Book your flight directly with American Airlines. Although American Airlines charges a lot of money for rebooking flights, third parties often levy additional penalty fees which can add a substantial amount of money.
Pay for airline insurance from American Airlines. If you pay for airline insurance when you book your ticket, you will not have to pay a fee for rebooking your ticket as long as you have a good excuse, and can prove it.
Submit documentation to support your excuse for changing the date of your flight. There is no official documentation required. Instead, you should submit anything that supports your excuse, such as a note from a doctor if you missed your flight due to sickness.
Book a standby ticket. Visit the American Airlines booth if you missed your flight or need to rearrange. You may be able to get another flight for free if you show up at the airport with your ticket. Explain the situation and wait to see if you can get a seat on the next flight.
Call customer service at American Airlines directly. If nothing else works, try pleading your case to the airline. If you have a good enough reason, such as a death in the family, it may waive the date change penalty.
