American Airlines Covid Rules

What is American Airlines doing to offer passengers a safe travel experience during the Covid-19 pandemic?

During the Covid-19 pandemic, American Airlines has been making temporary changes to the travel experience to prioritize the safety of all. To make your travel safer and easier from planning your trip until arriving at your destination, American Airlines has been setting a series of requirements, measures, and procedures:

  • Travel tools.
  • Health and testing requirements.
  • Clean Commitment.
  • More flexibility for your travel.

Travel Tools

From the time you start planning your trip until you arrive at your destination, American Airlines tries to make it easier through travel tools offered in partnership with:

  • Sherpa° – access the interactive map to get up-to-date guideline information for anywhere in the world: entry restrictions, COVID-19 test requirements, face-covering guidelines, health documentation, quarantine protocols.
  • Trusted testing partners – LetsGetChecked, the at-home testing kit provider, GoHealth Urgent Care, which has more than 150 U.S. locations that offer PCR and rapid COVID-19 testing, and CareNow in Dallas-Fort Worth.
  • VeriFLY – the VeriFly app acts like a mobile health passport where passengers can upload documents to meet travel requirements and receive clearance to fly.

Health and Testing Requirements

At check-in, you’ll be asked to confirm you’ve been free of COVID-19 symptoms for the past 10 days. Although the CDC continues to recommend wearing a face mask on planes, you aren’t required to wear a face mask in airports or on your flight unless an individual jurisdiction requires it. American Airlines recommends checking the latest updates and travel requirements for the city or country you’re traveling to/through/from..

The CDC requires all passengers, including US citizens but excluding children under 2 years, flying to the US to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken within 3 days of departure or documentation of recovery. If you cannot show proof of a negative test or documentation of recovery, you won’t be allowed to board the plane. The forms that must be shown to an American Airlines agent can be printed, digital, or uploaded to the VeriFly app. The CDC attestation form can also be completed in the VeriFly app.

Clean Commitment

You can travel with ease knowing that American Airlines is implementing proper procedures and making temporary changes to the travel experience to prioritize your safety:

  • As the first airline to achieve GBAC STAR Accreditation from the Global Biorisk Advisory Council, you can be sure that American Airlines has the proper procedures to respond to biological threats like COVID-19:
    • Dispensers of PURELL Advanced Hand Sanitizer are available in select locations. Onboard amenity kits include hand sanitizer or wipes.
    • Hospital-grade HEPA filters installed on all mainline and most regional aircraft refresh the cabin air every 2 to 4 minutes.
    • American uses electrostatic spraying to provide defense against COVID-19. Planes are sprayed with SurfaceWise2, a coating that offers enhanced protection by killing 99.9% of viruses, including coronaviruses, on surfaces. Also, every mainline aircraft is disinfected at every turn, including hand-cleaning seats, seat buckles, tray tables, etc.
    • AA’ rigorous cleaning program only uses EPA-approved products.
  • The American Way magazine, located in the seatback pocket, is now printed with a new paper treatment process, the Biomaster antimicrobial technology that helps prevent the growth of unwanted microbes.
  • For a touchless experience, use the American Airlines app that features a new chat function to ask the virtual assistant for help in real-time. Also, at most US airports, you can scan the boarding pass at a kiosk that will automatically print your bag tags, which you will then attach for drop-off at the bag drop.
  • For added protection, American Airlines installed commercial-grade shields at the service desks and counters.
  • On board, food and drink service is limited based on flight length and destination. You are welcome to bring snacks and soft drinks to enjoy during your flight.

Travel Flexibility

American Airlines is giving you more flexibility and the freedom to make your own choices:

  • No change fees for all domestic and short-haul international flights on Premium Cabin, Premium Economy, and Main Cabin fares (Basic Economy fares are excluded).
  • No change fees for all long-haul international flights originating in North and South America on Premium Cabin, Premium Economy, and Main Cabin fares (Basic Economy fares are excluded).
  • No change fees on new international tickets originating outside North and South America bought between April 1 and April 30, 2021, for all travel dates (Basic Economy tickets originating in Asia are non-changeable).
  • You’re allowed to make one change to your trip with no change fee.
  • You can cancel your flight online and rebook later (including Basic Economy fares bought between March 1, 2020, and March 31, 2021).

More information here >>

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