American Airlines

Pros

• Positive business class experience on long-haul international routes, featuring lay-flat seats and quality service.
• Reliable lounge access through Oneworld partners like Iberia.
• Flight schedules are typically posted well in advance (approximately 330 days).
• Clearer obligations for rebooking and hotel costs when missed connections occur on a single ticket.

Cons

• Domestic economy is often compared unfavorably to budget airlines in terms of value and comfort.
• Cramped legroom in economy, with some reports of seats failing to recline.
• Poor notification systems for flight cancellations, sometimes requiring passengers to pay extra for rebooking.
• Significant difficulty navigating customer support and using existing flight credits.
• Frequent reports of unfriendly or unhelpful flight attendants and gate staff.

Caveats

• Strict and sometimes expensive pet policies, including a total ban on carry-on pets for specific destinations like Colombia.
• Main Cabin seat selection is not guaranteed to be free and is subject to availability and fare class.
• Flight crews are not required to assist passengers with lifting bags into overhead bins.

Best for

• International business class travelers seeking lay-flat seats.
• Oneworld alliance members who can utilize partner lounges.
• Travelers booking nearly a year in advance.

Avoid if

• You are traveling with pets to restricted international regions.
• You expect premium service or ample legroom on domestic economy flights.
• You have a low tolerance for poor communication during travel disruptions.