A connecting flight is a flight that allows you to reach your final destination by making a stopover and transferring to another flight — under the same booking reservation. Flight Connections are common when no direct route exists between your departure and arrival airports.
Learn More About the Definition of "Connecting Flight"
When a passenger travels from Lisbon to Berlin via Paris, for example, the second leg (Paris → Berlin) is the connecting flight.
Both flights are part of the same journey and single booking reference (PNR), meaning that the airline is responsible for ensuring you reach your final destination — even if one leg is operated by a partner airline (a codeshare).
A connecting flight can be:
- Domestic or international
- Operated by the same airline or different partners
- Short (under 2 hours between flights) or long layover (6+ hours or overnight)
If the first flight is delayed or cancelled and causes you to miss the connection, EU261/UK261 treats this as one continuous journey — and compensation is based on the delay at your final destination, not at the intermediate airport.
When does a Connecting Flight apply?
Your connecting flight becomes crucial in the following situations:
- Missed connection: Your first flight arrived late, and you missed the next one.
- Re-routing: The airline rebooked you on another route or carrier to reach your final destination.
- Baggage delay: Your luggage didn’t make the transfer and arrived later.
- Compensation rights: If your total delay at the final destination exceeds 3 hours, and the cause was within the airline’s control, you may be entitled to compensation under EU261/UK261.
- Jurisdiction: Even if part of the trip is outside the EU/UK, you might still be covered if the journey started in the EU/UK or was operated by an EU/UK carrier.
Why it matters?
Understanding what is a flight connectin helps you know your rights when things go wrong. Many passengers wrongly assume that missing a connection due to delay means no compensation — but under EU law, the whole itinerary counts.
How does AireClaim help with a Connecting Flight ?
AireClaim analyses your entire journey, not just one leg. If your connection was missed, we:
- Check both flights’ timelines and causes of delay
- Retrieve operational data and weather reports
- Determine legal responsibility under EU261/UK261
- Handle all correspondence and legal escalation if needed
You only pay a success fee if we win.
- Start here: Check eligibility & start your flight claim
- Read more: Missed Connection Compensation Guide
FAQs about What is a Connecting Flight
Yes — if your journey started in the EU/UK or the operating airline is EU/UK-based, you may still be covered even if the missed connection happened outside Europe. Learn more in EU261 coverage rules.
Yes. EU261 only protects you if all flights are under one booking reference (same PNR). If you bought separate tickets, each airline treats the journey independently. Learn more in Boarding Pass.
If you reach your final destination 3 hours or more later than scheduled, and the delay wasn’t due to extraordinary circumstances, you may be entitled to €250–€600 depending on distance. Learn more in EU261 Regulation.