Travel doesn't always go according to plan. Whether you're an infrequent flyer or a top-tier elite, you may need the contact information for American Airlines to deal with a flight change, service failure, lost bag or refund request. And the best place to contact American Airlines differs for each one of these topics.

Here's our guide for the best ways to contact American Airlines customer service for each situation.

How do I contact American Airlines customer service?

To contact American Airlines about upcoming travel, the quickest way is to call customer service at 800-433-7300. State your request to the voice prompt system to be directed to the correct department.

If there's a lengthy wait for an agent, the system will offer to call you back when it's your turn. For a quicker response, consider reaching out to American Airlines through social media.

For complaints, concerns and compliments about past travel, contact American Airlines through its website. Start on this American Airlines customer relations page and select the topic that most closely matches your issue.

How to call American Airlines customer service

You can contact American Airlines customer service 24 hours a day at 800-433-7300. Using the voice-prompt system, say a short phrase to explain why you're calling. For example, say "reservations" to get an agent to assist with a new or existing reservation or "AAdvantage customer service" for issues with your AAdvantage account.

If you have AAdvantage elite status, make sure to call from a number that's registered in your account. That way American Airlines will recognize your account and give you priority routing to an elite status specialist.

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Can you chat with American Airlines?

The best way to chat with American Airlines is through its social media team — particularly on Twitter. American Airlines' social media team is staffed with some of the most experienced agents working for the airline. Whether you're overseas or don't want to pick up the phone, you can direct message @americanair to get help with a variety of issues.

For quicker resolution, provide your name, your AAdvantage number and your record number — the six-digit code on your reservation — in your first direct message. Once you provide your AAdvantage number for an inquiry, you won't need to do so again. The American Airlines contact system will link your social media handle and your AAdvantage account for future inquiries.

Whom do I contact about my American Airlines AAdvantage account?

American Airlines staffs a dedicated AAdvantage customer service team for phone calls daily from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. CST. Call 800-433-7300 and state "AAdvantage customer service" to be directed to this team. After hours, the American Airlines social media team may be able to assist you with your inquiry.

Does American give refunds for canceled flights?

American Airlines will refund your ticket:

If you cancel your flight within 24 hours of purchase.

If you cancel a refundable ticket.

If American Airlines cancels a flight or changes the schedule of your itinerary by more than four hours.

If you purchased a nonrefundable ticket and can't travel, consider waiting until a few days from departure before canceling your flight. That way you'll give the airline plenty of chances to change your trip in a way that would make it eligible for a refund.

Otherwise, you can likely cancel the trip for an American Airlines flight credit now that American Airlines has eliminated most change fees.

How do I get a refund from American Airlines?

While you can call the American Airlines contact center to file a refund claim, you may find it's easier to just file a refund claim on American Airlines' dedicated refunds page. To file a new refund claim, you'll need your American Airlines ticket number and the passenger's last name.

All American Airlines ticket numbers start with "001" and you can generally find your ticket number in an email from [email protected] starting with "Your trip confirmation." Each passenger receives a unique ticket number meaning you'll need to file a separate refund request for each passenger.

You can also use the refund request page to check on the status of a refund request — even refunds that have been issued in the past. This can be helpful for double-checking that you've received refunds on award tickets that you've canceled in the past.

How to find lost luggage on American Airlines

If your bag doesn't come out on the baggage claim belt, the nearby American Airlines luggage office should be your first stop. Upon filing a claim, you should get a 13-digit file reference number for the claim. Once you have a file reference number, you can log in on this page to check the status of your lost luggage.

If worse comes to worst, you'll have to fill out this passenger property questionnaire to report lost, stolen or damaged items. You'll need to wait five days — but no more than 30 days — after the loss to file this claim.

Keep in mind that American Airlines will only reimburse verified claims up to $3,800 for domestic flights. Bags lost on international flights are reimbursed up to a cap of either $9.07 per pound checked or around $1,688 (1,288 Special Drawing Rights) per passenger, depending on the applicable international convention.

Where do I offer feedback or send a complaint to American Airlines?

American Airlines customer relations is available through two methods: this online feedback form or mailing a letter to American Airlines Customer Relations in Phoenix.

Either way, you'll want to have the following piece of information on hand:

Your contact information (including mailing address and email address).

Your confirmation/record locator or ticket number.

Details of your flight (flight number, date of travel, and your origin and destination).

If you want to send a letter to American Airlines customer relations, the address is: American Airlines Customer Relations; 4000 E. Sky Harbor Blvd.; Phoenix, AZ 85034.

The American Airlines contact center is staffed with knowledgeable agents, but these agents typically aren't empowered to give compensation for service failures. Instead, you'll need to fill out the customer relations form or send a letter to get connected with the appropriate team.

The bottom line

Whether you're rebooking a flight after a schedule change or trying to get compensation after a major service failure, the best place to contact American Airlines depends on the situation.

Generally, you will want to call American Airlines or chat via social media for concerns about upcoming travel. If something went wrong during your travels, it's best to contact American Airlines online — whether it's filing a refund claim, checking the status of a lost bag or filing a complaint.