EU261 Compensation Explained: Delays, Cancellations and Denied Boarding

If your flight within, from or (on a European airline) into Europe was cancelled at short notice, arrived three or more hours late, or you were bumped because the plane was overbooked, you may be owed a fixed cash payment of €250 to €600 – on top of a refund or a new flight. The rules come from EU Regulation 261/2004, usually shortened to "EU261". This guide explains who is covered, what you can claim and how to do it without paying anyone a commission.

Which flights are covered

EU261 applies to the flight, not to your nationality. You are protected when:

• your flight departs from an airport in the EU, whatever the airline;
• your flight arrives in the EU from outside and is operated by an EU airline;
• and you have not already received compensation or assistance for the same disruption under another country's law.

"EU" here includes the Canary Islands, Madeira, the Azores and the French outermost regions. Iceland, Norway and Switzerland apply the same rules. Since Brexit, the UK has its own copy of the law – see our UK261 guide.

A quick example: Paris to New York on any airline is covered. New York to Paris is covered only if the operating airline is European. A flight from Istanbul to Dubai on a Turkish carrier is not covered at all.

How much compensation

The amount depends on the flight distance and – for delays – how late you arrive at your final destination.

Things worth knowing:

• Delays are measured on arrival, at the moment the aircraft door opens, not when you took off.
• Connecting flights on one booking count as one journey. If a delay on the first leg makes you miss the connection and you reach your final destination more than three hours late, you can claim for the whole distance.
• Rerouting can halve the payment. If the airline puts you on another flight and you arrive only slightly late (within 2, 3 or 4 hours depending on distance), compensation can be reduced by 50%.
• The amount has nothing to do with what you paid for the ticket. A €19 sale fare gets the same as a full-price one.

When cancellations do and do not qualify

Cancellation compensation depends on how much notice you got:

• More than 14 days before departure: no compensation (you still get a refund or rerouting).
• 7 to 14 days: no compensation if the replacement leaves no more than 2 hours earlier and arrives less than 4 hours later than planned.
• Less than 7 days: no compensation if the replacement leaves no more than 1 hour earlier and arrives less than 2 hours later.

It is the airline's job to prove when and how it told you, so keep the emails and texts you received.

Extraordinary circumstances

An airline does not have to pay compensation if the disruption was caused by extraordinary circumstances that it could not have avoided even with all reasonable measures. Typical accepted reasons are severe weather, air traffic control restrictions, security risks and political instability. Strikes by people who do not work for the airline (for example, air traffic controllers) can count too.

What usually does not count: most technical faults found during routine operation, and strikes by the airline's own staff. The burden of proof is on the airline, so "operational reasons" is not an answer – ask for the specific cause in writing.

Important: extraordinary circumstances only cancel the cash compensation. Your right to care and your right to a refund or rerouting stay in place.

Right to care while you wait

Whatever the cause, the airline must look after you once a delay reaches:

• 2 hours for flights up to 1,500 km,
• 3 hours for longer flights within the EU and other flights of 1,500–3,500 km,
• 4 hours for all other flights.

"Care" means meals and refreshments in proportion to the wait, two free calls or messages, and – if the new departure is the next day or later – a hotel and transport to it. The same applies after cancellations and denied boarding. If the airline does not offer it, buy reasonable meals and accommodation yourself, keep every receipt and claim the cost back afterwards.

Refund or rerouting – your choice

After a cancellation or denied boarding, you choose between:

1. a refund of the ticket (and, on a connecting journey, a flight back to where you started if the trip no longer makes sense),
2. rerouting to your destination at the earliest opportunity, or
3. rerouting at a later date that suits you.

A refund must be paid within seven days, in money, unless you agree to a voucher. You do not have to accept a voucher. If your flight is delayed by five hours or more and you decide not to travel, you can also ask for a refund.

If you are moved to a lower class, the airline must refund 30%, 50% or 75% of that leg's price depending on distance.

How to claim, step by step

1. Claim from the airline first. Use its online complaint or claim form and include your booking reference, flight number, date, what happened and what you want (compensation amount, plus expenses with receipts). The operating airline is responsible, even if you booked through an agent.
2. Keep it in writing. Save boarding passes, delay notifications and screenshots of departure boards.
3. If the airline refuses or does not reply within about two months, complain to the national enforcement body (NEB) in the country where the incident happened. The European Commission keeps a list of NEBs.
4. Alternative dispute resolution (ADR) is available in many countries for EU residents and is usually free.
5. Court is the last step. Small claims can often be filed under the European Small Claims Procedure, without a lawyer.

You do not need a claims company. They take a share of your compensation for doing what the steps above already do.

How long you have

EU261 itself contains no deadline. Each country applies its own limitation period, so it varies widely – from about a year in some countries to several years in others. Check the rules of the country where you would bring the claim, and do not wait: evidence is easier to gather while the trip is fresh.

The 2026 reform: what changes and when

After more than a decade of negotiation, the EU has adopted a reform of EU261. The amending law, Regulation (EU) 2026/2202, was published in the Official Journal in October 2026. According to its final provisions, it applies from 23 October 2027. Until then, everything in this guide remains the law.

Published summaries of the final text report that the €250/€400/€600 amounts and the three-hour delay threshold were kept, and that the reform adds new rules on refunds, vouchers, claim handling and cabin baggage. Some details, such as a fixed time limit for claims, will change how you claim after October 2027. We will update this guide with the details once we have checked them against the official text.

Last checked: 29 October 2026. This guide is general information, not legal advice.