American Airlines · fees checked 2026-10-22
American Airlines fees: bags, seats and card fees
What American Airlines's fares include and what the extras really cost, from American Airlines's own website. Prices in AUD per person. Anything American Airlines doesn't publish, we say so rather than guess.
Basic Economy fare includes
a 7 kg cabin bag, a 23 kg checked bag
no free seat choice, a meal
Checked bag
from $142
online, To / from Australia and New Zealand
Choosing a seat
not published
Paying
no card fee published
free: No card fee is published on aa.com
Every American Airlines fee
See real prices on American Airlines| Fare type | Cabin | Checked | Seat | Meal | Change | Cancel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basic Economy | 7 kg | 1 × 23 kg | paid | ✓ | no | none |
| Main Cabin | 7 kg | 1 × 23 kg | not published | ✓ | fee | not published |
| Extra | To / from Australia and New Zealand |
|---|---|
| Checked bag online, 23 kg per direction | $142 |
| Checked bag online, 23 kg per direction | $285–$300 |
Paying: no card fee published. Free: No card fee is published on aa.com (en_AU); not verified in the booking flow.
- Basic Economy to or from Australia can't be changed, and after the first 24 hours there's no refund or credit when the trip starts in Australia (aaBasic).
- Changing a Main Cabin ticket that starts in Australia can cost up to USD 400 (about $570) plus any fare difference (aaFees).
- The first checked bag is free to and from Australia even on Basic Economy; a second bag costs USD 100 (about $142) each way (aaFees).
- Basic Economy boards last, so overhead bins are often full and you may have to check your carry-on (aaBasic).
- Getting help from Reservations to change a trip you booked online adds a USD 50 fee (aaFees).
Sources
aaFees · American Airlines: Bag and optional fees · checked 2026-10-22 · To/from Australia & NZ: 1st bag USD 0 (Basic and Main), 2nd USD 100, 3rd USD 200 (AUD 300 when starting in AU/NZ). Bag fees apply per person, each way. Voluntary change before day of travel: up to USD 400 if the trip starts outside the Americas. Preferred Seats USD 4-139, Main Cabin Extra USD 20-280 per flight. Reservations assistance USD 50. USD converted to AUD at RBA 22 Oct 2026 (AUD 1 = USD 0.7018).
aaBasic · American Airlines: Basic Economy · checked 2026-10-22 · No changes (except trips from Europe); cancel for travel credit only on trips starting in the U.S. and booked there; 1 carry-on + 1 personal item; 'For travel to / from Australia and New Zealand Basic Economy has 1 free checked bag'; seat for a fee or assigned free at check-in; boards last (Group 9).
Bands: To / from Australia and New Zealand (up to 15,000 km, e.g. BNE-DFW, BNE-LAX).