Missed your flight? Here’s what to do

Editor’s Note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers.

Although TPG reporters are frequent travelers, sometimes we miss our flights. Therefore, it is important to have a backup plan.

Whether it’s you or the airline that cancels the flight, you should take steps to minimize the possible risk.

I missed my flight. What should I do next?

After you miss your flight, ask the airline about rebooking on another flight:

• Do you charge a rebooking fee to board a new flight?
• Do I have to pay any fare difference for the new booking?

You can rebook your flight without penalty thanks to “flat tire rule,” varies by airline:

• American Airlines: A passenger arriving within two hours of the scheduled departure time can be rebooked to the next flight as a backup passenger without paying a change fee or fare difference, according to the broadcaster. AA’s language.
• Delta airlines: Delta treats these situations on a case-by-case basis, so customers are advised to speak to an airport agent to explain their situation. Delta will then determine if it resets them, according to a Delta spokesperson.
• Blue Jet: JetBlue says you will lose your non-refundable portion of your ticket if you miss your flight. However, airlines often allow passengers who have missed their flight to wait for their next flight for free.
• Southwest Airlines: Southwest passengers can change or cancel flights without penalty prior to departure, but they will have to pay the difference in fare. Its flat tire rule is suitable for passengers arriving within two hours of scheduled departure on the next available flight.
• Unified airlines: United passengers can rebook if they contact the airline or arrive at the airport within 30 minutes of their scheduled departure time.

Once you have identified any rebooking fees, look for the next flight to your destination and see if the confirmed seats are available.

If space is not available, ask to be placed on the waitlist. Many airlines will let you wait for your next flight for free if you miss your flight. You should explain your situation and ask the gate staff to add you to the waiting list.

Here are the fallback policies for major US carriers:

• American: AA’s Contingency Policy allows customers to wait for an earlier flight for free, although only AAdvantage members can wait for a later flight on the same day. In addition, new flights must meet certain rules. For example, that flight must depart on the same day, take the same route as your original flight, and have the same number of stops.
• Delta: As per Delta policy, passengers can wait for an earlier flight for free if they cannot confirm their seat on the same day on the new flight.
• Blue Jet: For $75, JetBlue passengers can request a same-day standby on any sold-out flights between the same cities on the same calendar day as their original flight, based on availability.
• Southwest: No same day waiting fee for any Southwest fare, excluding Wanna Get Away fares; passengers purchasing Wanna Get Away tickets must pay any difference in fare. Alternatively, you can request this up to 10 minutes before your original scheduled departure time.
• unified: United passengers can wait for an earlier flight within 24 hours for free.

While most of the airlines above offer free waiting, the price of same-day changes varies by airline. It can be waived for holders of elite status.

Related: Here’s how TPG staff overcome long wait times and get airline support quickly

What other options do I have if I cannot rebook on my original airline?

Try rebooking on a low-cost airline

If the airline can’t or won’t serve you, consider buying a low-cost airline ticket, such as Spirit or Frontier. You can find cheaper, last-minute, one-way flights this way.

Assuming you’ve booked two one-way tickets, the return flight will remain intact, but double-check that your original airline cancels the entire journey if you miss your first flight. In that case, consider booking two one-way flights.

Try using your miles to book last minute tickets

If you have miles, try to book a last-minute reward flight. Most airlines have eliminated the late-booking fee, and some are well known for freeing up last-minute bonus space for seats that would otherwise be full.

Try finding cheap deals through loyalty programs that use dynamic pricing, such as United MileagePlus, Delta SkyMiles And American ALAdvantage.

Or, quickly search for programs with award charts to see if there are savings prize slots available. If you miss your short-haul domestic flight, try booking a United flight with Avianca Life Miles or US and Alaska flights with British Aviation Avios.

Note that some partner programs may not allow you to book award tickets of the day. For example, Etihad guests requires all partner award tickets to be issued at least 24 hours prior to departure.

Take a flight at a later date

If neither of the above suggestions work, reschedule your flight for another time.

What should I do when the airline cancels my flight?

An airline can cancel or delay your flight for a variety of reasons, from staff shortages to weather, causing you to miss your original flight and any connecting flights.

Here are five steps to take when that happens:

Contact the airline as soon as possible

In the event of a flight delay or cancellation, talk to airline staff (ideally at the border) about rebooking you for a new flight. If many other travelers try to do the same, try rebooking a new flight through the airline’s mobile app.

If the first two options fail, you can call the airline; you may experience a similar delay though. One way to deal with long wait times is to call the airline’s customer service team in another country. Those agents usually don’t have the same number of calls as the local agents. If you’re worried about international calling rates, try using Google Voice.

Finally, you can find help at the airline lounge, where sometimes agents can assist with your flight needs.

Double-check your credit card benefits

Many travel credit cards included flight delay, interruption and cancellation benefits to protect you in this case. Contact the card issuer from which you purchased your ticket to determine if/when your benefits take effect.

Usually, your flight has to be delayed for a certain number of hours to be protected. However, it’s still a good idea to talk to your credit card issuer before that deadline to determine what, if any, they’ll reimburse you.

For example, if one of the benefits is that your credit card will refund you for staying at a hotel near the airport, you may be more agreeable with the airline booking your flight the next day.

Each airline has its own policy to know when and how travelers can reclaim their checked baggage if they miss their flight.

Airlines will attempt to reroute your baggage to your new flight’s final destination.

If you or the airline cancel your flight or if you miss your connecting flight, checked baggage will return to the airline’s baggage claim area where you can collect them.

Some airlines, including Delta and United, allow you to track your luggage in real time through their apps, so download it.

For even more peace of mind, consider purchasing and using Apple AirTags, to track your bag via Bluetooth.

When your flight is canceled or significantly delayed for reasons beyond your control, such as weather or Operation problem, ask the airline for compensation. our reading tips guide on how to claim any additional costs you may incur.

However, US federal law only requires airlines to compensate passengers who completely cancel their flights as a result of a canceled flight. US Department of Transportation determine whether a delayed flight warrants a refund on a case-by-case basis.

bottom line

While it’s not ideal to miss a flight, you can still rebook a new flight that same day.

When you miss your flight, your first priority should be to rebook for a new flight. You can do this with the help of your airline, or do it yourself through the airline’s app or customer service portal. If you cannot get your confirmed seat on your next flight, ask the airline to add you to the waiting list. Most airlines will allow you to wait for free on a later flight.

If you can’t rebook a new flight with your original carrier, look for alternative flights on a low-cost airline or use your miles to book last minute.

Whether you miss your flight or your airline cancels your flight, your carrier will make every effort to reroute any checked baggage to your final destination or baggage claim point. carrier at your departure airport, depending on the situation.

In either case, acting as quickly as possible will save your trip and secure your next seat on the upcoming flight.

Additional reporting by Lee Huffman and Kyle Olsen.