Airline guide
American AirlinesIATA code AA
Baggage allowances, fare rules, check-in cut-offs and contact details for American Airlines. Policy figures are read from American Airlines’s own published pages and each one shows where it came from and when we checked it.
- Home country
- United States
- Destinations
- 340 in 92 countries
- Route data Jul 2026
American Airlines at a glance
Cabin bag size
Covered in full in the section below. Read it (Cabin bag size)
Cabin bag weight
Covered in full in the section below. Read it (Cabin bag weight)
Checked bag
Covered in full in the section below. Read it (Checked bag)
Online check-in
- Online check-in
- Online or in the app from 24 hours before departure until 45 minutes before (90 minutes for international flights).
Verified 3 Sep 2026aa.com (opens in a new tab)Full rules: Online check-inAirport check-in closes
- Domestic
- Within the U.S.: check in and check bags at least 45 minutes before scheduled departure.
- International
- To or from destinations outside the U.S.: at least 60 minutes before scheduled departure.
Verified 3 Sep 2026aa.com (opens in a new tab)Full rules: Airport check-in closesCustomer service
- Customer service phone
- 800-433-7300
Verified 3 Sep 2026aa.com (opens in a new tab)Full rules: Customer service
American Airlines carry-on baggage allowance
You can bring 1 personal item and 1 carry-on bag on board if they meet the size requirements.
- Cabin bag size
- 1 carry-on bag, no larger than 22 x 14 x 9 inches (56 x 36 x 23 cm) including handles and wheels; it must fit in the overhead bin or under the seat in front of you.
- Verified 3 Sep 2026aa.com (opens in a new tab)
- Personal item
- 1 personal item, such as a purse or small handbag, no larger than 18 x 14 x 8 inches (45 x 35 x 20 cm); it must fit under the seat in front of you.
- Verified 3 Sep 2026aa.com (opens in a new tab)
- Regional valet
- On regional American Eagle flights, a carry-on larger than the personal-item size must be valet-checked at the gate at no charge; Embraer ERJ-175 planes allow carry-on bags and have no valet service
- Verified 5 Oct 2026aa.com (opens in a new tab)
American Airlines checked baggage allowance
Bag fees are charged per person, each direction. Allowances depend on route, cabin and AAdvantage or oneworld status.
- Checked bag fees
- Within/between the U.S., Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Canada, Caribbean (except Cuba / Haiti), Mexico, Central America (except Panama) and Guyana: 1st checked bag $50 ($45 if you pay online), 2nd checked bag $60 ($55 if you pay online). Basic Economy pays $5 more for the 1st and 2nd bags.
- Verified 5 Oct 2026aa.com (opens in a new tab)
- Size and weight limits
- Each bag up to 62 in / 158 cm (length + width + height) and 50 lbs / 23 kgs. First / Business free bags may weigh up to 70 lbs / 32 kgs. On flights to / from Australia or New Zealand, free bags may weigh up to 70 lbs / 32 kgs.
- Verified 3 Sep 2026aa.com (opens in a new tab)
- Premium cabin allowance
- First 2 checked bags are free for confirmed Domestic First, Business and Premium Economy customers; first 3 are free for confirmed Flagship First and Flagship Business Plus customers.
- Verified 3 Sep 2026aa.com (opens in a new tab)
- Routes with a free first bag
- The first checked bag is free on trips to destinations including Australia, New Zealand, Japan, China, Hong Kong, India, Qatar, South Korea and Trans-Atlantic routes. Basic Economy is excluded on Trans-Atlantic and most Latin American routes; on Asia, India and Qatar routes it gets the free bag for tickets issued on or after April 23, 2026
- Verified 5 Oct 2026aa.com (opens in a new tab)
What American Airlines’s cheapest fare includes
- Lowest fare
- Basic Economy: 1 carry-on bag and 1 personal item included; no free checked bag on most routes
- Seat selection
- Seat selection in advance costs a fee; otherwise a seat is assigned free at check-in, and companions on the same ticket may not sit together
- Changes and cancellations
- No changes. Changes or a refund are possible only within 24 hours of purchase when booked at least 7 days before departure; after that, AAdvantage members on eligible U.S.-originating trips may cancel for travel credit, for a fee
- Boarding group
- Boards last, typically in Group 9
American Airlines cabins and aircraft
Choose a seat by location and legroom, or accept a free seat assignment at check-in. Use your flight seat map because options vary with the aircraft.
- Seat options
- Flagship First/Business (1-2-1 direct aisle lie-flat suites), Premium Economy (2-3-2 38" pitch), Main Cabin Extra (extra legroom), and Main Cabin (3-3-3 / 3-3 30-31" pitch)
- Reserved or random
- Reserve a seat in advance for free (Main Cabin, Main Cabin Extra, and Premium cabins) or for a fee on Basic Economy; complimentary seat assigned at online check-in 24h prior
- Family seating
- Children under 15 traveling with an accompanying adult on the same reservation are seated together free of charge
If your American Airlines flight is delayed or cancelled
American's conditions of carriage set out rebooking, refunds and overnight care.
- Rebooking
- If your flight is cancelled or a delay could cause you to miss your connection, American rebooks you on the next American flight with available seats at no additional cost. If no American flight is available until the next day and the disruption is American's fault, it rebooks you on a partner airline.
- Refund
- If your flight is cancelled or delayed by 3 or more hours (domestic) / 4 or more hours (international) and you don't accept the alternative arrangements, or none are available, American refunds the remaining ticket value and any optional fees.
- Overnight care
- If the disruption is American's fault, or you're diverted, and you don't board before 11:59 p.m. local time on your scheduled arrival day, American arranges an overnight stay or covers an approved hotel when you're away from home. For delays beyond its control, such as weather, you pay for your own hotel and meals.
American Airlines check-in times and airport cut-offs
Some airports have earlier check-in times (75 or 90 minutes); American lists them on its check-in page.
- Online check-in
- Online or in the app from 24 hours before departure until 45 minutes before (90 minutes for international flights).
- Verified 3 Sep 2026aa.com (opens in a new tab)
- Domestic check-in closes
- Within the U.S.: check in and check bags at least 45 minutes before scheduled departure.
- Verified 3 Sep 2026aa.com (opens in a new tab)
- International check-in closes
- To or from destinations outside the U.S.: at least 60 minutes before scheduled departure.
- Verified 3 Sep 2026aa.com (opens in a new tab)
- Boarding closes
- Boarding ends 15 minutes before departure.
- Verified 3 Sep 2026aa.com (opens in a new tab)
How to contact American Airlines
Use American's own pages and phone number for support and your ticket conditions.
- Customer service phone
- 800-433-7300
- Conditions of carriage
- aa.com/i18n/customer-service/support/conditions-of-carriage (opens in a new tab)
Where American Airlines flies
Source: Originfacts route-network dataset, built from TravelPayouts route data (updated 2026-07). Not verified by hand.
We track 1,507 American Airlines routes serving 340 destinations across 92 countries.
- Destinations
- 340
- Countries
- 92
- Routes tracked
- 1,507
- Longest route
- 13,808 km
Busiest markets by route count
A market may include more than one airport.
Longest route in the dataset
13,808 km great-circle distance between the two airports.
Common questions about flying American Airlines
What size cabin bag can I take on American Airlines?
According to American Airlines’s own website (aa.com, checked 3 Sep 2026): 1 carry-on bag, no larger than 22 x 14 x 9 inches (56 x 36 x 23 cm) including handles and wheels; it must fit in the overhead bin or under the seat in front of you.
When can I check in online with American Airlines?
According to American Airlines’s own website (aa.com, checked 3 Sep 2026): Online or in the app from 24 hours before departure until 45 minutes before (90 minutes for international flights).
When does American Airlines check-in close for domestic flights?
According to American Airlines’s own website (aa.com, checked 3 Sep 2026): Within the U.S.: check in and check bags at least 45 minutes before scheduled departure.
When does American Airlines check-in close for international flights?
According to American Airlines’s own website (aa.com, checked 3 Sep 2026): To or from destinations outside the U.S.: at least 60 minutes before scheduled departure.
What is the American Airlines customer service phone number?
According to American Airlines’s own website (aa.com, checked 3 Sep 2026): 800-433-7300.
How many destinations does American Airlines fly to?
Originfacts tracks 340 American Airlines destinations across 92 countries, on 1,507 routes.
Where is American Airlines based?
American Airlines is based in United States. In the Originfacts route dataset, its busiest market is Dallas, followed by Chicago, Miami and London.
What aircraft appear on American Airlines routes?
The routes we hold name 787, Aerospatiale/Alenia ATR 72, Airbus A318, Airbus A319, Airbus A320, Airbus A321, Airbus A330, Airbus A340, Airbus A380, Boeing 737, Boeing 737-400, Boeing 737-600, Boeing 737-700, Boeing 737-800, Boeing 747-400, Boeing 757, Boeing 767, Boeing 767-200, Boeing 767-300, Boeing 777, Boeing 777-300, Boeing 777-300ER, Boeing/McDonnell Douglas MD-80, Boeing/McDonnell Douglas MD-83, Canadair Regional Jet 700, Dash 8-400, Embraer E135 Regional Jet, Embraer E140 Regional Jet and Embraer E145 Regional Jet. That dataset accumulates over time, so treat it as a record of what has flown rather than a current fleet list.
What is the longest American Airlines route?
Sydney to Dallas, at 13,808 km.
Sources and verification
Baggage, fare, check-in, disruption and contact figures are published only when they are read from American Airlines’s own pages or a named regulator, and each one shows the page and the date it was checked. Where sources disagree we show both and publish neither. Route and destination figures come from the Originfacts route dataset and show its date instead; they are not verified by hand.
- Carry-onVerified 3 Sep 2026 – 5 Oct 2026
- Checked bagsVerified 3 Sep 2026 – 5 Oct 2026
- Cheapest fareVerified 5 Oct 2026
- Cabins & aircraftVerified 6 Oct 2026
- Delays & cancellationsVerified 3 Sep 2026
- Check-inVerified 3 Sep 2026
- ContactVerified 3 Sep 2026
- Where they flyRoute data, Jul 2026Originfacts route-network dataset, built from TravelPayouts route data