Flight delay & cancellation compensation

If your flight was delayed, cancelled, or overbooked, you may be legally entitled to compensation — often up to €600 per passenger — separately from any refund. Eligibility depends on the route, the airline, and the cause.

EU261 — flights in Europe

EU Regulation 261/2004 covers flights departing any EU airport, and flights into the EU on an EU airline. Compensation is €250–€600 by distance when the arrival delay is 3 hours or more, the flight is cancelled with under 14 days' notice, or you are denied boarding due to overbooking — unless the airline proves extraordinary circumstances.

UK261 — flights in the United Kingdom

The UK retained an equivalent scheme (UK261) mirroring EU261 for flights departing the UK or arriving on a UK/EU carrier, with amounts set in pounds.

US DOT — flights in the United States

The US has no fixed delay-compensation law, but airlines must refund cancelled flights and pay denied-boarding compensation for involuntary bumping.

How to claim

Keep your boarding pass and booking reference, note the arrival delay, and file with the airline or a no-win-no-fee claims service.