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- I’ve missed my flight! What are my rights as a passenger?
I’ve missed my flight! What are my rights as a passenger?
If you've missed a flight, you may have a right to compensation — up to €600 compensation under regulation EC 261 — depending on why you missed it. This guide explains your passenger rights when you miss a connecting flight because of an airline delay, what you're owed, and how to claim it. No legalese, no runaround.
So if you're asking "I missed my flight, what are my rights?" — here's everything you need to know.
At a glance: what you could be owed
Here's the short version before we get into the details.
What happened | What you could get |
|---|---|
You missed a connection because your earlier flight was delayed or canceled | Up to €600 compensation, plus a new flight or a refund |
You're stuck waiting for a new flight | Free food, drinks, and phone access |
You're stuck overnight | A free hotel and transport to it |
You missed the flight yourself (late check-in, slept in, slow at security) | No automatic compensation, but the airline may still rebook you — ask them |
One thing many travelers get caught out by: if you booked your connection as a separate ticket — a self-transfer — the airlines don’t owe you a free rebooking, because they never agreed to connect you. Our guide on self-connecting flight rights explains exactly where you stand.
Compensation amounts depend on how far you were flying:
€250 for flights up to 1,500 km
€400 for flights between 1,500 km and 3,500 km
€600 for flights over 3,500 km
The distance is for your whole journey to your final destination, not just the leg you missed.
When you're owed compensation (and when you're not)
This is the part that trips most people up, so let's keep it simple.
The big question is: whose fault was the missed connection?
If your connection was missed because the airline's earlier flight was delayed or canceled, and all your flights were booked on one ticket, you're likely covered. This is what people mean by "missed connecting flight compensation." The rule that protects you is called EC 261 — a European air passenger law. You don't need to understand the legal wording. You just need to know it exists and it's on your side.
To qualify for compensation under EC 261, a few things usually need to be true:
The missed connection was caused by a delay or cancellation, not by you
All your flights were on the same booking
You arrived at your final destination 3 or more hours late
Your trip was to or from the EU (more on the exact rules below)
The one ticket detail matters a lot. If you booked your flights separately — say one airline for the first leg and a different ticket for the second — the airlines treat them as two unrelated trips. Miss the second one and you're usually on your own. Booking everything on a single ticket is the simplest way to stay protected. If you build your own connections from separate bookings, read up on self-connecting flight rights before you fly.
When you're not owed compensation
Some things are outside the airline's control. The law calls these "extraordinary circumstances" — a fancy term that just means events the airline couldn't reasonably prevent. In those cases, no compensation is due (though you still get help and a new flight).
Here's a quick guide:
You're likely owed compensation | You're likely not owed compensation |
|---|---|
The airline's flight was delayed for a technical fault | Bad weather grounded flights |
Crew arrived late or staffing problems | A strike by airport staff or air traffic control |
The airline overbooked and bumped you | A security alert or political unrest |
Operational delays the airline caused | You arrived at the gate late yourself |
One important note: most weather and air traffic control delays don't trigger compensation, because they're out of the airline's hands. But the airline still has to look after you and get you to where you're going.
A real example: the tight connection that wasn't your fault
Let's make this concrete.
Maria booked a single ticket from Lisbon to New York, connecting in Frankfurt. Her Lisbon flight pushed back an hour late because of a technical issue. By the time she landed in Frankfurt, her New York flight had already boarded and gone.
The airline rebooked her on a flight 5 hours later. She got vouchers for lunch while she waited, and she landed in New York about 5 hours behind schedule.
Because the delay was the airline's fault, all her flights were on one booking, and she arrived more than 3 hours late, Maria was owed €600. The free meal didn't cancel that out — care at the airport and compensation are two separate things. She was entitled to both.
Now compare that to Tom. Tom had a 35-minute connection, lingered too long at a coffee shop, and missed his second flight even though the first one landed on time. That's a missed connection caused by the passenger, not the airline — so no compensation. The airline put him on the next available flight, but the rest was on him.
The difference comes down to one thing: who caused the missed connection.
Step by step: what to do when you miss a connection
If it's happening right now, here's your game plan.
Go straight to the airline desk or gate agent. Don't wait in a general line if there's a transfer desk — that's usually faster. Ask to be rebooked on the next flight to your destination.
Get the reason in writing. Ask why your first flight was delayed and ask the airline to confirm it. This matters later if you claim.
Ask for your right to care. If you're waiting a few hours, the airline must offer food and drinks. If you're stuck overnight, they must arrange a hotel and transport to it. Don't be shy about asking — it's your right, not a favor.
Keep everything. Save your boarding passes, your booking confirmation, and any new tickets. Take a photo of the departure board showing the delay. Keep receipts for anything you have to buy.
Note your final arrival time. Compensation depends on how late you reached your final destination, so write down when you actually landed.
Don't accept vouchers as a swap for compensation. Airlines sometimes offer travel vouchers or air miles to settle things on the spot. These are usually worth less than the cash you're owed, and accepting one can cancel your right to claim. When in doubt, say you'll follow up later.
A quick word on missed flight rebooking: if your flights were on one ticket, rebooking you is the airline's job, and it's free. You shouldn't pay to fix a connection the airline broke.
How to claim your compensation
Once you're home and settled, here's how the claim works.
You check your flight details with us, and we’ll tell you how much you’re owed — in seconds. We handle the airline, the paperwork, and the back-and-forth for you, and work on a no-win, no-fee basis, so if your claim doesn't succeed, you don't pay us anything. You can read exactly how to claim with AirHelp before you start.
For the full legal detail — the exact distances, deadlines, and conditions — see our complete guide to missed connection rights under EU law.
Frequently asked questions
Do I get compensation if I missed my connection because of a short layover?
It depends on whose fault it was. If the airline gave you a legal minimum connection time and your first flight was delayed, the airline is responsible, and you may be owed up to €600. If you simply didn't make it to the gate in time on your own, there's no compensation.
What if my missed connection was due to weather?
Weather usually counts as an "extraordinary circumstance" — something the airline couldn't control. In that case, no compensation is due. But the airline must still rebook you for free and look after you with food, drinks, and a hotel if needed.
Does it matter if my flights were on separate tickets?
Yes, a lot. If everything was on one booking, the airline that delayed you is responsible for your missed connection. If you booked the legs separately, the airlines treat them as unrelated trips, and you're usually not covered. To understand the risks, read about self-connecting flight rights.
How long do I have to make a claim?
Longer than you'd think. Depending on the country, you can often claim for flights that happened years ago — sometimes up to 6 years. So even if your missed connection was a while back, it's worth checking. You may still be owed money.
Missed a connection? Find out what you're owed
You don't have to figure this out alone, and you don't have to fight the airline yourself.
Missed a connection? See if you're owed up to €600 — check in the AirHelp app. It takes a couple of minutes, it's free to check, and we only get paid if you do.
