Special assistance
Accessible travel
We're dedicated to providing a positive travel experience for all customers. You can request special assistance when booking your trip online or call us if you have special requests. A coordinator will contact you before your trip to make sure everything’s ready.
Request special assistance
Need special assistance for your trip? Here's how to request it on aa.com or the American app:
When booking a trip
Go to the 'Add special assistance' section on the passenger details page.
Already booked your trip?
- Find your trip using your confirmation code or log in to your AAdvantage® account.
- In the Special Services section, select 'Special Assistance.'
Choose the service you need
- Wheelchair assistance
- Traveling with your own mobility or medical device
- Individual assistance for hearing, vision, cognitive or developmental disabilities
- Traveling with a service animal (approval required at least 48 hours before your flight)
If you have specific needs, call us directly.
Wheelchair assistance at the airport
You can request wheelchair assistance for:
- Travel to and from your gate
- Navigating between gates for connecting flights
- Transport to baggage claim
We recommend that you request wheelchair assistance in advance by selecting 'Add special assistance' when booking or managing your trip on aa.com or in the American app.
You can also inform a team member at the airport about your wheelchair needs on the day of travel.
Hearing assistance
If you need help hearing important flight information, please inform a gate agent or flight attendant. Open captioning is available for safety videos.
Even if you don't need assistance, please let us know if you are deaf or hard of hearing. This helps us make sure you receive a safety briefing and important flight updates.
Vision assistance
Inform a ticket agent if you need help checking in or reaching your gate. Request a courtesy wheelchair, arm assistance, or directions when booking or managing your trip on aa.com, in the American app or when you arrive at the airport.
Even if you don't need airport assistance, please let us know if you are blind or have low vision. This helps us make sure you receive a safety briefing and important flight updates.
Cognitive and developmental assistance
We help customers with cognitive or developmental disabilities board, deplane, and connect flights.
Customers needing constant care or who cannot follow safety instructions must travel with a safety assistant. You can buy a ticket for your assistant.
American may require a safety assistant if the customer cannot:
- Follow agent instructions to evacuate the terminal.
- Follow the in-flight safety briefing and crew instructions.
- Take care of personal needs related to food, hygiene, and medical conditions.
- Wait alone in a designated area until an escort arrives.
- Check into a hotel alone during weather delays and be ready for the next flight.
If we determine a customer needs a safety assistant for travel, they must be accompanied by one. Otherwise, we will not allow the customer to fly until a safety assistant is available.
Special seating
We’ll do our best to find the most comfortable and usable seats for your needs. Choose seats when booking your trip or call Reservations for help, especially if you:
- Are traveling with a safety assistant or need someone to help you during the flight.
- Can’t move over a fixed armrest.
- Are traveling with a service animal.
- Have a fixed or immobilized leg.
- Require extra space.
Customers needing special assistance can ask to board early at the gate.
Extra space during travel
If you need more than one seat to travel comfortably and safely, you must book an additional seat by calling Reservations. Please inform us of your seating needs when booking your trip.
- When you call to book, Reservations will make sure you get 2 adjacent seats at the same fare.
- You might be offered a seat in a higher class of service with more space; in this case, you’ll have to pay the difference in fare.
- If you didn’t book an extra seat in advance, ask an airport agent to check if 2 adjacent seats are available.
- If we can’t accommodate your needs on your original flight, you can buy seats on a different flight at the same price as your original seats.
Seat belt extensions
Request a seat belt extension from a flight attendant or gate agent if needed. Only seat belt extensions provided by American Airlines can be used.
Information for senior travelers
Here are some tips to make your trip easier:
- Request early boarding with the gate agent if you need extra time or assistance boarding.
- Request wheelchair assistance for help with long distances at the airport.
- Inform a team member if you have vision or hearing limitations so we can make sure you receive a safety briefing and important flight updates .
You can find more information about airport assistance on the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) website.
The Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA) protects air travelers with disabilities from discrimination. The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) enforces this law, which applies to all flights within, to, or from the United States.
To get a copy of the ACAA regulations (Part 382):
- Call the hotline for air travelers with disabilities 800-778-4838 or 800-455-9880 (TTY)
- Call the Aviation Consumer Protection Division 202-366-2220 or 202-366-0511 (TTY)
- Write to: Office of Aviation Consumer Protection 1200 New Jersey Ave, SE Washington, DC 20590 United States
- Visit the Aviation Consumer Protection Division website:
Airline Passengers with Disabilities Bill of Rights
This Bill of Rights describes the fundamental rights of air travelers with disabilities under the Air Carrier Access Act and its implementing regulation, 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 382.
Find helpful information if your trip includes 1 or more flights with our partner airlines.