Nonrefundable tickets: no refund after the 24 hour grace period. However, if you cancel a flight before departure, you can apply the unused value of eligible fares toward a future trip, so long as the new flight takes place within one year of the original ticket issue date.

If you cancel a trip on American Airlines in 2026, the outcome depends on the type of ticket you purchased. For non-refundable tickets (including Basic Economy), you generally will not receive a cash refund. Instead, the value of the ticket (minus any applicable fees) is typically issued as a Flight Credit or Trip Credit, which must be used for future travel within one year of the original issue date. For fully refundable tickets, you can request a refund to your original form of payment, which usually appears in 1-2 billing cycles. A major rule in 2026 is that you must cancel before the first flight departs; if you simply don't show up, the ticket loses all value. If American Airlines makes a "significant change" to your itinerary (usually defined as 4+ hours) or cancels your flight entirely, you are legally entitled to a full cash refund regardless of your ticket type.