Delayed flight: what you're actually owed
A long delay is frustrating, but it can also come with real rights — and most people never claim them. Under UK261 and EU261, certain delays entitle you to a fixed cash sum. Here's how the rules work in plain English, and how to claim yourself without handing a slice to a claims firm.
Which rules apply
Two closely related regimes cover most flights touching the UK and EU: UK261 (the UK's retained version of the rules) and EU261 (the EU regulation). Broadly, they can apply to flights departing from a UK or EU airport, and to flights arriving there on a UK/EU airline — but the exact coverage depends on your route and the carrier. They protect you regardless of how cheap your ticket was, and you don't need any special insurance to rely on them.
The 3-hour rule
The headline trigger for delay compensation is arrival time, not departure. If you reach your final destination three or more hours later than scheduled, and the delay was the airline's responsibility, you may be entitled to a fixed amount. Note "final destination" — on a connecting itinerary it's where your journey ends, not the airport where things first went wrong. Shorter delays generally don't qualify for the cash sum, though you may still be owed care like meals or refreshments.
Extraordinary circumstances
Compensation isn't automatic for every delay. If the cause was outside the airline's control — so-called extraordinary circumstances, such as severe weather, air-traffic-control restrictions, security risks or some strikes — the airline can be excused from paying the fixed sum. The dividing line isn't always obvious, and airlines sometimes lean on this defence more than the facts justify, so it's worth understanding the reason given rather than accepting a blanket "no" at face value.
Distance bands and the set amounts
The fixed amounts depend on how far you were flying. The rules set tiered figures by distance band:
- Shorter flights sit in the lowest band.
- Medium-distance flights sit in the middle band.
- Longer, long-haul flights sit in the top band (sometimes reduced if the delay is moderate rather than long).
The amounts are the figures set by the rules — currently around £220/£350/£520 under UK261 and €250/€400/€600 under EU261 across the bands. These are set by regulation and can be updated over time, so always check the current figures and official sources before you rely on a number.
How to claim — free, yourself
Here's the part the claims-management industry would rather you didn't know: you can almost always claim directly, for free, and keep the whole amount. The basic steps:
- Gather your booking reference, flight details and the actual arrival time.
- Contact the airline directly — most have an online claim form — and quote UK261/EU261.
- State your final-destination delay and ask for the compensation the rules set.
- If the airline wrongly refuses, you can escalate to the relevant national enforcement body or ADR scheme.
We are not a claims firm and never take a cut. Start with our flight-delay compensation checker — four quick questions tell you whether the rules are likely to apply and the amount they set, so you can claim it yourself.