What Happens If You Miss a Connecting Flight?
What happens next depends almost entirely on how your flights were booked - whether they're on a single ticket or booked separately - and why the connection was missed.
If your flights are on a single ticket
The airline, or its alliance partner, is generally responsible for rebooking you on the next available flight at no extra cost, if the missed connection was caused by its own delay or by a connection time it sold you. You may also be entitled to meal vouchers, hotel accommodation, or compensation depending on the airline, route, and applicable regulation, such as EU261 in Europe.
If your flights are booked separately (self-connect)
Each ticket is treated as an independent contract. The first airline has no obligation toward your second booking. You'll typically need to rebook and pay for a new flight on the missed leg yourself, unless you bought a separate missed-connection protection product from the platform you booked through.
What to do immediately
- Go to the airline's transfer desk or gate agent before leaving security, rather than heading to a counter outside
- Ask specifically for rebooking on the next available flight, and request any compensation or accommodation you're entitled to in writing
- Keep all boarding passes and receipts for any expenses, in case you need to claim later
How to reduce the risk upfront
Book connections with a buffer well above the airport's minimum connection time, especially on international-to-domestic transfers. Avoid separate tickets for tight connections unless you're comfortable covering the cost of a missed leg yourself.