Travel Guides & Solutions for Every Trip

Get rebooked first by joining the desk queue and using the airline app at the same time. Then ask what the airline will cover, such as meals or a hotel, check where your checked bag is going, and keep every receipt.

Go straight to the transfer desk and open the airline app at the same time. If both flights are on one booking, the airline should rebook you for free. Confirm your checked bag is rerouted and keep every receipt.

Often, but usually only on its partners, and it depends on why you missed the flight. Find a specific alternative flight yourself and ask for it by flight number. Low-cost airlines and separate tickets rarely qualify.

Ask the airline for a hotel first. If it won’t provide one, check where you’re allowed to stay overnight and look for an official rest area or airside room. Stay in the terminal only if a room wouldn’t give you enough real sleep.

Usually, if your passport lets you enter the country, your bags are checked through, and the city is under an hour away. Be back about three hours before an international flight, which leaves roughly five to seven hours to explore.

Two or three cities suits most people, and four is the upper limit. Plan at least three nights in each base, because every move costs about half a day, and turn extra places into day trips.