Whether the airline rebooks you for free depends on why you missed the connection - and on whether both flights were on one ticket. Here is how to handle it fast.
Part of our complete guide to airline customer service.
Quick answer: If the airline caused the missed connection — a late inbound flight on the same ticket — it must rebook you free on the next available flight, and often owes meals or a hotel for a long delay. If weather or your own delay caused it, you are still rebooked but may pay a fare difference.
First, work out who caused it
Your rights hinge on the cause. If your first flight was late and that made you miss the connection — and both flights are on a single ticket — the airline is responsible for getting you to your destination. If the two flights were booked separately, the airline that flew you in owes you nothing for the onward flight you booked yourself, which is why self-connecting is risky.
If the airline caused it
On a single through-ticket, a missed connection due to a late inbound flight means the airline rebooks you on the next available flight at no charge. Often it does this automatically and a new boarding pass is waiting, but do not assume — confirm your rebooking and ask whether an earlier option or a partner airline is possible. If the delay is long and within the airline’s control, ask about meal vouchers and, for an overnight, a hotel.
If weather or air traffic control caused it
When the cause is outside the airline’s control — a storm, air-traffic restrictions — you are still rebooked on the next available flight without paying a new fare, but the airline generally does not owe meals or hotels. This is where travel insurance or a credit card with trip-delay cover earns its keep; keep every receipt.
If you caused it
If you missed the connection because you were late through the airport, the airline will still try to rebook you, but you may owe a fare difference or a change fee depending on your ticket. Being at the gate on time is the one part of a connection you fully control.
Get rebooked fast — do three things at once
- Open the airline app the moment you know you will miss the connection; it may already show a new itinerary you can accept.
- Join the phone call-back queue so an agent works your case while you move.
- Head for the airline’s transfer or service desk in the connecting airport.
Whichever reaches you first wins — then cancel the others. Doing all three in parallel is the fastest way through a missed connection.
Meals, hotels and long waits
For a long delay within the airline’s control, ask specifically for meal vouchers and hotel accommodation — airlines often provide them but rarely volunteer them. Get the offer in writing where you can, and keep receipts for anything you pay yourself so you can claim it back later.
Reaching the airline quickly
Phone lines are busiest right after disruption. Use the automated call-back, try live chat for a simple rebooking, and call the airline’s verified number — from our directory, never from a paid ad — if you need a person. Have your booking reference and both flight numbers ready before you connect.
Worked example
You book one ticket from Denver to London connecting in New York. Your Denver flight leaves two hours late for a mechanical issue and you miss the London departure. Because it is one ticket and the cause was within the airline’s control, the airline rebooks you on the next London flight for free; with an overnight wait, it should also cover a hotel and a meal. Had you booked Denver–New York and New York–London as two separate tickets, the London airline could treat you as a no-show — and you would be buying a new ticket.
Frequently asked questions
What happens if I miss my connecting flight?
If both flights are on one ticket and the airline’s late inbound caused it, the airline rebooks you on the next available flight for free. If the flights were booked separately, the onward airline can treat you as a no-show.
Will the airline rebook me for free if I miss a connection?
Yes, on a single through-ticket when the airline caused the miss (or for weather, where you’re still rebooked without a new fare). If you were late through the airport, you may owe a fare difference.
Does the airline owe a hotel if I'm stuck overnight?
For a long delay within the airline’s control, ask specifically for meal vouchers and a hotel — airlines often provide them but rarely offer unprompted. For weather, travel insurance usually covers it; keep receipts.