You've found the perfect flight, the price is right, but you need a little more time to confirm your plans or coordinate with travel companions. Perhaps you're waiting on a colleague's approval, checking visa requirements, or simply need to ensure your schedule aligns. This is where American Airlines' flight hold feature becomes your best friend! It allows you to lock in the fare and secure your seat without immediate payment, giving you that crucial breathing room.
Ready to learn how to master this convenient tool? Let's dive in!
How to Hold a Flight on American Airlines: A Step-by-Step Guide
Holding a flight on American Airlines is a straightforward process, primarily offered for a 24-hour period without charge on most flights booked at least 7 days before departure. They also have a "FareLock" option for longer holds, which typically involves a small fee.
Step 1: Get Started with Your Flight Search
First things first, let's find that perfect flight!
Engage with the process: Open your preferred web browser and navigate to the official American Airlines website:
www.aa.com Input your travel details:
Enter your departure city and arrival city.
Select your departure date and return date (if applicable for a round trip).
Specify the number of passengers.
Click "Search flights."
Step 2: Browse and Select Your Ideal Itinerary
Now, you'll be presented with a variety of flight options.
Review the results: Take your time to scroll through the available flights, paying attention to:
Departure and arrival times.
Flight duration.
Number of layovers.
Fare class and price.
Choose your desired flights: Once you've identified the outbound and inbound flights that best suit your needs, click to select them. American Airlines will guide you through the selection for each leg of your journey.
Step 3: Navigate to the "Review and Pay" Page
After selecting your flights, you'll proceed to the review and payment section.
Review your selection: Double-check all the details of your chosen itinerary, including:
Dates and times.
Airports.
Passenger information (if already entered).
Total fare.
Locate the "Hold your trip" option: This is the crucial step for holding your flight. On the "Review and Pay" page, before you enter any payment information, look for an option that says "Hold your trip" or something similar. This option usually appears alongside the "Purchase" or "Pay now" buttons.
Important Note: The availability of the "Hold your trip" option, especially the free 24-hour hold, is generally for bookings made at least 7 days prior to departure. If your travel is sooner, this option might not appear, or you might only see a paid "FareLock" option (which we'll discuss briefly later).
Why might it not appear? American Airlines sometimes runs tests or has specific restrictions. If you don't see it online, calling them is your next best bet.
Step 4: Confirm Your Hold and Receive Confirmation
Once you select "Hold your trip," American Airlines will process your request.
Confirmation screen: You'll typically be taken to a confirmation page that indicates your reservation is on hold. This page will display:
Your record locator (a 6-character alphanumeric code).
The expiration date and time for your hold. Pay close attention to this deadline!
Confirmation email: American Airlines will also send a confirmation email to the address you provided during the booking process. This email will contain all the details of your held reservation, including the record locator and the hold expiration time. Keep this email safe! It's your key to retrieving and paying for your trip later.
Step 5: Retrieving and Paying for Your Held Reservation
When you're ready to finalize your booking, here's how to proceed:
Access "Your Trips":
Go back to
www.aa.com Click on "Plan Travel" or "Your Trips" (usually found at the top navigation bar).
Select "Manage trips / Check-in" or "Find your trip."
Enter your details: You'll need to enter your:
Last Name.
Your record locator (the 6-character code from your hold confirmation).
Proceed to payment: Once your held reservation is retrieved, you'll see the option to "Pay for trip" or "Complete purchase." Click on this and follow the prompts to enter your payment information and finalize the booking.
What if I need more time? Exploring FareLock
While the standard free hold is for 24 hours, American Airlines also offers a paid service called FareLock.
Purpose: FareLock allows you to extend the hold period for a longer duration, typically up to 3, 5, or 7 days, for a small fee. This is particularly useful if you need more significant time to coordinate travel, finalize budgets, or wait for specific approvals.
Availability and Cost: The availability and cost of FareLock vary depending on your itinerary and fare. You'll usually see this option presented on the "Review and Pay" page if it's available for your selected flights, often alongside the free 24-hour hold option (if applicable).
Consideration: Remember that the FareLock fee is typically non-refundable, even if you decide not to purchase the ticket later. Weigh the cost against your need for extended flexibility.
Important Considerations When Holding an American Airlines Flight
24-Hour Rule vs. 24-Hour Hold: It's important to differentiate between the U.S. Department of Transportation's (DOT) 24-hour rule and American Airlines' 24-hour hold feature.
The DOT 24-hour rule states that for flights to or from the U.S., you're entitled to a full refund if you cancel your ticket within 24 hours of purchase, provided the purchase was made at least 7 days before departure.
American Airlines' 24-hour hold allows you to reserve the flight without payment initially, which offers a different kind of flexibility. You don't have to go through the refund process if you decide not to proceed.
Fare Changes: While your hold locks in the fare for the duration of the hold, if you let the hold expire, the fare for that flight is not guaranteed if you try to book it again later. Prices can fluctuate rapidly!
Duplicate Holds: American Airlines states that you may not hold multiple trips to one or more destinations or around the same date or time. They reserve the right to cancel any duplicate trips that are on hold. This is to prevent people from blocking out multiple seats and impacting availability for others.
Award Tickets: American Airlines has a specific policy for holding award tickets (flights booked with AAdvantage miles). While they used to allow longer holds for award tickets, the policy has become more restrictive. Currently, award tickets can generally be held for 24 hours, regardless of how far in advance you're booking. This is still a valuable feature, especially as award space can disappear quickly.
Third-Party Bookings: The hold feature is primarily available for bookings made directly through American Airlines (aa.com or via phone). If you're using a third-party online travel agency (OTA), their hold or cancellation policies may differ. Always check with the OTA directly.
Technical Issues: Occasionally, you might experience technical glitches on the website, and the "Hold" option may not appear. If this happens, or if you have any questions or need to make changes to a held reservation (which might require canceling and re-holding), it's always a good idea to contact American Airlines customer service directly.
10 Related FAQ Questions
How to check if a flight is eligible for a free 24-hour hold on American Airlines?
The "Hold your trip" option will typically appear on the "Review and Pay" page if your flight qualifies, usually for bookings made 7 or more days before departure. If you don't see it, it might not be eligible or there could be a temporary technical issue.
How to retrieve a held flight reservation on American Airlines?
Go to
How to extend the hold period for an American Airlines flight?
You can often extend the hold period by purchasing "FareLock" on the "Review and Pay" page, if available for your itinerary. This is a paid service and extends the hold for a few additional days.
How to cancel a held American Airlines flight before payment?
If you simply don't pay for the held reservation before the expiration deadline, it will automatically cancel without any penalty or action required from your end.
How to use AAdvantage miles to hold a flight on American Airlines?
When booking an award ticket on aa.com, the option to hold it for 24 hours (if available) will appear on the review page, similar to cash tickets.
How to contact American Airlines customer service for help with holding a flight?
You can find their contact numbers on the "Contact American" section of their website (
How to find the expiration time for my held American Airlines flight?
The exact expiration date and time will be clearly displayed on the confirmation page after you place the hold, and it will also be sent to you in the confirmation email.
How to know if a FareLock option is available for my American Airlines flight?
If FareLock is an option for your chosen itinerary, it will be presented to you on the "Review and Pay" page, usually with different duration options and their associated fees.
How to avoid losing a good fare if the hold expires?
The best way is to set a reminder for yourself well before the hold expires. If you're still undecided, consider the FareLock option if available, or be prepared to potentially see a different fare if you re-search after the hold lapses.
How to hold multiple American Airlines flights simultaneously?
American Airlines generally does not allow holding multiple trips to the same or similar destinations or dates. Their system is designed to detect and cancel such duplicate holds. You should choose the single itinerary you are most interested in holding.
