American Airlines hikes reservation change fee by $50

American Airlines has followed United Airlines' and U.S. Airways and increased its reservation change fee by $50. Now, passengers who wish to change their flight reservation will be charged $200, up from $150, the company said. 

The change went into effect today for all domestic flights and reservations for Canada, Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands. They apply to all customers not enrolled in certain premium programs. The fee for reservation changes has not increased for travel between the U.S. and South America, Europe or Asia, the company said.

The change comes eight days after United announced its reservation fee change and a week after U.S. Airways announced the same fee hike. Delta Airlines charges $150 for changing domestic reservations, and Southwest Airlines does not charge penalty fees for reservation changes.

The American fee increases for domestic, Canada, Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands reservations go into effect today. For Mexico, the Caribbean and Central America reservations, the increase goes into effect tomorrow. The last time Forth Worth, Texas-based American Airlines raised its reservation change fee was in 2008, to $150 from $100. In February American Airlines and U.S. Airways announced a merger, valued at $11 billion.