Missed Connecting Flight Compensation: Your EU Rights Explained

You landed late, sprinted through the terminal, and arrived at the gate just in time to watch your connecting flight push back. Now you're stranded, frustrated, and wondering: does anyone owe me compensation for this?

In many cases, yes. EU Regulation EC 261/2004 covers missed connections — but the rules are more nuanced than for simple delays. This guide breaks down when you're entitled to missed connecting flight compensation, how much you can claim, and what to do when the airline pushes back.

The Golden Rule: One Booking vs. Separate Bookings

The single most important factor in missed connection claims is whether your entire journey was booked as one reservation or as separate tickets.

Same Booking (Single PNR)

If your connecting flights were all on the same booking — even if operated by different airlines — EC 261 treats your journey as a whole. What matters is the delay at your final destination, not at the connection point.

Example: You book Amsterdam → Frankfurt → Rome as a single itinerary. Your Amsterdam–Frankfurt leg is delayed by 90 minutes, causing you to miss the Frankfurt–Rome connection. The airline rebooks you, and you arrive in Rome 4 hours late. You're entitled to compensation based on the 4-hour delay at your final destination (Rome) and the total distance of your journey.

Separate Bookings

If you booked each leg independently — for example, a Ryanair flight to a hub and then a separate Vueling flight onward — each booking is treated independently under EC 261. The airline operating the delayed first leg is only responsible for the delay on that specific flight. They have no obligation regarding your separately booked connection.

This is a critical distinction. Self-connecting (booking separate tickets to create your own connection) saves money but eliminates connecting flight protection. If you miss a self-booked connection, you'll likely need to buy a new ticket at your own expense.

How Compensation Is Calculated for Connections

When your connecting flights are on the same booking, compensation is based on:

1. The delay at your final destination (must be 3+ hours)
2. The total distance of your journey (not individual legs)

| Total Journey Distance | Compensation | |---|---| | Up to 1,500 km | €250 | | 1,500 – 3,500 km | €400 | | Over 3,500 km | €600 |

Because connecting journeys are often longer than point-to-point flights, compensation amounts tend to be higher. A missed connection on a journey from Lisbon to Warsaw via Frankfurt could qualify for €400, even though each individual leg might only warrant €250 on its own.

The CJEU Rulings That Strengthened Your Rights

The Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) has issued several landmark rulings that clarified and expanded connecting flight rights:

Folkerts v Air France (2013)

The court confirmed that for connecting flights booked as a single reservation, compensation depends on the delay at the final destination. Even if no individual leg was delayed by 3 hours, a cumulative delay of 3+ hours at the final destination triggers compensation.

Emirates v Schenkel (2018)

This ruling clarified that EC 261 can apply to connecting journeys involving non-EU segments, as long as the journey was booked as a whole and at least one leg departs from or arrives in the EU on an EU carrier.

České aerolinie (2019)

The court ruled that the operating carrier of the delayed leg is responsible for compensation — even if a different airline marketed or sold the ticket. This is important for codeshare flights.

Which Airline Is Responsible?

This can get complicated with connections:

• Same airline, same booking: The airline is responsible. Straightforward.
• Different airlines, same booking (codeshare or interline): The airline that operated the delayed flight is typically responsible. However, you can often claim from the airline you booked with, who then settles internally.
• Alliance partners on one booking: Same principle — the operating carrier of the delayed leg bears responsibility, but the booking airline should assist.

If you're unsure who operated which leg, check your boarding pass or itinerary confirmation — it usually states the operating carrier.

What to Do When You Miss a Connection

At the Airport

1. Go to the airline's transfer desk immediately. Don't wait at the missed gate — find the airline's service counter or transfer assistance.
2. Request rebooking on the next available flight. The airline must rebook you at no cost (for single-booking connections).
3. Ask about other airlines. If the next flight on the same airline is hours away, ask about being rebooked on a competitor.
4. Get written confirmation of the missed connection and the reason for the delay on the first leg.
5. Claim your duty of care. If you're waiting hours for the next flight, the airline must provide meals and refreshments. For overnight waits, hotel accommodation.

After You Arrive

1. Calculate the total delay. Compare your actual arrival time at your final destination with the originally scheduled arrival time.
2. If the delay is 3+ hours, you have a compensation claim.
3. File your claim with the airline that operated the delayed leg (the first flight that caused you to miss the connection).
4. Include all documentation: original booking showing the connected itinerary, boarding passes, delay evidence, and receipts for any expenses.

Common Scenarios and Your Rights

Short Connection Time — Is the Airline Still Liable?

If the airline sold you a ticket with a 45-minute connection and you missed it because the first flight was 30 minutes late, the airline is still responsible. By selling you that itinerary, they accepted that the connection time was sufficient. The shortness of the connection is the airline's problem, not yours.

Three or More Flights on One Booking

For itineraries with multiple connections (e.g., Lisbon → Madrid → Munich → Warsaw), the same rule applies: delay at the final destination determines compensation. If a 30-minute delay on the first leg cascades through two connections and you arrive in Warsaw 5 hours late, you claim based on the 5-hour final delay.

Arriving at a Different Airport

If the airline rebooks you to a different airport than originally planned (e.g., to Paris CDG instead of Paris Orly), they must cover your transport costs to your original destination airport.

Overnight Missed Connection

If your rebooking is the next morning, the airline must provide hotel accommodation and transport. Don't let airlines tell you to "find your own hotel" — this is their legal obligation for single-booking connections.

Airlines' Favourite Excuses for Denying Connection Claims

"The Connection Time Was Too Short"

As discussed above, if the airline sold the itinerary, they accepted the connection time. This excuse doesn't hold up.

"It Was Weather at the Hub"

Weather can be an extraordinary circumstance, but only if it directly prevented flight operations. Brief weather holds that caused a 20-minute delay cascading into a missed connection may not qualify — especially if other flights operated normally during the same period.

"You Should Have Run Faster"

This isn't a joke — some airlines imply the passenger should have moved more quickly through the airport. The airline is responsible for the delay that caused the missed connection, not the passenger's walking speed.

"Your Connection Was on a Different Airline"

If it was all on one booking, the operating airlines have a joint responsibility. The airline that caused the delay can't hide behind the fact that the connection was operated by a partner.

Protect Yourself on Connecting Journeys

• Always book connections as a single itinerary when possible. This is the single best way to protect yourself.
• Allow generous connection times — especially at busy hubs like Frankfurt, Amsterdam, Paris CDG, or Istanbul.
• Avoid the last connection of the day. If you miss it and there's no rebooking until morning, you're in for an uncomfortable night — even if the airline provides a hotel.
• Have the airline's app installed with notifications enabled. You'll often learn about delays before the departure board updates.
• Carry essentials in your hand luggage. If you're rebooked and your checked bag doesn't make it, you'll want toiletries and a change of clothes.

File Your Missed Connection Claim

If you arrived at your final destination 3 or more hours late because of a missed connection on the same booking, you have a strong case for compensation. Check your eligibility now →

Need more information? Visit our FAQ for detailed answers about EU flight compensation, or browse our airline guides for carrier-specific advice.