Arrive 3 hours or more late on a flight covered by EU261 and you may be owed €250, €400 or €600 per passenger, depending on distance, unless the airline proves extraordinary circumstances. Check your flight below and send the claim yourself.
Your claim letter
Send it to the airline that operated the flight. Fill in the brackets.
Questions
How much compensation do I get for a delayed flight in Europe?
€250 for flights up to 1,500 km, €400 for longer flights within the EU and other flights of 1,500 to 3,500 km, and €600 for flights over 3,500 km, if you arrive at your final destination 3 hours or more late. On flights over 3,500 km to or from outside the EU, a delay of 3 to 4 hours gives €300.
Which flights are covered?
Every flight departing from an airport in the EU, Iceland, Norway or Switzerland, on any airline, and flights arriving there from outside on an EU (or Icelandic, Norwegian, Swiss) airline. You don't have to be an EU citizen.
When is no compensation due?
When the airline can prove extraordinary circumstances that couldn't have been avoided: for example bad weather, air-traffic control decisions, security risks or strikes outside the airline. Most technical problems and strikes by the airline's own staff do not count. A cancellation announced 14 days or more ahead is not compensated either.
What if my flight was cancelled?
You can choose between a refund and re-routing, and you get care while you wait. Compensation is due if you were told less than 14 days before departure, though it can be reduced or dropped if the airline re-routed you close to your original times.
Do I need a claims company?
No. You can claim directly from the operating airline; this page drafts the letter. Claims companies typically keep a share of the payout. If the airline refuses without a good reason, contact the national enforcement body in the country where it happened.
Based on Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 as summarised by the EU: Your Europe: air passenger rights (European Commission) · Council of the EU: air passenger rights · Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 (EUR-Lex). Distances are great-circle estimates between airports; near a band edge the airline's official distance decides. This is guidance, not legal advice.
From booking to landing
Points or Cash helps you book the right way, then stays with the trip: lounges, the train when it beats the plane, and what you are owed when things go wrong.
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