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This page describes what the document states, permits, or reserves. It does not constitute a legal determination about enforceability. Regulatory applicability may vary by jurisdiction. Methodology
This is American Airlines' Conditions of Carriage document, which sets out the legal terms governing passenger air travel on American Airlines flights, including rules on ticketing, check-in deadlines, baggage fees and liability limits, denied boarding, and flight irregularities. The terms authorize American to limit its liability for lost or damaged baggage on international flights to amounts established by the Montreal Convention, and to cap liability for delays, with passengers required to file claims within specified timeframes or forfeit their right to compensation. The document also states that American reserves the right to refuse transportation to any passenger it determines poses a safety or operational concern, without defining specific criteria for that determination.
This document is American Airlines' Conditions of Carriage (CoC), which governs the contractual relationship between American Airlines and passengers on domestic and international flights, establishing the rights, duties, and liabilities of both parties under applicable air transportation law including the Contract of Carriage framework. The terms authorize American to refuse transportation, change or cancel flights, limit liability for baggage loss or delay, and deny boarding, while passengers are bound by ticketing and check-in cutoff requirements, baggage policies, and fare rules. Notable provisions include a liability cap on international baggage claims governed by the Montreal Convention, limitations on consequential damages, and the reservation of American's right to determine fitness to travel, which may create operational distinctions in how individual carriage decisions are made and reviewed. The document engages the Montreal Convention for international carriage, the Warsaw Convention for certain older itineraries, U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) consumer protection regulations, and Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR), with applicability depending on route type, ticketing jurisdiction, and whether the itinerary is governed by U.S. domestic or international treaty frameworks.
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5 versions captured · Last updated: June 2026
American Airlines updated its Conditions of Carriage on May 12, 2026, making three operational changes to baggage damage reporting procedures. First, the airline extended the window for filing damage reports …
View change record →American Airlines removed the word 'Advertising' from a section header in its cookie policy on May 5, 2026. The substantive disclosure about advertising cookies and how they collect browsing data …
View change record →This new provision establishes strict procedural deadlines for baggage damage and delay claims, which could bar valid claims if not met.
This new provision broadly exempts American from liability for indirect damages like lost business profits, significantly limiting passenger remedies.
This new provision formally reserves American's right to deny boarding for missing check-in and gate deadlines, potentially affecting passengers unaware of strict timing requirements.
This new provision extends the consequential damages exemption specifically to force majeure events, further limiting passenger recovery for service failures.
The removal of the specific domestic baggage liability limit of $3,800 leaves domestic passengers without a clearly stated maximum liability cap in the current terms.
The removal of this provision eliminates the explicit disclaimer that schedule times are not guaranteed and that American can substitute aircraft without notice.
The removal of the specific personal injury/death liability cap (128,821 SDRs) leaves international passengers without a clear statement of American's maximum liability for injury or death claims.
The removal of this explicit acceptance and entire agreement clause weakens the contractual foundation for binding passengers to the terms of carriage.
The removal of the specific tarmac delay limits (3 hours domestic, 4 hours international) eliminates a key DOT-mandated consumer protection from the stated terms.
The provision was refocused to address only international Montreal Convention liability; the domestic $3,800 limit was removed entirely.
The provision was expanded to explicitly describe the volunteer-first process and priority boarding rules before involuntary denial, adding procedural detail.
The provision was narrowed by removing the 'sole discretion' language and the specific reference to prior misconduct and appearance standards, while broadening the general safety and compliance criteria.
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