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Does Travel Insurance Cover Missed Connecting Flights?
Team AckoJan 12, 2026
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Missing your connecting flight is one of the most stressful travel experiences, especially when you’re stuck in transit in a foreign country. That’s where travel insurance can be a real lifesaver. Depending on the reason for the delay, you may be eligible for a refund or reimbursement for rebooking and other related expenses.
Let’s take a look at how travel insurance cover works in such situations, what you can claim, and how to make the most of your policy.
Contents
- What is Missed Connecting Flights?
- Covered Reasons for Missed Connecting Flights
- What Expenses Will Travel Insurance Cover For Missed Connecting Flights?
- What Expenses Will Travel Insurance Not Cover For Missed Connecting Flights?
- How to Make a Claim for a Missed Flight?
- Can I Get A Refund If I Miss My Flight?
- Travel Insurance Scenarios for Different Airlines
- Can You Raise a Claim If You Missed a Connecting Flight From a Different Airline?
- Conclusion
- Frequently Asked Questions
What is Missed Connecting Flights?
A missed connecting flight happens when your first flight is delayed, cancelled, or changes its route, causing you to miss your next scheduled flight. It can happen because of a number of reasons, like:
Airline delays or technical issues
Bad weather conditions
Airport congestion
Late arrivals due to security checks or immigration queues
Covered Reasons for Missed Connecting Flights
Travel insurance may cover missed connecting flights but it depends on your policy and the reason for missing the connection. Let’s take a quick look at how it works
Scenario | Is It Covered | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
Your first flight was cancelled or delayed because of airline problems, bad weather, technical issues, etc. | Covered usually | Most insurance companies see these as real reasons for reimbursement. |
You missed the flight because you overslept or arrived late | Not covered | Situations within your control generally aren’t eligible for reimbursement. |
You were stuck in a long immigration or security queue | It might depend on the policy you have | Some insurers might make an exception if you can prove that the delay was not your fault. |
Your connecting flights were booked on different tickets | Usually not covered | Most policies only apply when all your flights are part of one single booking. |
What Expenses Will Travel Insurance Cover For Missed Connecting Flights?
Depending on your plan, the benefits of travel insurance include:
Alternate Travel Arrangements: Reimbursement for rebooking the missed connection or arranging a new flight.
Accommodation and Meals: If you’re stuck because of a delay, your policy might cover things like hotel stays, food, and local transport expenses.
Missed Tour or Event Costs: Some policies reimburse non-refundable bookings for tours, events, or hotels you missed because of the delay.
Extended Coverage for Trip Delay: When you’re stuck waiting for too long, some insurers even pay a set amount for every extra hour of delay.
What Expenses Will Travel Insurance Not Cover For Missed Connecting Flights?
There are certain expenses that usually fall outside its coverage and knowing these upfront can help you plan better and avoid claim surprises later. Here’s what’s usually not covered:
Standby or unconfirmed tickets: Claims are usually accepted only for confirmed bookings. Standby tickets or unconfirmed reservations aren’t eligible for compensation.
Fare differences or seat upgrades: If you book a higher-class seat or a more expensive fare for the replacement flight, only the original ticket cost is eligible for reimbursement.
Personal or leisure expenses during the gap: Costs like shopping, spa visits, entertainment, or other non-essential spending while waiting for your next flight aren’t covered.
Unrelated additional transport or accommodation: If you choose to travel elsewhere or stay longer for personal reasons after missing your connecting flight, those costs won’t be reimbursed.
How to Make a Claim for a Missed Flight?
Here's what you need to do to make a claim for a missed flight
Step 1: Inform your insurer immediately
If it looks like you’re going to miss your connection, let your insurer know as soon as possible. You can either do this through the helpline on their website or mobile app.
Step 2: Keep proof ready
Keep your boarding passes, airline delay confirmation, booking reference numbers, and receipts. These documents are important to get your claim approved.
Step 3: Submit your claim online
Most insurers let you file and track claims digitally. Just upload your documents, explain what happened, and submit your claim within the timeframe that's mentioned in your policy.
Step 4: Wait for approval
Once your claim is reviewed and approved, the insurance company will transfer the eligible amount directly to your account.
Read More: How does Flight cancellation insurance work?
Can I Get A Refund If I Miss My Flight?
Missing a flight can leave you wondering whether or not you’ll get any money back, and the answer depends on what caused the missed connecting flight and what your insurance covers.
When You Might Get a Refund
If your missed connecting flight was caused by a delay, cancellation, or technical issue with your previous flight.
When your policy includes missed connecting flight benefits that cover rebooking fees, meals, or short hotel stays.
When You Won’t Get a Refund
If the missed connecting flight was due to personal reasons, for example, arriving late, oversleeping, or misreading the schedule.
For flights booked separately under different PNRs, as airlines and insurers usually don’t cover the second leg.
If you were marked as a no-show, since airlines rarely refund unless the disruption was their fault.
Travel Insurance Scenarios for Different Airlines
Buying travel insurance for different airlines significantly depends on the type of booking, such as:
Single Ticket - Through-Booked Flights
When you book all of your flights on one ticket, the airline is usually responsible for delays or missed connections. In these situations, travel insurance usually gives you extra or secondary benefits.
Separate Tickets - Self-Transfer Flights
If you book your flights separately, neither airline is responsible for a missed connection. You need travel insurance that covers missed connections on self-transfer bookings to stay safe.
Moreover, the coverage in such scenarios depends on the following:
Reason for Delay: Claims are usually valid only if the delay is caused by a covered event, such as bad weather or a mechanical issue.
Minimum Connection Time (MCT): Many policies require you to meet the airport’s official MCT to qualify for coverage.
Policy Terms: Always check definitions of “missed connection” and “covered reasons” in the policy wording.
Read More: Can I Buy Travel Insurance Today for My Trip Starting Tomorrow?
Can You Raise a Claim If You Missed a Connecting Flight From a Different Airline?
You might still be able to make a claim even if your connecting flight is with a different airline, provided the delay meets the minimum number of hours mentioned in your Certificate of Insurance.
There is no standard ‘3-hour rule’; eligibility depends entirely on the delay threshold specified in your policy. However, if connecting flights are booked on separate tickets or with different airlines, some insurers may reject the claim, as such bookings are often treated as separate journeys.
That said, certain policies, such as ACKO’s international travel insurance, offer benefits like Missed Carrier or Missed Connection, which may still apply if the defined delay conditions and documentation requirements are fulfilled.
Conclusion
Missing a connecting flight can easily leave you disheartened. It throws off not only your plans but also your mood leaving you upset even before the trip has begun. But having a safety net in place means you have a safety net and you don’t have to deal with the stress alone. A good insurance plan can help you recover unexpected costs, reschedule your journey, and get back on track.
Frequently Asked Questions
If I have two connecting flights and I miss both, will both be reimbursed?
If all your flights are on a single booking and you miss them due to a covered reason, you might be reimbursed for the resulting costs. But if they’re on separate tickets, only the first missed connection is usually covered.
Can I Buy Travel Insurance If I Have Connecting Flights with Different Airlines?
Yes, you can buy travel insurance for connecting flights even if your journey involves different airlines. Claims depends entirely on the delay limits, conditions, and coverage benefits defined in your policy wording.
Do airline companies compensate you if you miss a connecting flight from a different airline due to a delay caused by them?
No, the airlines only compensate you for losing your connecting flight if you had booked the connecting flight from the same airline and not two different airlines
Does travel insurance cover the loss caused by missed paid events due to the loss of a connecting flight?
Yes, many insurers cover prepaid events under Missed Event, provided the delay meets policy conditions and the event was not cancelled by the organiser.
Disclaimer: The content on this page is generic and shared only for informational and explanatory purposes. It is based on several secondary sources on the internet, and is subject to changes.
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