Your rights in the event of a delayed or cancelled American Airlines flight
Your rights as an air passenger are protected by European and British law if you were a passenger on an American Airlines flight departing the UK/EU and it was cancelled or delayed. You may be entitled to up to £520 in compensation from American Airlines and a complete refund of your ticket cost if your flight is cancelled.
Was your American Airlines flight delayed? If your flight was delayed by a minimum of 3 hours, you might be entitled to flight compensation.
Was your American Airlines flight cancelled? If you opted not to take the airline's other flight, you're entitled to a refund. Additionally, if your flight was cancelled with less than 14 days left before departure, you may be eligible for American Airlines flight compensation.
Regardless of what caused the flight delay, airlines must provide passengers with special assistance, or the "right to care," as stipulated by law. Vouchers are offered for alimentary requirements, communication needs, and, if necessary, travel and lodging. Purchase what you require even if the airline's service counter at the airport declines to give you the vouchers because they are legally required to reimburse your costs (as long as they are reasonable).
If your flight was cancelled or delayed because of an "extraordinary circumstance," you will not be qualified to apply for flight compensation. Passengers will be compensated by the airline for the flight disruption only if the airline was responsible.
American Airlines — Can I claim flight compensation with a non-EU airline?
Even though American Airlines is not headquartered in the European Union or in the UK, if your AA flight was departing from the UK or the EU, you can claim flight compensation.
These regulations do not apply to flights departing from the US, even if your destination is the UK or an EU country.
See table below for more information.
| Type of flight | Example | Compensation |
|---|---|---|
| Flying with a British carrier | Tokyo to London with British Airways | Yes |
| Flying with a EU carrier | Amsterdam to London with KLM | Yes |
| Flying with a non-UK/non-EU carrier from the UK | London to Tokyo with Japan Airlines | Yes |
| Flying with a non-UK/non-EU carrier to the UK | Tokyo to London with Japan Airlines | No |
American Airlines compensation for delayed flight
There are three criteria your case must meet in order for you to be eligible for delayed American Airlines flight compensation.
Your flight was from the UK or the EU
Your flight was delayed by more than 3 hours upon arrival
The airline was at fault for the delay → For more information, see the
"Extraordinary Circumstances" section of this article.
American Airlines flight from the UK/EU delayed or cancelled?
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When can I claim compensation for my cancelled American Airlines flight?
You may be entitled to compensation for your American Airlines’ flight if all the following requirements are met:
Your flight was departing from the UK or the EU
Your flight was cancelled fewer than 14 days before the scheduled departure date
American Airlines was at fault for the cancellation → For more information, see the "Extraordinary Circumstances" section of this article.
When can I claim a refund for my cancelled American Airlines flight?
If your American Airlines flight is cancelled, you are entitled to a refund if:
- Your flight was from the UK/EU and the airline did not offer you an alternative flight
OR
- The airline offered you an alternative flight but you decided not to take it
Can I get flight compensation if I cancel my American Airlines flight?
If you decide to cancel your American Airlines flight, the British/European air passenger rights legislation may prevent you from claiming flight compensation. Visit their website or get in touch with customer care to learn more about American Airlines' refund and compensation policies.
American Airlines missed connection flight due to delay or cancellation
You may be eligible for compensation and/or a ticket refund under UK/EU air passenger rights legislation if you made the reservation for both flights together and the delay or cancellation meets the necessary conditions.
Get up to £520 in flight compensation for your delayed or cancelled American Airlines flight.
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How much American Airlines compensation can I get for a delayed or cancelled flight?
The amount of compensation per passenger is determined by the distance of your flight:
| Distance of your flight | Compensation |
|---|---|
| Flights shorter than 1,500 km | Get £220 per passenger |
| Flight between 1,500 and 3,500 km | Get £350 per passenger |
| Flights of over 1,500 kilometres within the EU | Get £350 per passenger |
| Flights of over 3,500 kilometres outside of the EU | Get £520 per passenger |
Check your American Airlines flight status
Before leaving for the airport, check the status of your flight to be prepared for any unforeseen changes to your schedule. You may always visit the websites of the airline, the airport, or flight trackers to find out the most recent information of your American Airlines flight.
Extraordinary circumstances — can American Airlines deny me compensation?
When a third party or force majeure causes a delay or cancellation, American Airlines has the right to refuse compensation. Such situations are referred to as extraordinary circumstances.
Some of the most common extraordinary circumstances are:
Bad weather conditions, such as thick fog, heavy rain, or thunderstorms.
A strike, most often specifically within the aviation industry (for example, a strike of air traffic control workers at a specific airport).
However, a strike of the airline's crew is not considered an extraordinary circumstance!
Political circumstances, such as a terrorist attack or general security risk due to political unrest.
Natural disasters, including volcanic eruptions and hurricanes.
A collision between the aircraft and birds or other foreign objects.
An ill or unruly passenger.
Flight delays caused by the airport staff, such as extraordinarily long queues to security checks.
How long do I have to claim my American Airlines compensation and refund?
Different rules might apply if your itinerary does not include the United Kingdom.
Check if you can still get compensation and a refund from American Airlines with our free Claim Calculator.
Do you qualify for compensation from American Airlines?
Get your flight compensation and refund with the help of Flight-Delayed.co.uk.
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How long will it take to get my American Airlines compensation / American Airlines refund?
Passengers who use Flight-Delayed.co.uk to claim flight compensation and refund often receive their funds within a few weeks or months.
However, if the airline fails to respond to the claim and/or the claim must be filed in court, a few months — or even years, in some cases — could be added to the wait time.
This review by a passenger who filed an AA claim through Flight-Delayed.co.uk said the following. “Amazing! After 7 years, I finally got reimbursed $450. I had even forgotten about this. Thank you so much for keeping track of this, and making sure American Airlines obeyed by the rules.”
Rest assured, regardless of how long the claim takes, our team will keep you updated on any significant developments in your case and will be available to answer any questions you may have.
How to claim American Airlines compensation / American Airlines refund?
First, determine whether you are eligible for American Airlines compensation or a refund. You can do that in a few steps by using our Claim Calculator.
If you are qualified for flight compensation and/or a refund, you can choose to delegate the process to our team of legal professionals, allowing you to relax while we ensure you get compensation and/or your refund.
It will take only a few minutes to upload all required documents on our platform. Our legal experts will then take over from there, assessing your claim, preparing legal papers, contacting the airline's decision-makers, and, if necessary, taking your claim to court.
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About American Airlines
American Airlines is a major American airline based in Fort Worth, Texas. In terms of fleet size, scheduled passengers carried, and revenue, it is the world's largest airline.
American Airlines offers nearly 6,700 flights per day to 350 destinations in 50 countries. According to OAG, the airline had an 85.1% on-time performance level in 2021.
Useful links
- EVA Air flight compensation
- More details on delayed flight compensation
- More details on cancelled flight compensation
- Post-Brexit flight compensation rules in the UK
- Rules regarding missed flight compensation
- Rules regarding flight compensation in the case of denied boarding
- Claim Calculator — check if you are eligible for compensation