As any traveler knows, whether you’re flying solo or with your family or friends, missing your flight can be a stressful situation. Thankfully, there are a few things you can do to get your trip back on track. Here are some tips and tricks to help you make the most of a challenging situation and reach your destination as smoothly as possible.
Check in with the airline
After missing your flight, the first step you can take is to rebook directly with the airline. If you’ve missed your connecting flight thanks to delays, weather or other frustrating factors, you can walk up to the gate to discuss rebooking with the gate agent, visit the airline’s customer service desk or use your smartphone and the airline’s app or customer service hotline.
Depending on how you missed your flight (e.g., whether it was a delayed connecting flight, a weather problem or your own delay in getting to the airport), the airline may require a rebooking fee before you can be placed on another flight.
Ask about the flat tire rule
Some airlines, particularly larger national and international carriers, may have a flat tire rule that can apply if you’ve missed your flight. Flat tire rules are designed to account for the unaccountable, like a traffic delay, arriving at the wrong airport by accident or some other unexpected snag in your travel plan. Note that the circumstances and timing of how you missed your flight can come into play. If you missed it by a brief amount of time (for example, within 30 minutes of your flight’s departure time) and speak to an airline representative, they may be able to put you on the next flight to your destination as a standby passenger. While there is no guarantee that an airline has a flat tire rule, it is always worth asking since it just might help you salvage your travel plan and secure a seat.
If you can’t rebook with the airline
If you’ve tried everything else, consider rebooking on a different airline. Keep in mind that this will mean you have to pay for another ticket.
If you have credit card points or miles, consider redeeming those to rebook the next convenient flight with a minimal amount of stress. If you have an eligible Citi credit card, you can use the Citi Travel® site, which offers 24/7 customer service as well as the ability to book flights, hotels and rental cars to accommodate your travel needs.
No matter how you solve your missed flight problem, know that there are ways to get your travel schedule back on track and get you where you need to go.
