American Airlines Booking Codes [2023 Guide]
American Airlines booking codes, also known as fare classes or fare buckets, are an essential part of American Airline’s pricing strategy. They are alphanumeric codes that AA assigns to specify ticket prices, each representing a different level of service, flexibility, and price. These codes help differentiate among various categories of tickets, such as First Class, Business Class, Premium Economy, Economy, and Basic Economy.
These days, most people are curious about their AA booking code if they purchased a special fare. Special fares are usually third-party tickets, purchased through a tour or vacation package, cruise company, or booking portal like Expedia or Chase Travel.
The Different American Airlines Booking Codes
American Airlines has over 20 different booking codes, which belong to various cabins and varying restrictions. You’ll earn AAdvantage miles and Loyalty Points towards AAdvantage status on most American Airlines flights. You may even earn a bonus, depending on your cabin and booking code.
Base miles are earned based on the flight distance for special fares. Cabin bonuses are awarded on top of base miles, if provided by your booking code.
| Booking Code | Cabin | Base Miles | Cabin Bonus | Earns Loyalty Points? |
| F | First | 100% | 100% | Yes |
| A | First | 100% | 100% | Yes |
| J | Business | 100% | 100% | Yes |
| C | Business | 100% | 75% | Yes |
| D | Business | 100% | 50% | Yes |
| R | Business | 100% | Yes | |
| I | Business | 100% | Yes | |
| W | Premium Economy | 100% | Yes | |
| P | Premium Economy | 100% | Yes | |
| Y | Economy | 100% | Yes | |
| H | Economy | 100% | Yes | |
| K | Economy | 100% | Yes | |
| M | Economy | 75% | Yes | |
| L | Economy | 75% | Yes | |
| V | Economy | 50% | Yes | |
| G | Economy | 50% | Yes | |
| S | Economy | 50% | Yes | |
| N | Economy | 50% | Yes | |
| Q | Economy | 25% | Yes | |
| O | Economy | 25% | Yes | |
| B | Basic Economy | 10% | Yes |
American Airlines Upgrade Order
While American Airlines booking codes don’t carry as much weight as Delta’s fare classes when it comes to upgrades, they may come into play if your complimentary upgrade hasn’t cleared 24 hours before your flight.
- AAdvantage Status
- Concierge Key (120 hours before departure)
- Executive Platinum (100 hours before departure)
- Platinum Pro (72 hours before departure)
- Platinum (48 hours before departure)
- Gold (24 hours before departure)
- Type of upgrade
- Systemwide upgrades
- Mileage upgrades
- Complimentary upgrades on purchased tickets
- Complimentary upgrades on award tickets
- 12-month Rolling Loyalty Points
- Booking code
- Date and time of request