Do you have an American Airlines voucher gathering digital dust, waiting for its moment to shine and whisk you away on your next adventure? Perfect! You've come to the right place. Using your American Airlines voucher online can be a convenient and straightforward process, provided you know the right steps. This comprehensive guide will walk you through everything you need to know, from understanding your voucher type to successfully applying it to your flight booking.
Let's turn that voucher into a ticket!
How Do I Use My American Airlines Voucher Online? A Step-by-Step Guide
American Airlines offers several types of travel credits, often referred to broadly as "vouchers." These include eVouchers, Trip Credits, Flight Credits, and sometimes even Gift Cards. While the redemption process is largely similar, there can be subtle differences. This guide focuses primarily on eVouchers and general travel credits, which are most commonly redeemed online.
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| How Do I Use My American Airlines Voucher Online |
Step 1: Discover Your Voucher's Identity and Value
First things first, let's get acquainted with your voucher. This is crucial because different voucher types might have slightly different rules or redemption paths.
1.1 Locate Your Voucher Information
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For eVouchers: These are typically sent to you via email. Look for an email from American Airlines with the subject line related to your voucher. This email will contain your eVoucher number and a PIN. Make sure to have both of these readily available.
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For Trip Credits/Flight Credits: These are often associated with canceled flights or refunds. If you're an AAdvantage member, you might be able to find your available travel credits by logging into your account on aa.com under the "Travel credit" section. If you received a specific email about a Trip Credit or Flight Credit, it will contain a reference number.
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For Paper Vouchers: While less common for online redemption, some older vouchers might be paper-based. These generally cannot be redeemed directly online and often require calling American Airlines or visiting an airport ticket counter.
1.2 Understand Your Voucher's Terms and Conditions
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Expiration Date: Most vouchers have an expiration date, typically one year from the date of issue. You must book your travel by this date, though the actual travel can often occur after the expiration.
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Transferability: While many eVouchers and Trip Credits can be used to book travel for anyone, Flight Credits are generally tied to the original passenger on the canceled reservation. Always confirm this.
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Eligible Purchases: Vouchers are primarily for the base airfare and directly associated taxes and fees. They generally cannot be used for extras like baggage fees, seat upgrades, Admirals Club passes, or in-flight purchases.
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Combining Vouchers: American Airlines typically allows you to use up to eight eVouchers or Trip Credits on a single reservation online. However, combining different types of credits (e.g., a Flight Credit and an eVoucher) might require calling reservations.
Pro Tip: Take a moment to carefully read any fine print or links to terms and conditions provided with your voucher. This can save you headaches later!
Step 2: Navigate to American Airlines' Website
Now that you're armed with your voucher details, head over to the American Airlines website.
2.1 Go to aa.com
Open your web browser and go to
2.2 Log In (Optional, but Recommended for AAdvantage Members)
Tip: Share one insight from this post with a friend.
If you're an AAdvantage member, it's a good idea to log in to your account. This can sometimes make the process smoother, especially if your travel credit is linked to your AAdvantage profile.
Step 3: Search for Your Desired Flight
This is where the fun begins – finding your next destination!
3.1 Enter Your Flight Details
On the American Airlines homepage, you'll see the flight search widget.
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Enter your departure city and arrival city.
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Select your travel dates (departure and return, if applicable).
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Specify the number of passengers.
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Choose your cabin class (Economy, Business, First, etc.).
3.2 Initiate Your Search
Click the "Search flights" button. The website will then display available flights that match your criteria.
Step 4: Select Your Flights and Proceed to Payment
Carefully review the flight options presented.
4.1 Choose Your Outbound and Return Flights
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Browse through the available flights and select the options that best suit your travel plans and budget.
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Pay attention to the fare types (e.g., Basic Economy, Main Cabin) as they come with different restrictions and inclusions.
4.2 Review Your Itinerary
Once you've selected all your flights, you'll be taken to a "Review your trip" or "Review and pay" page. Double-check all the details – dates, times, airports, and passenger information – before proceeding.
Step 5: Apply Your American Airlines Voucher
Tip: Focus on one point at a time.
This is the moment you've been waiting for! The payment page is where you'll enter your voucher details.
5.1 Locate the Payment Section
Scroll down to the payment section of the "Review and pay" page. You'll typically see options for credit cards, AAdvantage miles, and often a section specifically for "Travel credits," "Vouchers," or "Gift Cards."
5.2 Select the Voucher/Credit Option
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Look for a link or button that says "Apply available credits", "Add travel credit", or similar. Click on it.
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A pop-up or new section will appear, prompting you to enter your voucher information.
5.3 Enter Your Voucher Details
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For eVouchers: You will be prompted to enter your eVoucher number and PIN. Enter these exactly as they appear in your email.
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For Trip Credits/Flight Credits: You might need to enter a specific reference number or, if logged in as an AAdvantage member, your available credits might automatically appear for selection.
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If you are using multiple eVouchers, you will typically have fields to enter each one. American Airlines usually allows up to eight eVouchers per transaction online.
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5.4 Apply the Voucher
After entering the details, click "Apply" or "Add." The system will then validate your voucher and deduct its value from the total cost of your flight.
Step 6: Complete the Payment (If Remaining Balance)
If your voucher does not cover the entire cost of the ticket, you will need to pay the remaining balance.
6.1 Pay the Remaining Balance
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The system will show you the new, adjusted total after the voucher has been applied.
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You can then use a credit card, debit card, or other accepted payment methods to cover the rest of the fare.
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Enter your payment details and billing information.
6.2 Review and Purchase
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Perform one final review of all the information: flight details, passenger names, and the total amount to be paid.
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Read and agree to the American Airlines Terms and Conditions and Conditions of Carriage.
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Click the "Purchase" or "Complete Booking" button to finalize your reservation.
Step 7: Confirmation!
Tip: Jot down one takeaway from this post.
Congratulations! You should now receive a confirmation page on the website and an email with your e-ticket and itinerary.
7.1 Check Your Email
An email from American Airlines will be sent to the email address provided during booking. This email contains your confirmation code, ticket numbers, and all the details of your flight. Keep this email safe!
7.2 Verify Your Voucher Balance (If Applicable)
If your voucher had a higher value than your ticket, American Airlines may issue a new eVoucher or Trip Credit for the remaining balance. Check your email or AAdvantage account for any residual credit.
Important Considerations and Troubleshooting
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Voucher Not Working Online? If you encounter issues applying your voucher online (e.g., error messages, voucher not found), it could be due to several reasons:
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Incorrect Entry: Double-check the voucher number and PIN for typos.
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Voucher Type Restriction: Some specific voucher types (like certain paper vouchers or older credits) may not be redeemable online.
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System Glitch: Occasionally, technical issues can occur.
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Expiration: The voucher might have expired.
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In such cases, your best bet is to call American Airlines Reservations directly. Their agents can often process vouchers that the online system might reject or clarify why it's not working.
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Combining Different Credit Types: As mentioned, if you have a Flight Credit and an eVoucher, or multiple different types of travel credits, you might need to call customer service to combine them for a single booking.
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Hold Your Reservation: If you're having trouble with your voucher, you can often put a flight reservation on hold for 24 hours (or sometimes longer, depending on the fare rules) without payment. This gives you time to call American Airlines and apply the voucher without losing your desired flight.
10 Related FAQ Questions
Here are some frequently asked questions about using American Airlines vouchers online:
How to check the balance of my American Airlines voucher?
You can usually check the balance of an eVoucher by visiting the American Airlines eVoucher redemption page and entering your voucher number and PIN, or by logging into your AAdvantage account if it's a Trip or Flight Credit.
How to use multiple American Airlines vouchers for one flight?
American Airlines typically allows you to use up to eight eVouchers or Trip Credits for a single online booking. You will see multiple fields to enter the voucher numbers and PINs on the payment page.
How to use an American Airlines voucher if it's expired?
QuickTip: Ask yourself what the author is trying to say.
Generally, American Airlines vouchers expire one year from the date of issue and must be booked by that date. Expired vouchers typically cannot be extended or redeemed. However, for certain qualifying delays or cancellations (per DOT requirements), credit may be valid for up to five years from the issue date. It's always best to call American Airlines to inquire, as policies can sometimes have exceptions.
How to use an American Airlines voucher for someone else?
eVouchers and Trip Credits can generally be used to book travel for anyone, even if the name on the voucher is different from the passenger. Flight Credits, however, are usually tied to the original passenger. Always verify the specific terms of your voucher.
How to apply an American Airlines voucher to an existing reservation?
In most cases, American Airlines vouchers can only be applied to new bookings. If you've already booked a flight and then received a voucher, you typically cannot apply it retroactively. You might be able to cancel your existing flight (subject to fare rules and fees) and rebook using the voucher, but this is usually not recommended unless there's a significant cost saving.
How to use an American Airlines voucher for international flights?
Yes, American Airlines eVouchers and travel credits can generally be used for international flights marketed by American Airlines (AA), American Eagle, or codeshare flights with an AA flight number. Ensure the itinerary originates in the U.S., Puerto Rico, or U.S. Virgin Islands if the voucher has that restriction.
How to use an American Airlines voucher for baggage fees or upgrades?
American Airlines vouchers are typically redeemable only towards the initial electronic ticket purchase, covering the base airfare and directly associated taxes and fees. They generally cannot be used for ancillary services like baggage fees, seat upgrades, Wi-Fi, or in-flight purchases.
How to combine an American Airlines Flight Credit and a Trip Credit?
While you can often combine multiple vouchers of the same type online (e.g., multiple eVouchers), combining different types of travel credits (like a Flight Credit and a Trip Credit) often requires calling American Airlines Reservations for assistance.
How to redeem a paper American Airlines voucher online?
Paper vouchers from American Airlines are typically not redeemable online. You will usually need to call American Airlines Reservations or visit an airport ticket counter to redeem a paper voucher.
How to get a new voucher if my American Airlines flight is cheaper than my current voucher?
If you book a flight that costs less than the value of your voucher, American Airlines will typically issue a new eVoucher or Trip Credit for the remaining balance. This new voucher will have its own expiration date, usually one year from the date of the original voucher's issue.
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