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source_url: "https://simpleflying.com/a-guide-to-unprotected-connections-the-benefits-risks/"
title: "A Guide To Self-Transfers & Unprotected Connections - The Benefits And The Risks"
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> **Original source:** https://simpleflying.com/a-guide-to-unprotected-connections-the-benefits-risks/

 

Published Dec 10, 2022, 1:00 AM EST

 An experienced photographer and video producer, Chris is a journalistic natural. Degree-educated with a wealth of traveling history, Chris’ insight into routes, networks, and alliances brings a depth of quality to his work that is hard to beat.

To the traveling public, airfares can be a big, confusing mystery: Airlines offering similar itineraries may have vastly different ticket prices, while short routes in some countries may cost as much as intercontinental long-haul flights elsewhere! One way to “beat the system” is to create your own itinerary by stitching together a series of separate flight bookings. The savings can be big - but there are a few things to consider before you give this a try…

## The benefits of separate flight bookings

A self-transfer is often most beneficial when combining a legacy airline flight into a large international airport with a service from a low-cost carrier - or perhaps two different [budget airline flights.](https://simpleflying.com/tag/budget-airline/) So we should first examine the benefits of booking separate flights in this manner. There are three things that immediately come to mind:

1.  **More flexibility in the choice of airline:** [From airline loyalty,](https://simpleflying.com/tag/loyalty-programs/) airline preference, or destination availability, being able to choose your airline could make for a more comfortable and beneficial trip. If you're sitting on a pile of reward miles with a certain airline that doesn't fly to your final, intended destination, then at least you can redeem them and get partway there.
2.  **More time at the [“stopover” airport and city:](https://simpleflying.com/tag/airport-transfer/)** For those who love traveling and exploring new cities, or perhaps have friends living in the connection city - creating two bookings can offer more schedule flexibility for an extended layover.
3.  And the third and perhaps most popular benefit is **the ability to save money:** A common example might be flying to a major European city on a legacy carrier and then connecting with a European low-cost carrier. In this example, a traveler could [fly long-haul to London Heathrow](https://simpleflying.com/tag/london-heathrow/) or Paris Charles De Gaulle, and then take a budget airline like Ryanair, easyJet, or Wizz Air to reach another European destination. This might be a smaller city, or simply a destination that is more expensive in flight search results.

## ![GettyImages-1213959156-1000x500 Ryanair Lauda](https://static0.simpleflyingimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/GettyImages-1213959156-1000x500.jpg)

## The downside of an unprotected connection

Of course, these benefits have their risks. Stating the obvious, an “unprotected connection” ultimately means that if your first flight of your first booking is delayed or faces issues, you’re essentially considered a “no-show” on the following flight. This means you'll lose all of the airfare you paid (although it's good to know that you can be reimbursed for the taxes and fees included in the ticket, whether or not you contacted the airline to cancel your missed flight).

Considering the fact that delays and issues can take place before, during, or after your first flight, you may not have time to change your second booking. Here are some things to consider as potential issues that may cause you to miss your second flight.

1.  Your first flight can face a number of issues pre-departure, including airline/airport strikes and delays related to the aircraft or weather.
2.  Lengthy customs line-ups or visa requirements of the connecting airport may complicate matters further.
3.  If you're checking-in a bag, you'll obviously need to wait to collect it before your next flight. Lost or delayed bags can easily ruin your plan.
4.  If your second flight departs at another airport, public transportation or heavy traffic could be a challenge. For example, your coach bus is delayed in a transfer from London Heathrow to London Stansted. If we use Paris for example, getting from Paris Charles de Gaulle to Beauvais–Tillé (Paris Beauvais) can also be time-consuming.

On the topic of self-transferring to a different airport, you'll also need to take into account the cost of transportation. Using our London Heathrow to Stansted example, a coach bus service will cost you a minimum of £20 ($24) one-way.

## ![Virgin Atlantic A330 landing ](https://static0.simpleflyingimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/GettyImages-1227917206.jpg)Is it worth it?

A protected connection (a transfer that is part of one booking and itinerary) often sees the airline rebook you on the next available flight or re-route you with a partner airline to get you to your final destination. Additionally, your checked baggage is automatically transferred through to your final destination.

So, depending on your budget and how much you're packing, this would be a good way to go, since it's these two main factors that justify the potentially higher cost of booking your journey all under one itinerary. Of course, anyone who has tried stitching two different flight bookings together may be able to attest to the fact that peace of mind is another major factor to consider as well. Keeping in mind that something could go wrong at any point in the journey, combined with the fact that you might lose the money you paid for that second flight, there's a high level of stress involved in making sure you get to that second flight on time. It's an uncomfortable feeling, and certainly one that will be hanging over you for the better part of the day as you make your way towards that second flight.

   ![SWISS Airlines Tails](https://static0.simpleflyingimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/gettyimages-1324024120.jpg?q=50&fit=crop&w=825&dpr=1.5)

Photo: Getty Images

It's worth mentioning that there are travel booking sites like Kiwi.com that offer itineraries that are, in reality, two different airline bookings stitched together. As already mentioned, this allows the website to provide airfares and itineraries that are much cheaper. The website claims to [guarantee protection against carrier cancelations](https://simpleflying.com/budapest-airport-kiwi-partnership/), delays, and schedule changes, but online reviews for the company have been rather mixed, [with many being quite negative.](https://simpleflying.com/ryanair-branded-evil-for-barring-kiwi-com-passengers-from-flights/)

## The bottom line

Ultimately, it's up to you whether you want to take the risk! Self-transferring, especially involving an airport change, should only be attempted by confident and experienced travelers - or those who do all the necessary research.

If you wanted to explore that layover/transfer city anyways, then perhaps giving yourself 12-24 hours between flights could help ease the stress of something going wrong. Of course, at that point, most of the money you would have saved will be eaten up by ground transportation and hotel costs.

   ![GettyImages-1309604953 Paris CDG Getty](https://static0.simpleflyingimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/GettyImages-1309604953.jpg?q=50&fit=crop&w=825&dpr=1.5)

Photo: Getty Images

There's a lot to consider one way or the other, but hopefully, this article helps you consider all of the factors when making your final decision.

**Have you ever had a trip that included a self-transfer before? How did the experience go? Share your stories by leaving a comment!**