What happens if you miss a connecting flight on United Airlines?

What happens if your United Airlines flight is delayed and you miss your connecting flight? In general, they will make a best effort to book you on the next available flight or place you on the stand by list for the next flight to that destination.



If you miss a connecting flight on United Airlines due to a delay that was the airline's fault (like a mechanical issue or crew scheduling), United is responsible for rebooking you on the next available flight to your destination at no extra cost. In 2026, the United app will often automatically push a notification with your new itinerary before you even land. If the next flight is not until the following day, United is required to provide you with a hotel voucher and meal credits. However, if you missed the flight due to a personal reason (like being distracted in a lounge) or a "force majeure" event like weather, the airline is not legally obligated to provide a hotel, though they will still help you rebook. If you are a high-tier MileagePlus member, you may have "Priority Standby" for the next departure. If the delay is significant and you choose not to travel, you may be entitled to a full refund under US DOT rules. It is always best to speak with a "Customer Service" agent at a United Premier desk or use the "Agent on Demand" feature in the app to see your options for switching to a different airport or a partner airline if the delay looks set to last several hours.

People Also Ask

What should I do if I miss my connection? You just arrived at your connecting airport and seen that your next flight has already left without you. In most cases you have the right to be rebooked on the next available flight, or ask for a refund and flight back to your point of departure.

MORE DETAILS

What happens if a flight is delayed and you miss your connection? If you miss your connection due to a delay, usually the airline is responsible for providing you with a replacement flight to your destination. They will have to book you on the earliest possible flight available.

MORE DETAILS

AIRLINES OWE YOU NOTHING IN CASE OF A MISSED CONNECTION IF YOU BUILT A MULTI-TICKET ITINERARY YOURSELF. If you have combined two separate purchases and you miss your connection, you will have to buy another ticket to replace the one you missed, at your own expense. It's as simple as that.

MORE DETAILS

If you missed your flight connection due to your previous flight being delayed or canceled, you will likely be booked on the next flight free of charge. The airline is also required to provide you with care, including food, refreshments, and access to communication.

MORE DETAILS

Skipping the first leg of a connecting flight is usually a bad idea. Whenever a passenger doesn't show up for the first leg of a connecting flight, the airline cancels all the other upcoming flights on the same ticket for that passenger. This also applies to any other leg of the flight that isn't the last one.

MORE DETAILS

While not illegal, intentionally skipping segments on an itinerary does almost always violates airlines' contracts of carriage. For example, American's contract of carriage says this: Reservations made to exploit or circumvent fare and ticket rules are prohibited.

MORE DETAILS

The recommended layover time for international flights is generally longer, as you will have to go through customs and immigration before boarding your next flight. In most cases, a 30-minute layover for domestic flights and an hour for international flights is considered a minimum, or short, layover.

MORE DETAILS

Ever miss a flight due to a tight connection? United Airlines says it will hold the plane for you—at least at a few airports, anyway. The airline is rolling out technology to several more airports this summer that will help customers make those inevitable tight connections.

MORE DETAILS

United: 30-minute minimum for domestic, 60 minutes for international.

MORE DETAILS

What is a good connection time? Travel advisers say there's a lot to take into account when booking connecting flights, but a general rule of thumb is 60-90 minutes between domestic flights and at least two to three hours for international itineraries.

MORE DETAILS

While skiplagging isn't illegal, American Airlines filed a civil lawsuit earlier this month against Skiplagged.com, accusing the company of unauthorized and deceptive ticketing practices and tricking customers into believing they've gained access to a secret loophole.

MORE DETAILS

No. According the fare rules of almost all airlines, they will cancel all subsequent legs if you miss the first one. You can do so, but you would have to call the airline to let them know or else they will cancel the entire flight.

MORE DETAILS

Throwaway ticketing is purchasing a ticket with the intent to use only a portion of the included travel. This situation may arise when a passenger wants to travel only one way, but where the discounted round-trip excursion fare is cheaper than a one-way ticket.

MORE DETAILS

It's not against the law. But it is a violation of the contract of carriage you entered into when you bought your ticket. Many people do this. It's called “Hidden City Ticketing” and it's a practice that should be used lightly because the airline will just ban you in the future if you do this too much.

MORE DETAILS

While these terms are often used interchangeably, they are not the same thing. A layover is the time you spend at the airport between two flights. A connecting flight is the next flight in your itinerary that you're waiting at the airport to take.

MORE DETAILS

The recommended layover time for international flights is generally longer, as you will have to go through customs and immigration before boarding your next flight. In most cases, a 30-minute layover for domestic flights and an hour for international flights is considered a minimum, or short, layover.

MORE DETAILS

Travel advisers say there's a lot to take into account when booking connecting flights, but a general rule of thumb is 60-90 minutes between domestic flights and at least two to three hours for international itineraries.

MORE DETAILS