Flight delay compensation in the UK and EU (UK261 and EU261), explained
The short answer: if your flight reaches its final destination more than three hours late, and the delay was the airline's responsibility, you can usually claim fixed compensation: £220, £350 or £520 under the UK rules, or €250, €400 or €600 under the EU rules, depending on distance. It is not paid automatically; you claim from the airline. Figures below are from the UK Civil Aviation Authority, legislation.gov.uk and the EU, checked on 4 October 2026. This is general information, not legal advice.
Which rules cover your flight
UK261 (the UK's version of Regulation 261/2004) covers flights leaving a UK airport on any airline, and flights into the UK on a UK or EU airline. UK261, article 3 EU261 covers flights within the EU, flights leaving the EU on any airline, and flights into the EU on an EU airline. Your Europe: air passenger rights
How much
| Flight distance | UK261 | EU261 |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 1,500 km | £220 | €250 |
| 1,500 to 3,500 km (and EU flights over 1,500 km) | £350 | €400 |
| Over 3,500 km, 3 to 4 hours late | £260 | €300 |
| Over 3,500 km, 4 hours or more late | £520 | €600 |
Sources: UK CAA: delays, UK261, article 7 and Your Europe. The amounts are per passenger. For connecting flights on one booking, what counts is how late you reach your final destination.
When the airline does not have to pay
No compensation is due if the airline can show the delay came from extraordinary circumstances that could not have been avoided even with all reasonable measures. UK261, article 5 The CAA's examples include weather that makes flying unsafe, strikes by people outside the airline (such as airport or air traffic control staff), security risks and political unrest. Technical faults are generally not extraordinary, following the Huzar and van der Lans court cases. UK CAA: am I entitled?
Separately from compensation, if a delay reaches five hours you can choose not to travel and get a refund. UK CAA
How to claim
- Claim from the airline directly, with your booking reference, flight number, date and how late you arrived.
- If it says no, use the airline's alternative dispute resolution scheme, or the CAA if the airline has none.
- As a last resort, the small claims court. UK CAA: making a claim
How long you have
In England and Wales, six years: the Court of Appeal held in Dawson v Thomson Airways (2014) that the six-year limit in the Limitation Act 1980 applies, not the two years of the Montreal Convention. Dawson v Thomson Airways In Scotland, the general limit for such obligations is five years. Prescription and Limitation (Scotland) Act 1973, section 6 In the EU, time limits depend on each country's rules.
Changes coming in the EU
The EU agreed a revision of its passenger rights on 15 June 2026. According to the European Commission, the three-hour threshold and the €250, €400 and €600 amounts stay; airlines must tell passengers their rights; and passengers will have nine months to ask for compensation. The new rules apply 12 months after publication in the EU's Official Journal, so check the date before relying on them. European Commission
Keep the evidence
Claims are easier with the flight number, date and real arrival time to hand. TripStow keeps the booking details from the emails you forward (flight numbers, dates, booking references), so the facts of a claim are already in your trip. To see how often a US flight is late before you book, look it up in the free flight on-time records.