mail tracking services to ensure the envelope does not get lost in the mail.

But How Does This Actually Play Out?

Let’s talk through an example. Last summer, I planned to go to Florida with my husband (Scott), sister (Paige), and brother-in-law (Daniel). We booked our flights together on the same reservation, and each round trip ticket from Dallas to Miami cost $300. When we cancelled our trip, American issued us $300 each in flight credits to be used toward the purchase of future travel.

Remember, flight credits can only be used to book travel for the originally-ticketed passenger, so I could not take Scott’s $300 and purchase a $600 ticket for myself with those funds.

Booking a More Expensive Flight

Let’s say Scott and I want to use our flight credit to book a new trip to Cancun. Flights to Cancun cost $350 each (more than the amount of our flight credit), so using the credit is easy. I simply call Customer Service (or book online) and let them know I had a flight credit to redeem. The cost of the tickets uses up both Scott’s and my $300 credit, so I pay the remaining $50 per person with a credit card.

At this point, Paige and Daniel still have $300 each in flight credits that they can use for themselves.

Booking a Less Expensive Flight

On the other hand, let’s say Scott and I decide to take individual trips. I want to visit a friend in Denver ($175 ticket cost), and Scott wants to play golf in San Diego ($250 ticket cost). That means that I will have $125 of my $300 credit leftover, and Scott will have $50.

To book, I call Customer Service to book these tickets because I know I’ll have funds leftover. I don’t book online (even though I could) because I want to ensure I fully understand what form of remaining credit I’ll be receiving, when I should expect to receive it, the monetary value, and the rules of expiration.

Remember, once you redeem part of your original flight credit , the rest of the funds are magically transformed into a trip credit . Scroll back up if you need a refresher on the terminology! So in this scenario, I expect to receive an email with a 13-digit trip credit number for my leftover $125, and Scott will expect to receive a separate email with the trip credit number for his $50.

Redeeming Remaining Funds

Now, here’s where things start to get interesting. Trip credits and vouchers have much looser rules than flight credits. They operate essentially like gift cards. You can book travel for anyone using trip credits, and you can use up to eight trip credits to purchase a single, more expensive ticket.

So, let’s say Scott and I are feeling generous, and we want to use all of our leftover funds to purchase a flight for my other sister, Faith. We have $175 total in trip credits between us ($125 + $50), and we can use all $175 to purchase a flight for Faith.

If Faith’s ticket costs more than $175, I can simply use a credit card to pay the remaining balance.

Since trip credits work like gift cards, if Faith’s ticket costs less than $175, the trip credit will retain the remaining funds. I will not receive another email with a new trip credit number.

Remember, Paige and Daniel haven’t redeemed their $300 each in flight credits yet. Could all four of us pitch in and have $775 ($300 + $300 + $125 +$50) to use for Faith’s ticket? Unfortunately not. Remember, only travel vouchers and trip credits can be used to book travel for other people. Paige and Daniel have not redeemed any of their funds yet. Their money is still in the form of a flight credit, which can only be used to book travel for themselves.

Keep in Mind

Don’t forget, the best thing you can do is write everything down, even if you think it’s not important. Save emails, take notes during phone calls, and keep track of your ticket numbers and the value of credits/vouchers.

Redeeming American flight credits can sometimes feel like you’re playing a game and no one has explained the rules. Just keep track of your tickets and credits, and keep asking questions until you feel satisfied in your understanding.

Good luck, and happy travels!

Save for Later

This post has 15 comments.

I have a travel credit that expire September 2nd of this year, and I will not be able to use it. Is it possible to use that money to buy frequent flyer miles?

I do not believe so, unfortunately, but I am not an American Airlines employee and do not know rules they might be able to bend, so it’s definitely worth calling and asking! Some airlines are also able to extend the credit one time as a courtesy. The agents I have spoken with in the past also gave me alternative suggestions like booking a very cheap ticket on the credit in order to extend the remainder of the funds, so hopefully they can give you some options. Best of luck!

So booked a trip overseas with family of 5. Cancelled due to Covid. Received a trip voucher (which I think I understand how it works but AA reps keep changing their responses and I’m feeling the info is often vague.) They Expire 4/22/22 I just booked a trip and still have a voucher credit of 900.00 – The trip I purchased also went down in price so AA gave me the difference of 300.00 for the flight price change in a trip credit which now has a 1 yr exp. starting March 10th. Trip voucher – seems this has to be booked towards the pruchase of a ticket by 4/22 and I need to travel somewhere within 1 year of the ticket i book (example: book trip 4/1 for travel next Jan 2023 and need to cancel said trip.. I still have only until 4/1 to rebook and use the ticket money..?) trip credit – issued 3/10/22 was told I now have 1 year from said date to book and use 300.00 credit. So say we book tickets to Florida in June for lights in Nov 2022 and I need to cancel trip. do I have until June 2023 to rebook those tickets and do I have to travel by June or just rebook by june? My ultimate question here is….. how long do I have to use the cancelled flight if it was originally fully or partially paid for with a voucher or trip credit??

Great question, and to be honest, the expiration dates are really tricky. I will give you my best guess about how I think these expiration dates should work! I believe if multiple vouchers/credits/forms of payment were used, you receive a new voucher/credit number and new expiration date.

If only one credit/voucher was used to purchase each flight, and you cancel that trip, it’s possible you may retain the original credit/voucher number and expiration date. I think new vouchers/credits are only issued if multiple forms of payment were used.

Totally understand conflicting information from agents, and that does make it difficult! I actually called twice on two different days (early in the morning to minimize wait time) to verify expiration dates and what would happen if I were to cancel tickets. Once I got the same response from two different agents, I felt more confident in the response! Good luck, and safe travels!

June of 2021, I purchased tickets for my wife and I to go on a cruise in October. (Four months in advance.) When September came, I was diagnosed with heart failure, and visited the hospital six times over a two-month period. My cardiologist told me I wasn’t going anywhere for awhile, and that he would write an excuse for me to get a refund if need be. I had to cancel my cruise and flight on American. I’m now on the road to recovery, and would like to plan something for fall or winter, but AA’s policy is to travel within twelve months of original purchase. Do you think it’s worth contacting AA’s customer service, or am I totally out of luck?

Oh my goodness, I am sorry to hear that, but glad you are able to travel sometime soon! I do think it’s worth a try. When I was redeeming, I was able to get mine “extended” in a roundabout way by buying more than one ticket- once you have redeemed part of the credit, the rules often change as far as expiration dates (depending on the type of credit you had in the first place).

So, for example, the agent had told me I could buy a super cheap ticket that I didn’t even intend to use (if necessary) in order to trigger the rest of your credit to be transferred to a different type of credit, with a different expiration date.

Or, they may have other options that I’m not aware of. I work for a different airline (not American), and for example, we can extend credits past the expiration date with a penalty (you lose a little bit of your credit, but you get longer to use it). I’m not sure if American offers something like this, but definitely worth a try. Good luck, and happy travels!

Hi!! My aunt booked a trip for me to fly American Airline at the end of Jan -beginning of Dec 2019, covid came and weather was semi bad,Delta canceled her flight for 24 Dec called about day before and canceled her trip meantime she had paid for my trip with American so she called to canceled mines also,was told at that point she had a credit to use when ready.she was not a le to use her credits because of covid,and rou d about Dec 21 2021we wanted to take trip for New Year 2022 we called airlines and a young man name Justin tried to help took awhile but he found info for both flights.At that time 12/21/21 he was able to talk with delta sense we was not going until new year 2022 delta extended her credits until 12/22. Afterwards he called to American Airline to try and extend or get help to extend my credits of over 400$ was told credits could not be extended any longer,no one wrote nor called her from American Airline even though they had all her and my info to do so,nor mailed a voucher for her to redeem her payment or credit,this seems like wrong, she tried for help before deadline and American Airlines did not care that she is legally blind and could not read her emails if they sent any, I suggest and attorney to help her retrieve her credits.(Help for the disabled)

I have funds on account from a previous flight I had to cancel. I am now trying to book another flight and I want to use these funds on reserve…and I have a Reference # that was given to me. However, NOWHERE in the ticket booking process does the system as for the Ref # for the funds on account! Please advise.

Hi There! I apologize, but I’m not actually an American employee – I have simply had lots of challenges myself and hoped to write this article to help others avoid some of my issues – so I’m not 100% sure about your particular situation. I don’t believe you can book online though – I think you’ll need to call and give your information to the rep. Good luck!

trying to receive crdit refund from 2019 6h76nt2

Hi There! I apologize, but I’m not actually an American employee, so I’m not able to help with this refund. I have simply had lots of challenges myself and hoped to write this article to help others avoid some of my issues. Good luck!

Mark I wad just told by American Airline my 400$ credit was no longer available, Covid 12 /24/20 airline canceled my trip out of New York,so i had to canceled my niece’s on American Airline they said I would have actedit when I was ready called to receive it For 01/01/22 😢 was told no extensions for credit and did not offer anything voucher nor let me purchase a ticket with credit to use later so what do u do? let them rip you off

I’m so sorry to hear about this situation! I don’t work for American, I just have a little firsthand knowledge from my challenges with redeeming credits. I wish I could help more or offer advice for your specific situation, but that is truly frustrating when they do not seem willing to help!

Hello, I’m trying to book a trip using our travel credits from a trip cancelled because of covid. I found the one online that I wanted but could not figure out how to pay using my flight credit so I had to call reservations to help me. The new ticket is about $25 less than the voucher is for so no problem there. However, I was told that since the travel credit was for main cabin seating I could not purchase the basic economy seating on the new flight and would have to choose the more expensive option and pay more. Has this happened to anybody else?

Hi Kim, great question! Unfortunately, this is accurate if you’re booking using a flight credit (the credit that was initially given to you after you cancelled your original flight). These are tied to ‘fare classes’ (basic economy, main cabin, business class, first class), and American doesn’t allow you to downgrade to a lower fare class when using your flight credit.

If you are planning on taking multiple trips in the next year or so though, one option could be to call them back and book a different (cheaper) main cabin ticket with your FLIGHT credit, and receive a TRIP credit (which operates more like a gift card) for the remaining funds. You should be able to use the trip credit to purchase a basic economy ticket on another flight. If that’s something you are interested in looking into, I would call them back (although I know the waiting on hold is not fun!) and ask about this scenario. This SHOULD work, but some tickets have specific rules tied to them.

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  • Last Updated: May 16, 2021
  • @typeagetaway

One Day in Portland, Oregon: ⁠ ⁠ Even with only one day in the city, you can fit in a lot of fun. Rose gardens, one of the world's largest bookstores, and so, so much amazing food, including Blue Star Donuts (which are delicious and far superior to Voodoo!).⁠ ⁠ If you're headed to Oregon soon, be sure to check out my post on the best things to do with one day in Portland (link in bio). And then spend the rest of your trip exploring the amazing nature the state has to offer!⁠

American Airlines is making it much easier to redeem your existing travel credits

Zach Griff

There's great news for American Airlines travelers with unused travel credits.

This week, the Fort Worth-based carrier began a multi-step process in making it easier than ever to redeem those credits. The devil is in the details, but essentially American is converting existing "Flight Credit" into "Trip Credit." Though it's only a one-word difference on paper, the implications of this change are much more far-reaching — in a positive way.

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Previously, when you voluntarily canceled a flight, American issued a "Flight Credit" for the value of your unused trip. When it was time to rebook your travel , you could only use it for the originally ticketed passenger. Plus, you couldn't combine several credits to purchase a more expensive fare.

Say you canceled three one-way flights: one for $100 from New York to Miami, one for $200 from New York to Charlotte and one for $300 from New York to Dallas/Fort Worth. Well, if you ultimately decided to book a trip from New York to California for $600 in business class, you couldn't redeem all three credits at once.

If you were making the purchase on AA's website, you'd be limited to redeeming just one credit per passenger. If you instead called the reservations department, they'd be able to use a maximum of two Flight Credits towards your new trip. But that third one? You'd be forced to hang onto it for another time.

add travel credit american airlines

American's new go-to form of credit, "Trip Credits," doesn't have either of those restrictions.

"Trip Credits" are transferrable — you can use your voucher to pay for travel for yourself or others. Better yet, you can combine up to eight "Trip Credits" together towards the purchase of a new reservation.

There are several other notable reasons why "Trip Credits" are far more flexible than "Flight Credits." For one, they can be used to purchase Oneworld and other airline partner itineraries through AA's reservation team. You can also add multiple passengers onto a single reservation, which could help you share elite benefits , like upgrades, priority boarding and complimentary seat assignments, with your travel companions.

Plus, they're stored in your AAdvantage loyalty profile, making it quite easy to keep track of and redeem them.

For now, only select travelers will see their "Flight Credits" converted into "Trip Credits." Throughout August, American confirmed to TPG that it's been converting credits from single-passenger itineraries belonging to AAdvantage loyalty members , with more details and conversions coming soon.

Eligible travelers should check their email for a note from American with the subject line "Update to Your Travel Credit." The email contains details about the conversion process, as well as your new credit information.

add travel credit american airlines

In a statement shared with TPG, a carrier spokesperson wrote that,

As we welcome travelers back to the air, we are making it as easy as possible for our customers to fly on American. One way we're doing that is by evaluating our travel credits and identifying ways to simplify the redemption process and give customers more flexibility. Some of the improvements we have already made include securely storing travel credits for AAdvantage members, allowing easy access to their travel credits on aa.com or the American app. It's an area that we'll keep looking at and improving.

Ultimately, the goal is to unify all travel credits into one type to make it easier for customers to do business with AA. Still, the airline told TPG that it's going to take some time before the entire process is finished and there's no immediate timeline for when it'll be complete.

Either way, this is a welcome improvement from American, and it comes as the airline continues to implement flyer-friendly policies in response to the pandemic. In recent months, American has loosened restrictions on basic economy tickets , eliminated AAdvantage award change and cancel fees and removed phone service charges , among others.

And now, with this latest initiative, the carrier is making it easier than ever to use your existing travel credits.

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How to Use Airline Flight Credits — So You Never Lose Out Again

Here’s what you need to know about using flight credits — including the specific rules for Delta, American, and other top airlines.

add travel credit american airlines

What are flight credits?

How to use a flight credit, what to know about flight credit expiration policies.

  • Airline-specific Flight Credit Rules to Keep in Mind

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Fight credits can come in many different forms, but they are usually the result of a canceled flight. Since the ability to cancel or change a flight without fees has become more commonplace over the last few years, flight credits have also become something frequent fliers are dealing with more often. 

Using flight credits can be confusing because their terms and conditions aren’t universal — every airline has its own set of rules regarding flight credits. Here’s everything you need to know about flight credits, including how to use them, when they expire, and how to extend them. Plus, we’ll look at flight credit policies from five major U.S. airlines.

Related: What to Do If Your Flight Is Canceled, According to a Travel Expert

Flight credits, also referred to as travel credits, are credits received after canceling a flight. They are usually tied to the original ticket, so keep that information handy when you are ready to re-book your flight.

Generally, you’ll be able to book a new flight using a credit on your airline’s website. If your original ticket had multiple forms of payment, you may need to call to complete a booking using a flight credit.

If you booked the original ticket through a travel agency, you’ll need to contact the travel agency to cancel the flight and again when you want to book a new ticket with the flight credit.

Flight credits usually have an expiration date. While the length of time a credit is valid varies by airline, more often than not, they are good for one year. 

Remember that some airlines start the one-year clock when the original ticket was issued, not when the flight credit was generated.  So, if you book a flight and then need to cancel it six months later, your flight credit may only be valid for an additional six months.

Anna Harrison, a travel advisor and owner of Travel Observations, an affiliate of Gifted Travel Network, who is also a member of the American Society of Travel Advisors, always reminds clients of another important factor when considering flight credit expiration dates. “Remember ‘fly by’ dates can be different than ‘book by’ dates,” she stresses. 

Check with your specific airline to see if you need to book your travel by the flight credit expiration date or if you actually need to travel by that date. Whether or not you can extend a flight credit after its expiration depends on the specific airline. However, most flight credits can’t be extended after their original expiration date.

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Airline-specific Flight Credit Rules to Keep in Mind 

Delta air lines ecredits.

Delta Air Lines flight credits are called eCredits, and they can be used toward the payment of any Delta flight, including taxes and fees. Passengers can use up to five eCredits at a time.

Delta eCredits can be generated from an unused or partially used ticket, as compensation for service issues, from ticket exchanges that result in unused funds, or from e-gift certificates.

To redeem your Delta eCredit, you’ll need your 13-digit eCredit number that begins with 006.

Delta eCredits are valid for one year from the day the original flight was booked, and travel must be booked by the expiration date. 

American Airlines Flight Credits

American Airlines has three types of travel credits: trip credit, flight credit, and travel vouchers. We’re focusing on flight credits, which are issued for canceled flights or unused tickets. AA flight credits can be used to book non-award flights only. These credits can’t be applied to extras like seat charges or baggage fees .

The flight credit must be used on travel that begins within one year of the original travel date, not from when you cancel the original flight. If you book your flights far in advance, this can leave you with a short amount of time to use the credit.

Reservations using flight credits can be booked online for flights within the U.S., Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands using the record locator or ticket number of the original flight. For reservations using more than one flight credit or for international travel, you’ll need to call American Airlines to book. American Airlines flight credits aren’t transferable — they can only be used for the person named on the original flight — and they can’t be extended past their expiration dates.

JetBlue Travel Bank Credits 

JetBlue flight credits are also called travel bank credits. Travel credits can be used for JetBlue flights, including taxes, the air portion of a JetBlue Vacations package, change fees on Blue Basic fares, and increased flight costs due to a change on a Blue Basic ticket. The passenger name doesn’t have to match the name of the travel bank account holder, so it’s easy to use your JetBlue flight credits for someone else.

JetBlue travel credits can’t be used for any other charges, including baggage fees , Even More Space seats, or pet fees.

To redeem your JetBlue flight credits without a TrueBlue account, you’ll need to create a Travel Bank account. Once you have travel credits, you’ll get 2 emails from JetBlue containing your Travel Bank username and a temporary password, which will allow you to set up an account. If you have a TrueBlue account, you’ll be able to see the amount of your flight credits in the Travel Bank Credit section of your online account.

JetBlue travel credits are valid for one year from the original ticketing date. Unlike many airlines, you only need to book your travel by the expiration date, but travel can be completed after the credit expires. If a reservation made using a JetBlue travel credit is canceled, the credit expiration date will not reset. JetBlue travel credits can’t be extended.

United Airlines Future Flight Credits

If you cancel a United Airlines flight or change to a less expensive itinerary, you’ll receive a future flight credit. In addition to airfare, these flight credits can be used for extras like seat selection when they are chosen during the booking process. Future flight credits can only be used for the person named on the original flight that was canceled or changed. 

To use a flight credit, choose your flight on the United website or mobile app as you normally would. During the checkout process, select Travel Credits as your payment method, and any credits you have will be applied to your total. You can combine multiple future flight credits to pay for one transaction, but they can’t be combined with travel certificates.

If you want to combine your future flight credits with PlusPoints, book your flight with the flight credits first, then request a PlusPoints upgrade.

Future flight credits expire one year after the date they were issued, and your travel must begin by that date to use the credit. Credits can’t be extended.

Southwest Airlines Flight Credits

Southwest flight credits, previously called travel funds, are created after canceling a flight or changing a flight to a lower-priced itinerary. They are easy to use online, and they never expire .

These flight credits are tied to your original flight number. When paying for a new flight, look for the payment section labeled Apply Flight Credits, LUV Vouchers, and gift cards . Then, enter the confirmation number from the original flight and the passenger’s first and last name.

If the original flight that generated the flight credit was a Wanna Get Away fare, it’s non-transferable. If the flight credit was generated from a Wanna Get Away Plus, Anytime, or Business Select fare, it can be transferred to someone else.

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Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®

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TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Offer availability.

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

The card offer referenced in this communication is only available to individuals who reside in the United States and its territories, excluding Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands.

Bonus miles

Balance transfers, cash advances, checks that access your credit card account, items and services returned for credit, unauthorized charges, interest and account fees, traveler’s checks, purchases of foreign currency, money orders, wire transfers (and similar cash-like transactions), lottery tickets, and gaming chips (and similar betting transactions) are not purchases. American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles typically will appear as a bonus in your AAdvantage® account 8-10 weeks after you have met the purchase requirements. Miles may be earned on purchases made by primary credit cardmembers and authorized users. Purchases must post to your account during the promotional period. Many merchants will wait for a purchase to ship before they post the purchase to your account. Miles earned will be posted to the primary credit cardmember’s AAdvantage® account.

First checked bag free

For benefit to apply, the Citi® / AAdvantage® account must be open 7 days prior to air travel, and reservation must include the primary credit cardmember’s American Airlines AAdvantage® number 7 days prior to air travel. If your credit card account is closed for any reason, these benefits will be cancelled.

Eligible Citi® / AAdvantage® primary credit cardmembers may check one bag free of charge when traveling on domestic itineraries marketed and operated by American Airlines, or on itineraries marketed by American Airlines and operated as American Eagle® flights by Envoy Air Inc., Republic Airways Inc., SkyWest Airlines, Inc., Mesa Airlines, Inc., PSA Airlines, Inc., or Piedmont Airlines, Inc. 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. For the Citi® / AAdvantage® credit card, up to four (4) companions traveling with the eligible primary credit cardmember will also get their first checked bag free of charge if they are listed in the same reservation. Waiver does not apply to overweight or oversized bags. This benefit cannot be combined with any existing AAdvantage® elite program benefits, or with First or Business class benefits, including any waiver of baggage charges. Please see aa.com/baggage » for baggage weight and size restrictions. Applicable terms and conditions are subject to change without notice.

Double miles on American Airlines purchases

Eligible American Airlines purchases are items billed by American Airlines as merchant of record booked through American Airlines channels (aa.com, American Airlines reservations, American Airlines Admirals Club®, American Airlines Vacations℠, Google Flights, and American Airlines airport and city ticket counters). Products or services that do not qualify are car rentals and hotel reservations, purchase of elite status boost or renewal, and AA Cargo℠ products and services. Miles earned will be posted to the primary credit cardmember’s AAdvantage® account in 8-10 weeks.

Double miles at restaurants and gas stations

Earn 2 AAdvantage miles for each $1 spent on purchases at restaurants (including cafes, bars, lounges, and fast food restaurants) and at gas stations. Food and beverage purchases made at the American Airlines Admirals Club® will be awarded 2 AAdvantage miles for each $1 spent as part of the Double Miles on American Airlines purchases benefit.

Certain non-qualifying purchases: Restaurant purchases not eligible to receive double miles include, but are not limited to, supercenters, warehouse clubs, discount stores, restaurants / cafes inside department stores, bowling alleys, public and private golf courses, country clubs, convenience stores, movie theaters, caterers and meal kit delivery services. Gas station purchases not eligible to receive double miles include, but are not limited to, purchases made at warehouse clubs that do not code gas station purchases under a gas station code, discount stores, department stores and convenience stores.

Merchant classification for rewards categories: Merchants are assigned a merchant category code (“MCC”), which is determined in accordance with Visa/Mastercard/American Express procedures based on the kinds of products and services the merchants primarily sell. Citi does not control the assignment of these codes and are not responsible for the codes used by merchants. When you use your card to make a purchase, Citi is provided an MCC for that purchase. Citi groups similar merchant codes into categories for purposes of making rewards offers. Sometimes you may expect a purchase to fit within a rewards category, but if the code assigned to the merchant wasn’t grouped into that category as recognized by Citi, your purchase will not qualify for additional miles. [For example, you won’t earn additional miles for purchases at a restaurant located within a retailer if the restaurant is assigned a “retailer” code instead of a “restaurant” code.] Please also note – purchases made through mobile/wireless technology may not earn additional miles depending on how the technology is set up to process the purchase.

Citi® reserves the right to determine which purchases qualify for this offer. Miles may be earned on purchases made by primary credit cardmembers and authorized users. Balance transfers, cash advances, checks that access your credit card account, items and services returned for credit, unauthorized charges, interest and account fees, traveler’s checks, purchases of foreign currency, money orders, wire transfers (and similar cash-like transactions), lottery tickets, and gaming chips (and similar betting transactions) do not earn miles. Miles earned will be posted to the primary credit cardmember’s AAdvantage® account in 8-10 weeks.

1 mile per $1

AAdvantage® miles are earned on purchases, except balance transfers, cash advances, checks that access your credit card account, items and services returned for credit, unauthorized charges, interest and account fees, traveler’s checks, purchases of foreign currency, money orders, wire transfers (and similar cash-like transactions), lottery tickets, and gaming chips (and similar betting transactions). Miles may be earned on purchases made by primary credit cardmembers and authorized users. Miles earned will be posted to the primary credit cardmember’s AAdvantage® account in 8-10 weeks.

Preferred boarding

For benefit to apply, the Citi® / AAdvantage® account must be open 7 days prior to air travel, and reservation must include the primary credit cardmember’s American Airlines AAdvantage® number 7 days prior to air travel. If your credit card account is closed for any reason, this benefit will be cancelled. This benefit will not be available for travel on codeshare flights booked with an American Airlines flight number but operated by another airline. Up to four (4) companions traveling with and listed in the same reservation as the Citi® / AAdvantage® primary credit cardmember are eligible to board at the same time as the primary credit cardmember. Applicable terms and conditions are subject to change without notice.

Eligible credit cardmembers will board after Priority boarding is complete, but before the rest of economy boarding. The boarding benefit will display on your American Airlines boarding pass as Group 5. This benefit applies on flights marketed and operated by American Airlines, or on flights marketed by American Airlines and operated as American Eagle® flights by Envoy Air Inc., Republic Airways Inc., SkyWest Airlines, Inc., Mesa Airlines, Inc., PSA Airlines, Inc., or Piedmont Airlines, Inc.

$125 American Airlines Flight Discount

Earn a $125 American Airlines Flight Discount certificate (the “Flight Discount”) after you spend $20,000 or more in purchases that post to your Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® credit card billing statement during your credit cardmembership year (every 12 months from the billing cycle after your anniversary month through the billing cycle of your next anniversary month). With the exception of special account status or circumstances (e.g. Military relief programs), the anniversary month will coincide with the month in which the annual fee is billed. To receive the Flight Discount, your account must be open for one full billing cycle after your anniversary month. For your first year of credit cardmembership, purchases qualify as of the date of your account opening. The Flight Discount expires one year from date of issue of the certificate. The Flight Discount is redeemable toward the initial ticket purchase of air travel wholly on flights marketed and operated by American Airlines, or on flights marketed by American Airlines and operated by Envoy Air Inc., Republic Airways Inc., SkyWest Airlines, Inc., Mesa Airlines, Inc., PSA Airlines, Inc., or Piedmont Airlines, Inc. for itineraries originating in the U.S., Puerto Rico, or U.S. Virgin Islands, and sold in US Dollars. The Flight Discount is also redeemable for air travel on any oneworld® carrier or American Airlines codeshare flight. The Flight Discount is redeemable online at aa.com, or by calling American Airlines Reservations. A reservations services fee may apply for travel booked through American Airlines Reservations. The Flight Discount is redeemable only toward the purchase of the base airfare and directly associated taxes, fees and charges that are collected as part of the fare calculation for travel. The Flight Discount cannot be used to pay the taxes and charges on mileage redemption tickets where only taxes and fees are being collected. The Flight Discount may not be used for flight products and/or services that are sold separately or non-flight products and/or services sold by American Airlines. If the ticket price is greater than the value of the Flight Discount, the difference must be paid only with a credit, debit or charge card, or with American Airlines Gift Cards. Any unused balance can be applied towards eligible future travel until the stated expiration date. If travel booked with the Flight Discount is cancelled or changed by the credit cardmember, the Flight Discount will be forfeited and the credit cardmember will be responsible for any applicable fare difference and the applicable change fee. The Flight Discount will not be replaced for any reason. The Flight Discount is non-refundable, may not be sold and has no cash redemption value. After qualification, please allow 8-12 weeks for delivery of the Flight Discount.

25% savings on eligible inflight purchases

Citi® / AAdvantage® credit cardmembers will receive a 25% savings on inflight purchases of food and beverages on flights operated by American Airlines when purchased with their Citi® / AAdvantage® card. Savings do not apply to any other inflight purchases, such as wireless internet access. This benefit applies to domestic flights marketed and operated by American Airlines or on domestic flights marketed by American Airlines and operated by Envoy Air Inc., Republic Airways Inc., SkyWest Airlines, Inc., Mesa Airlines, Inc., PSA Airlines, Inc., or Piedmont Airlines, Inc. This benefit is not available on codeshare flights booked with an American Airlines flight number but operated by another airline. Offer is available on eligible flights as long as supplies last. Savings will appear as a statement credit 8-10 weeks after the transaction is posted to the credit cardmember’s card account. Applicable terms and conditions are subject to change without notice.

Authorized user

Before adding an authorized user to your credit card account you should know:

You’re responsible for all charges made or allowed to the credit card account by the authorized user. Miles earned on an authorized user’s credit card will be allocated to the AAdvantage® account of the primary credit cardholder and not the authorized user. Authorized users have access to your credit card account information. Before adding an authorized user, you must let him/her know that we may report credit card account performance to the credit reporting agencies in the authorized user’s name. If we ask for information about the authorized user, you must obtain their permission to share their information with us and for us to share it as allowed by applicable law. Authorized users do not receive the first checked bag free or boarding benefits.

Fraud Disclosure

If Citi sees evidence of fraud, misuse, abuse, or suspicious activity, as determined by Citi in its sole discretion, Citi reserves the right to take action against you and your credit card account. This may include, without limitation and without prior notice, declining your credit card account application, stopping you from earning American Airlines AAdvantage® miles for purchases made with your card, suspending or closing your Citi® / AAdvantage® card account, and advising American Airlines of such activity. Citi may also take legal action against you to recover monetary losses, including litigation costs and damages. Examples of activities that may trigger such actions include, but are not limited to, the following: (1) application for a card account in an attempt to take advantage of a bonus offer that was not intended for you or for which you are not eligible per the terms of the offer; (2) repeated cancellation or conversion of your Citi card accounts within one year after account opening or conversion; (3) returns of purchases you made to satisfy all or a substantial portion of the purchase requirements for a bonus offer or excessive returns of purchases for which you have earned AAdvantage® miles or (4) using your account other than for personal, family or household purposes.

Card Account Disclosure

The Card Account is only available if you have an open AAdvantage® program membership in your name. Citi reserves the right to cancel your Card Account if you or American Airlines terminates or deactivates your AAdvantage® program membership.

American Airlines reserves the right to change the AAdvantage® program and its terms and conditions at any time without notice, and to end the AAdvantage® program with six months’ notice. Any such changes may affect your ability to use the awards or mileage credits that you have accumulated. Unless specified, AAdvantage® miles earned through this promotion/offer do not count toward elite-status qualification or AAdvantage Million Miler℠ status. American Airlines is not responsible for products or services offered by other participating companies. For complete details about the AAdvantage® program, visit aa.com/aadvantage » .

Travel booked on American Airlines may be American Eagle® service, operated by Envoy Air Inc., Republic Airways Inc., SkyWest Airlines, Inc., Mesa Airlines, Inc., PSA Airlines, Inc., or Piedmont Airlines, Inc.

American Airlines, American Eagle, AAdvantage, AAdvantage Million Miler, MileSAAver, Business Extra, Flagship, Admirals Club, Platinum Pro, AAdvantage MileUp, AA Cargo, the Flight Symbol logo and the Tail Design are marks of American Airlines, Inc.

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Citibank is not responsible for products or services offered by other companies. Cardmember program terms are subject to change.

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American Airlines AAdvantage MileUp® Mastercard®

Statement credit and American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles are not available if you have received a statement credit or American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles for a new AAdvantage MileUp® account in the past 48 months.

Double miles on grocery store purchases

Earn 2 AAdvantage miles for each $1 spent on purchases at grocery stores. Grocery stores are classified as supermarkets, freezer/meat locker provisioners, dairy product stores, miscellaneous food/convenience stores, markets, specialty vendors, and bakeries.

Certain non-qualifying purchases: You won’t earn double miles for purchases at general merchandise/discount superstores, wholesale/warehouse clubs, candy/confectionery stores, cafes, bars, lounges, and fast food restaurants.

Merchant classification for rewards categories: Merchants are assigned a merchant category code (“MCC”), which is determined in accordance with Visa/Mastercard/American Express procedures based on the kinds of products and services the merchants primarily sell. Citi does not control the assignment of these codes and are not responsible for the codes used by merchants. When you use your card to make a purchase, Citi is provided an MCC for that purchase. Citi groups similar merchant codes into categories for purposes of making rewards offers. Sometimes you may expect a purchase to fit within a rewards category, but if the code assigned to the merchant wasn’t grouped into that category as recognized by Citi, your purchase will not qualify for additional miles. [For example, you won’t earn additional miles for purchases at a restaurant located within a retailer if the restaurant is assigned a “retailer” code instead of a “restaurant” code.] Please also note – purchases made through mobile/wireless technology may not earn additional miles depending on how the technology is set up to process the purchase.

AAdvantage MileUp® credit cardmembers will receive a 25% savings on inflight purchases of food and beverages on flights operated by American Airlines when purchased with their AAdvantage MileUp® credit card. Savings do not apply to any other inflight purchases, such as wireless internet access. This benefit applies to domestic flights marketed and operated by American Airlines or on domestic flights marketed by American Airlines and operated by Envoy Air Inc., Republic Airways Inc., SkyWest Airlines, Inc., Mesa Airlines, Inc., PSA Airlines, Inc., or Piedmont Airlines, Inc. This benefit is not available on codeshare flights booked with an American Airlines flight number but operated by another airline. Offer is available on eligible flights as long as supplies last. Savings will appear as a statement credit 8-10 weeks after the transaction is posted to the credit cardmember’s card account. Applicable terms and conditions are subject to change without notice.

No mileage cap

There is no maximum number of American Airlines AAdvantage® miles that you can accumulate through your Citi® / AAdvantage® credit card account.

You’re responsible for all charges made or allowed to the credit card account by the authorized user. Miles earned on an authorized user’s credit card will be allocated to the AAdvantage® account of the primary credit cardholder and not the authorized user. Authorized users have access to your credit card account information. Before adding an authorized user, you must let him/her know that we may report credit card account performance to the credit reporting agencies in the authorized user’s name. If we ask for information about the authorized user, you must obtain their permission to share their information with us and for us to share it as allowed by applicable law.

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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.

Eligible Citi® / AAdvantage® primary credit cardmembers may check one bag free of charge when traveling on domestic itineraries marketed and operated by American Airlines, or on domestic itineraries marketed by American Airlines and operated as American Eagle® flights by Envoy Air Inc., Republic Airways Inc., SkyWest Airlines, Inc., Mesa Airlines, Inc., PSA Airlines, Inc., or Piedmont Airlines, Inc. 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. For the Citi® / AAdvantage® card, up to eight (8) companions traveling with the eligible primary credit cardmember will also get their first checked bag free of charge if they are listed in the same reservation. Waiver does not apply to overweight or oversized bags. This benefit cannot be combined with any existing AAdvantage® elite program benefits, or with First or Business class benefits, including any waiver of baggage charges. Please see aa.com/baggage » for baggage weight and size restrictions. Applicable terms and conditions are subject to change without notice.

Enhanced airport experience

For benefits to apply, the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® account must be open 7 days prior to air travel AND reservation must include the primary credit cardmember’s American Airlines AAdvantage® number 7 days prior to air travel. If your credit card account is closed for any reason, these benefits will be cancelled. Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive credit cardmembers will have the following benefits: priority check-in (where available), priority airport screening (where available), and priority boarding privileges. The priority boarding benefit will display on your American Airlines boarding pass as Group 4.

These benefits apply when traveling on flights marketed and operated by American Airlines, or on flights marketed by American Airlines and operated as American Eagle® flights by Envoy Air Inc., Republic Airways Inc., SkyWest Airlines, Inc., Mesa Airlines, Inc., PSA Airlines, Inc., or Piedmont Airlines, Inc. Up to eight (8) companions traveling with the eligible primary credit cardmember will also get priority check-in (where available), priority airport screening (where available), and priority boarding privileges if they are listed in the same reservation. You may check in at any Business Class check-in position or First Class check-in when Business Class is not available, regardless of the class of service in which you are traveling on American Airlines.

These benefits will not be available for travel on codeshare flights booked with an American Airlines flight number but operated by another airline. Exclusive lanes at security checkpoints are available, subject to TSA approval. Applicable terms and conditions are subject to change without notice.

Citi® / AAdvantage® credit cardmembers will receive a 25% savings on inflight purchases of food and beverages on flights operated by American Airlines when purchased with their Citi® / AAdvantage® credit card. Savings do not apply to any other inflight purchases, such as wireless internet access. This benefit applies to domestic flights marketed and operated by American Airlines or on domestic flights marketed by American Airlines and operated by Envoy Air Inc., Republic Airways Inc., SkyWest Airlines, Inc., Mesa Airlines, Inc., PSA Airlines, Inc., or Piedmont Airlines, Inc. This benefit is not available on codeshare flights booked with an American Airlines flight number but operated by another airline. Offer is available on eligible flights as long as supplies last. Savings will appear as a statement credit 8-10 weeks after the transaction is posted to the credit cardmember’s card account. Applicable terms and conditions are subject to change without notice.

Admirals Club® membership and credit card authorized user access

Only Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® primary credit cardmembers who are eighteen (18) years of age or older will receive full membership access privileges to Admirals Club® lounges. An authorized user of the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® who is eighteen (18) years of age or older will receive access privileges to American Airlines Admirals Club® lounges. Full Admirals Club® membership privileges do not apply to a credit card authorized user. An Admirals Club® membership includes access to other airline lounges and clubs with which American Airlines may have reciprocal lounge or club access privileges. Membership also includes special pricing on conference rooms and other special offers that are available exclusively to Admirals Club® members. 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. Additionally, the credit card authorized user access benefit does not provide: (i) access privileges to other airline lounges or clubs with which American Airlines may have reciprocal lounge or club access privileges; or (ii) special pricing on conference rooms or other special offers. To locate a current list of Admirals Club® lounges please visit aa.com/admiralsclub » .

To access an Admirals Club® lounge, primary credit cardmembers and credit card authorized users must present: (i) their (a) active and valid Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® or (b) with respect to primary credit cardmembers only, AAdvantage® number; (ii) their current government-issued I.D.; and (iii) a boarding pass for same-day travel on an eligible flight, which includes any departing or arriving flight that is (1) marketed or operated by American Airlines, (2) marketed and operated by any oneworld® carrier, or (3) marketed and operated by Alaska Airlines; and (iv) any additional documentation required by American Airlines. Either immediate family members (spouse or domestic partner and children under eighteen (18) years of age) or up to two (2) guests traveling with the primary credit cardmember or authorized user may be admitted for free when accompanied by the primary credit cardmember or authorized user. Family members and guests must present a same-day boarding pass for an eligible flight as defined above. All persons must be of valid drinking age, based on applicable law, to consume alcohol.

If the primary credit cardmember is an Admirals Club® member on the date his or her Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® credit card account is approved by Citi® and has sixty (60) or more days remaining on such current Admirals Club® membership, he or she is eligible to receive a prorated refund from American Airlines for any unused portion of his or her current Admirals Club® membership fee. The refund will be a prorated amount of the annual membership fee calculated based on the number of days remaining on such primary credit cardmember’s current Admirals Club® membership as of the date his or her Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® credit card account is approved by Citi®. Refunds will be automatically made in the original form of payment within twelve (12) weeks of becoming a Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® credit cardmember. Memberships redeemed with Business Extra points, Lifetime Admirals Club® members and AirPass members with Admirals Club® privileges are not eligible for a refund.

Upon closure of the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® account, all Admirals Club® benefits and access associated with the account will be immediately terminated, including, but not limited to, all benefits afforded to credit card authorized users. All Admirals Club® membership rules, terms and conditions apply. AMERICAN AIRLINES RESERVES THE RIGHT TO MODIFY ANY OR ALL RULES, TERMS AND CONDITIONS AT ANY TIME WITHOUT NOTICE. SUCH MODIFICATIONS SHALL BE EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY AND INCORPORATED INTO THIS AGREEMENT. BY ACCESSING ANY ADMIRALS CLUB® LOUNGE YOU SHALL BE DEEMED TO HAVE ACCEPTED THE ADMIRALS CLUB® TERMS AND CONDITIONS. To review the complete Admirals Club® membership terms and conditions, visit aa.com/admiralsclub » .

Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® application fee credit

Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® credit cardmembers are eligible to receive one statement credit up to $100 per account every five years for either the Global Entry or the TSA PreCheck® program application fee. Credit cardmembers must charge the application fee to their Citi®/ AAdvantage® Executive credit card to qualify for the statement credit. Credit cardmembers will receive a statement credit for the first program (either Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®) to which they apply and pay for with their eligible card, regardless of whether they are approved for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®. Please allow 1-2 billing cycles after the qualifying Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® fee is charged to the eligible account for the statement credit to be posted to the account. Only fees associated with either the Global Entry or the TSA PreCheck® application fee will be eligible towards the statement credit.

For information on Global Entry, visit globalentry.gov. For information on TSA PreCheck®, visit tsa.gov. Applications are made directly with these organizations, and this information is not shared with Citi, nor does Citi have access to Global Entry or TSA records. Citi does not share account information with Global Entry or TSA. Decisions to approve/deny applications are made solely by these organizations, and Citi has no influence over these decisions. Citi is not notified of approvals or denials of applications.

TSA PreCheck® is a registered trademark of the Department of Homeland Security.

add travel credit american airlines

CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®

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

Balance transfers, cash advances, checks that access your credit card account, items and services returned for credit, unauthorized charges, interest and account fees, traveler’s checks, purchases of foreign currency, money orders, wire transfers (and similar cash-like transactions), lottery tickets, and gaming chips (and similar betting transactions) are not purchases. American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles typically will appear as a bonus in your AAdvantage® account 8-10 weeks after you have met the purchase requirements. Miles may be earned on purchases made by primary credit cardmember and employee cardmembers. Purchases must post to your account during the promotional period. Many merchants will wait for a purchase to ship before they post the purchase to your account. Miles earned will be posted to the primary credit cardmember’s AAdvantage® account.

For benefit to apply, the CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® account must be open 7 days prior to air travel, and reservation must include the primary credit cardmember’s American Airlines AAdvantage® number 7 days prior to air travel. If your credit card account is closed for any reason, these benefits will be cancelled.

Eligible CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® primary credit cardmembers may check one bag free of charge when traveling on domestic itineraries marketed and operated by American Airlines, or on itineraries marketed by American Airlines and operated as American Eagle® flights by Envoy Air Inc., Republic Airways Inc., SkyWest Airlines, Inc., Mesa Airlines, Inc., PSA Airlines, Inc., or Piedmont Airlines, Inc. 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. For the CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® card, up to four (4) companions traveling with the eligible primary credit cardmember will also get their first checked bag free of charge if they are listed in the same reservation. Benefit does not apply to overweight or oversized bags. This benefit cannot be combined with any existing AAdvantage® elite program benefits, or with First or Business class benefits, including any waiver of baggage charges. Please see aa.com/baggage » for baggage weight and size restrictions. Applicable terms and conditions are subject to change without notice.

Double miles on purchases in select business categories

Earn 2 AAdvantage® miles per $1 spent on purchases at certain telecommunications merchants, car rental merchants, cable and satellite providers, and at gas stations. Telecommunications merchants are classified as merchants that sell telecommunications equipment such as telephones, fax machines, pagers, and cellular phones, along with providers of telecommunications services including local and long-distance telephone calls and fax services. Car rental merchants are classified as providers of short-term or long-term rentals of cars, trucks, or vans. Cable and satellite providers are classified as merchants that provide the connection and ongoing delivery of television, internet (computer network, information services, email website hosting services) telephone and radio programming via cable or satellite on a subscription or fee basis. Gas stations are classified as merchants that sell fuel primarily for consumer use and may or may not be attended.

Certain non-qualifying purchases: Car rental purchases not eligible to receive double miles include purchases at merchants that rent motor homes or other recreational vehicles and purchases made through travel agencies, tour operators and online third party travel sites, and charges paid on car rental redemptions through RocketMiles. Gas station purchases not eligible to receive double miles include, but are not limited to, purchases made at warehouse clubs that do not code gas station purchases under a gas station code, discount stores, department stores and convenience stores.

Citi® reserves the right to determine which purchases qualify for this offer. Miles may be earned on purchases made by primary credit cardmembers and authorized users. Balance transfers, cash advances, checks that access your credit card account, items and services returned for credit, unauthorized charges, interest and account fees, traveler’s checks, purchases of foreign currency, money orders, wire transfers (and similar cash-like transactions), lottery tickets, and gaming chips (and similar betting transactions) account do not earn miles. Miles earned will be posted to the primary credit cardmember’s AAdvantage® account in 8–10 weeks.

For benefit to apply, the CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® account must be open 7 days prior to air travel, and reservation must include the primary credit cardmember’s American Airlines AAdvantage® number 7 days prior to air travel. If your credit card account is closed for any reason, this benefit will be cancelled. This benefit will not be available for travel on codeshare flights booked with an American Airlines flight number but operated by another airline. Up to four (4) companions traveling with and listed in the same reservation as the CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® primary credit cardmember are eligible to board at the same time as the primary credit cardmember. Applicable terms and conditions are subject to change without notice.

Eligible CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® credit cardmembers board after Priority boarding is complete, but before the rest of economy boarding. The boarding benefit will display on your American Airlines boarding pass as Group 5. This benefit applies on flights marketed and operated by American Airlines, or on flights marketed by American Airlines and operated as American Eagle® flights by Envoy Air Inc., Republic Airways Inc., SkyWest Airlines, Inc., Mesa Airlines, Inc., PSA Airlines, Inc., or Piedmont Airlines, Inc.

25% savings on eligible inflight purchases of food and beverage

CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® credit cardmembers will receive a 25% savings on inflight purchases of food and beverages on flights operated by American Airlines when purchased with their CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® card. Savings do not apply to any other inflight purchases. This benefit applies to domestic flights marketed and operated by American Airlines or on domestic flights marketed by American Airlines and operated by Envoy Air Inc., Republic Airways Inc., SkyWest Airlines, Inc., Mesa Airlines, Inc., PSA Airlines, Inc., or Piedmont Airlines, Inc. This benefit is not available on codeshare flights booked with an American Airlines flight number but operated by another airline. Offer is available on eligible flights as long as supplies last. Savings will appear as a statement credit 8-10 weeks after the transaction is posted to the credit cardmember’s card account. Applicable terms and conditions are subject to change without notice.

25% savings on inflight Wi-Fi purchases

Receive a 25% savings when you use your CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum® Select credit card for the purchase of inflight Wi-Fi service from American Airline’s Wi-Fi merchants Gogo, Viasat, or Panasonic, and on American Airlines’ Wi-Fi Subscription Plan. This benefit applies to flights marketed and operated by American Airlines or on flights marketed by American Airlines and operated by Envoy Air Inc., Republic Airways Inc., SkyWest Airlines, Inc., Mesa Airlines, Inc., PSA Airlines, Inc., or Piedmont Airlines, Inc. This benefit is not available on codeshare flights booked with an American Airlines flight number but operated by another airline. Savings will appear as a statement credit 8-10 weeks after the transaction is posted to the credit cardmember’s card account. Applicable terms and conditions are subject to change without notice.

American Airlines Companion Certificate

The primary credit cardmember will earn a $99 domestic economy fare American Airlines Companion Certificate after you spend $30,000 or more in purchases that post to your CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® credit card billing statement during your credit cardmembership year (every 12 months from the billing cycle after your anniversary month through the billing cycle of your next anniversary month). With the exception of special account status or circumstances (e.g. Military relief programs) the anniversary month will coincide with the month in which the annual fee is billed. To receive the Companion Certificate, your account must be open for one full billing cycle after your anniversary month. For your first year of credit cardmembership, purchases qualify as of the date of your account opening. After these conditions are met, please allow at least 8-10 weeks for availability of the Companion Certificate. You must have an open AAdvantage® account for the Companion Certificate to be awarded to your account and to redeem the certificate. When used according to its terms, the primary credit cardmember will pay a $99 companion ticket fee plus $21.60 to $43.20 in government taxes and fees, depending on itinerary, for one round trip qualifying domestic economy fare ticket for a companion when an individual round trip qualifying domestic Main Cabin fare ticket is purchased and redeemed through American Airlines Meeting Services. Travel must be booked and purchased in select Main Cabin inventory. The certificate must be redeemed and all travel completed by midnight of the Travel Expiration Date shown on the certificate. Valid for travel on flights within the 48 contiguous United States on flights marketed and operated by American Airlines, or on flights marketed by American Airlines and operated as American Eagle® flights by Envoy Air Inc., Republic Airways Inc., SkyWest Airlines, Inc., Mesa Airlines, Inc., PSA Airlines, Inc., or Piedmont Airlines, Inc. For residents of Alaska and Hawaii, the companion certificate is also valid for round-trip travel originating in either of those two states and continuing to the 48 contiguous United States. For residents of U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico, companion certificate eligible travel is also defined as round-trip travel originating in either of those two territories and continuing to the 48 contiguous United States. The Companion Certificate is not redeemable for air travel on any oneworld® carrier or on an American Airlines codeshare flight. Applicable terms and conditions are subject to change without notice. Details, terms and conditions, certain restrictions, and restricted dates apply and will be disclosed on the certificate.

Employees may be added to the account as authorized users. Miles earned on an authorized user’s credit card will be allocated to the AAdvantage® account of the primary credit cardholder and not to the authorized user. You must pay us for all charges made or allowed by authorized users. Authorized users are able to get account information. Authorized users must be employees or contractors of your business. You need the authorized user’s permission to give us any information about them that we request and to allow us to share information about them as allowed by applicable law. This includes information we may get from you, any authorized user and others. It also includes information about their transactions on the account.

If Citi sees evidence of fraud, misuse, abuse, or suspicious activity, as determined by Citi in its sole discretion, Citi reserves the right to take action against you and your credit card account. This may include, without limitation and without prior notice, declining your credit card account application, stopping you from earning American Airlines AAdvantage® miles for purchases made with your card, suspending or closing your CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® card account, and advising American Airlines of such activity. Citi may also take legal action against you to recover monetary losses, including litigation costs and damages. Examples of activities that may trigger such actions include, but are not limited to, the following: (1) application for a card account in an attempt to take advantage of a bonus offer that was not intended for you or for which you are not eligible per the terms of the offer; (2) repeated cancellation or conversion of your Citi card accounts within one year after account opening or conversion; (3) returns of purchases you made to satisfy all or a substantial portion of the purchase requirements for a bonus offer or excessive returns of purchases for which you have earned AAdvantage® miles or (4) using the account other than for business purposes.

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View from the Wing

A Simple Guide To American Airlines Trip Credits, Flight Credits, Vouchers And Gift Cards

by Gary Leff on October 4, 2020

Fortunately American Airlines has created a comparison chart for their own employees to use. This was published internally for employees on September 26.

add travel credit american airlines

If you cancelled several tickets because of the pandemic, your received flight credits. Unfortunately you cannot combine more than one flight credit towards the purchase of a new ticket. The good news is that those can be used for travel through the end of 2021.

The good news is if you have a travel voucher or a trip credit, those can be combined – and you can book travel for anyone you wish using them. For instance if you exchanged a ticket for a less expensive ticket, and were given a trip credit for the difference that isn’t restricted to being used for travel by the original passenger. I’d bet many readers didn’t realize this!

This is a handy chart, and it would be nice if American Airlines posted it to their website, but you may want to bookmark this post as a reference since they do not.

More From View from the Wing

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About Gary Leff

Gary Leff is one of the foremost experts in the field of miles, points, and frequent business travel - a topic he has covered since 2002. Co-founder of frequent flyer community InsideFlyer.com, emcee of the Freddie Awards, and named one of the "World's Top Travel Experts" by Conde' Nast Traveler (2010-Present) Gary has been a guest on most major news media, profiled in several top print publications, and published broadly on the topic of consumer loyalty. More About Gary »

More articles by Gary Leff »

[…] aren’t even sure which type of credit they have no less how it can be used. Thankfully, View from the Wing has published a handy chart (one issued to employees since it’s nearly impossible for them to make sense of the various […]

[…] Trip credits replace travel vouchers as American Airlines Elite Rewards option for 75,000 mile qualifiers. […]

[…] different payment methods American Airlines has, and the rules for each, can be complicated. Last summer American largely replaced ‘flight vouchers’ with ‘trip […]

[…] The various credits that American Airlines still has are confusing, so here’s a simple guide to flight credits (at issue here) versus trip credits. […]

[…] many ways the American Airlines move to ‘trip credits’ and away from ‘flight credits’ has been great. When you have a travel credit with the […]

Wow, didn’t realize that flight credit (the ones in the wallet) are only one per trip. That seems like an unfair restriction designed to maximize breakage. That’s gonna hurt.

Perhaps I’m overreacting, was it this way before they got put in the wallet (Ie., you couldn’t use two cancelled tickets towards one new one?).

In any case Gary, very useful post, thanks!

Another useful information would be to know whether a flight credit can be used to purchase more than one ticket, e.g., some of us may have a flight credit (or voucher) of, say USD 2,000, and can that flight credit be used against the purchase of a single itinerary, in which case the value of that new itinerary would obviously have to be higher than USD 2,000, or can that flight credit (or voucher) of USD 2,000 be used to purchase two itineraries of USD 1,000 each. Thanks.

I have an AA trip credit and a voucher but was told I can’t combine them to purchase a flight.

What do you suggest we do when we are supposed to get an email with a link to an evoucher and the email never arrived?

American is trying to charge us $50 per ticket – so 2 x $50 per round trip ticket, totalling $200 – to use our trip credit!!! Seriously!!??!!

I’ve been dealing with AA all weekend on related issues. Was told I would receive email with voucher info for remaining balance on a previous ticket I used to pay for new trip. 48 hours later, still no email. Called them and they said they would process within next 24 hours (we shall see). While I am supposed to receive a voucher, my son used an old ticket in his “wallet” for a new flight and he received an immediate email with trip credit info. Not sure how they are deciding on gets voucher and who gets trip credit. Called EXP desk and they could not clarify for me. A voucher and trip credit cannot be combined to pay for a new ticket but they can be used to book for other people. Fairly confusing at best.

I have a trip credit from individual ticket. Tried to use it purchasing 4 tickets and pay different with AA Exec credit card to get first bag benefits for all. No go.

Was told that you can’t use individual credit on a group itinerary even if you on itinerary. To use individual travel credit you have to buy individual ticket.

Why did AA add the new trip credit, when they had e-vouchers?

If I have value on an e-voucher for say $500 and use it to buy a ticket for $400, what happens to the remaining $100? Does it sit on the e-voucher, go away forever, or something else?

I have 3 different ticket numbers to use as travel credits. Can I rebook for all 3 at the same time and in the payment section be able to enter all 3 ticket numbers or do I have to rebook each person separate? Thanks

I have two “flight credits”. They are good for travel through December 31, 2021, and only I can use them. Any chance that the expiration date will be extended? I’m already flying overseas on American in October (and used one flight credit for that trip) and won’t be able to travel again until early 2022. American should have issued vouchers instead, as United Airlines did!

David G, your best bet to use those flight credits to book a cheaper flight than what you have credit for. Say for example you have $500 flight credit – book a $35 flight (find anything!) – you will then receive a voucher for the remainder good for one year from that date which can be used much more freely. Once you receive the voucher, you can cancel the cheap flight. Hope this helps

This might be out of date now. I’m adding this comment as this is the first google search result for “can you combine trip credits”. The website now says “You may redeem a single Trip Credit on aa.com or up to 8 by calling Reservations.”

AA is the WORST company and has a terrible company culture. Always been this way but now it’s even worse. They make it almost impossible to use travel credit. I hate this airline so much.

Not sure if anyone will see this, but I have a question. My honeymoon was canceled in 2020 due to covid, and we ended up with about $900 each in AA credits through Expedia that are due to expire 3/31/22. We figured we could just go on a few small trips instead, since our original destination still has covid policies in place that would keep us from being able to vacation there, but as soon as we booked a trip for $400 each, we were told that the rest of our credits had been forfeited because you can only book ONE flight with your total balance. Is this correct? I never would’ve booked a cheap flight for half our credits if I’d known we’d lose the rest. Any insight or advice would be very much appreciated.

Just applied my travel credit from a cancelled Vegas trip last year to another trip my wife and I will be taking later this month. I had the trip on hold and called AA reservations to pay with the credit. Took a while, but ended up working, plus they confirmed that I can use the balance of the travel credit towards a future trip if used before the expiration.

A couple of caveats- they could not apply the travel credit to multiple travelers under one itinerary ie. they had to split me and my wife into 2 separate record locators. Also, for some reason the balance of the travel credit ended up being transferred over to my wife’s AAdvantage account instead of remaining on mine.

Nothing major but some points to consider.

I just called AA, and they were able to combine 2 flight credits to use for a new reservation. FYI

I have an AA flight credit for over $1200 but they are not letting me apply the value of the $900 taxes. How do I get that back?

I have a number of TRIP CREDITS in AA parlance. Does the expiration date mean the TRIP CREDIT must be exchanged for a ticket by the expiration date, or must travel using that TRIP CREDIT commence by the expiration date, or must travel using that TRIP CREDIT be complete by the expiration date?

I am trying to use an evoucher with a trip credit and am will not allow us to do it. Will not fly aa again.

I received a trip credit for AA lack of service leading to a fall.. I do not plan to fly AA again How to convert trip credit to cash?

Question: is a flight that is booked via flight credit or trip credit (I have both) be refunded BACK to flight credit or trip credit if cancelled?

Very useful post, thanks.

Note AA Gift cards have a weird limitation and IMHO ridiculously annoying limitation that they cannot be used for itineraries originating outside the US, (and Puerto Rico etc).

I have been dealing with American Airlines for over a week trying to use a flight credit issued April 25, 2022. My wife needed to cancel because she was needed by her 100 year old step father who was diagnosed with a heart problem on the 21st of that month. Her step father passed away on January 25, 2023 at 101 as a result of the heart issue. We have been trying to book he a trip to use the credit after the celebration of life and finishing some legal matters for him yet American will not allow use to book any flight after March 24th. do i have any other options other than to watch them keep our funds and force us to purchase another ticket with new funds?

AA will not allow me to use a flight credit because it is not for the original route (LIB to DFW). When I cancelled the flight, I asked what the limitations of use on the credit would be. Was told non-transferable for initial trip but any leftover would be transferable and that I had to use within a year. Never was it mentioned that it would have to be for the original route. Today they are telling me that it’s a special provision for international flights. I cannot find this caveat listed on their website or other sources. Any suggestions?

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Gary Leff

Co-founder of frequent flyer community InsideFlyer.com, emcee of the Freddie Awards, and named one of the "World's Top Travel Experts" by Conde' Nast Traveler (2010-Present) Gary has been a guest on most major news media, profiled in several top print publications, and published broadly on the topic of consumer loyalty. More About Gary »

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  • Payment options

Travel credit

Understanding travel credit options.

We offer different types of travel credit: Trip Credit, Flight Credit, and Travel Vouchers. Each type of travel credit has its own terms and conditions, so be sure to read them carefully before redeeming your credit. Keep in mind, travel credits can only be used to book flights, and can’t be used to pay for extras like seats or bags.

Extended Trip Credit

For Trip Credit issued on or after April 2, 2024, AAdvantage ® members have 12 months to use their Trip Credit when canceling their trip on aa.com or the American app and their AAdvantage ® number is included in their reservation. Non-AAdvantage ® members have 6 months.

Types of travel credit

*Can’t be used for extras like seats or bags.

**For Trip Credit issued on or after April 2, 2024, AAdvantage® members have 12 months to use their Trip Credit when canceling their trip on aa.com or the American app and their AAdvantage® number is included in their reservation. Non-AAdvantage® members have 6 months.

***When booked on aa.com, Flight Credit can only be applied to flights within the U.S., Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. (U.S. currency only)

Ready to book a trip?

Book a trip with your Trip Credit

Find your trip to use your Flight Credit

  • Contact Reservations

If you received a travel credit, you can use it to book your next trip. Here's how to find and redeem your Trip Credit and Flight Credit.

Trip Credit

If you're an AAdvantage ® member, most Trip Credits will appear in your AAdvantage ® account.

Log in to your account

Step 1: Find your Trip Credit email

  • Look for an email from American Airlines with the subject line ‘Your Trip Credit.’
  • Your Trip Credit number is a 13-digit number that begins with ‘00115.’

Keep in mind there are separate ticket numbers for add-ons like seats, upgrades, and bags.

Step 2: Book and add your Trip Credit

  • Go to aa.com and book your new flight.
  • On the payment screen, select ‘Trip Credit.’
  • Follow the prompts to pay using your Trip Credit.
  • You may use a credit card to pay any remaining balance.

Flight Credit

If you're an AAdvantage ® member and had your account number listed in your reservation before cancellation, you can log in to your account and view available Flight Credit in your AAdvantage ® account.

Step 1: Find your canceled trip or confirmation email

  • You'll need your 6-character confirmation code and 13-digit ticket number.
  • American tickets have a 13-digit number that begins with '001'.

Step 2: View your canceled trip

  • Go to aa.com and choose ‘Manage trips / Check-in’
  • Choose ‘View canceled trips’ and enter your trip details.
  • You’ll find your Flight Credit details on the ‘Your trip’ page.

Step 3: Rebook and add Flight Credit

  • Go to aa.com and find your new flight.
  • On the payment screen, choose ‘Add Flight Credit.’
  • Enter the ticket number from your canceled trip and apply the credit.

Book a trip with your Flight Credit

General rules

  • Trip Credit is non-refundable, non-transferable, non-returnable, may not be redeemed for cash, check or credit (except where required by law) and has no implied warranties, including warranties of merchantability or fitness.
  • Trip Credit is void if bought, sold or bartered, advertised for sale or used for commercial or promotional purposes.
  • We won’t replace Trip Credit if lost or stolen. This may include inadvertent deletion, forwarding or access of the email containing your Trip Credit number. Please guard the Trip Credit number as you would cash.
  • Except where prohibited by law, we reserve the right to refuse, void, cancel, reject or hold for review any Trip Credit mistakenly issued in an incorrect denomination or issued or obtained, directly or indirectly, in connection with fraudulent actions, fraudulent claims, compensation abuse or in connection with any violation of these terms and conditions.

Expiration and validity

  • Valid until 11:59 p.m. (CT) on the date listed on the Trip Credit, and we won't reissue it past the expiration date.
  • We won't accept invalid or expired Trip Credit.
  • We won’t accept Trip Credit with an invalid number or if we are unable to locate it within the American Airlines systems.
  • To receive Trip Credit, your original ticket must be canceled before the departure of the first flight (or the ticket loses any remaining value and cannot be used for future travel).

Redemption and usage

  • You may redeem Trip Credit on aa.com or by contacting Reservations. Trip Credit is not redeemable through any other channels, including airport ticket counters or travel agencies.
  • When contacting Reservations, tell the agent you have Trip Credit and you want to use it to book your travel.
  • Trip Credit is redeemable toward air travel on flights operated by American, American Eagle ® or flights marketed by American (designated with an AA*). You can’t use Trip Credit for payment of air travel on any other airline on aa.com.
  • Contact Reservations to use Trip Credit for qualifying one world ® or other airline partner itineraries.
  • Trip Credit is redeemable toward the base air fare and directly associated taxes, fees and charges collected as part of the fare calculation.
  • You may not use Trip Credit for products and / or services sold separate from the fare price or for taxes, fees or charges in connection with AAdvantage ® award travel, American Airlines Vacations℠ or any other non-flight products and / or services sold by American.
  • You may only use non-taxable Trip Credit for single-passenger reservations on aa.com.
  • Contact Reservations to use Trip Credit for more than 9 passengers.
  • The recipient of Trip Credit can use it to pay for travel for themselves or others.
  • You may redeem up to 8 Trip Credits in a single transaction on aa.com or through Reservations.
  • If the ticket price is greater than the value of the Trip Credit, you may pay the difference only with a credit card accepted by American.
  • If the ticket price is less than the value of the Trip Credit, we’ll issue any remaining value on a new Trip Credit, delivered via email to the passenger ticketed on the Trip Credit redemption. You may choose to have the new Trip Credit email sent to your email address and then use the remaining value on a new reservation for yourself or someone else.
  • You may not combine Trip Credit with the value of an existing ticket to pay for a new ticket.
  • Flight Credit is non-refundable, non-transferable, non-returnable, may not be redeemed for cash, check or credit (except where required by law) and has no implied warranties, including warranties of merchantability or fitness.
  • Flight Credit is void if bought, sold or bartered, advertised for sale or used for commercial or promotional purposes.
  • We won’t replace Flight Credit if lost or stolen. This may include inadvertent deletion, forwarding or access of the email containing your Flight Credit number. Please guard the Flight Credit number as you would cash.
  • Except where prohibited by law, we reserve the right to refuse, void, cancel, reject or hold for review any Flight Credit mistakenly issued in an incorrect denomination or issued or obtained, directly or indirectly, in connection with fraudulent actions, fraudulent claims, compensation abuse or in connection with any violation of these terms and conditions.
  • Flight Credit is valid for 1 year from the date the ticket was issued. We will not extend or reissue once it expires.
  • If you don't show for your flight, your ticket will no longer be valid or eligible for any credit.
  • We won't accept invalid or expired Flight Credit.
  • You may redeem Flight Credit on aa.com, in person at the airport or by contacting Reservations.
  • When contacting Reservations, tell the agent you have Flight Credit and you want to use it to book your travel.
  • The recipient of Flight Credit can use it to pay for travel for themselves only.
  • Flight Credit is redeemable toward air travel on flights marketed and operated by American, by American Eagle ® carriers or on flights marketed and sold by American but operated by one of American’s codeshare or one world ® partners (i.e. flights designated with an AA*).
  • Flight Credit is redeemable toward initial booking, the base air fare and directly associated taxes, fees and charges collected as part of the fare calculation.
  • You may only redeem 1 Flight Credit for single-passenger trips on aa.com or through Reservations. In order to redeem up to 2 Flight Credits in a single transaction, you must contact Reservations.
  • If the ticket price is greater than the value of the Flight Credit, you may pay the difference only with a credit card accepted by American.
  • If the ticket price is less than the value of the Flight Credit, you can only use the value of Flight Credit needed for the current booking while remaining value will be issued as travel credit for future reservations.
  • You may not use Flight Credit for products and / or services sold separately from the fare price or for taxes, fees or charges in connection with AAdvantage ® award travel, American Airlines Vacations℠ products or services or any other non-flight products and / or services sold by American.

Electronic travel voucher terms and conditions

  • eVouchers are provided for U.S. customers only.
  • eVouchers are non-refundable, non-transferable, non-returnable, may not be redeemed for cash, check or credit (except where required by law) and have no implied warranties, including warranties of merchantability or fitness.
  • eVouchers are void if bought, sold or bartered, advertised for sale, or used for commercial or promotional purposes.
  • We won’t replace eVouchers if lost or stolen. This may include inadvertent deletion, forwarding or access of the email containing your eVoucher number. Please guard the eVoucher number and PIN as you would cash.
  • Except where prohibited by law, we reserve the right to refuse, void, cancel, reject or hold for review any eVouchers mistakenly issued in an incorrect denomination, or issued or obtained, directly or indirectly, in connection with fraudulent actions, fraudulent claims, compensation abuse or in connection with any violation of these terms and conditions.
  • eVouchers are valid for 1 year from the date of issue, and we won’t reissue them past the expiration date.
  • We’re not responsible for honoring invalid or expired eVouchers.
  • We won’t accept an eVoucher with an invalid number or if we are unable to locate it within the American Airlines systems.
  • You may redeem eVouchers only on aa.com or by contacting Reservations. eVouchers are not redeemable through any other channels, including airport ticket counters or travel agencies.
  • eVouchers are redeemable toward air travel on flights operated by American, American Eagle ® , one world ® partners or on flights marketed by American (designated with an AA*). You can’t use eVouchers for payment of air travel on any other airline.
  • Flights sold or originating outside the U.S., Puerto Rico or U.S. Virgin Islands or operated by other carriers are not eligible.
  • eVouchers are redeemable toward the base air fare and directly associated taxes, fees and charges collected as part of the fare calculation.
  • You may not use eVouchers for products and / or services sold separate from the fare price or for taxes, fees or charges in connection with AAdvantage ® award travel, American Airlines Vacations℠ or any other non-flight products and / or services sold by American.
  • The eVoucher recipient can use it to pay for travel for themselves or others.
  • You may redeem up to 8 eVouchers in a single transaction.
  • If the ticket price is greater than the value of the eVoucher(s), you may only pay the difference with a credit, debit or charge card with a billing address in the U.S., Puerto Rico or U.S. Virgin Islands.
  • If the ticket price is less than the value of the eVoucher(s), the unused amount will remain on the eVoucher until it reaches zero, at which time the eVoucher will be deactivated.
  • You may not combine eVouchers with the value of an existing ticket to pay for a new ticket.

You may also like...

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  • Reservations & tickets FAQs

How to use travel credits when booking a flight on all 11 major US airlines

  • The upcoming holiday travel season is the perfect time to offload travel credit from flights canceled during the pandemic. 
  • Travel credit is often issued in lieu of a refund so an airline can keep the cash paid for the original flight.
  • Each airline is different in how flyers can use credit and this step-by-step guide for all 11 major US airlines explains how to book flights using it. 
  • Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories .

Insider Today

If you voluntarily canceled a flight during the pandemic, chances are that you received a travel or flight credit and not a cash refund. 

Issuing a credit is the preferred method for airlines instead of cash refunds. It's almost like an interest-free loan for airlines as it lets them keep the money paid for a flight without having to provide the service until a later date.

With the holiday season fast approaching, travelers are contemplating returning to the skies, and now is the perfect time to use up that credit before it expires.

Each airline is different in what they'll allow the credit to be used for. Some airlines require that the same passengers use the credit while others are transferable. Credits may also be used to purchase extras like seat assignments or baggage allowance, depending on the airline. 

Prospective flyers seeking to use a credit should call their airline to confirm what it can be used for and if their credit can be used multiple times if the full amount won't be used up in one trip. But once that's all done and it's time to book, the process is quite simple. 

Here's a step-by-step guide on how to use travel credits when booking a flight on all 11 major US airlines. 

American Airlines: Start by searching for a flight as you normally would from the airline's homepage.

add travel credit american airlines

Then, select the flight you'd like to take.

add travel credit american airlines

Once you're ready to book, move forward through the booking process as normal. Enter your passenger information, select your seats, and so on.

add travel credit american airlines

Once you arrive at the "review and pay" page, that's when you can enter your travel credit information.

add travel credit american airlines

Scroll down to "how do you want to pay for your trip" and select "add flight credit."

add travel credit american airlines

It will open this window and ask for your ticket number from the canceled flight for which you received a credit.

add travel credit american airlines

That can be found in the booking email.

add travel credit american airlines

Just scroll down to the payment information and the ticket number should be right there.

add travel credit american airlines

Once that's in, enter your credit card information (if there's a difference between the credit amount and the fare) and pay as normal.

add travel credit american airlines

Delta Air Lines: Start by searching for a flight as you normally would from the airline's homepage.

add travel credit american airlines

Once you arrive at the "review and pay" page, that's when you can enter your travel credit.

add travel credit american airlines

Scroll down to "payment" and select "use eCredits" in the top right corner.

add travel credit american airlines

It will open this window and ask for up to three eCredit numbers from the canceled flight or flights for which you received a credit. Delta will have sent an email with the eCredit number.

add travel credit american airlines

United Air Lines: If you have a future flight credit with United, you wouldn't start the booking process as normal.

add travel credit american airlines

Instead, go to "my trips" on the homepage. It will ask for the confirmation number for the flights in which you canceled to receive the credit, and your last name.

add travel credit american airlines

The website will then show you how much credit you have to use and by when you need to rebook. When you're ready to proceed, hit "book with credit."

add travel credit american airlines

Then, search for a flight as normal.

add travel credit american airlines

Prices will then reflect the difference you'll have to pay, not the actual cost of the flight.

add travel credit american airlines

Select the flight you wish to take.

add travel credit american airlines

Then, you can book as normal since the discount is already applied.

add travel credit american airlines

If United gave you an electronic travel credit, you'll have to start over and search for the flight as if it was a new booking altogether.

add travel credit american airlines

Once you've selected your flight and have reached the payment page, scroll down to "payment information" and select "travel certificates."

add travel credit american airlines

You can then enter the pin code and your last name to retrieve the credit. Once applied, you can book as normal.

add travel credit american airlines

Southwest Airlines: Start by searching for a flight as you normally would from the airline's homepage.

add travel credit american airlines

The "passenger & payment info" page is where you'll enter the travel credit information.

add travel credit american airlines

Once you've entered in all the required passenger information, hit "continue to payment."

add travel credit american airlines

Scroll down to and click "apply travel funds, LUV vouchers, and gift cards." You'll then enter in the confirmation number and passenger information from the canceled flight for which the credit was issued.

add travel credit american airlines

Frontier Airlines: Start by searching for a flight as you normally would from the airline's homepage.

add travel credit american airlines

Once a flight is selected, proceed normally through the booking process by entering passenger information, choosing any extras, and so on.

add travel credit american airlines

The "payment" page is where you'll enter the travel credit information.

add travel credit american airlines

Scroll down to "add additional payment" under the credit card section and select "Frontier voucher."

add travel credit american airlines

It'll then ask for the email address and confirmation number of the canceled flight for which the credit was issued.

add travel credit american airlines

You can use some of the credit or all of it. You should also check to see if any residual value will go back to the credit as some airlines choose to operate under a one-time use policy when it comes to travel credits.

add travel credit american airlines

The amount of the credit with then be taken off of the purchase price.

add travel credit american airlines

Spirit Airlines: Start by searching for a flight as you normally would from the airline's homepage.

add travel credit american airlines

Scroll down to "redeem a voucher or credit" just above the credit card section.

add travel credit american airlines

It'll then ask for the voucher number – if you have a voucher – or the confirmation number of the canceled flight for which the credit was issued.

add travel credit american airlines

JetBlue Airways: Start by searching for a flight as you normally would from the airline's homepage.

add travel credit american airlines

If you're a TrueBlue member, you should sign in as it makes it easier to access the credit on the next page.

add travel credit american airlines

The "review trips" page is where you'll enter the travel credit information.

add travel credit american airlines

Scroll down to "payment details" and find "apply JetBlue funds" just above the credit card section.

add travel credit american airlines

Click the box for "travel bank" and if you're logged into TrueBlue, the credit amount should come up. If you're not a TrueBlue member, a separate travel bank account with login information would've been emailed to you.

add travel credit american airlines

You can use any amount of the credit and any unused portion will remain until its expiration date.

add travel credit american airlines

The discounted price will then show under "payment amount."

add travel credit american airlines

Alaska Airlines: Start by searching for a flight as you normally would from the airline's homepage.

add travel credit american airlines

The "checkout: review and complete payment" page is where you'll enter the travel credit information.

add travel credit american airlines

Scroll down to "wallet and certificates" just above the credit card section. If you're logged in to Mileage Plan, the travel credit should appear until "wallet funds." If you're not logged in, you can check the "use certificates or gift cards (not deposited in a wallet account)" box.

add travel credit american airlines

You'll then be asked to enter the certificate code and pin, followed by a security verification check.

add travel credit american airlines

Allegiant Air: Start by searching for a flight as you normally would from the airline's homepage.

add travel credit american airlines

The "payment information" page is where you'll enter the travel credit information.

add travel credit american airlines

Scroll down to "do you have an Allegiant voucher or promo code" section, just under the travel insurance offer.

add travel credit american airlines

You'll then be asked to provide a voucher number from the canceled flight for which the credit was issued.

add travel credit american airlines

Sun Country Airlines: Start by searching for a flight as you normally would from the airline's homepage.

add travel credit american airlines

The "review & pay" page is where you'll enter the travel credit information.

add travel credit american airlines

Scroll down to the "payment" section, and select "use a Sun Country flight credit or voucher."

add travel credit american airlines

You'll then be asked to provide the confirmation code and last name or a voucher number from the canceled flight for which the credit was issued.

add travel credit american airlines

Hawaiian Airlines: The airline requires customers booking with a travel credit to call its reservations department at 1-800-367-5320 for US and Canada residents.

add travel credit american airlines

Flyers can also call the reservations department of any airline for assistance with booking using a credit.

add travel credit american airlines

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  • Plan Your Trip

How To Add A Trip To American Airlines Account

Published: December 6, 2023

Modified: December 28, 2023

by Kristen Ivy

how-to-add-a-trip-to-american-airlines-account

Introduction

Adding a trip to your American Airlines account is a convenient way to keep all your travel details in one place. Whether you’ve booked a flight, hotel, or car rental, adding the trip to your account allows you to easily access and manage your itinerary, check-in for your flight, and receive important updates.

In this article, we will guide you through the step-by-step process of adding a trip to your American Airlines account. It’s a quick and straightforward procedure that can be done from the comfort of your own home or on the go.

By adding your trip to your American Airlines account, you’ll have access to your reservation details, including the flight number, departure and arrival times, and any seat assignments. You can also view and manage your boarding pass, upgrade options, and any special requests you may have made during the booking process.

Additionally, having your trip stored in your account allows American Airlines to keep you informed of any flight changes or delays, ensuring you have the most up-to-date information in one convenient location.

So, whether you’re a frequent traveler or planning a one-time trip, adding it to your American Airlines account is a smart move. It saves you time and provides peace of mind, knowing that your travel arrangements are securely stored and easily accessible whenever you need them.

Now, let’s dive into the step-by-step process of adding a trip to your American Airlines account.

Step 1: Sign in to your American Airlines account

The first step in adding a trip to your American Airlines account is to sign in to your account. If you don’t have an account yet, you can easily create one by visiting the American Airlines website and clicking on the “Sign In” or “Create Account” button.

Once you are on the American Airlines homepage, locate the “Sign In” option at the top right corner of the screen. Click on it, and you will be redirected to the sign-in page. Here, you will be prompted to enter your username and password that you used during the account creation process.

If you have forgotten your password or username, don’t worry! American Airlines provides a convenient password reset option on the sign-in page. Simply click on the “Forgot password?” link, and follow the instructions provided to regain access to your account.

After successfully signing in to your American Airlines account, you will be greeted with a personalized dashboard that displays your account information and any upcoming trips you may have already added.

Make sure to keep your login credentials secure and avoid using public or shared devices when signing in to your account. This will help protect your personal information and ensure the privacy of your travel details.

Now that you’re signed in, let’s move on to the next step and learn how to navigate to the “My Trips” page where you can add a new trip to your account.

Step 2: Navigate to the “My Trips” page

Once you have successfully signed in to your American Airlines account, the next step is to navigate to the “My Trips” page. This is where you will find the option to add a new trip to your account.

To access the “My Trips” page, look for a tab or menu option that is usually located at the top of the screen. The exact placement may vary slightly depending on the website layout, but it is typically easy to find.

Once you have located the “My Trips” tab or menu option, click on it to be redirected to the dedicated page for managing your trips. On this page, you will be able to view all the trips you have previously added, as well as add a new trip to your account.

If you are unable to find the “My Trips” page, don’t worry! Most airline websites have a search bar or a “Help” section where you can type in keywords such as “My Trips” to access the relevant page. Alternatively, you can refer to the website’s navigation guide or contact their customer support for assistance.

Now that you have successfully navigated to the “My Trips” page, you are ready to proceed to the next step and learn how to add a new trip to your American Airlines account.

Step 3: Select the “Add Trip” option

Once you have reached the “My Trips” page in your American Airlines account, it’s time to add a new trip. To do this, you will need to locate and select the “Add Trip” option.

The “Add Trip” option is usually prominently displayed on the “My Trips” page, typically in the form of a button or a clearly labeled link. Look for phrases such as “Add New Trip,” “Book a Trip,” or something similar.

Clicking on the “Add Trip” option will open a new window or page where you can enter the necessary details for your trip. This is where you will provide information such as your departure and destination cities, travel dates, and any other required details.

It’s important to note that you will need the relevant information readily available before proceeding with adding the trip. This includes your flight confirmation number, reservation details, and any additional documents or identification required for your specific journey.

Take your time to carefully fill out the required fields, ensuring that all the information is accurate and up-to-date. Double-check your entries for any errors or typos before moving forward.

If you encounter any difficulties or have any questions while adding the trip, customer support is usually just a click away. Look for a “Help” or “Contact Us” button on the page, where you can find assistance and guidance from a customer service representative.

Once you have successfully selected the “Add Trip” option and provided all the necessary information, it’s time to review and confirm your trip details, which we will cover in the next step.

Step 4: Enter your trip details

Now that you have selected the “Add Trip” option, you will be prompted to enter the specific details of your trip in your American Airlines account. This step allows you to provide accurate information to ensure that your itinerary is correctly stored and accessible.

On the trip details page, you will typically find fields to enter the following information:

  • Departure and arrival cities: Enter the names of the cities you will be traveling from and to.
  • Travel dates: Select the departure and return dates that correspond to your itinerary.
  • Flight details: Provide the flight number, if applicable, to link your trip to a specific American Airlines flight.
  • Booking reference/Confirmation number: Enter the unique code provided by your airline or travel agent to identify your reservation.
  • Passenger information: Enter your personal details, including your name, contact information, and any other required information.
  • Other travel options: Depending on your journey, you may also have the option to add extras such as seat preferences, meal choices, or additional services.

It’s essential to ensure that you enter all the information accurately, as any errors or discrepancies could impact your travel experience, including check-in procedures and receiving important updates regarding your flight.

If you encounter any difficulties or have any questions while filling out the trip details, look for help or support options on the page. American Airlines often provides tooltips or additional guidance to assist you in providing the correct information.

Once you have entered all the necessary trip details, it’s important to review and confirm the accuracy of the information before proceeding to the next step.

In the next step, we will cover how to review and confirm your trip details to ensure everything is correct and ready for your upcoming journey.

Step 5: Review and confirm the trip details

After entering your trip details, it’s crucial to take the time to review and confirm that all the information is accurate. This step ensures that your trip is correctly recorded in your American Airlines account, allowing for a hassle-free travel experience.

On the trip details confirmation page, you will see a summary of the information you entered, including your departure and arrival cities, travel dates, flight details, and passenger information.

Take a moment to carefully review each detail and ensure that everything is correct. Check for any spelling errors, incorrect dates or times, or missing information. It’s essential to verify that the information matches your booking confirmation or itinerary documents.

If you’re unsure about anything or need to make changes, most American Airlines websites will provide an option to edit or modify the trip details. Look for an “Edit” or “Modify” button next to each field or a specific section dedicated to making changes.

If you need to make substantial changes to your trip, such as changing the departure or arrival cities or modifying the travel dates, it may be better to contact American Airlines customer support directly for assistance. They can help guide you through the process and ensure that the changes are correctly made.

Once you have thoroughly reviewed and confirmed that all the trip details are accurate, you can proceed to the next step to complete the trip addition process.

In the next step, we will cover how to finalize and complete the process of adding your trip to your American Airlines account.

Step 6: Complete the trip addition process

After reviewing and confirming your trip details, you’re almost ready to complete the process of adding your trip to your American Airlines account. This final step ensures that your trip is securely stored and accessible whenever you need it.

On the confirmation page, look for a button or link that indicates the final step of the process. This is typically labeled as “Add Trip,” “Confirm,” or something similar.

Clicking on this button will initiate the trip addition process, and you will be directed to a confirmation page or receive a notification that your trip has been successfully added to your account.

At this stage, it’s a good idea to take a screenshot or print a copy of the confirmation page for your records. This serves as a backup in case you encounter any issues with accessing your trip details later on.

After completing the trip addition process, you will typically have the option to view your newly added trip in your account. This allows you to double-check that all the details are correct and that the trip is now listed among your other saved trips.

It’s important to note that adding a trip to your American Airlines account does not guarantee seat assignments or other specific requests. Some features, such as selecting seats or adding extra services, may require additional steps or fees.

If you have any specific requirements for your trip, such as seat preferences, special assistance, or dietary needs, it’s recommended to contact American Airlines directly to ensure that your needs are accommodated.

Congratulations! You have successfully completed the process of adding your trip to your American Airlines account. Your travel details are now conveniently stored and easily accessible for your upcoming journey.

Remember to check your account periodically for any updates or changes to your trip, such as gate information, flight delays, or alerts. American Airlines will keep you informed to ensure a smooth and enjoyable travel experience.

Now, you can sit back, relax, and focus on the excitement of your upcoming trip knowing that all your travel details are securely stored in your American Airlines account.

Safe travels!

Adding a trip to your American Airlines account is a simple and convenient way to keep all your travel details in one place. By following the step-by-step process outlined in this article, you can easily store and access your itinerary, check-in for your flight, and receive important updates.

Signing in to your American Airlines account is the first step, allowing you to access the “My Trips” page where you can add a new trip. From there, you can enter the specific details of your trip, such as departure and arrival cities, travel dates, and flight information.

After entering the trip details, take the time to review and confirm their accuracy. This ensures that your trip is correctly recorded in your account. Once everything is double-checked, you can complete the trip addition process and receive confirmation that your trip has been added successfully.

It’s important to note that adding a trip to your American Airlines account does not guarantee seat assignments or other specific requests. For such requirements, it’s advisable to contact American Airlines directly.

Having your trip stored in your account provides peace of mind, knowing that your travel arrangements are securely stored and easily accessible whenever you need them. It also allows American Airlines to keep you informed about any flight changes or delays, ensuring that you have the most up-to-date information.

So, the next time you book a flight, hotel, or car rental with American Airlines, be sure to add your trip to your account. It saves you time, organizes your travel details, and enhances your overall travel experience.

Now that you know how to add a trip to your American Airlines account, you can confidently navigate through the process and enjoy a seamless travel journey from start to finish.

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IMAGES

  1. Travel credit − Customer service − American Airlines

    add travel credit american airlines

  2. Travel credit − Customer service − American Airlines

    add travel credit american airlines

  3. How To Use American Airlines Flight And Trip Credits

    add travel credit american airlines

  4. How To Use American Airlines Flight And Trip Credits

    add travel credit american airlines

  5. Travel credit − Customer service − American Airlines

    add travel credit american airlines

  6. How To Use American Airlines Flight And Trip Credits

    add travel credit american airlines

COMMENTS

  1. Travel credit − Customer service − American Airlines

    Types of travel credit. *Can't be used for extras like seats or bags. **For Trip Credit issued on or after April 2, 2024, AAdvantage® members have 12 months to use their Trip Credit when canceling their trip on aa.com or the American app and their AAdvantage® number is included in their reservation. Non-AAdvantage® members have 6 months.

  2. Find your trip

    Check your email for your 19-digit Voucher and 4-digit pin number. To pay for a flight with a paper voucher, please call Reservations. Check your email for your 13-digit travel credit number that begins with '001'. Find your trip on aa.com to check in online, change or cancel your reservation, add special requests, and redeem Trip or Flight ...

  3. How to Use an American Airlines Flight Credit

    Here is how to use American Airlines flight credit: 1. Have your flight credit details ready. You can find your flight credit ticket number in the email from American Airlines or by logging into ...

  4. American Airlines Flight & Trip Credits Explained

    American Airlines travel vouchers explained. Nowadays American Airlines primarily issues two kinds of travel vouchers: There are flight credits, which are credits related to a canceled or unused ticket. There are trip credits, which are credits related to compensation, refunds, and remaining value when exchanging a flight credit.

  5. How To Use American Airlines Flight And Trip Credits

    Locate your 13-digit Trip Credit ticket number either from your wallet or the email from AA. Search for and book your desired itinerary on aa.com. Proceed to payment. You'll see an option to add ...

  6. Reservations and tickets

    Find your travel credit or log in to your AAdvantage ® account. Copy your Trip Credit or Flight Credit ticket number. Search and choose a flight on aa.com or the American app. On the payment screen, choose the type of travel credit and follow the steps. Keep in mind, travel credit can't be used for extras like seats, upgrades or bags.

  7. How To Use A Trip Credit On American Airlines

    To begin, you will need to visit the American Airlines website or use their mobile app. Look for the section or tab dedicated to managing your trip credits. Once you have accessed this section, you will likely be prompted to log in to your account using your username and password.

  8. How to Redeem American Airlines Flight Credits

    There are three different types of 'credits' American Airlines uses for travel funds resulting from cancelled flights: flight credits, travel vouchers, and trip credits. ... (and be aware there may be multiple trip credit numbers if you originally purchased upgrades or add-ons like preferred seating or checked bags). Trip credits can be ...

  9. American Airlines is making it much easier to redeem your existing

    There's great news for American Airlines travelers with unused travel credits. This week, the Fort Worth-based carrier began a multi-step process in making it easier than ever to redeem those credits. The devil is in the details, but essentially American is converting existing "Flight Credit" into "Trip Credit."

  10. How to Use Airline Flight Credits

    Passengers can use up to five eCredits at a time. Delta eCredits can be generated from an unused or partially used ticket, as compensation for service issues, from ticket exchanges that result in ...

  11. Citi® / AAdvantage®

    First checked bag free on domestic American Airlines itineraries for you and up to 4 travel companions on the same reservation - savings of up to $400 per round trip. Earn 2 miles for every $1. spent at restaurants, gas stations and on eligible American Airlines purchases. Preferred boarding on American Airlines flights.

  12. Airline Vouchers & Travel Credits: What They Are and How to Use Them

    An airline voucher or travel credit is like a coupon or gift card provided by an airline that can be used to book future travel. Most often, a voucher or travel credit can be applied as payment toward the cost of a flight. If you choose to cancel a flight, most airlines will give you your money back in the form of a voucher or travel credit ...

  13. All About American Airlines Trip Credits

    by Gary Leff on July 6, 2021. American Airlines has four kinds of travel credit that a customer may have as stored value towards future travel. The different payment methods American Airlines has, and the rules for each, can be complicated. Last summer American largely replaced 'flight vouchers' with 'trip credits'.

  14. Payment options − Customer service − American Airlines

    You can pay with cash or check at some airport ticket counters or travel centers. Gift cards. Pay for your flights with plastic or virtual cards.***. Travel credit. We issue 3 types of travel credit: Flight Credit, Travel Vouchers and Trip Credit. Travel credit can be used to book flights only and is not valid for extras like seats or bags.

  15. Where to "Add Travel Credit" When Paying for Held Flight

    Indicates that when paying for a ticket, one can click on "Add Travel Credit", enabling one to use a previous ticket from a cancelled flight. See image: I do not see this option on the "Review & Pay" page, although the rest of my page looks the same. I'm not seeking guidance on using an e-voucher.

  16. Log in

    Taking a trip? We have your travel plans covered. Flights; Hotels , Opens another site in a new window that may not meet accessibility guidelines.; Cars , Opens another site in a new window that may not meet accessibility guidelines.; Vacations , Opens another site in a new window that may not meet accessibility guidelines.; Cruises , Opens another site in a new window that may not meet ...

  17. Travel credit − Customer service − American Airlines

    Understanding travel credit options. We offer different types of travel credit: Trip Credit, Flight Credit, and Travel Vouchers. Each type of travel credit has its own terms and conditions, so be sure to read them carefully before redeeming your credit. Keep in mind, travel credits can only be used to book flights, and can't be used to pay ...

  18. A Simple Guide To American Airlines Trip Credits, Flight Credits

    American Airlines recently introduced 'trip credits' which are electronic and have different rules from the 'flight credits' they're replacing. Both forms of payment you can use towards a new ticket, but the rules are different. And they work differently than a payment voucher - and a gift card. Fortunately American Airlines has created a comparison chart for their own employees to use. This ...

  19. Travel credit − Customer service − American Airlines

    We issue 3 types of travel credit: Trip Credit, Flight Credit and Travel Vouchers. Learn more about the different types of travel credit to book flights on American.

  20. How to Use Travel Credit to Book Flights on US Airlines; Step-by-Step

    Hawaiian Airlines: The airline requires customers booking with a travel credit to call its reservations department at 1-800-367-5320 for US and Canada residents.

  21. How To Add A Trip To American Airlines Account

    Step 3: Select the "Add Trip" option. Once you have reached the "My Trips" page in your American Airlines account, it's time to add a new trip. To do this, you will need to locate and select the "Add Trip" option. The "Add Trip" option is usually prominently displayed on the "My Trips" page, typically in the form of a ...

  22. 15 Best Travel Credit Cards Of September 2024

    Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and earn 5X Membership Rewards ...

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    American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® Mastercard® Earn 15,000 bonus miles. Terms apply. No annual fee* Earn 2X miles at grocery stores; View offer Opens another site in a new window that may not meet accessibility guidelines *View pricing Opens another site in a new window that may not meet accessibility guidelines.

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