What to do if you miss your flight

The first time you miss a flight will possibly be a little awkward, likely very confusing and will probably put a damper on your getaway – to begin with, at least. Luckily, our handy guide will help you recover from your missed flight woes and get your holiday back on track in no time.

From rebooking to refunds, here’s what you need to know if you miss your flight.

What should I do if I think I'll miss my flight?

If it’s looking like you're going to miss your flight, call your airline immediately. Whether you’ve left for the airport late, have had an unfortunate flat tire or unreliable public transport means you’ll cut it too fine, the sooner you alert your airline, the more chance it has to solve the issue.

In some cases, airlines could cancel your whole ticket if you miss one part of the flight, including any subsequent flights on the same itinerary such as your return journey. This can happen as part of an airline’s ‘no show’ policy – a part of their contracts of carriage terms for when a ticketed passenger does not board their outbound flight.

Calling ahead may help to ensure you are not deemed a ‘no show’ passenger and can improve your chances of getting a seat on the next flight.

I’ve missed my flight! What happens now?

Putting aside missed connections for now (we’ll get to this later), you will probably be in one of two situations: either you’ve made it through security and are rushing to your gate or you’re barely in the departures hall.

If it’s the former and boarding has closed while you’re still airside, you’ll need to tell airport staff. While they won’t have the power to stop the plane, your airline will be notified of the mix-up and you’ll be taken back into the arrivals hall – this process is called decontrolling.

The latter is a little easier – and a little less embarrassing. You can either give up and go home (not likely!) or talk to your airline to see what they can do to get you in the sky.

Missed flight due to traffic

Unfortunately, if you have missed your flight due to traffic congestion or public transport delays on the way to the airport, you will be deemed at fault for the error and your airline isn’t required to help. Your airline may be able to rebook you on a later flight, subject to availability and fees, and you will not be entitled to any form of compensation from the airline for your missed flight.

Missed flight due to airport queues

Similarly, if you miss your flight as a result of airport queues, whether that’s at check-in or security, your airline will not be held liable or provide a refund, even if you arrived at the airport on time. Most airlines should be able to help you rebook onto an alternative flight, but again, this will be subject to availability and cancellation fees.

Missed flight due to illness or medical emergency

In the unfortunate situation that you’ve missed your flight due to an illness or medical emergency, you may be able to claim a refund for your flight – depending on your airline’s policies and at its discretion. You will have to provide medical documents to prove that you couldn’t fly due to illness or injury for this claim to be successful.

If your airline won’t provide any compensation, your travel insurance policy should cover missed departures due to unforeseen illness.

Can I rebook a missed flight?

There’s no guarantee that you’ll be allocated a seat on a same-day departure with your airline if you miss your flight.

In some circumstances, you may be put on a reserve or standby list, ready to go in the place of the next unlucky traveller who missed their plane. But if you’re travelling on a popular route, such as London to Rome, it may be easier to rebook on a later flight for a confirmed seat.

Be aware that if you’ve missed your flight through personal fault, airlines are not obliged to put you on the next flight for free. However, there are plenty of tales of travellers who managed to negotiate their way onto a flight for little-to-no extra cost – the consensus here is that a little kindness can go a long way in getting what you want. Plus, if you don’t ask, you don’t get.

Of course, if the airline can’t or won’t budge, you’ll need to look to other airlines for a last-minute flight to your destination. Asking around at the desks can be helpful, but remember to check prices online, too; you might be able to find something cheaper through an online booking agent than directly through the airline in the departures hall.

Do I have to pay for a full ticket if I miss my flight?

Last-minute tickets can be pricey and airlines have different rules as to how much you’ll need to pay for a missed flight. Some low-cost carriers, for example, offer a ‘missed departure’ or ‘rescue’ fee.

Take Ryanair, for example. If you miss your flight with the Irish airline but make it to the desk up to one hour after your plane leaves, a €100/£100 fee per passenger will get you onto the next available flight. On Wizz Air, the missed departure fee is €80 (£69). Aer Lingus charges €75 (£65) for the service and easyJet’s ‘rescue fee’ will put you out £110 if you arrive no later than two hours after your original scheduled departure. It’s always worth a look online though – you might find a flight in the next few hours that’s even lower than these fees.

It’s also worth noting that some airlines’ standard practice is to cancel return tickets if you miss your outbound departure. A Which? report in 2019 accused airlines including British Airways and Virgin Atlantic of unfair ‘no show’ clauses, resulting in some passengers being stranded abroad after missing their original outbound plane and having to fork out for new return flight tickets.

It doesn’t help that some legacy carriers are less forward with their policies over missed departures. Virgin Atlantic’s current conditions of carriage state that if a passenger does not show up for a booked flight nor physically presents themselves to airport staff on the day of departure, tickets “may not be valid, may not be honoured and we may cancel your return or onward flights.”

However, if you do present yourself to airport staff on the scheduled day of departure, the airline states that they will “book you onto the next available Virgin Atlantic flight at no extra charge and will not cancel your return or onward journeys.” So, as with any travel, it pays to read terms carefully to clarify exactly what you need to do to get your holiday back on track.

Can I get a refund for a missed flight?

Unfortunately, if you’ve missed your flight through a fault of your own, you will not receive a refund from your airline.

Generally, the only time you will get your money back is if the airline cancels your flight. The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) advises that for travel to or within the EU, airlines are responsible for getting you on their next available flight or returning your money for all parts of an unused ticket.

Additionally, if you are given less than seven days’ notice of the cancellation and still choose to fly on an alternative flight, you may be able to claim up to £520 in compensation. This depends on the length of your flight (whether it is short-, medium- or long-haul) as well as the length of your delay.

Does travel insurance cover missed flights?

As with any other aspect of travel, your travel insurance policy will vary in the level of cover it provides for a missed flight. Often, this is an add-on to a standard policy or provided within more comprehensive policies.

Again, if you’ve overslept or didn’t leave enough time to get to the airport and through security, it is nearly impossible to claim compensation for missing your flight. Anything outside your control, such as public transport delays, a broken-down vehicle, unexpected traffic due to a road accident or breakdown and adverse weather conditions, are usually valid reasons for a claim.

InsureandGo’s Black Travel Insurance Policy, for example, will cover up to £1,500 for missed departures “as a result of public transport services failing (due to poor weather conditions, a strike, industrial action or a mechanical breakdown) or the vehicle you are travelling in being stuck in traffic, involved in an accident or having a mechanical breakdown.”

Barclays will also cover up to £10,000 for unexpected travel costs “if your plans are disrupted (like missing a connecting flight because the transit airport is closed, or your flight is diverted)” with their Travel Pack Worldwide Travel Insurance policy, while Covered2Go’s Platinum Single Trip policy will cover up to £2,000 for a missed departure or connection due to the failure of public transport, vehicle accident or breakdown, strike action or adverse weather conditions.

With all policies, you will need to provide evidence such as pictures, delay verifications from public transport providers or a road incident report to support your claim.

Your policy will not cover a missed flight caused by the airline. In this case, it is up to your airline to provide compensation and get your holiday back on track by finding an alternative flight.

What do I do if I miss a connecting flight?

Did delays on your first flight cause you to miss your connection? The way you booked your ticket will determine what happens next.

For travellers who booked from A to C via B on a single ticket, it is up to the airline to arrange another flight. However, if you or your travel agent booked A to B on one ticket, then B to C on another, it is your responsibility to find another flight.

Whether you can claim compensation for the first leg depends on the length of your delay. The CAA says the same conditions apply to missed connection as they do to regular flight delays.

Missed flight due to weather

If you missed your connecting flight due to the weather, your airline is responsible for booking you onto the next available flight. You will not be able to claim compensation in such circumstances as airlines are not held liable for flight delays due to adverse or dangerous weather conditions.

Missed flight due to short layover

Similarly, airlines should book you onto the next possible flight free of charge if you miss a connecting flight as a result of a short layover, providing that your connecting flight is part of the same single ticket. As this is deemed a fault of the airline for not allowing you enough time to board your connecting flight, you may be able to claim compensation.

Missed flight due to previous cancellations or delays

In the event that you have missed your connecting flight because of your previous flight being cancelled or delayed, your airline should book you on the next available flight. They are also responsible for providing you with care, such as food vouchers and overnight accommodation, depending on the length of the delay between the next flight. You may be able to claim compensation if the airline is deemed liable for the cancellation or delay of your previous flight.

What if I’ve booked through a tour operator?

Package holidays will take care of everything from your flights and hotel to your airport transfers. Thanks to ATOL protection, they’ll also take care of you if any element of your holiday doesn’t go to plan. This includes missing your flight if a tour-operated transfer runs late.

They are also responsible for arranging overnight accommodation if you miss the final flight of the day.

What happens to my checked luggage when I miss a flight?

Those who can manage to fly with hand luggage only will have one less thing to worry about here. Because you may have missed your flight, but your checked luggage certainly didn’t!

If your bags have flown without you, call ahead and let your airline know – they will safely store your belongings until you are reunited.

Should I claim the taxes back for my missed flight?

If you do not take a booked flight, you can claim back the Air Passenger Duty tax paid as part of your ticket. This varies on the length of your trip and the class of your ticket, ranging from £13 for Band A flights less than 2,000 miles on the lowest class ticket to £601 for Band C flights over 5,500 miles for a higher rate.

You will need to contact your airline’s customer service or fill out online forms to get your money back. You may be charged for this service so check that the fees don’t cost more than the tax itself.

*Please note: all prices and conversions quoted were correct at the time of writing.