Missed connection compensation: up to €600 on one booking
A delay on one leg makes you miss the next flight. If you land late at your final stop, EU261 or UK261 may owe you fixed compensation. It usually turns on whether it was all one booking.
Checked by the FlightCompensations editorial team
Last updated 1 July 2026 · Editorial & corrections policy
Does missed connecting flight compensation apply to you?
Key takeaways
- The connection normally must be on the same booking (a single reservation) for EU261 / UK261 to cover the whole journey.
- Eligibility is measured by how late you arrive at your final destination, not the individual leg.
- Amounts are €250, €400 or €600 based on the total distance to the final destination.
- It matters which segment caused the problem and whether that carrier was covered by the regulation.
- Self-transfers, where you buy separate tickets, are usually not protected as a single journey.
When does missed connection compensation apply?
May qualify for compensation
- All connecting flights were booked as a single reservation (one booking reference / protected connection).
- A delay to an earlier segment caused you to miss the onward connection.
- You reached your final destination 3 or more hours later than originally scheduled.
- The journey started in the EU/EEA or UK, or was operated into the EU/EEA by an EU carrier or into the UK by a UK or EU carrier.
- The cause was within the operating airline's control, not an extraordinary circumstance.
Usually excluded
- Self-transfer itineraries booked as separate tickets, where the airlines had no obligation to protect the connection.
- Final-destination arrival less than 3 hours late despite the missed connection.
- Missed connections caused by genuinely extraordinary circumstances the airline could not avoid.
- Journeys with no qualifying EU/EEA or UK departure or arrival under the regulations.
- Connections missed because you arrived at the gate late or did not meet the minimum connection time on a separate ticket.
Which rules apply to your flight?
EU Regulation 261/2004 treats a single booking as one journey to the final destination. A missed connection therefore turns on the total arrival delay there (Folkerts, C-11/11).
It covers connections departing an EU/EEA airport on any airline, and connections arriving in the EU/EEA where the operating carrier is an EU/EEA airline. The operating carrier of the segment that caused the delay is usually responsible.
How much compensation can you get?
EU261 / UK261 compensation by total journey distance
| Flight | Amount |
|---|---|
| Up to 1,500 km | €250 |
| 1,500–3,500 km (and all intra-EU over 1,500 km) | €400 |
| Over 3,500 km | €600 |
Distance is measured to your final destination, not per leg. Amounts are per passenger and illustrative until we verify eligibility.
How do you go after connecting flight delay compensation?
- 1Confirm all legs were on one booking reference (a single reservation).
- 2Note the original scheduled arrival and your actual arrival at the final destination.
- 3Ask the airline, in writing, why the first segment was delayed.
- 4Keep boarding passes for every leg, including the connection you missed.
- 5Keep receipts for any meals, refreshments or accommodation.
Which documents should you keep?
How do you claim?
- 1Enter the flight details of the leg that was delayed to get a preliminary assessment.
- 2Add your full itinerary and any boarding passes or documents you have.
- 3We prepare and submit the claim to the operating carrier and follow up.
- 4If we recover compensation, you receive the airline's award and pay our fixed €39 fee.
Frequently asked questions
I missed my connection because my first flight was late — can I claim?
If both flights sat on ONE booking, the law judges the delay at your final destination. A short first-leg delay still counts in full. Land 3+ hours late at the end, and you can claim for the whole trip (Air France v Folkerts). Separate tickets are judged flight by flight.
Do my flights have to be on the same booking?
Usually yes. If the legs are on one reservation, EU261 / UK261 treats the trip as a single journey to the final destination. Separate tickets (self-transfer) are generally not protected as one journey.
Which airline is responsible?
Generally the operating carrier of the segment that caused the delay, even on a codeshare where a different airline sold the ticket.
How is the amount calculated?
By the total distance from your first departure airport to your final destination, then applying the €250 / €400 / €600 bands.
The connection was missed by only a few minutes — does that matter?
What matters is how late you ultimately arrived at your final destination. If that delay is 3 hours or more and the cause was within the airline's control, it may qualify.
Sources
- Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 — the regulation itself, in every EU language
- Air France v Folkerts (C-11/11) — the delay is measured at the final destination, not the missed leg
- UK Civil Aviation Authority — passenger rights — the UK regulator's own guidance and complaint route
Does your flight qualify?
Free in about 15 seconds. You receive the airline's compensation and pay only our fixed €39 fee after success.
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