Making a connection between flights is often a seamless experience; your plane lands on time, you grab your carry-on, and you make your way over to the gate to board your connecting flight to your destination. Sometimes, you even have time to grab a quick meal at the airport. Other times, you may find yourself running full speed through the airport to make it to your plane. Missing connecting flights is an unfortunate aspect of frequent air travel. But what happens if you miss your connection? Navigating the aftermath of a missed connecting flight can be intimidating and challenging, but with the right travel tips, you can make it to your final destination with minimal stress.
Missing a connecting flight: The common causes
Several things can cause a traveler to miss their connecting flight. These factors range from airline-related issues to personal oversights. Generally, an airline will not sell you a ticket if they don’t believe you can make your connecting flight, but flight delays of even a few minutes can quickly cascade into missed connections.
Unforeseen weather conditions, air traffic congestion, or mechanical problems can also disrupt travel and lead to tight transfer windows. Long security times and customs procedures can also add to the time constraints, making reaching your connecting flight on time challenging.
Personal factors, such as underestimating the time needed for transfers or delayed arrivals at the airport, are also common causes of missed flight connections. Overall, missed flights can often be a combination of external and internal factors.
What to do if you miss your connecting flight
Identify the reason you missed your connection
If you miss a connecting flight, the first step is to understand why you missed it. Whether the delay stemmed from a previous flight, long security lines, or other factors, understanding the cause provides clarity when explaining the situation to airline staff. It can also make all the difference when it comes to receiving compensation for your missed flight.
Alert customer service
As soon as you realize you have missed your connecting flight, you should inform the airline staff immediately. Head over to the airline’s customer service desk or talk to a representative at the gate. Time is valuable when dealing with missed flights, so the sooner you seek assistance, the better your chance of finding suitable solutions. If you missed your flight due to airline issues, other people will likely be in the same situation. A prompt visit to the customer service desk can get you on a flight before everyone else.
Check for new flights
Sometimes, the airline offers a new flight via its app or website. Use these platforms to check for available flights and use any self-service options they provide for rebooking. This approach can save time and give you more control over decision-making.
If you cannot access these resources, ask the airline staff to search for the next available flights to your destination. Be open to adjusting your schedule and consider alternative routes if they offer a quicker path to your final destination.
If it’s different, contact the airline your connecting flight was scheduled on
If your journey involves multiple airlines, you will also want to contact the airline on which your connecting flight was scheduled. Coordination between airlines is vital to ensuring smoother travel to your final destination. The connecting airline may even have additional options or assistance to offer you.
Additionally, if you have more than one connecting flight, you will want to make sure your entire trip is adjusted. If missing one connecting flight will cause you to miss another connecting flight, you will want to ensure that your entire schedule is fixed to accommodate your needs.
Find alternative routes
At many airports, there is only one direct flight to a destination per day. If you miss this, airline staff may tell you that you must wait an entire day to take another flight. If a direct route is not immediately available, inquire about connecting flights through different cities or alternative airline alliances.
Figure out if you are entitled to compensation
While addressing the issue, inquire about compensation or assistance that the airline must provide due to the missed connection. Airlines often have policies regarding compensation for inconveniences caused by factors within their control.
Airlines generally have to compensate you for a 3-hour (or more) delayed flight, a flight cancellation, or denied boarding. Issues such as airline strikes, medical emergencies, air traffic control strikes, and weather conditions are generally not covered.
Know your rights
Take the time to familiarize yourself with the rules regarding your specific airline. Understanding your rights allows you to advocate for a favorable resolution regarding rebooking, compensation, and assistance you are entitled to. This knowledge places you in a good position when engaging with airline representatives.
Stay organized and stay calm
A missed connecting flight can be stressful, but it is crucial to stay calm and organized. Take a deep breath, collect your thoughts, and try to approach the situation calmly. Panic or anger will not solve the issue but instead may interfere with your ability to make rational decisions. Staying composed sets the stage for effective problem-solving.
Keep your travel documents, including boarding passes and reservation details, organized throughout the process. Having this information easily accessible can streamline the rebooking process and ensure a smooth interaction with airline staff.
Policies vary by airline
As you may expect, airlines have different policies regarding missed connections caused by events within their control. The lower-cost airlines (like Frontier and Spirit) generally offer the fewest options.
The U.S. Department of Transportation has a dashboard on its website showing the commitments made by major U.S. airlines to their passengers for missed connections. All major airlines will rebook a passenger on the same airline at no extra cost as well as offering meal vouchers when the passenger is forced to wait three hours or more. Frontier is the only major carrier that doesn’t offer hotel accommodations and transport to and from the hotel if the delay lasts overnight.
Alaska Airlines, JetBlue, and Southwest will issue a credit/travel voucher if a passenger has to wait more than three hours for a missed connection that was in their control. It is the only airlines to offer this.
Finally, most airlines will attempt to rebook a passenger on another airline at no additional cost if they have an agreement with that airline. However, Allegiant, Frontier, Southwest, and Spirit airlines will not do this.
Keep in mind that these accommodations are only for missed connections that the airline can control, like mechanical issues. If you miss your connection because you got stuck in a long line waiting for a latte from Starbucks, you’re out of luck.
