When traveling by air, you might hear the term “final destination” used in airline policies or passenger rights discussions.

In the context of EU261, it refers to the airport where your journey officially ends according to your ticket.

• If there is only one flight, your final destination is the destination of that one flight.
• If there are multiple flights, your final destination is the destination of the last flight. But only if that’s a connecting flight.

It’s important to know this for two reasons. Because this is how you can determine whether you are or aren’t entitled to flight compensation, and also, how much compensation you get.

What Is “Final Destination” If You Have One Flight?

If you have only one flight, your final destination is the destination of that one flight. It’s as simple as you can imagine.

Things are more complicated if you have several flights.

The concept of a final destination works the same way under UK261. Your final airport, as shown on your ticket, determines your rights and the airline responsible for compensation, just like in EU261.

What Is “Final Destination” If You Have Multiple Flights?

If you have multiple flights, your final destination is the destination of the last flight.

But only if that’s a connecting flight, not a self-transfer.

What If You Have a Self-Transfer?

If you have a self-transfer, then every flight is treated as a separate flight. Every one of these flights has its own final destination.

Here I’m speaking specifically in the context of EC261.

What If You Have a Connecting Flight?

If you have a connecting flight, your final destination is the destination of the last flight. And again, I’m speaking specifically in the context of EC261 (UK261, and also Turkish SHY-Passenger Regulation).

Why “Final Destination” Matters for EU261?

The concept of a final destination isn’t just a technical detail — it directly affects how compensation is determined under EU261.

Let me explain.

Imagine your first flight was delayed by only an hour.

Not much of a deal, huh?

At the same time, that small delay might cause you to miss your connection, turning it into a five-hour delay at your final destination. Under EU261, it’s the arrival time at your final destination that matters, not the delay on individual legs of your journey.

It’s important to know the final destination.

In addition, compensation amounts are calculated based on the distance to your final destination, not each individual flight. This is why knowing which airport counts as your final destination is crucial for connecting flights booked on a single ticket — it determines both eligibility and how much you may receive.

For self-transfer flights, this doesn’t apply because each flight is treated separately, and each leg has its own final destination for calculation purposes.

Read more:

• What to Do If You Miss a Connecting Flight?
• What to Do If You Miss a Self-Transfer Flight?

Pay Attention: Don’t Underclaim for Delay

Sometimes the delay on the first flight may seem small, but it can lead to a much larger delay at your final destination — and that’s what EU261 looks at.

• For example, imagine your first flight was delayed by 4 hours, causing you to miss your connection. The airline rebooks you on a flight that arrives the next day at your final destination.
• At first, it might feel like everything was “on time” on the rebooked flight. Because it arrived on time. As scheduled.
• But… take a look at your original itinerary. For compensation purposes, EU261 considers the arrival at your final destination and how much later it is compared to the original time of arrival. This can make a huge difference in how much you can claim. Instead of a small payout for the first flight delay, you might be entitled to the full compensation for a long delay at the final destination, which can easily be €400 or even €600. For a single passenger.
• At the same time, you made a claim only for the first flight, you may get only €250. If it were a short flight.

Knowing which airport counts as your final destination ensures you don’t underclaim, and that you get the full amount you’re legally entitled to when connecting flights go wrong.

Featured photo by Nathan Moore