Missed connecting flight compensation

If you’ve missed your connecting flight due to a delay, cancellation or overbooking, you may be able to receive compensation under European Union (EU) Regulation EC 261. This law applies to flights to or from Europe and you could receive up to £530/€600 in compensation. It’s important to know your air passenger rights and use a trusted flight claim company to help you obtain compensation.

What happens if you miss a connecting flight?

A connecting flight involves multiple flights with stops along the way, unlike a direct flight. If one of your connecting flights is delayed, cancelled, or overbooked, you may miss your next flight. However, the airline should arrange a new connecting flight for you. Moreover, if your flight is to or from Europe, you may be eligible for missed connection compensation under EU Regulation EC 261. This means that if you miss your connecting flight due to a delay, cancellation, or denied boarding, you can file for compensation.

Can you get missed flight connection compensation?

Missed flight connection compensation can be obtained if:

• You missed your connecting flight because of a delayed, cancelled or overbooked flight.
• The delay caused your arrival to be more than 3 hours late at your final destination.
• The connecting flights were part of the same booking, with the same reservation number.
• The flight departed from the EU or landed in the EU, provided that the airline is an EU-based company.
• The airline is at fault for the delay, cancellation, or overbooking (e.g., staff strike, technical issues).
• It was not your fault that you missed the connecting flight (e.g., late arrival at the departure gate, incorrect documents).
• The missed connection flight occurred within the last 3 years.
• The alternative flight offered by the airline does not affect your compensation for the missed connection.

If you meet these conditions, you can choose one of our Top 5 flight claim companies, submit a claim through their website, and receive assistance with obtaining your compensation.

How to find out if your connecting flights were with the same reservation?

Missed connection compensation is available only if both flights were part of the same booking. This means you bought a ticket for a connecting flight with one reservation. Usually, connecting flights are with the same airline, but it can be different airlines too. If your flights were purchased in separate bookings, they are not considered connecting flights. However, you can still claim compensation for the original disruption. To check if your journey is a single reservation, look for the same booking reference number for all flights. If the code is the same for all flights, they are considered connecting flights.

For which flights can I get missed connection compensation under EC 261?

If you missed your connecting flight within Europe, you may be eligible for compensation regardless of your citizenship. This applies if your flight departed from a European airport, landed in Europe with a European airline, or included a European connection. Check out the table below for more information:

Itinerary	EU air carrier	Non-EU air carrier
From inside the EU to inside the EU	Yes	Yes
From inside the EU to outside the EU	Yes	Yes
From outside the EU to inside the EU	Yes	No – unless your journey originated in EU*
From outside the EU to outside the EU	No – unless your journey originated in EU*	No – unless your journey originated in EU*

EU Regulation EC 261 also applies in countries such as Iceland, Norway, Switzerland, and certain areas like French Guiana and Martinique, Mayotte, Guadeloupe and La Réunion, Saint-Martin, Madeira and the Azores, and the Canary Islands.

You can calculate your missed connection compensation using our free flight compensation calculator.

In which cases can I get missed connection compensation?

EU Regulation EC 261 allows air passengers to get missed connection compensation if the airline is at fault due to:

• A delay of over 3 hours at your final destination.
• Flight cancellation.
• Denied boarding due to overbooking.

However, sometimes airlines may offer an alternative flight, which may eliminate the possibility of a missed connection.

More than 3-hour flight delay at your final destination

To be eligible for missed connection compensation, you must arrive at your final destination 3 or more hours late. This delay could be due to a missed connecting flight, a cancelled flight, or being denied boarding due to overbooking. The delay is calculated in total, regardless of whether it occurred during a connecting flight or not. You can use our free flight compensation calculator to check the amount of possible compensation and then start your claim with one of our Top 5 flight claim companies.

When am I not eligible for missed flight connection compensation?

“Extraordinary circumstances” refer to events that are beyond the control of airlines, such as bad weather, strikes, or medical emergencies. Since airlines are not responsible for these situations, missed connections caused by extraordinary circumstances are not eligible for compensation.

Can I get missed connection compensation due to an airline strike?

A ruling by the European Court of Justice in April 2018 stated that internal flight staff strikes are within the airline’s control and can’t be considered as ‘extraordinary circumstances.’ This means that airlines are required to pay compensation to passengers for missed connecting flights caused by airline staff strikes.

What if I miss my connecting flight due to my personal reasons?

If you miss your connecting flight due to personal reasons such as sickness, family emergencies or losing track of time, EU Regulation EC 261 does not entitle you to any compensation, regardless of the situation.

Who receives a missed connection compensation if you were on a business trip?

If you experience a missed connection during your flight, the compensation for this inconvenience goes to you, the passenger who travelled, not the person or company who bought the ticket. This is according to the EC 261 regulation.

If you want to know how much compensation you may receive for a missed connection, you can use our flight compensation calculator for free. It will help you determine the amount of compensation you may be entitled to.

How much compensation can I get for missing a flight connection?

If you’ve missed a connecting flight and wish to claim compensation, the amount you’re entitled to depends on why the delay occurred. In most cases, missed connections happen due to flight delays. To find out the compensation amount based on the duration of the delay and distance of the flight, refer to the table below:

Distance	Less than 3 hours	3 – 4 hours	More than 4 hours	Never arrived
All flights 1,500 km or less	€ –	£220/€250	£220/€250	£220/€250
Internal EU flights over 1,500 km	€ –	£350/€400	£350/€400	£350/€400
Non-internal EU flights between 1,500 km and 3,500 km	€ –	£350/€400	£350/€400	£350/€400
Non-internal EU flights over 3,500 km	€ –	£260/€300	£530/€600	£530/€600

Check the amount of missed connection flight compensation with our flight compensation calculator.

How to calculate the distance for missed connection compensation?

In order to find out how much missed flight connection compensation you may be entitled to, it is important to calculate the total length of the journey, not just the specific leg that was missed. If the other legs of your connecting flights were with the same airline, they can be included in the journey length (but not if there were other carrier flights in between).

In cases where the airline is responsible for a missed connection, they are also responsible for all of their flights that were affected by the disruption, even if they occurred before the missed connection.

To determine your missed connection compensation amount, you can use our free flight compensation calculator.

What are your rights if you miss a connecting flight?

Alternative flight, reimbursement or refund

If you missed your connecting flight due to the airline’s fault, they are obligated to provide you with an alternative flight. However, if you choose not to continue your journey, you have the right to a refund. This right can be claimed if your flight was delayed for over five hours, cancelled, or if you were denied boarding due to overbooking.

If you opt for a refund, you can ask for a return flight to your starting point and reimbursement for the unused portion of your ticket. The law requires that the refund should also cover any completed connecting flights if you choose not to proceed with your journey.

Right for food, drink, accommodation

If you have to wait for an alternate flight, according to EC 261, you should receive some essential items based on your flight information. The airline is responsible for providing food, drinks, and access to communication, such as two phone calls, faxes, or emails, after waiting for several hours.

If you have to wait for an alternate flight overnight, the airline must also provide you with accommodation and transportation to and from the airport.

Right to reimburse your ticket or re-route your journey

In addition to the missed connection compensation, you have the right to receive a full or partial refund of your original ticket and a return flight to your point of departure.

Upgrading and downgrading

According to Regulation EC 261, the airline should provide you with an alternative flight that is similar to the one you missed. If you receive an upgraded alternative flight, the airline can’t charge you extra. If the alternative flight is lower class, you can request a refund of 30-75% of the original ticket price.

Further compensation

In some cases, you can claim additional compensation even if you have already received compensation under EU Regulation EC 261. But keep in mind that any additional compensation you receive may affect the amount of compensation you were originally entitled to.

Use our flight compensation calculator to check how much compensation you may be entitled to for your missed connection.

How do I claim compensation for a missed connection?

If you arrive at your connecting airport and discover that your next flight has already left without you, there are several steps you should take:

• Keep your boarding pass and other travel documents with you, as they will be necessary when making a compensation claim.
• Look for the airline help desk and speak to a representative. If no one is waiting for you, find the airline services desk or speak with support staff on the phone.
• Request an alternative flight to your destination or a refund of your flight with a return flight to your original destination.
• Ask if the airline will cover your food and drinks expenses during the waiting time.
• Ask for hotel accommodation and transfer from and to the airport if you have to wait overnight or if the airline hasn’t found an alternative flight for you yet.
• Find out the status of your luggage and if it will be returned to you.
• Inform your family, friends, or hotel staff of the change in your plans.
• Hold onto receipts for additional expenses caused by the missed connection, such as hotel or rental car costs.
• If you think you are eligible for missed connection compensation, file a claim with a top-rated flight compensation agency.