Flight delay compensation explained

| Edited by Tom Church

Updated 28th June 2021

Did your flight get delayed? Latest Deals is here to help you get flight delay compensation.

In this guide

What is flight delay compensation?

Since February 2005, a European Law determined that passengers should receive compensation for flight delays. This law is commonly known as EU 261 Compensation.

After Brexit, this European Law has now been written into the UK Law. Before Brexit, the payments were paid in euros, now they are paid in Pound Sterling.

In the UK, the flight delay compensation covers flights departing from the UK, arriving in the UK with an EU or UK carrier and arriving in the EU with a UK carrier.

How much is the flight delay compensation?

This depends on the flight length and the arrival delay. The longer the flight length and the arrival delay, the bigger the compensation.

Flight Length	Arrival Delay	Compensation
Up to 1,500km	3+ hours	up to £220
1,500km – 3,500km	3+ hours	up to £350
3,500km+	3-4 hours	up to £260
	4+ hours	up to £520

Who can claim flight delay compensation?

Anyone that is flying between two European countries or on an EU-regulated flight. You don’t need to be a European citizen or a British national to be able to reclaim flight delay compensation.

What to do when you are stuck in an airport due to a flight delay?

First of all, your airline must tell you what is happening. You can ask for an explanation at the customer service desk.

You can also keep track online by accessing the airline’s website, app, Twitter and Facebook accounts. Check your emails for updates as well.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Use FlightRadar24 to see what is happening with your flight.

What are your rights if you are stuck in an airport due to a flight delay?

Food and beverage

If you are delayed more than two hours for a short flight (less than 1,500km), three hours for a medium flight (between 1,500km and 3,500km), or four hours for a long flight (more than 3,500km), you are entitled to food and beverage, so the airline should offer them to you, or give you vouchers to buy them.

Accommodation

If you are delayed overnight, you are entitled to a hotel and also transport to and from the hotel. This hotel will probably be a budget option, nearby to the airport.

Access to phone calls and emails

If for any reason you can’t use your mobile phone, the airline must provide you with access to phone calls and emails.

Full ticket refund

If your flight is delayed more than five hours, you can get a ticket refund, no matter what the reason for the delay is. If you no longer wish to travel, you can ask for a full ticket refund.

IMPORTANT NOTE: If you spend any money on food, beverage, accommodation, phone calls and emails due to the flight delay you can save the receipts to ask for a refund together with your flight delay compensation claim. Make sure you are only spending within reason. You also ask for a refund for the things you will miss due to the delay, such as pre-booked accommodation, a car rental or even tickets to concert and events.

The rules for flight delay compensation

Rule #1: It's only for UK or EU-regulated flights

To be entitled to receive the flight delay compensation, your flight needs to be departing from a UK/EU airport, no matter what the airline is, or when a UK/EU airline lands at a UK/EU airport.

Rule #2: You can claim back to 2015

To be entitled to receive the flight delay compensation, you need to make your claim up to six years back. It’s always better to claim as soon as the delay happens to have more chances to be compensated.

Rule #3: It must be the airline’s fault

To be entitled to receive the flight delay compensation, the delay needed to have happened because of the airline, meaning, the company could have avoided the delay because it was in their control.

Some of the things that are out of the airline’s control are a security risk, severe weather that makes flying dangerous, drone disruption, long security queues, restricted Air Traffic Control operations and strikes by non-airline staff.

Rule #4: You can only get flight delay compensation if your flight delay is three hours or more.

This three hours delay is only counted on the time you should arrive at your destination, not when you leave. The time of arrival is when the aeroplane opens at least one door.

How to make a flight delay compensation claim

The first step is to complain to the airline.

You can claim directly with the airline you were travelling with.

You can call their customer service line with all the information you will need to provide, such as flight number, how long the delay was and your customer identification number.

You can also send them an email or fill out an online form, but calling is the best way to start your claim.

Most airlines companies have a web page dedicated to flight delay compensation claims. Below you can find some of them:

Norwegian Refund Claim	Claim for ticket refund
Ryanair Refund Claim	Claim for ticket refund
Easyjet Refund Claim	Claim for ticket refund
Jet2 Refund Claim	Claim for ticket refund
TUI Airways Refund Claim	Claim for ticket refund
American Airlines Refund Claim	Claim for ticket refund
British Airways Refund Claim	Claim for ticket refund
Loganair Refund Claim	Claim for ticket refund
Wizz Air Refund Claim	Claim for ticket refund
Aer Lingus Refund Claim	Claim for ticket refund
Emirates Refund Claim	Claim for ticket refund
Virgin Atlantic Refund Claim	Claim for ticket refund
Luftansa Refund Claim	Claim for ticket refund
KLM Refund Claim	Claim for ticket refund