We’ve all been there: You book a flight and the layover is slim. Then your first leg is delayed, and now you’re sprinting through the airport trying to get to your next gate in time.
American, like many airlines, ends boarding 15 minutes before departure, making a 25-minute connection difficult if the gates are far apart. To that end, this summer, American Airlines began holding select tight connections and texting and emailing passengers to let them know how long the flight would be held.
The news comes as American Airlines also recently unveiled its new Airbus A321XLR narrow-body planes with Flagship Suites and upgraded premium economy seats. It also comes as the carrier rolled out a slightly less exciting update this week regarding ways in which travelers can earn AAdvantage miles. As of December 17, 2025, AA basic economy fliers will no longer earn miles. They will “continue to receive one free personal item and one free carry-on bag, free snacks, soft drinks, and in-flight entertainment,” reports CNBC. United Airlines basic economy tickets do earn miles but don’t include a carry-on bag, while on Delta, basic economy tickets do include a carry-on but don’t earn miles.
Awards changes aside, here’s what to know about American’s new flight connection policy—which applies no matter which class of service you’re flying in.
How does American Airlines decide which flights to hold?
The delicate dance of holding a flight for some passengers while ensuring planes still (try) to take off on time is performed by Connect Assist, American Airlines’ Gen AI tool developed in-house in combination with the airline’s staff on the ground.
American Airlines’ spokesperson Luisa Barrientos Flores told Afar, “American considers a complex algorithm that takes dozens of inputs that the tool analyzes to ensure there is no downline impact to the overall schedule or customer itineraries.”
When flights are held, customers get an automated text telling them how long their connecting flight will wait at the gate.
How long will American Airlines hold flights for connecting passengers?
Flores says that “On average, flights are held for 10 minutes to help customers reach their connecting flights.”
These tight connections and how often they’re missed is a hot topic of discussion on the 258,000-strong /r/americanairlines reddit thread, where fliers swap stories. One passenger posted about Connect Assist, saying they had a 30-minute layover at Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) and had received a text saying their flight would be held for 17 minutes.
In between other passengers commenting about their own sprints to the gate, another responded, “This is freaking AWESOME. A simple text like this could alleviate so much stress with passengers who might miss connections due to no fault of their own.”
After testing the service at international airports Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) and CLT, the country’s largest airline will now hold flights at five additional airports: Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD), Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX), Miami International Airport (MIA), Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) and, ahead of the 2026 World Cup, Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). Flores says they “plan to expand to additional airports in the future.”
Major U.S. airlines’ policies on holding connecting flights
American Airlines is not the first to hold tight connections so passengers won’t miss their flights. United Airlines’ Connection Saver tool has been attempting to do the same since 2019. In June 2025, a new AI-driven feature of the United app began alerting passengers transiting at hubs that include Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) in New Jersey; ORD; Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD); Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH); and San Francisco International Airport (SFO). The feature works as long as “United’s Connection Saver technology has been activated to hold the plane for them,” United wrote in a press release.
At present, Delta Air Lines does not have a system in place for holding flights for connecting passengers. A Delta representative told Afar that the Delta Sync seatback screens offer “a host of day-of-travel tools for SkyMiles Members designed to streamline their travel journey.” Those tools include a My Flight category with details about each user’s connecting flights, including terminal and gate locations and connection times.
“SkyMiles Members who log in to Delta Sync seatback will also receive real-time notifications delivered directly to their seatback screen about any adjustments to their connecting flight’s schedule or other pertinent trip details,” the Delta representative stated. In other words, you’ll be well informed but could still miss your connecting flight if the layover margin is too minimal.
