Special assistance

Accessible travel

We're dedicated to providing a positive travel experience for all customers. If you have questions or want to make special travel arrangements, you can make them online or call 800-433-7300. For hearing or speech impaired assistance, call 800-735-2988.

When you book or manage your trip on aa.com choose 'Add special assistance' on the passenger details page. There you can:

  • Request wheelchair service
  • State if you're traveling with your own mobility device
  • Request individual assistance if you have a hearing, vision, cognitive or developmental disability
  • State if you’re traveling with a service animal (notice and approval is required at least 48 hours before your flight)

More information to help you travel safely

Assistance when traveling with our partner airlines

Wheelchair assistance at the airport

Wheelchair service is available if you need it:

  • To and from your gate
  • Between gates for connecting flights
  • Through Customs
  • To baggage claim

We recommend that you request wheelchair assistance in advance by selecting 'Add special assistance' when booking or managing your trip online. You can also let a team member at the airport know on the day of travel that you need wheelchair assistance.

When you arrive at the airport, let a team member know you need assistance.

Contact special assistance

Hearing assistance

Let a gate agent or flight attendant know if you need help hearing important flight updates. Also, open captioning for safety videos is available.

If you don’t need assistance at the airport, we still ask that you let us know if you’re deaf or hard of hearing so that we can make sure you receive an in-flight safety briefing and any important flight updates.

Vision assistance

If you need help checking in or getting to your gate, please tell a ticket counter agent. You can also request a courtesy wheelchair, arm assistance or directions when you book or at the airport. Also, braille safety cards are available on board your flight.

If you don’t need assistance at the airport, we still ask that you let us know if you’re blind or have low vision so that we can make sure you receive an in-flight safety briefing and any important flight updates.

Cognitive and developmental assistance

We can help customers with cognitive and developmental disabilities get on and off the plane and get to a connecting flight.

When determining whether your loved one should travel alone, consider a few things:

  • Will they need continuous care or help with personal care?
  • Are they able to understand and respond to the safety briefing and any instructions from the flight crew?
  • If their flight is cancelled or delayed, will they be able to spend a night in the airport or a hotel unsupervised?

Customers who need personal or continuous care or who are unable to follow safety instructions must travel with a safety assistant.

Special seating

We’ll do our best to secure the most comfortable and usable seats based on your needs. Please choose seats when you book or call Reservations for help booking the best seat to suit your needs, especially if you:

  • Plan to travel with a safety assistant or someone to assist you during the flight
  • Can’t move over a fixed armrest
  • Are traveling with a service animal
  • Have a fixed or immobilized leg
  • Need extra space

Customers who need special assistance can ask to board early at the gate.

Extra space during travel

If a customer needs extra space outside a single seat to travel safely, another seat is required. We encourage customers to address all seating needs when booking.

  • When you call to book, Reservations will make sure you get 2 adjacent seats at the same rate.
  • If you didn’t book an extra seat in advance, ask an airport agent to find out if 2 adjacent seats are available.
  • You may be offered a seat in a higher class of service that may provide more space; in this case, you’ll be responsible for the fare difference.
  • If accommodations can’t be made on your original flight, you can buy seats on a different flight at the same price as your original seats.

Information for senior travelers

Here are some tips to make your trip easier:

  • Early boarding is available if you need additional time or assistance boarding. You must identify yourself to the gate agent to request early boarding.
  • Wheelchair assistance is available to help with long distances at the airport.
  • If you have vision or hearing limitations, let a team member know in the airport or on the plane so that we can make sure you receive inflight safety instructions.

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) site has more information on airport assistance options.

TSA passenger support information Opens another site in a new window that may not meet accessibility guidelines

Air Carrier Access Act This content can be expanded
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