EU261 flight compensation: your guide to passenger rights

EU261 compensation offers legal protection to air passengers by guaranteeing specific rights. Despite its importance, only 42% of European travellers consider themselves well informed about their rights, according to a 2024 Eurobarometer survey.

EU261 compensation (€250-€600) is a right that passengers are entitled to when flights departing from or arriving in the EU are delayed by over three hours, cancelled, or overbooked, unless the disruption was caused by extraordinary circumstances beyond the airline's control.

Following the UK's exit from the EU, there is now a UK version of the law, which allows passengers to claim up to £520 under similar circumstances.

• What is EU 261 compensation?

• Which flights are covered?

• EU 261 compensation table

What is EU 261 compensation?

As highlighted by a Eurobarometer survey in 2024, many air passengers don't know that in many instances, airlines are legally and financially responsible for flight issues. Depending on your flight, flight scenario, and ultimate destination, understanding passenger rights and filing a claim for EU airline compensation can mean up to €600 per person in reimbursements.

Compensation is provided for by European Regulation EC 261/2004 (also known as EU 261), which provides compensation, assistance, and refunds for:

• Flight delays, if the flight arrives at its destination 3+ hours late.

• Flights cancelled with less than 14 days' notice.

• Denied boarding due to overbooking or airline errors.

• Missed connections causing 3+ hours late arrival.

Following the United Kingdom's exit from the European Union, the regulation known as UK 261 was enacted, which provides the same rights as EC 261.

Which flights are covered?

The right to EU 261 compensation applies to everyone, regardless of nationality or residence. What matters is the arrival and destination of the flight and the nationality of the airline. If your flight departs from an airport in the EU, it’s covered. If your flight departs from elsewhere but your destination is in the EU, coverage depends on the airline ⎯ if it’s a European carrier, you’re covered.

If you’re confused, here’s a simple chart to help:

In some cases, disrupted flights outside the EU may be eligible under EC261 if they connect to a covered flight that is with the same carrier and part of the same flight reservation (under one booking reference number). The easiest way to find out if you’re covered is to use the AirHelp eligibility check.

Remember that EU coverage includes:

EU 261 compensation table

The compensation amount depends on the flight distance and the duration of the delay or disruption, as can seen from the table below:

To make the compensation table clearer, here are some real-world examples of flights covered by European Regulation EC 261:

• London to Glasgow (~560 km): An internal UK flight, under 1,500 km. If delayed and arrives 3+ hours late due to technical issues, you’re entitled to €250 (£220). Applies to any airline departing from London.

• Manchester to Malaga (~1,870 km): An EU flight between 1,500 and 3,500 km. If delayed and arrives 3+ hours late due to crew scheduling problems, you’re eligible for €400 (£350). Covered for any airline departing from Manchester.

• London to Istanbul (~2,500 km): A non-internal EU flight between 1,500 and 3,500 km. If cancelled less than 14 days before and the alternative arrives 3+ hours late, you receive €400 (£350). Applies to any airline departing from London (UK flights remain covered under UK 261, which mirrors EU 261).

• New York to London (~5,570 km): A non-internal EU flight over 3,500 km. If operated by a EU/UK airline (e.g., British Airways) and delayed, arriving 4+ hours late due to mechanical issues, you’re due €600 (£520). Only applies to EU/UK carriers arriving in the EU/UK.

Use our EU 261 compensation calculator below to see if you're eligible and determine the amount.

• Missed connecting flights

• Codeshare flights and EU 261

Missed connecting flights

When a delay or cancellation affects a connecting flight, things might seem more complex, but you only need to remember one thing: your right to EU 261 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 airline compensation.

To make it simpler, here are some practical examples in the table below:

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. For more details, check out our missed connection advice page.

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.

Codeshare flights and EU 261

A codeshare flight is a flight where one airline handles the actual operation of the flight, while another airline markets and sells the flight under its own branding and flight number. This means you could book a ticket through one airline, e.g., British Airways, but find that your flight is actually being operated by a different airline, such as Vueling Airlines.

Usually, if you have a codeshare flight, it is the operating airline at the time of the delay or cancellation who is responsible for pay out. You can claim compensation if the connecting flights are part of the same booking and departing from the EU, or if it is an EU airline.

1. Right to compensation

One of the most important rights under Regulation (EC) 261/2004 is the entitlement to compensation of up to €600 in case of flight disruption. The right to compensation depends on several factors, including:

• The length of the delay

• When the cancellation was notified

• Whether the airline is at fault

To check instantly whether you’re owed compensation, use our free eligibility checker.

2. Right to care

When a flight disruption occurs and you’re stuck waiting for the airline to get you back on track toward your destination, you’re entitled to a number of essentials, depending on your flight details. Here’s a simple chart to help:

If assistance isn’t provided, keep receipts for reasonable expenses (e.g., meals, hotel) to claim reimbursement.

3. Right to refund or re-routing

In addition to EU 261 compensation for your time, if your flight is delayed by more than five hours, you have further rights. You can choose between:

• A full or partial refund of your original ticket (including unused connections in the same booking)

• A return flight to your point of departure, if needed

• Alternative transport to your destination (re-routing)

4. Right to information

You have the right to be informed about the content of EU 261 (Regulation (EC) 261/2004). Every airline has to display information on passengers’ rights at their check-in counters in every airport where they operate. If our breakdown of the legalese is still not enough, you can read the actual text of EC 261, as well.

5. Right to reimbursement

As we have seen in section 2, EU 261 provides for a ‘right to care’. When this is not guaranteed by the airline, however, passengers are entitled to reimbursement of expenses incurred due to flight disruption, provided that these are reasonable and necessary.

6. Upgrading and downgrading

If you are offered an alternative flight and placed in a higher class than the one you booked, the air carrier cannot charge you any additional payment. On the other hand, if the class of the alternative flight is lower, you can get a reimbursement between 30% and 75% of the price you originally paid.

7. Further compensation

Your right to EU 261 compensation under EC 261 does not affect your right to request further compensation. This rule does not apply in cases where passengers have voluntarily surrendered their reservations. Of course, the amount you are entitled to under EC 261 may be deducted from whatever additional compensation you receive.

The right to EU261 compensation for a disrupted flight depends on the airline’s responsibility. Airlines are not required to compensate passengers in cases of extraordinary circumstances, meaning situations beyond the airline's control. These include severe weather conditions, medical emergencies, airport staff strikes, political instability, bird strikes, acts of sabotage, security risks… you get the idea.

If you’re still unsure, the table below helps clarify when you might be eligible for compensation:

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.

Important: even in extraordinary circumstances, airlines must still provide care and assistance.

Once you’ve established that you’re eligible to make an EU261 claim from an airline, the next step is to go through the process of trying to get it. Follow these steps:

• Hold onto your boarding pass and all other travel documents.

• Gather proof of the delay (for example photos of the departure board or communications from the airline confirming the disruption.)

• Check if you’re entitled to compensation: you can use our free eligibility checker.


• File your claim through AirHelp. Alternatively, you can contact the airline directly, but you’ll need to handle all the paperwork yourself.


• Await a response. The entire process could take weeks; by relying on AirHelp, we’ll manage every aspect of the case for you.

How to claim compensation with AirHelp

Did you know that only 55% of all passengers worldwide make a claim, even when they know they are entitled to it?

Many travelers tend to be daunted by the thought of a complicated and drawn-out legal process. This fear often leads to them not trying to seek out the compensation they deserve for their flight inconvenience.

That’s what AirHelp is for. We take the burden from you and simplify the process:

1. We'll tell you quickly if we think you're eligible for compensation.

2. We'll handle all communication with the airline.

3. There's no risk, we only charge a fee when we're successful in getting your compensation.

4. We are committed to enforcing air passenger rights. To date, we’ve helped more than 2.7 million passengers receive their compensation.

Your right to EC 261 compensation does eventually expire, but the time limit varies from one country to the next.

You should note that the country you claim in is not decided by your nationality, but is determined by where the headquarters of the airline is, or what court has jurisdiction in cases concerning the airline.

As always, we have a handy chart for you:

* For Sweden, if a passenger notifies an airline within the first 2 months after a flight disruption, the claim should be eligible for 10 years.

**For Czech Republic, if a passenger notifies the airline within the first 6 months after flight disruption, the claim should be eligible for 3 years.

*** For Germany, the limitation period expires on the last day of the third year (for example, the limitation period for a flight on 25/2/2021 expires on 31/12/2024).