american airlines seat reservation fee

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How to Navigate Costly Airline Seat Selection Fees

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Airlines always seem to have one more trick up their sleeves for adding fees to the cost of airfare. Anyone who has flown in the past few years knows that some airlines now charge for basics, like carry-on bags and a printed boarding ticket. Yet one sneaky charge is often ignored by even savvy travelers: seat selection fees.

On the surface, there’s nothing complicated about these fees. Some airlines will let you select a specific seat for a markup on the base cost of your ticket. However, the way the fees are presented is often misleading, making it seem like you must select a seat and pay the accompanying fee.

A seat selection chart from Frontier Airlines.

This approach, in which companies add fees throughout the checkout process, is called “drip pricing” by experts. And research indicates that it's an effective sales tactic, both for confusing customers and driving up overall prices.

But here’s the thing: You almost never have to pay these fees. Here’s how to avoid — or at least minimize — these pesky fees.

Ways to avoid seat selection fees

Skip seat selection altogether.

Though it might sound scary, there's one weird trick airlines don’t want you to know: You don’t have to select a seat. On most airlines, you'll get assigned a seat at check-in or at the gate if you don’t already have one.

Some airlines make it seem like you must (or at least should) select a seat during checkout. Frontier Airlines even has a graphic interstitial page telling you why selecting a seat is such a great option.

Don’t fall for it. You can always skip seat selection and save the money, but do keep a few things in mind:

Skipping seat selection doesn’t mean you won’t get a seat on the flight.

You might get stuck in the middle seat if you don’t pay for one.

Even if seat selection is free, you might want to skip it if only lousy seats are available (see the "upgrade hack” below).

Pick an airline with lower seat fees

Part of what’s so confusing about these fees is how inconsistently the industry is applying them. Unlike change and cancellation fees, which most U.S. airlines recently abolished, many airlines seem to be increasing the upcharge on selecting seats.

But some are charging much more than others.

According to an analysis of airline fees by NerdWallet, Alaska and Hawaiian Airlines charge the least for seat selection, while Frontier and Spirit Airlines charge the most.

Airlines with modest seat fees (less than $10 each leg):

Airlines with high seat fees ($15-plus each leg):

Southwest Airlines doesn’t technically charge for nor allow seat selection in the same way as other airlines, so it's excluded from this data. But you won’t get charged a seat selection fee on Southwest during checkout, so it’s also a good option.

Roll the dice with an upgrade hack

As a regular, non-frequent flyer, it’s hard to get your seat upgraded these days. Yet skipping seat selection sometimes offers the opportunity to get bumped into premium seating.

Here’s how it works. Airlines now offer a “premium economy” fare or similar. Sometimes, all of the good seats — including the exit rows — are considered premium. The airlines try to charge extra for these seats, but if nobody takes them and the flight is full, they have to assign them to somebody.

Specifically, airlines will assign these empty, better seats to those passengers who haven't selected a seat. So if you put yourself in this pool, you have a chance of scoring an even better seat than those who paid extra for advance seat selection.

Of course, there’s a potential downside: You could very well get stuck in a middle seat in the back of the plane rather than getting upgraded. But if you notice that your flight is full and not many passengers have upgraded to the good main cabin seats, skipping seat selection altogether can be an expert-level travel move.

» Learn more: How families can get seats together on a plane

Don’t pay for advance seat selection

Airlines are playing the same game. They want to show the lowest fares possible on search results, then upsell you during checkout. This drip-pricing tactic is a pain for passengers . Charging for seat selection is one way airlines try to make a buck at the last minute.

Know your options and avoid their trickery. Skip seat selection altogether or fly an airline with limited seat fees, like Alaska, Hawaiian or JetBlue. Each charges little or nothing for choosing a seat. Worst case, you’ll end up in the middle seat. Best case, you’ll get a seat with extra legroom.

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How much does a seat reservation with American Airlines cost?

Suppose you have a health problem and often have to go to the toilet. You were looking forward to your trip, but you got a seat far away from the toilet on the flight. Now that your whole trip is ruined, regret that the situation would be different if you had booked a seat beforehand. If you emphasize how much does it cost to reserve a seat with American Airlines? Then read the information below to learn more.

What is American Airlines’ seat reservation policy?

American Airlines will charge you the seat selection. You can choose your seat when booking your reservation or during check-in time. It costs a little less if you choose a seat when booking your flight ticket. Basic Economy passengers can choose a specific seat for AAdvantage members at any time based on their status for a free fee. Otherwise, seats will be assigned automatically and free of charge at check-in. It is not guaranteed that you will sit together with your family. Passengers in the main cabin – you can choose your seat free of charge if you book or buy a preferred seat in an additional seat in the main cabin with other advantages. The airline will hold back some seats until the day of departure so that the airport staff can adapt to the needs of passengers. If you cannot reserve a seat at the time of booking, try Seat Map American Airlines , you may receive your seat at check-in for your flight.

How does the seat reservation with American Airlines work?

You can select the American Airlines seat while making your reservation online through the official website, or call the American Airlines customer service phone number and ask them to complete the process on your behalf. Follow the given steps to select a seat

Visit the official website at www.aa.com.Fill in your flight booking details – select your destination and place of departure, the departure date, whether a one-way or round-trip flight, number of passengers. After filling in the booking details, select Search flights and you will receive the available flights. On the next page you will receive an upgrade and see the seating plan option. The seat price is also displayed as you move your cursor to each seat. After selecting your ideal seat, click Save and Exit. The number of seats selected and ticket price will be displayed on the next page. Select “Check the selection” and make the payment according to the passenger details to complete the process. You will receive a confirmation email to your ticket e-mail.

You can Find the Best Airline Seats immediately after booking a ticket or you can do so later at check-in by following the steps provided.

Visit the official American Airlines website. You must select the check-in option available on the home screen. Now you must fill in your last and booking reference number. You must follow the instructions on the check-in screen and select the additional services. Please select the available seats and complete the process. You must pay the applicable fees depending on your travel class.

Cost of seat selection at American Airlines

Normally it costs $9-10$ for single economy flights, and if you did not select the seat when booking your flight, the airline automatically assigns the seat free of charge. The cost of seat reservation with American Airlines depends on your tariff type, route, booking class, etc.

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How to Avoid Paying Airline Seat Fees

See recent posts by Peter Thornton

Sit Anywhere on the Plane for Free

Just as restaurants may ask for an extra fee if you want a special side dish or concert venues may charge more for specific seats rather than general admission, most airlines do charge extra if you want to pick a certain seat. I know this isn’t how it used to be, but Basic Economy is here to stay and this is just simply how the industry has evolved. The good news is that airfares are still historically low and, if you are diligent and don’t need all the frills of yesteryear, you can fly super cheap and sit anywhere (read somewhere) on the plane for free.

Don’t Be Fooled Into Paying to Choose a Seat

Airlines want you to pay extra to choose a seat — even middle seats. This is one reason airlines are able to sell tickets for pennies or across oceans for only a couple hundred dollars. The airlines are making big profits from ancillary fees and do everything possible to keep the actual airfare lower than the competition. As consumers of air travel, we need to be careful to only pay for what we want and not get fooled into paying more than we intend. In my opinion, the seat fee is one of the easiest airline fees to avoid.

It can be confusing when going through the booking steps and you may not even realize an extra seat fee was added by the time you get to the final payment screen. Even if an airline’s website makes it appear that you have to pay extra for a seat, you are never required to choose a specific seat and can always opt to decline seat selection in lieu of a FREE seat assignment during check-in.

Related: Passenger Etiquette: The Basic Rules of the Armrest

Watch for pop-ups and automatic add-ons.

The biggest culprits in trying to force seat selection fees are ultra-low-cost carriers like Allegiant, Frontier, and Spirit. None of the fares sold by these airlines include seat selection, but there are certain bundles you can add on, which would include seat assignments. Some legacy airlines have simply made seat selection unavailable for Basic Economy fares and require that you purchase a standard or Main Cabin Economy ticket in order to choose a seat in advance.

Below, I’ll go over specifics on what to look for during the seat selection step when booking on the larger U.S. carriers. These same tactics can be used for international carriers. Just remember, you are never required to pay an extra seat fee.

How to Avoid Seat Fees on Alaska Airlines

Flying Alaska Airlines is one of the easiest ways to avoid a seat fee, because even Alaska’s version of Basic Economy, the “Saver” fare, includes limited free seat assignments at the back of the plane. When choosing seats on the seat map, scroll to the bottom to find seats marked with a “S” for Saver fare seats. Seats shown in a dark blue color are for passengers purchasing a “Main” class fare only so you’ll have to upgrade to that type of fare to choose those seats in advance. If you’re buying a Saver fare and don’t like the choice of seats, simply click on “Skip Seats” and you’ll be assigned seats for free during check-in, which may include seats towards the front of the plane.

How to Avoid Seat Fees on Allegiant Airlines

When the seat selection screen appears on Allegiant’s website, it doesn’t even indicate that there are fees associated with choosing a seat. However, if you do click on a certain seat, a pop-up will appear telling you the price and you’ll have to confirm that you agree. To bypass this and avoid paying a fee, just scroll to the bottom of the page and click “Continue”. You’ll have to do this for both flights if you are booking a roundtrip. Another pop-up will appear warning that you haven’t chosen a seat and asking if it’s ok. Just click “Yes, Continue” and be on your way without caving in to Allegiant’s fear of separation anxiety tactics.

Related: The 10 Best Underseat Carry-On Bags for Basic Economy

How to avoid seat fees on american airlines.

American Airlines does not necessarily try to trick you into paying a seat fee when booking. Its Basic Economy fares do not allow advanced seat selection for domestic or short-haul international flights, and therefore, you simply won’t be shown a seat map when booking a Basic Economy ticket. For transatlantic flights, Basic Economy fares do allow you to choose specific seats during booking for a fee, but prices are clearly displayed on the seat map. To avoid a fee, just click on the small text that reads “skip seats for all flights” and your seats will be assigned for free upon check-in. And if you avoid Basic Economy entirely, you’ll be able to choose seats in advance for any flight when booking a Main Cabin Economy ticket.

How to Avoid Seat Fees on Delta

Delta sells Basic Economy tickets in more markets than any other airline. And while some aspects of Delta’s Basic Economy differ depending on the destination, advanced seat assignments are simply not allowed for any Basic Economy ticket on Delta. Of course, Delta doesn’t want to actually sell its Basic Economy fares. Anytime you select a basic fare, you’ll get a pop-up asking if you’d like to move to Main Cabin Economy fare, which includes seat selection. If you don’t want to pay more, just click on the checkbox that you accept restrictions and then click on the small “Continue with Basic Economy” text to avoid the upcharge. Seats will be assigned for free after check-in.

How to Avoid Seat Fees on Frontier Airlines

Frontier doesn’t really try to mask the fact that you’ll pay to choose a seat. You’ll see prices listed for each seat directly on the seat map. To avoid a fee, scroll to the bottom and click on the green “Continue” button without choosing a seat. A pop-up will then appear and you’ll have to click on the small print “No Thanks, I’ll take whatever.” link to actually continue.

How to Avoid Seat Fees on Hawaiian Airlines

Hawaiian Airlines now offers a Basic Economy fare. While it’s currently limited to only a few routes between the U.S. mainland and Honolulu, Hawaiian’s “Main Cabin Basic” fare is likely to spread throughout its network eventually. This type of fare does not allow advanced seat assignments but you’ll always be asked to confirm your selection when booking a “Main Cabin Basic” fare. And not just once — a second pop-up appears during the booking process asking “Want to choose your seats?” To avoid the upcharge for a “Main Cabin” ticket, just click “No thanks” and you’ll be able to select seats during check-in.

Related: How to Choose the Best Seat on a Plane

How to avoid seat fees on jetblue.

JetBlue was the latest airline to implement a Basic Economy fare, which it calls " Basic Blue ". This fare requires a fee to choose a specific seat in advance. Be careful, because prices are not listed on the seat map itself. Instead, a price will pop-up when you hover over a seat and are also listed to the left of the seat map. To avoid this fee, simply scroll to the bottom of the seat selection page and look for the text that reads "skip seat selection for now". Click on that link and you'll have the chance to choose a seat from what's still available when you check-in starting 24 hours before departure. If you decide to purchase JetBlue's classic "Blue" fare, advanced seat assignments are included.

How to Avoid Seat Fees on Southwest Airlines

Southwest doesn’t assign seats on any of its flights so you won’t ever pay a seat fee, per say, when flying Southwest. However, it does give the option to add EarlyBird automatic check-in for a fee, which would give you an earlier boarding position and a better choice of seat. Alternatively, set an alarm on your phone to check-in exactly 24 hours before your flight and get a decent boarding position for free.

How to Avoid Seat Fees on Spirit Airlines

Spirit Airlines is very clear and upfront that you’ll be paying a fee to choose a seat. There are prices for each seat on its seat map, but you don’t have to click on any of them. Look for the small print text that says “continue without seats” and click that link to avoid any seat fees. Of course, a pop-up will then appear inducing blatant FOMO (Fear Of Middle Overtone). Just click on the smaller “continue without seats” text again and you can continue without adding any cost to your cheap flight.

Related: Finally! Middle Seats Will Soon Be Larger on Some Airlines

How to avoid seat fees on sun country airlines.

Sun Country is also very upfront with its fees on the seat map. All seats will have a price listed, but it isn’t very clear on this page that you don’t actually need to choose a seat. To avoid a fee, just scroll to the bottom of the page (without clicking on a seat) and click the orange “continue” button. A pop-up will appear saying that your seat selection is not complete. Simply click on the white “continue without all seats” button to finish booking without adding any extra fees.

How to Avoid Seat Fees on United Airlines

United’s Basic Economy fare is the most restrictive of the U.S. legacy carriers, but it does allow advanced seat assignments — for a fee. Since prices are not listed on the seat map until you hover over or select a seat, it can be pretty easy to whisk through this step and add fees to your booking that you did not wish to add. To avoid any extra fees, just click on the grey “Continue to payment” button without choosing any seats. Free seat assignments will be given after check-in. Of course, if you purchase a standard Economy ticket, you’ll be able to choose standard seats for free during booking.

Related: A New Look at Basic Economy for Transatlantic International Travel

There’s a good chance you can sit together without paying a fee.

Choosing to leave seat assignments up to chance is more nerve-racking when you’re traveling with family and friends and want to sit next to each other. While it’s never guaranteed you’ll get seats together, don’t assume that a free seat assignment at check-in will doom you to be separated in middle seats throughout the cabin. Sure, it could happen, but in my experience, and hearing from several others, couples and families are usually still seated together when seats are assigned by the airline for free.

For better odds, I would recommend checking in as early as possible. And if you don’t end up sitting next to your travel companion, it’s not the end of the world. You’ll still get to your destination at the same time and might even enjoy the time to yourself in-flight.

Of course, traveling with small children is a different story and many parents would like to ensure that they will be sitting next to minor children onboard. The Families Flying Together Act calls for any child under the age of 13 to be seated with parents or guardians for no extra charge, but this doesn’t seem to be a concrete law.

To ensure small children are seated next to an adult, the Department of Transportation suggests contacting the airline directly after booking and discussing your situation. Arrive at the airport early and work with the agents to accommodate your family. Airline agents will do everything possible to seat young children next to a family member.

Related: JAL's Seat Map Feature Helps You Avoid Crying Babies on Flights

Book Your Ticket at the Airport

The internet has made booking flights extremely convenient and some airlines have decided to charge a fee for that convenience. I recently booked flights on Frontier and Spirit for a friend and I, in person, at the airport in order to save each airline’s hefty online booking fee. To my surprise, we were also assigned seats next to each other for free at the time of booking. I assumed our seats would be randomly assigned at check-in and never asked for specific seats. But, sure enough, we were given adjacent seats on both flights and even got Frontier’s extra legroom seats assigned for free.

This is not a given, but if you are courteous and friendly with the agent when booking a flight at the airport, you may just find yourself getting free seat assignments in advance. I haven’t tried this with any legacy carriers, but since a human agent has the ability to override the system, you’ll probably have a better chance of getting seats assigned next to each other for free when booking at the airport. I wouldn’t assume that this will happen, but if it’s convenient for you to book at the airport, it’s worth a shot.

Related: How to Avoid Online Booking Fees on Airline Tickets

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Cabin Class

How does seat selection on american airlines.

You are all set with your travel plans and a trip with an AA flight. But you want to choose seats and are not sure how to do it. Worry not. With American airlines seat selection, you can easily do it. The process is simple and quick, and you can get your preferred seat at a minimum or no charges at all. Choose from basic economy to Main Cabin Extra and even Main Plus.

So, let’s begin with understanding seat selection on AA flights.

What is The Seat Selection Policy of American Airlines?

Are you planning to book seats with American Airlines? Just like every airline, you need to follow the American Airlines seat selection Policy before you go. For your convenience, we have the details for advance seat selection rules on AA below:

• You need to pay for selecting a desired seat before or during check-in
• Your travel class and destination decide how much you have to pay for your seat.
• Changing the seats is only allowed if there are enough seats available on the plane.
• You can get a refund for the seat fee if there is an involuntary flight cancellation
• No transfer is possible on paid seats and can only be occupied on the flight ticket.
• In case of seat cancellation, there won’t be any American airlines seat selection fee refund, and you have to pay certain charges.
• You won’t get a refund for the fee you paid for an initial seat after changing it to a lower-priced one.
• Select seats through the official website and customer service of American Airlines.

For further details about American Airlines seat selection policy, contact its executives through its official website or customer service at +1-800-433-7300 or +1-855-434-7300 .

How to Check the Seat Availability on an American Airlines Flight?

To find out if the seats you want to book on American Airlines are available, you have to follow a few simple steps. These steps not only help you check the available seats but also book the same in a finger snap.

For seat selection American airlines website will help you out. Let’s take a look at these steps:

• Log in to the official website of American Airlines.
• Select your flight.
• Choose your cabin class.
• Go through the seat layout.
• You will see seats in different colors. Each color represents the seat location of the flight, its availability or unavailability. For instance –  Green (priority cabin), orange (central place), blue (available seats), and white (unavailable seats).
• Select a seat you want and enter the details required.
• Complete the payment.

If there is any problem while checking the seat availability and booking process, airline executives are at your service.

What Is The Process For Select Seats On American Airlines?

Now, you have an idea about checking and selecting seats on American Airlines. Here are quick steps that explain the American Airlines seat selection online and offline.

American Airlines Online Seat Selection

• Visit the official website of American Airlines.
• Login to your account.
• Search for a flight to your destination.
• Add the details required.
• Once redirected to the seat selection page, select the seats you prefer from the available ones.
• Make payment for the seats selected to confirm your reservation.

Alternatively, you can grab your favorite seats with the help of the airline’s customer service live executive. Let’s take a quick look at the steps ahead.

American Airlines Seat Selection Through Customer Service

• Open the official website of American Airlines and go to the “Contact Us” page.
• Dial the airline’s customer service number at +1-800-433-7300 or +1-855-434-7300  and an IVR begins.
• Now, press the ideal key.
• Get connected to the customer care executive.
• Convey your requirements.
• Raise a seat selection request.
• You get a list of available seats on your chosen flight.
• Select the seats you want.
• Complete the payment formalities.

Please note that there may be an additional American Airlines seat selection fee. But this will happen only in the instance when the seat selected is paid. To save costs, you have the option to choose a seat while checking in. However, seat availability issues may pop up in this case.

Am I Eligible for Free Seat Selection on American Airlines?

You can get preferred seats on this airline. But such seats come with a fee. Since preferred seats are the standard seats offering more legroom and more comfort, people usually want to grab these. Only people with these benefits can be eligible for a free seat selection, have a look:

• Sapphire and Oneworld Emerald Members
• AAdvantage AAnytime award ticket holders and Business Extra
• Full Fare customers
• Gold members, Platinum, and AAdvantage Executive Program
• Active U.S. military persons

American Airlines official website provides you with a deeper insight into the preferred seats. And of course, you can also contact its customer service personnel to know more.

Does American Airlines Assign Seats to Families Together?

If you are traveling with your family on an AA flight and your kids are below 15 years of age, the airline will assign you seats before the day of departure. The experts of the airline invest their best efforts to keep the families seated together in the flight. In case there are limited seats, an adult will sit with a kid who is under 15 years.

Can I Select My Favorite Seat In American Airlines Economy Class?

Yes, just like most of the other seats, you can select a seat you want in the economy class of this airline. Often, this costs you the least.

Preferred seats, elite-only seats, free seats, paid seats, and now this economy seat! American Airlines has a lot of seats with different designations. But that doesn’t make your seat selection a task.

In the aforementioned steps different instances, you can pick economy class seats by visiting its official website.

• Make sure to pick your cabin class.
• Navigate through the seat map to find your favorite seat and select it.
• Pay for the seat.

Lastly, you’ll get an email confirming the American Airlines flight seat selection and kaboom! Your favorite economy class seat is yours to travel.

Does American Airlines Allow You To Select Seats After Reservation?

Yes, the airlines facilitate you to select seats even after reservation. Its official website again comes to your rescue. How? Check the steps below:

• Login to your account on the official website of American Airlines.
• Click on “Manage My Booking.”
• Enter your booking number to find your reservation.
• Tap on “seat selection.”
• Select a seat.
• Make the payment.

In other words, you can pay the American Airlines Seat Selection fee and obtain your favorite seats onboard. As a result, your air travel becomes even more exciting.

What is The Price of Seat Selection on American Airlines?

If you are wondering, “how much is seat selection on American Airlines?” you are at the correct place.

It costs you USD 9 to USD 10 (approx.) each way. But it is noteworthy that the seat selection fares are subject to change. It depends on your destination and the travel class chosen.

So to be exact with the price of seat selection, just pick up your phone and call one of the customer services live representatives of the airline. You can also visit its official website to stay updated with the latest fares.

Now, you are well-acquainted with the seat selection policy and process of American Airlines. Isn’t it a breeze?

So if you have a trip on your cards, get started with American Airlines booking and easily choose the seats you prefer.

To add, the airline makes your trips budget-friendly. Simply browse its travel deals and discounts to save big on trips, and bonus mile offers.

How Can I Avoid The Seat Selection Fees on American Airlines?

Here comes the query for a free seat. To keep it straight, there is no American Airlines free seat selection. When you select a seat of your choice, you have to pay for it. The charges for seat selection vary based on your cabin class.

The only way to avoid seat selection fees on the airline is to skip the seat selection. In this case, the airline will assign you a seat for free when you check-in. But the automatic seat allocation doesn’t guarantee that you will be sitting with your travel partner.

Is it Worth Paying for Selecting a Seat on an AA Flight?

Your travel requirements decide the type of seat that you should select. However, it should  be kept in mind that the seat availability on the flight chosen decides if you will get your preferred seats. There are times when you might get the seat you want even without choosing. So, mostly you can choose your preferred seat from those available.

Come, it’s time to fly with American Airlines.

Read More Latest Blog:

American Airlines Refund Policy

American Airlines Ticket Number

Do American airlines Charge For Seat Selection?

Yes, there are charges for selecting a seat with American Airlines. The airline levies different charges for different seat types. Elite passengers have certain seats reserved for them. For more details, visit the official website of American Airlines or contact their customer service representatives at 800-433-7300 or 646-974-1422.

How Can I Fly Cheaper with American Airlines?

If you will be flying with American Airlines sometime soon, you may be looking forward to getting tickets at low rates. So to help you, here are few tips to save money on American Airlines airfare:

• Join the AAdvantage loyalty program to earn rewards
• Grab deals or offers.
• Book discounted award flights.
• Browse flights on the low-fare calendar
• Use an American Airlines credit card to earn miles faster.
• Take advantage of no change fees on eligible fares.
• Earn a companion certificate.

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Exclusive: American Airlines makes positive change to its seat fee refund policy

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While most airlines have been making it harder to get your money back for changed or canceled trips, American Airlines is making it easier.

The Fort Worth-based carrier has just made a major change to its refund policy for seat fees. Effective immediately, American Airlines will let you request a voucher for the value of your non-refundable seat if you cancel your trip during the coronavirus travel period. The policy applies to flights booked by June 30, 2020 for travel through Sep. 30.

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While it's always preferable to a get refund over a travel credit , this is still a positive move. Previously, you could only get a refund if you paid to upgrade to a premium cabin, canceled your flight within 24 hours of booking or if the airline rebooked you for a reason beyond your control and couldn't get you a comparable seat. Under this policy, you'll be eligible for a voucher if you take advantage of the airline's flexible booking policy and voluntarily change or cancel your flight.

There's a limited selection of seats available free of charge when purchasing a standard main cabin ticket. The rest are reserved as Main Cabin Extra (extra-legroom economy) and Preferred seats (standard economy seats located in "preferred" areas of the plane) and cost extra for non-AAdvantage elites . Or, if you purchase a basic economy ticket, even selecting a standard main cabin seat will cost you extra.

Related: A beginner's guide to American Airlines economy seats

In mid-May American added a new feature that allows you to purchase seats using miles on certain itineraries. While the value proposition isn't great, you should also be eligible to get your miles back if you use this redemption option.

Related: You can now purchase seats with miles on American Airlines, but it's a bad deal

Aside from flights canceled within the 24-hour fee-free refund period, refund and voucher requests are not automatic, and you must submit separate refund requests for your flights, seats and other purchases. You can make this request online or wait and call when you're ready to rebook and apply the value of your ticket and seats to a new trip.

Refunding passengers for seat fees when making voluntarily flight changes is not entirely new. As far as other U.S. airlines go, carriers like Delta, United and Alaska already issue vouchers or refunds for any seat assignment fees paid when voluntarily canceling a flight.

As a reminder, American Airlines is letting passengers who book tickets through June 30, 2020, for travel through Sept. 30, 2020, make a one-time change free of charge . If you're paying extra to select a seat, you should use a card that comes with an airline fee credit that will reimburse your purchase, such as The Platinum Card® from American Express or The Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card (enrollment required). The information for the Hilton Aspire Amex card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Related: Which American Airlines expenses trigger the American Express airline fee credit?

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Traveling with children and infants.

We are committed to caring for people on life’s journey and want you and your children to have a safe and positive travel experience. To allow enough time for check-in, arrive early and be sure to have any required travel documents. You may have to present proof of age like a birth certificate for any children under the age of 18.

• Families with children under 2 years old can ask to board early at the gate.
• Only 1 carry-on diaper bag per child is allowed.

You can travel with a breast pump and small, soft-sided cooler of breast milk in addition to your carry-on or personal item. These items don’t have to be checked and are allowed even when you’re not traveling with a child. Also, most airports have nursing rooms and stations available for your convenience.

If you’re a family traveling with children under 15, we want to help make sure you’re seated together on your flight. Here are some tips for when you book:

• Be sure to book everyone in the same reservation.
• The farther in advance you book, the better. (Seats become limited closer to the day of travel.)
• On the seat map, choose seats for your entire family or skip seats for that flight.
• It’s better to skip seats than to choose just a few seats or seats scattered throughout the cabin. Our gate agents can try to reseat you but getting seats together the day of travel is difficult.

If you skip seats

If you’re unable to choose seats, don’t want to pay for seats, or chose a Basic Economy fare, our system will detect that you’re a family traveling. The system will search for seats together automatically before the day of departure. We’ll try our best to keep you together, but if seats are limited, we’ll assign seats so children under 15 are next to at least 1 adult.

Children and adults traveling in separate reservations

If you and your children are traveling together but have separate reservations, call Reservations so we can note it in each reservation.

Contact Reservations

Children 2 or older are required to have their own seat, a ticketed adult fare. Children under 5 can’t travel alone under any circumstances.

If you don't choose seats in Main Cabin or Basic Economy, we’ll assign seats a few days after you buy your tickets so children under 15 are next to at least 1 adult they’re traveling with.

Infants under 2 years old can travel at no charge in the lap of their parent (any age), or an accompanying adult 16 years or older traveling in the same cabin. We welcome infants as young as 2 days old, but infants less than 7 days old require a ‘Passenger Medical’ form to be completed before your flight.

Keep in mind:

• Only 1 infant may be seated in the lap of each ticketed accompanying adult and the infant must be included in the reservation.
• Additional infants under 2 years old must be ticketed and occupy an infant safety seat or in a separate aircraft seat.
• The infant must be under 2 years of age for the duration of the trip. If they turn 2 during a trip, they will need their own seat for the remainder of the trip.

Adding an infant to your trip

If you’re traveling within the U.S., including Puerto Rico, you can add an infant to your trip when you book on aa.com, or later once it is ticketed. You only need to contact Reservations if you’re traveling with an infant who is under 7 days old; or if you’re traveling outside of the U.S. (taxes and a percentage of the adult fare may apply on international trips).

Book a new trip

• Book your trip on aa.com
• Enter your information on the ‘Passenger details’ page
• Select ‘add infant in lap’

Book a trip

Update an existing trip

• Find your trip on aa.com
• Scroll to the ‘Passengers’ section

Find your trip

Call Reservations if:

• You’re traveling with an infant who is less than 7 days old
• You’re not traveling within the U.S., and Puerto Rico

Reserved seat

If your infant will travel in their own seat, you must buy a ticket. The infant must either travel in a safety seat approved by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) or be able to sit upright in their seat without assistance and have their seatbelt securely fastened during taxi, takeoff, landing and whenever the 'fasten seatbelt' sign is on.

Bassinets and changing tables

• Changing tables are available in the lavatories of all wide-body aircraft.
• Bassinets are available on a first come, first serve basis at the gate for travel only on 777-200, 777-300 and 787 aircraft.*
• Bassinets are not available in First / Business cabins.

*Infants using bassinets must be younger than 2 years old and weigh no more than 20lbs (9kg)

Acceptable safety seats

Most safety seats that are approved for use in motor vehicles are acceptable for use in aircraft. The seat must have a solid back and seat, restraint straps installed to securely hold the child and a label indicating approval for use on an aircraft.

The label may include:

• These notes: 'This child restraint system conforms to all Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards' and 'this restraint is certified for use in motor vehicles and aircrafts' or 'this restraint is certified for use in motor vehicles and aircraft.'
• Approval of a foreign government or a label showing that the seat was manufactured under the standards of the United Nations.
• The safety seat can't be used in an exit row or in the rows on either side of an exit row; window seats are preferred.
• Install the seat in the direction appropriate for the size of the child and according to the instructions on the label.
• The child must remain in the safety seat with the harness fastened during taxi, takeoff, landing and whenever the 'fasten seatbelt' sign is on.
• To carry on a safety seat, you must have bought a seat for the child, or a seat must be available next to you. If an unoccupied, adjoining seat is not available, the gate agent will check the safety seat to your final destination.

Review seat dimensions before your trip.

Safety seats are not allowed in First or Business on select planes due to the seat angles.

Airbus 321T

• Boeing 777-200
• Boeing 777-300
• Boeing 787-800
• Boeing 787-900
• Any device without an approval label
• Booster seats with no approval label or shoulder harness
• Vest and/or harness-type devices, except Aviation Child Safety Devices (ACSD) showing the FAA aircraft approval label
• Belt extensions that attach to the parent or the parent's restraint
• Any device that positions a child on the lap or chest of an adult

Carry-on and checked bags

If you’re flying internationally with an infant on your lap, we’ll issue the infant a ticket. You may check 1 bag for the infant at the same rate as the adult’s first checked bag.

• Each ticketed customer is allowed 1 stroller and 1 car seat to be checked free of charge
• Strollers over 20 lbs / 9 kgs must be checked at the ticket counter
• All other strollers should be checked at the gate before boarding
• If you have a stroller and a car seat only 1 can be checked at the gate
• Breast pumps and a small, soft-sided cooler of breast milk don’t count as your carry-on or personal item
• Play pens, wagons, cribs and 'pack and play' count as regular bags
• If any of these exceed carry-on limits they’ll be checked and incur regular fees

International documents

Children or infants traveling outside the U.S. are required to have the same documentation as an adult. If anyone under 18 is traveling internationally without both parents, they may be required to present a Letter of Consent.

International travel

Traveling during pregnancy

If your due date is within 4 weeks of your flight, you must provide a doctor’s certificate stating that you’ve been recently examined and you’re fit to fly.

Special assistance throughout your trip

For domestic flights under 5 hours, you won’t be permitted to travel within 7 days (before and after) your delivery date. If you need to travel within this time frame:

• Approval from your physician and a special assistance coordinator is required.
• Your physician will be required to fill out a passenger medical form before your flight. A special assistance coordinator will send the form directly to your physician.

Clearance from a special assistance coordinator is required for international travel or travel over water:

• Within 4 weeks of your due date (travel also requires a physician's note stating that you’ve been examined within the past 48 hours and you’re fit to fly)
• 7 days before or after your delivery (travel also requires a passenger medical form to be completed by your physician)

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American Airlines Baggage

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***NOTE:   A recent synopsis follows, however, p lease check  aa.com  for the most current baggage policies and pricing.***

What is american airlines' (aa) baggage policy.

The American Airlines (AA) baggage policy for regular basic fares include the following:

• Carry-on baggage.
• 1 personal item - Fee free
• 1 carry-on item - Fee free
• Checked baggage / Hold luggage - Applicable fees per bag increase with number checked.
• Overweight and Oversize bags - Applicable fees per bag depending on weight and size categories.
• Sports equipment - Certain items might have applicable fees.

What is American Airlines' (AA) carry-on baggage policy?

American Airlines (AA) allows 1 carry-on bag and 1 personal item (purse, briefcase, laptop bag) per passenger fee free.

Carry-on should not exceed the following size and weight restrictions:

• 45 linear inches (22 x 14 x 9 in) or 115 centimeters (56 x 36 x 23 cm) including handles and wheels.
• Fit in the overhead bin or under the seat in front of you.
• Personal item should be of proper size to fit under the seat in front of you
• A jacket, umbrella, diaper bag, duty free items, and assistive devices (wheelchairs, walkers, crutches, strollers, child restraint seats, etc.) do not count towards your carry-on allowance.

NOTE: Bulkhead seats do not have under seat storage, therefore, all carry-on baggage must be stowed in the overhead bin during take-off and landing.

What is American Airlines' (AA) checked baggage / hold luggage policy?

American Airlines' (AA) standard checked baggage / hold luggage policy details follow:

• 2 bags standard, up to 10 bags maximum for U S domestic, Transatlantic, and Transpacific, up to 5 bags maximum if your travel includes the Caribbean, Central America, Mexico, and South America.
• Maximum dimensions: 62 inches or 157 centimeters (length + width + height).
• Maximum weight:
• Economy - 50 pounds or 23 kilograms
• First/Business - 70 pounds or 32 kilograms

Are there fees for baggage on American Airlines (AA)?

Yes, fees might apply. They are determined by the type of fare you purchased, your destination, if you are an active U S military personnel and/or dependent, if you have status with American Airlines' (AA) frequent flyer program, status with an affiliated carrier, or if you have an American Airlines (AA) sponsored credit/charge card.:

American Airlines' (AA) standard checked baggage / hold luggage fees follow:

• US domestic (including Canada, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and US Virgin Islands:
• First bag: $30.00 USD
• Second bag: $40.00 USD
• Caribbean (except Cuba and Haiti):
• First bag: Free ($30.00 USD, Basic Economy)
• Second bag: Free ($40.00 USD, Basic Economy)
• First bag: Free
• Second bag: $70.00 USD
• Central America (except Panama):
• Second bag: $40.00 USD ($55.00 USD to/from Honduras seasonally)
• South America (except Colombia, Ecuador, and Guyana):
• First bag: Free ($45.00 USD, Basic Economy)
• Second bag: $65.00 USD
• Second bag: $55.00 USD
• Transatlantic:
• First bag: Free ($75.00 USD, Basic Economy)
• Second bag: $100.00 USD
• Transpacific:
• Second bag: Free

What is American Airlines' (AA) fee for excess baggage?

American Airlines (AA) excess checked baggage / hold luggage fees follow:

• US domestic (including Canada, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and US Virgin Islands):
• Third bag: $150.00 USD
• Fourth bag +: $200.00 USD per bag
• Caribbean, Central America, and Mexico:
• South America
• Third bag: $200.00 USD

What is American Airlines' (AA) fee for overweight baggage?

American Airlines (AA) will charge the following for bags that are greater than the standard 50 pounds or 23 kilograms:

• 51 to 70 pounds or 24 to 32 kilograms: $100.00 USD extra per bag (waived for all First Class, Business Class, Advantage Executive Platinum, and oneworld Emerald passengers).
• 71 to 100 pounds or 33 to 46 kilograms: $200.00 USD extra per bag (not accepted to/from Cuba or on Transatlantic) and $450.00 USD extra on Transpacific (not accepted to/from Australia)).
• Bags exceeding 100 pounds or 46 kilograms will not be accepted as checked baggage / hold luggage.

What is American Airlines' (AA) fee for oversize baggage?

Please check aa.com for the most current baggage pricing. American Airlines (AA) will charge the following fees for any bags between 62-125 inches or 158-320 centimeters:

• $200.00 USD - U S domestic, the Caribbean, Central America (except Panama), Mexico, and Transpacific
• $150.00 USD – Panama, South America, and Transatlantic.

Please note that there are year-round limitations on baggage when traveling to Bolivia, Paraguay and cities in Brazil. Bags with overall dimensions that exceed 125 inches or 320 centimeters will not be accepted.

Are there fees for sports equipment on American Airlines (AA)?

Sports equipment such as skis, golf bags, fishing equipment, hockey, and lacrosse equipment will be accepted up to American Airlines' (AA) size and weight limits and will count as one checked bag/hold bag. Associated fees might be applied.

CPAP Devices:

Before you board, check in at the gate so an agent can: Test that you can operate the POC and respond to its alarm; Explain the phases of the flight when the POC will be operable; Check your supply of fully charged batteries to power the POC no less than 150% for the duration of the flight and ground connection time (including unanticipated delays). Additionally, your POC must fit underneath the seat in front of you; You can't sit in an emergency exit, bulkhead or any seat that blocks another passenger's aisle access if you have a POC inflight; You may use your POC while moving about the cabin as long as the "fasten seatbelt" sign is not illuminated.

SeatGuru was created to help travelers choose the best seats and in-flight amenities.

‘The effort was on me’: Airline told mother to pay extra to sit next to toddler on flight

A mother and her 2-year-old daughter were close, but not quite. The pair was seated across the aisle from each other despite American Airlines’ policy guaranteeing all families will sit together for free on all its flights. 

To avoid having her toddler sitting next to a stranger on her flight on Aug. 17, passenger Sara Kloek was told to pay extra for upgraded seats or have the flight attendants work it out at the airport. 

A few months prior, Kloek booked tickets for her, her husband and their young daughter on an American Airlines flight from Washington, D.C., to Minnesota to visit her family. During booking, there weren’t any free seats next to each other left, only upgraded Main Cabin Extra seats for purchase. 

She figured it wasn’t necessary to pay extra for seats because she had seen American’s announcement in March that it was the first airline to guarantee children under the age of 14  and an accompanying adult would be seated together without a fee. 

“American Airlines lets families sit together at no additional cost,” the airline said in a statement in February and on Wednesday in response to Kloek’s incident. “We are proud to offer industry leading, customer-friendly policies that ensure a positive travel experience for families traveling together. Our current policies allow families to sit together without having to pay more, and we are pleased to update our Customer Service Plan to provide additional clarity to families traveling with us.”

Learn more: Best travel insurance

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg even praised the airline on Twitter in February. 

“Oh, that’s great, that seems to be a pro-family sort of thing,” Kloek told USA TODAY she imagined the process would go. “This isn’t going to be a big deal, they’ll just put me by her or my husband by her.”

More: Wheelchair damage has traveler worried about future flights: 'What are they going to do?'

The day before departure, she noticed AA had finally assigned the family seats: Kloek and her daughter were given two seats across the aisle from each other, and her husband was seven rows behind them. “I saw the aisle seats and decided that’s going to be a problem.” 

Not only did Kloek not want her child next to someone else but her daughter also flies in a car seat. By American Airlines’ policy, a car seat should only be used in a window seat for safety reasons. “If an unoccupied, adjoining seat is not available, the gate agent will check the safety seat to your final destination,” the airline’s website reads. 

Kloek reached out to the airline via its app chat function the day before her flight  but was told she could pay $61 each for two Main Cabin extra seats together or “let our flight attendants take care of this matter,” according to chat screenshots provided by Kloek. 

“I didn’t think that was in the spirit of what those commitments were,” Kloek said. 

In the chat, the airline told her “the standard free seats are already assigned to other passengers,” and “the power to reassign is with the airport and flight attendant.” 

The best bet was “that passengers don’t proceed with the flight,” which would clear up seats. 

“I wouldn’t have known if I waited until I got to the airport and I don’t want to chance it if I’m traveling with a 2-year-old,” she said, adding that it also felt like a burden to put on the flight attendants.

She tweeted a picture of the seat map to American Airlines on Wednesday and the airline privately messaged her to tell her they reassigned her and her daughter to adjacent window and aisle seats. 

“It felt like the effort was on me as a passenger,” she said.  

How to ensure your family is seated together

An American Airlines spokesperson told USA TODAY that the automatic booking process seats families next together and it’s unlikely for it to not happen. Typically, the last row or two on the plane are reserved so families can be seated together. 

On the airline’s website, it says that the family seating guarantee has to meet certain conditions, such as “adjacent seats are available in the same class of service your child is ticketed at the time of booking,” which wasn’t the case during Kloek’s booking. 

“If these conditions aren’t met, we will still try to seat children adjacent to an accompanying adult,” AA’s website reads. 

According to the airline, here are a few recommendations to do during booking so that your family is seated together:

• Book as early as possible so there are more available free seats.
• Skip seat assignments when booking and AA’s system will detect that you’re a family flying together and assign your seats together a few days after booking.
• If you do book through separate reservations, call AA’s Reservations line so they can handle the seat assignments. 

Kathleen Wong is a travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Hawaii. You can reach her at [email protected]

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Trip to Moscow, lack of an apostrophe on the reservation - Russia Forum

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Trip to Moscow, lack of an apostrophe on the reservation

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we have finally found an agency that will manage to organize a trip to Russia. the problem, however, is not this. My boyfriend has a particular surname. his surname is "Dell'Anno" with the apostrophe in fact. when the girl made the estimate she wrote "Dellanno" I asked her why and she replied that her system did not recognize the apostrophe as a character so she could not insert it. but on the passport of my boy there is written Dell'Anno. I have not booked anything yet because I would like to know if a similar mistake could cost us a canceled holiday, above all because we have to apply for a visa and if on the letter of the invitation, on the insurance sheet, air ticket and hotel (they will provide ) there will be written "Dellanno" but on the passport there is written instead of "Dell'Anno" I do not know what will happen. What do you think about it? have you ever had a similar experience?

As far as I know, apostrophes, dashes etc. are ignored in international papers and documents. Yopu should be safe.

I'm really worried because if the agency can not put the apostrophe, all the documents (insurance and hotel voucher) would result without apotrofo and I'm afraid the Russian consulate can refuse the documents because the surname is not the same as the passport . in your opinion how can I get a confirmation that really ignore the apostrophe?

Just a simple question, why you use Agency?

Buy tickets, rent hotel, google good places, this is really simple.

> I'm really worried because if the agency can not put the apostrophe, all the documents (insurance and hotel voucher) would result without apotrofo and I'm afraid the Russian consulate can refuse the documents because the surname is not the same as the passport .

you will travel to Russia, right?

did you read the official online information about visa, from the russian consular website?

I mean Russia has embassies and consulates, and they have websites. Did you read what's there?

if you didn't do it, and if you did, then you know that all russian visa applications require the official application form itself.

The form is filled online and processed by the website into a pdf file. You download and print the file, glue an ID photo on it, sign it, and bring it to the russian consulate with the other required documents (invitation, insurance policy, etc). Or whatever middleman agency does it for you. But anyway the application forum is required.

the electronic form is on a website of the russian foreign affairs ministry:

https://visa.kdmid.ru

you can fill and save a bogus form, just to see how it is. I take 30 s. and do one, where I use surname DELL'ANNO. No problem, apostroph accepted. See:

https://i.imgur.com/HQkJlwo.png

and when the online form is saved and processed into the actuel print format that you will bring to the consulate:

https://i.imgur.com/JIbagtk.png

so: apostrophe ok.

(what is not accepted are diacritic marks like umlaut, tilde, accents, cedilla, streg, etc. In that case, one must provide the spelling of the machine code at the bottom of the ID page of the passport the one with the picture. Usually accents, cedillas and tildes are ignored, umlauts and stegs are replaced by an added "e" (õ or ø -> oe)

> when the girl made the estimate she wrote "Dellanno" I asked her why and she replied that her system did not recognize the apostrophe as a character so she could not insert it.

as you can see, on the russian side of the system, it's alright with the apostrophe in Dell'Anno.

The problem is the girl at the agency, or the agency itself. If they do bill customers for the middelman job for russian visa, they must know what I have just shown you here.

Go to visa.kdmid.ru, create a form with all the correct data, save it, print it, bring it to the girl at the agency and claim your money back.

This topic has been closed to new posts due to inactivity.

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Hotel reservations, methods of reservation.

You can use one of the following methods to reserve a hotel in Moscow:

• Fill in and transmit a reservation form on our website. To do so, use the «Reservations» link on the chosen hotel's page.
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• Send a reservation request by fax: +7 495-649-8328 (for St. Petersburg: + 7 (812) 233-8283)
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All changes and additions to your reservation request should be made in written and sent us by fax +7 495-649-8328 (for St. Petersburg: +7 (812) 233-8283) or email. To avoid misunderstanding of any sort, it is necessary to have a confirmation from our staff.

We operate a cancellation policy and reserve the right to charge the equivalent of one night's accommodation for any cancellations received less than 7 days before arrival date or in the event of a no show.

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• For tickets issued for international and domestic flights of Aeroflot Airlines.

To deliver tickets we use express mail delivery services such as FedEx. Note that a delivery service will be charged depending on destination and service used. We will deliver tickets to your home or office after you have fully paid for your tickets.

We can also deliver your tickets free of charge in Saint Petersburg, Russia. Delivery in Saint Petersburg is carried out from 9.30 a.m. to 6.30 p.m. at agreed time. For more information on delivery, contact us.

Terms of Return

Any unused airline tickets can be returned. If you return your ticket at least 24 hours before take-off, no cancellation fees apply.

If you return your ticket less than 24 hours before take-off, the following cancellation fees apply:

• 10% of paid fare — less than 24 hours but more than 3 hours before take-off
• 25% of paid fare — less than 3 hours before take-off and after take-off

Money for the unused ticket can be received during 30 days of take-off date, at the place of purchase. Commission fees, paid at purchase, are not refundable. Note that only original tickets can be returned.

Specific Terms

Airlines can change terms of return for their tickets. For more detailed information on every flight, contact us.

Tour Reservations

Methods of payment.

You can use one of the following methods to reserve a tour to Saint Petersburg:

• Fill in and transmit a reservation form on our website. To do so, use the «Book now» link on the chosen tour's page.
• Send a reservation request by fax: + 7 495-649-8328 (for Saint-Petersburg: +7 (812) 233-8283)
• Make a reservation over the telephone: +7 495-505-6325 (for Saint-Petersburg: +7 (812) 309-5760 )
• A non-refundable deposit of the price of services reserved for the first day is required within 7 calendar days of booking.
• A full payment of a tour should be completed no less than 5 days before commencement of services, provided no other arrangements were made.
• For group tours specific terms and conditions apply, depending upon a number of visitors, hotel accommodation, and season. You can always contact us for more information.

Cancellation Policy

We operate a cancellation policy and reserve the right to charge a cancellation fee for cancellations on the following basis:

• If we receive a cancellation no less than 5 days before commencement of services, you will receive the price of the tour except for a deposit of the price of services reserved for the first day.
• Travelers canceling less than 5 days before commencement of services will receive 50% of the total tour price. At that, a cancellation fee cannot be less than the price of services reserved for the first day.
• When you cancel, the price of some components of a tour cannot be refunded. These components include theater tickets, event tickets, museum admissions, and so on.
• All changes and additions to your reservation request should be made in written and sent us by fax +7 495-649-8328 (for Saint-Petersburg: +7 (812) 233-8283) or email. To avoid misunderstanding of any sort, it is necessary to have a confirmation from our staff.

The Moscow Hotels Russia provides travelers with the most useful and up-to-date information on the best hotels of Moscow. With the help of our website you can easily reserve a room in any hotel of Moscow through our online reservation system. In addition to hotel reservations, we offer a full range of travel services. We serve both corporate and leisure clients and strive to satisfy every customer.