Do you have to pay if you miss a connecting flight?

Will I be charged if I miss my connecting flight?

Missed a connecting flight, huh? Yeah, been there. Totally sucks. If the airline messed up, like, canceled your first flight or it was super late, you’re usually good. They’ll stick you on the next one. No extra charge. But…if you were, you know, late to the gate, totally your bad…then yeah, you gotta pay. Happened to me once. Going to Denver, flight from Chicago was delayed. Barely made it, whew. But this other time, going to my sister’s wedding in Charleston, SC, totally spaced and missed the connection in Atlanta. My fault. Had to buy a whole new ticket. Ouch.

• Airline’s fault (delay, cancellation): They rebook you, free. It’s their responsibility. Get on that customer service line though, it can be a wait.
• Your fault (missed the gate, overslept): Gotta pay. Sometimes they’ll give you a “discounted” fare, but it still stings. Check the airline’s specific policy. Like, Southwest is usually pretty chill.
• Pro-tip: Download the airline’s app! Get real-time updates. Saves you the headache. I use the Delta one all the time now.

Are you covered if you miss a connecting flight?

Ugh, connecting flights. Stress. Pure stress. My flight to Denver last year? Cancelled. Completely screwed me. Missed my cruise. Cost me a fortune.

Airlines are jerks, right? They should pay. Definitely should. They messed up my vacation. Travel insurance? Waste of money for that, apparently. Unless it’s something else entirely. Like, a medical emergency. That’s covered, I think.

Airlines are responsible if their fault caused the missed connection. Cancelled flight? Their problem. Seriously. They have to sort it. Reschedule. Hotel if needed. Compensation is a must.

But if you are late… that’s on you. Missed your connecting flight because you were buying overpriced airport coffee? Tough luck. I learned that lesson the hard way. I totally needed that extra-large latte, though. Maybe.

• Delayed flights – Airline’s fault, usually.
• Cancelled flights – Always the airline’s responsibility.
• Mechanical issues – Yep, their problem.
• Overbooking – Seriously? So unfair! Their fault. Get compensated.
• Your fault (e.g., late)? No help here. Boo hoo.

So, bottom line? Check your flight status obsessively before leaving for the airport. I’m a little paranoid now. And don’t get sucked into that overpriced airport coffee vortex! Learned my lesson there. Seriously. Never again. And the cruise…. next year it’s on.

Is there a penalty for not getting on a connecting flight?

Night… quiet. Thinking about… flights. Missed connections. Lost money. It stings. Remember that trip to Denver… 2023… supposed to go through Phoenix. Stayed in Phoenix though. Needed the break.

• Ticket… wasted. Gone.
• They cancelled the rest of my itinerary. Denver leg. Just… gone. Poof.
• Miles… gone too. Loyalty program… pointless if they take them back. Which they did. All of them.
• Hit me with a fee, too. Don’t remember how much. Enough to hurt.

Airline… didn’t care. Rules are rules. My reasons… irrelevant. They’re a business. I get it. Still hurts. Especially late at night. Ugh. Lesson learned. Pay for the direct flight next time. Even if it’s more. Worth it. Just… thinking out loud. To the empty room.

Can I just not take my connecting flight?

Ugh, LAX. 2023. Stuck. Delayed flight to Chicago. Meant I’d miss my connection to Milwaukee. Screw it. Called my brother. Pick me up in Chicago. Done. Airline cancelled the Milwaukee leg. No refund. Lost money. Worth it. Chicago deep dish pizza with my brother? Priceless.

• Missed flight on purpose. LAX to Chicago. Original destination: Milwaukee.
• Airline: United. No names. No snitching.
• Lost the money for the Chicago-Milwaukee leg. Travel insurance? Nope. Didn’t cover this. My fault.
• Brother picked me up. Drove from Milwaukee. Three hours. Each way. Legend.
• Deep dish pizza. Lou Malnati’s. Butter crust. So. Good.

Honestly, sometimes plans change. Worth the hassle. Wouldn’t do it all the time. But sometimes, gotta do what you gotta do. Pizza. Family. You know.

• Date: Early July 2023. Hot. Sticky.
• Reason: Delay. Hours. Not dealing with it.
• Cost: About $150. Chicago-Milwaukee.
• Benefit: Saw my brother. Ate great pizza. Skipped a crappy regional jet.
• Regret: None. Zero. Zilch.

This was worth it. Next time, I might just book a one-way. Though honestly, who knows.

• Future plans: Maybe one-way tickets? More spontaneous trips? Probably not. Too expensive.
• Learned my lesson? Sort of. But not really.
• Would I do it again? Yeah, probably. If the situation was right.

Ugh, thinking about that pizza again. Maybe road trip to Chicago soon…