Airlines Just Updated Their Rules Again (Here’s What You Need to Know)

Four major carriers flipped wheelchair, baggage, and boarding policies on February 9, 2025. Delta, United, American, and Southwest now require 48 hours advance notice for airport wheelchairs instead of 24, and standby requests at Denver, Phoenix, and Atlanta are running 90 minutes to 3 hours during morning banks. 📖 The book I mention in the video — Ten Thousand Flights Later: howard.myreads.store Checked bag fees split into three tiers: $30 when you book online, $40 through the app later, $50 at the airport kiosk. American and Delta eliminated free checked bags for basic economy even if you held elite status for a decade. Pre-boarding companion privileges disappeared between February 1 and March 1. Your travel partner now boards in their assigned group unless they filed their own documented mobility need 48 hours ahead. Gate agents at major hubs enforce this strictly, so families with one senior parent board separately. Carry-on dimensions shrank by 1 inch, gate-check fees jumped to $35 or $50, and agents have quotas for tagging bags. Basic economy fares no longer qualify for the DOT 24-hour free cancellation window as of late January, which is costing seniors hundreds when medical appointments shift. United reverses the companion boarding cutoff July 1. American is testing a senior fare bundle on 12 routes out of Dallas, Phoenix, and Charlotte through September: $40 adds wheelchair assistance, one free checked bag, and priority boarding. The seven-step checklist to avoid every trap: book directly on the airline site, filter out basic economy before comparing price, add wheelchair service at booking, prepay bag fees online, select and screenshot your seat immediately, enroll in delay notifications, and save the rebooking waiver desk number.