EU Flight Delay Compensation
Was your European flight delayed? Are you eligible for EU airline compensation?
EU flight delay compensation is available if your flight is delayed by 3 hours or more. Under European Regulation EC 261, you could claim up to €600, depending on flight distance and delay length, no matter the ticket cost.
Continue reading to see how AirHelp can assist with your EU flight delay claim.
Key points about EU flight delay compensation
Eligibility: if your flight arrives at its destination with a delay of at least 3 hours, you might be entitled to compensation.
Route requirements: the flight must have taken off from the EU, or arrived in the EU on a European carrier, even if the departure was outside the EU.
You may receive compensation of between €250 and €600 per passenger.
In case of extraordinary circumstances, such as adverse weather conditions and other high-risk events beyond the airline's control, you are not entitled to compensation.
How to claim: you can make a claim directly with the airline, or avoid stressful paperwork and let AirHelp handle the entire process for you.
Are You Entitled to Claim EU Flight Delay Compensation?
To claim EU flight delay compensation, your situation must meet the following criteria:
Your flight departed from a country within the EU (from any airline), or
Your flight took off from outside the EU and landed in a country within the EU with a European airline , and
With either scenario, your flight must arrive at your final destination with a delay of 3 hours or more.
You have a valid ticket and booking confirmation.
You checked in on time for your flight (you should check in at least 45 minutes before departure.
The airline has provided you with food, beverages, hotel accommodation or travel vouchers - you are still entitled to European flight delay compensation if you satisfy the listed criteria.
Note the following types of airline tickets or trips qualify under EC 261 for flight delay compensation EU:
Low-cost airline tickets
Business trips
Child’s paid ticket
Free or reduced ticket under a promotional programme or customer loyalty
Which flights are covered by EC 261?
The regulations set out in EC 261 apply based on the flight route and the airline – it doesn’t matter where the passengers are from.
Most routes that take off from an EU (or UK) airport are covered. And we should point out that Europe covers more of the world than you might expect. The regulation cover the so-called ‘outermost regions’ (the Canary Islands, Madeira and the Azores, French Guiana and Martinique, Mayotte, Guadeloupe and La Réunion, and Saint-Martin). Plus European nations that are members of the EEA: Iceland, Norway, and Switzerland.
Even if your flight was scheduled to depart from outside Europe, if your destination was in Europe and you were flying with a European carrier, you’re covered. It’s easier to explain with a chart:
| Itinerary | EU Air Carrier | Non-EU Air Carrier |
|---|---|---|
| From inside the EU to inside the EU | ✔️ Covered | ✔️ Covered |
| From inside the EU to outside the EU | ✔️ Covered | ✔️ Covered |
| From outside the EU to inside the EU | ✔️ Covered | ❌ Not Covered |
| From outside the EU to outside the EU | ❌ Not Covered | ❌ Not Covered |
Here are some practical, real-world examples:
From Paris to Rome (any airline): Yes, covered! Flights within the EU fall under EC 261.
From London to New York (any airline): Yes, covered! Departing from an EU/UK airport means EC 261 applies, no matter the carrier.
From New York to London (British Airways): Yes, covered! A European airline flying into the EU/UK qualifies.
From Los Angeles to Tokyo (any airline): Not covered under EC 261: neither the departure or arrival is in the EU/EEA/UK.
In What Circumstances are You Not Entitled to Claim Flight Delay Compensation EU?
Under the EU regulation, the following flight disruptions do not qualify for European flight delay compensation. Consequently, the airline can avoid liability if:
N.B. In 2018, the European Court of Justice made an important ruling in this area which stated that internal ‘wildcat strikes’ by flight staff do not qualify as extraordinary circumstances. This means that airlines are obligated to compensate travelers for flight delays when an airline strike is the cause of the flight disruption.
If you’re still unsure, the table below will help clarify when you might be eligible for compensation:
Compensation
Disruptions due to operational issues (e.g., technical problems)
Denied boarding due to overbooking
Missed connections caused by delays on the first leg of your journey
Strikes by airline staff
Extraordinary Circumstances
Severe weather conditions (e.g., snowstorms)
Natural disasters (e.g., volcanic eruptions, earthquakes)
Security threats or emergencies impacting airport operations
Strikes by airport staff
Under extraordinary circumstances, compensation is therefore off the table. However, other rights still apply, such as the right to care and assistance during your wait and, if applicable, the right to a ticket refund.
How Much Flight Delay Compensation EU are You Entitled to?
Once your flight arrives at its final destination 3 hours later than scheduled, you are entitled to EU flight delay compensation.
The amount of compensation you are entitled to for a disrupted flight rests on 2 factors:
Flight distance
Length of flight delay
Our chart makes it easier to see how much you’re entitled to:
| Less than 3 hours | 3 – 4 hours | More than 4 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| ❌ € – | ✔️ €250 | ✔️ €250 | All flights 1,500 km or less |
| ❌ € – | ✔️ €400 | ✔️ €400 | Internal EU flights over 1,500 km |
| ❌ € – | ✔️ €400 | ✔️ €400 | Non-internal EU flights between 1,500 km and 3,500 km |
| ❌ € – | ✔️ €300 | ✔️ €600 | Non-internal EU flights over 3,500 km |
Your Rights Under EC 261
If your flight has been delayed and meets the criteria of EC 261, you are entitled to claim EU flight delay compensation, but you also have additional passenger rights. Below is a detailed breakdown of your additional rights based on the duration of the delay:
Upgrading and Downgrading
If your original flight was cancelled and the airline downgrades your seats for the replacement flight (e.g. business class to economy class), you should get reimbursed between 30% to 75% of your initial ticket price. If you were upgraded instead, the airline cannot charge you extra for upgrading you.
The table below provides a breakdown of your rights:
| Scenario | Your rights |
|---|---|
| Upgraded flight | The airline cannot charge extra for an upgraded alternative flight. |
| Downgraded flight | You are entitled to a reimbursement of 30–75% of the original ticket cost. |
Flight Delayed Compensation EU vs Vouchers
If you’ve had the misfortune to suffer a flight delay, you might be offered flight vouchers. While this might seem appealing, consider the following:
Read the fine print of the flight voucher. Accepting a voucher may waive your right to claim flight delay compensation under EU 261. The regulation states that a passenger may choose to accept travel vouchers instead of compensation, so ensure that this is truly what you want to do.
The EC 261 regulation further states that compensation must be paid in cash. Therefore, if you opt for a travel voucher, ensure that its value matches the cash amount you’re entitled to receive from the airline.
Make an informed choice: we advise that before accepting a travel voucher, you verify the exact amount of EU airline compensation you would otherwise be entitled to receive.
EC 261 Compensation for Delayed Connecting Flights
When a delay affects a connecting flight, things might seem more complex, but you only need to remember one thing: your right to EU compensation depends on the total delay at your final destination. So, if your connecting flight arrives at the final destination airport with a delay of at least three hours, you might be entitled to compensation under EC 261.
To make it simpler, here are some practical examples in the table below:
| Scenario | Compensation? | Why? |
|---|---|---|
| London → Dubai (2h delay) → Bangkok (2.5h delay) | ✔️ Yes | Total delay: 4.5h |
| Manchester → Frankfurt (on time) → Tokyo (5h delay) | ✔️ Yes | Final delay: 5h |
| Edinburgh → Amsterdam (1.5h delay) → New York (3h delay) | ✔️ Yes | Total delay: 4.5h |
| London → Doha (on time) → Sydney (2.5h delay) | ❌ No | Final delay: < 3h |
Key points to remember
Your right to compensation depends on the total delay of the flight, not the delay of individual legs.
As with other flights, you’re entitled to compensation if the total delay at your final destination is 3 hours or more.
If one leg of the journey was delayed by more than 3 hours but the delay at the final destination was less than that, you’re not entitled to compensation.
The opposite also applies: if the delay on individual legs was less than 3 hours but the total delay at the final destination is at least 3 hours, then you’re entitled to compensation.
The compensation amount is calculated based on the distance of the entire journey.
It’s important to note that the above applies if the connecting flights were part of a single booking. If, however, the different legs were purchased separately (different tickets/bookings), then each leg is treated as a separate flight. You’re entitled to compensation for the leg (or legs) that accumulated a delay of at least three hours.
Want to check if you’re entitled to compensation for a delayed connecting flight? The easiest way to find out is by using our eligibility checker.
Time Limits and Flight Compensation EU
If you would like to know if your flight that was delayed a few years back is eligible for flight delayed compensation EU, you may not have run out of time to make a claim.
Whether your flight was delayed, canceled or overbooked the time limit to make an EU airline compensation claim varies from country to country.
For example in:
UK, the time limit is 6 years
Spain, the time limit is 5 years
Germany, the time limit is 3 years
How to File Your Delayed Flight Delay Claim
Flight delayed and stuck at the airport? Follow our easy step-by-step guide to make the best of the situation:
Keep important travel documents like your boarding pass.
Collect evidence of your delay, like the communication the airline shared detailing the flight mishap.
Find out the reason for the delay.
Record the arrival time to your destination.
Ensure the airline pays for your refreshments.
Hold on to your receipts if your delayed flight leads you to spend more money.
Ensure anything you sign or any offer given by the airline does not waive your right to claim compensation.
If you require accommodation, the airline should arrange this for you.
How to Make a Flight Delay Compensation EU Claim With AirHelp
The first step in the EU airline compensation process is to find out if you’re eligible. It is this step that often deters passengers because the thought of trudging through legal jargon in what could end up being a drawn-out process is not appealing.
This is why you should turn to AirHelp. We help you find out if you have the right to claim, just fill in your flight information in our free and easy-to-use flight delay compensation calculator and we’ll determine if you have a valid claim against the airline or not. If you are eligible, we’ll take care of the rest.
Put your details in our delayed flight compensation EU claim checker and start your claim now.
Why Choose AirHelp to Make Your Flight Delayed Compensation EU Claim?
AirHelp makes the claim process simple. Fill in a few details about your flight, tell us what happened, and our team of expert claim agents will handle the rest.
We’ll check the details of your flight and build a case for compensation. And we’ll handle all the negotiations with the airline on your behalf.
About AirHelp
It’s our mission to help air passengers. Since 2013 we’ve helped over 16 million travelers who were inconvenienced by flight disruptions.
Whether it’s flight delays, flight cancellations, missed connections, or denied boarding — our team of air passenger rights experts help travelers around the world get compensation when their travel doesn’t go according to plan.
Claiming EU Flight Delay Compensation with the airline or a lawyer can be stressful:
Confusing legal jargon (air passenger rights regulations are complex)
Lengthy and tricky process (paperwork and calls)
Loss of more money (e.g. lawyer’s costs)
Small chance of success (easier for airlines to ignore passengers’ claim request)
But if you use AirHelp to get your Flight Delay Compensation EU Claim:
We simplify the legislation and educate you on your air passenger right
Our easy-to-use online eligibility checker quickly lets you know if you’re eligible to compensation
We’ve already helped more than 10 million passengers understand their rights
AirHelp has been featured in:
