EU flight delay compensation is available only when the flight falls within the relevant rules and the delay meets the required threshold. Under EU Regulation 261/2004, a passenger may qualify for a fixed payment if they reach their final destination at least three hours late, unless the airline proves that extraordinary circumstances caused the disruption and could not have been avoided by taking reasonable measures. Before filing, check where the flight departed, which airline operated it, how late you arrived and whether your connecting flights were on one booking. Keep your booking confirmation and the airline’s messages: eligibility is not automatic, and useful records can help support a claim.
Regulation 261/2004, often called EU261, covers particular journeys rather than every flight connected to Europe. It generally applies to:
A flight from a non-EU country to the EU on a non-EU airline is generally outside EU261, although another country’s passenger-rights rules may apply. The airline’s logo on your ticket is not always the carrier that matters. For a codeshare or a flight sold by a travel agency, identify the operating airline shown on your booking or travel documents; that is usually the airline to contact about an EU261 claim.
For journeys with connections, the booking matters too. If the flights are part of one reservation or through-ticket, eligibility is generally assessed by the delay at the final destination, not just the delay on the first leg. Separate tickets can make the assessment different: a late first flight may not make the airline responsible under EU261 for a missed onward flight booked independently.
For fixed compensation, the usual threshold is arrival at the final destination at least three hours after the scheduled arrival time. The relevant arrival time is generally when at least one aircraft door opens and passengers are allowed to leave, not the moment the aircraft touches down.
Measure the delay against the scheduled arrival on your itinerary. If you were rerouted, compare your actual arrival at the final destination with the original schedule. A short delay on the first flight can still matter if it causes a much later arrival after a missed connection on the same booking.
When the conditions are met, EU261 sets compensation by distance and route category. The amounts below are per passenger, not per booking, and do not depend on the ticket price.
| Flight category | Distance | Standard compensation |
|---|---|---|
| Short-haul | 1,500 km or less | €250 |
| Medium-distance | More than 1,500 km within the EU, or other flights from 1,500 km to 3,500 km | €400 |
| Long-haul | Other flights over 3,500 km | €600 |
Distance is assessed for the journey covered by the rules, not by adding the price of each leg. If a cancellation leads to rerouting, compensation may be reduced in some circumstances when the replacement journey gets you to your destination within specified time limits. A delay claim and a cancellation claim can follow different rules, so check which situation the airline recorded and what alternative journey it offered.
An airline may avoid paying fixed compensation if it shows that extraordinary circumstances caused the delay and that the disruption could not have been prevented even if it had taken reasonable measures. The airline should explain the specific cause rather than relying on a general statement that the flight was “disrupted.” The circumstances and the steps taken to manage them matter.
Severe weather, air traffic control restrictions and certain security risks may qualify, depending on the facts. The label alone does not settle the question: for example, the airline’s explanation should connect the event to your flight and address whether reasonable steps could have reduced or avoided the delay.
Routine technical problems do not automatically count as extraordinary circumstances. If the airline cites a mechanical fault, ask for the reason in writing and keep its response. You do not need to decide the legal issue yourself before submitting a claim; provide the facts and ask the operating airline to explain its decision.
Extraordinary circumstances can affect the fixed payment without removing every passenger right. In particular, the right to care during a qualifying wait is separate from compensation. A denial of compensation is therefore not, by itself, an answer to a request for reasonable meals, accommodation or transport expenses.
For a sufficiently long departure delay, the airline must provide care appropriate to the wait. The waiting-time threshold depends on distance: generally two hours for flights of 1,500 km or less, three hours for longer intra-EU flights and other flights between 1,500 km and 3,500 km, and four hours for other flights over 3,500 km. Care can include meals and refreshments, a way to communicate, and hotel accommodation with transport when an overnight stay becomes necessary.
If you pay for essentials yourself because the airline does not provide them, keep itemised receipts and choose reasonable expenses. Lavish or unrelated purchases may be harder to recover. If departure is delayed by at least five hours, you can choose not to travel and seek a refund under the applicable rules. Ask the airline to set out your options before accepting a refund or alternative flight, especially if you still need to complete the journey.
Good records help establish the booking, the length of the delay and what the airline told you. Save digital copies as well as any paper documents.
A screenshot of a departure board can help document what you saw at the airport, but it does not replace your booking records or the airline’s explanation. If the airline’s stated cause is unclear, ask it to identify what happened and how that affected your flight.
Submit a claim promptly. The time limit for taking legal action depends on national law, so do not assume that one EU-wide deadline applies. A claim to the airline is usually free to make directly. If you consider using a paid claims company, read its fee and cancellation terms and compare them with filing yourself.
EU261 compensation is generally payable in money, such as by bank transfer or another permitted payment method. An airline may offer a voucher, but you do not have to accept one in place of cash unless you agree to it. Check any release or settlement terms before accepting an offer, especially if it covers more than the compensation claim.
Keep statutory compensation separate from other losses. Reimbursement for reasonable care expenses, a refund for choosing not to travel, and fixed compensation are distinct issues with different conditions. Travel insurance may also cover costs under its policy, but it does not determine whether EU261 applies. Review the policy terms and keep evidence for each request.
Do not rely only on an automated claim calculator. It may not account for the operating carrier, a multi-flight booking, the exact arrival time or the airline’s evidence about the cause. Use any estimate as a starting point, then check the details against your own documents.
Possibly, but the airline must show that qualifying extraordinary circumstances caused the delay and that reasonable measures could not have avoided it. Ask for a specific explanation and keep the response. Care rights during a qualifying wait may still apply even if fixed compensation does not.
The standard fixed compensation threshold is arrival at the final destination at least three hours late. A shorter delay may still trigger a right to care if the departure wait meets the relevant distance-based threshold, or a refund option after a delay of at least five hours if you choose not to travel.
You may qualify if the connecting flights were part of one booking and you reached the final destination at least three hours late, subject to the other EU261 conditions. If the flights were booked separately, the first airline may not be responsible under EU261 for the later ticket you missed.
Usually, you should contact the airline that operated the disrupted flight, even if another airline or travel agency sold the ticket. For a codeshare, check the booking documents to identify the operating carrier before submitting your claim.
No single limitation period applies to every claim across the EU; the deadline for legal action can depend on national law. File promptly and check the rules relevant to your case if the airline does not resolve the complaint.
Before filing for EU flight delay compensation, confirm that the route is covered, calculate the delay at your final destination and keep the booking and airline records. If you meet the three-hour arrival threshold, submit a documented request to the operating airline and assess any refusal against the specific reason it gives.
