The legacy airlines have, once again, teamed up against passengers and raised fees in one consecutive sweep.
American joins United, US Airways, and Delta in raising its ticket change fee to $200 (up from $150) for domestic flights. US Airways was the first to initiate the fee hike, but within a few days all of the major U.S. legacy airlines had followed suit.
According to Travel Weekly, American did not increase change fees for international flights.
It’s easy (and outrageous) for the major airlines to gouge travelers when they go forward with fee increases collectively. But you still have some options. Southwest doesn’t charge for ticket changes, and JetBlue only charges $100. (I say “only” in the face of the legacy airlines charging twice as much.)
Further, American offers branded fare options such as Choice Essential, which feature zero change fees for slightly higher ticket prices. Consumer advocate Ed Perkins calls this “an attractive alternative” to regular nonrefundable tickets.
You Might Also Like:
- Airlines’ Latest Change-Fee Hikes Are an Outrage
- Airline Fees: The Ultimate Guide
- Frontier to Charge for Carry-on Bags
We hand-pick everything we recommend and select items through testing and reviews. Some products are sent to us free of charge with no incentive to offer a favorable review. We offer our unbiased opinions and do not accept compensation to review products. All items are in stock and prices are accurate at the time of publication. If you buy something through our links, we may earn a commission.
Top Fares From
Today's Top Travel Deals
Brought to you by ShermansTravel
Greece: 9-Night Vacation, Incl. Meteora &...
Exoticca
vacation $2099+Amsterdam to Copenhagen: Luxe, 18-Night Northern...
Regent Seven Seas Cruises
cruise $12399+Ohio: Daily Car Rentals from Cincinnati
85OFF.com
Car Rental $19+