Who pays if a delay made me miss my connecting flight?

It depends on whether it was one ticket or two. On a single itinerary (one booking, checked through to your final destination), the airline must rebook you to your destination at no cost — and may owe a hotel and meals if it strands you overnight for a reason within its control. On two separate tickets, the second airline treats it as a no-show and owes you nothing by default.

Do I get a free rebooking for a missed connection?

On a single through-booked itinerary, yes — a missed connection caused by the airline's delay entitles you to be rebooked to your final destination for free, even onto a partner carrier. On separate tickets, the second airline has no obligation to rebook you, though some agents will help as a goodwill gesture or for a fee.

Will the airline pay for my hotel if I'm stuck overnight?

If the delay that caused the miss was within the airline's control — like crew or maintenance issues — and you're stranded overnight, most major airlines now cover a hotel, meals, and transport. If the cause was weather or air-traffic control, you're still owed the rebooking but the overnight expenses may fall on you. Always ask for hotel and meal vouchers and note the stated cause.

Am I owed cash compensation for a missed connection?

Sometimes. On covered international flights, rules like EU261/UK261 can add cash compensation (up to €600/£520) when you arrive at your final destination 3+ hours late for a reason within the airline's control — on top of the free rebooking. US domestic flights don't have a fixed cash rule for delays, but you're still owed the rebooking and, in controllable cases, expense coverage.

How does Reroute help when I've missed a connection?

Reroute scans every carrier and open seat on your route against your itinerary and arrival deadline, then hands you a ranked backup route — the exact flights to request — so you can ask for a specific seat instead of waiting to see what's offered. The free search shows your options instantly; the $24 recovery plan gives you the full ranked itinerary to act on right now.

Missed connection

Updated September 2, 2026

Missed connection due to a delay: who pays?

When a delayed first flight makes you miss your connection, the single question that decides everything is: was it one ticket or two? If your whole journey was booked as a single itinerary, the airline is responsible for getting you to your final destination — a free rebooking is the baseline, and hotel and meals may be owed too. If you booked the flights separately, the answer is very different, and that's where travelers get caught out.

This guide breaks down exactly who pays in each case, when a missed connection also owes you a hotel and meals, and how to get on the next real flight before the seats you're entitled to fill up.

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1. Check whether it was one ticket or two

This is the whole game. If your flights were sold as a single itinerary — one booking reference, checked through to your final destination — the airline is on the hook to rebook you all the way through at no cost, even if the second leg is on a partner. If you booked two separate tickets, the second airline treats your missed flight as a no-show and owes you nothing by default. Find your booking reference(s) before you approach anyone.

2. If it's one ticket, demand a free rebooking to your destination

On a single itinerary, a missed connection caused by the airline's own delay entitles you to be rebooked to your final destination at no charge — that's the baseline, not a favor. Go to the transfer/rebooking desk or call while you walk, and ask to be put on a specific next flight, including a partner carrier or a nearby airport if your airline is full. Don't accept 'nothing until tomorrow' without checking every option.

3. Know when the airline also owes a hotel and meals

If the delay that caused the miss was within the airline's control — crew, maintenance, or scheduling, not weather or air-traffic control — and you're stranded overnight, most airlines' commitments now cover a hotel, meals, and transport to it. Ask explicitly for hotel and meal vouchers, and note the stated cause of the delay. If it was weather or ATC, you're still owed the rebooking, but care may be on you.

4. If you booked separate tickets, act fast and check protection

On two separate bookings the second airline isn't obligated to help, so speed matters even more — ask nicely; some agents will rebook you for a fee or for free as a goodwill gesture. Then look at what protects you: travel insurance with missed-connection cover, a credit card with trip-delay benefits, or the fare rules of the second ticket. This is why a single through-booked itinerary is almost always worth it.

5. Lock in the seat, then claim the compensation

Get the confirmed rebooking and boarding pass before you leave the desk. Then claim what you're owed: keep receipts for any hotel, meals, or transport, and note whether the flight was international — under rules like EU261/UK261, a delay of 3+ hours in arrival on a covered flight can add cash compensation on top of the rebooking. Screenshot the delay time and cause; that's your evidence.

Get a confirmed way home for $24

While you sort out who pays, the seats you're owed are filling. Paste your itinerary and arrival deadline — Reroute scans every carrier and open seat and hands you a ranked backup route, the exact flights to request at the desk. The free search shows your options instantly; the $24 recovery plan gives you the full ranked itinerary to act on right now.

Get home for $24

Backup route in under 4 minutes
Scans 40+ carriers
No usable plan? Full money-back refund

Flying soon? Pack a backup

Get a backup route emailed for an upcoming flight

Already saw your instant recovery route above? This is for a trip that hasn't broken yet. Paste an upcoming itinerary and we'll email a ranked backup route to keep on hand — so if that flight melts down at the gate, you already know your fastest way home.

Frequently asked questions

Who pays if a delay made me miss my connecting flight?: It depends on whether it was one ticket or two. On a single itinerary (one booking, checked through to your final destination), the airline must rebook you to your destination at no cost — and may owe a hotel and meals if it strands you overnight for a reason within its control. On two separate tickets, the second airline treats it as a no-show and owes you nothing by default.
Do I get a free rebooking for a missed connection?: On a single through-booked itinerary, yes — a missed connection caused by the airline's delay entitles you to be rebooked to your final destination for free, even onto a partner carrier. On separate tickets, the second airline has no obligation to rebook you, though some agents will help as a goodwill gesture or for a fee.
Will the airline pay for my hotel if I'm stuck overnight?: If the delay that caused the miss was within the airline's control — like crew or maintenance issues — and you're stranded overnight, most major airlines now cover a hotel, meals, and transport. If the cause was weather or air-traffic control, you're still owed the rebooking but the overnight expenses may fall on you. Always ask for hotel and meal vouchers and note the stated cause.
Am I owed cash compensation for a missed connection?: Sometimes. On covered international flights, rules like EU261/UK261 can add cash compensation (up to €600/£520) when you arrive at your final destination 3+ hours late for a reason within the airline's control — on top of the free rebooking. US domestic flights don't have a fixed cash rule for delays, but you're still owed the rebooking and, in controllable cases, expense coverage.
How does Reroute help when I've missed a connection?: Reroute scans every carrier and open seat on your route against your itinerary and arrival deadline, then hands you a ranked backup route — the exact flights to request — so you can ask for a specific seat instead of waiting to see what's offered. The free search shows your options instantly; the $24 recovery plan gives you the full ranked itinerary to act on right now.

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