For a year and a half, American Airlines (AA) has been misinforming me about the expiration date for a flight credit (\~$500). I feel I've done my due diligence in verifying it along the way. When finally I try to use the credit to book a ticket, though, AA changes their information and says the credits are already expired and there's nothing they can do. I've filed two DOT/OACP complaints. What else can I do?
This just can't be right ... right? Am I crazy?
More details:
1/31/2025 - I booked a flight with a 3rd party for a changeable ticket.
7/11/2025 - I pay AA $50 to take over the ticket and partially use the credit, leaving ~$500 in credits. On the phone, the AA agent verifies the ~$500 credit expires 7/11/2026.
Phone calls on 8/17/2025 and 3/18/2026, AA agent also verifies the credit is valid through to 7/11/2026.
6/14/2026 - I check on the credit status. The mobile app shows a date of 8/24/2025 for the Flight Credit, with a message that says "Don’t worry, the value of your ticket is safe. You can apply the value of your unused flights towards a future trip." And AA's Flight credit status tool shows a date of 7/11/2025. With the confusing conflicting info from AA, I use AA's chat channel and an agent verifies the credits to be valid through to 7/11/2026.
6/17/2026, I tried to book using the Flight Credits when I encountered an error. I reached out to AA for help with the booking when they told me the ticket expired on 1/31/2026. They told me to reach out to the refunds department.
6/18/2026 - I submit a refund request. I also reach out and express the urgency given the 7/11/2026 date that they told me, in case that was a mistake.
6/29/2026 - AA denies my refund request with no explanation. I reach out for follow-up, but receive no follow-up.
7/9/2026 - I submit a DOT OACP complaint.
7/11/2026 - AA emails in response to DOT OACP complaint. Shifts responsibility to 3rd party travel agency and emphasizes the original issue date of 1/31/2025. Does not acknowledge the multiple accounts of AA misleading me.
7/14/2026 - AA customer service calls me and they confirm that the credit actually expired on 7/11/2026 and that I should've been able to book on 6/17/2026, but now "there's nothing they can do". They said they would escalate the issue and that I will hear back by the end of the week.
7/19/2026 - I submit another DOT OACP complaint.
7/21/2026 - AA responds by copy-pasting their 7/11 response. I call the 3rd party travel agency, and they confirm that managing the ticket is AA's responsibility since they took it over on 7/11/2025.