EU261 Flight Compensation: The Complete Guide (2026)

EU261 Flight Compensation: The Complete Guide

EU Regulation 261/2004 is the strongest air-passenger protection law in the world. If your flight to, from, or within the EU (plus Iceland, Norway, Switzerland) was delayed 3+ hours, cancelled, or you were denied boarding, the airline probably owes you fixed cash compensation — €250, €400, or €600 depending on distance. Not a voucher. Cash.

Coming change — October 2027: EU261 reform (agreed June 2026) changes how arrival time is measured — from doors-open to on-block time — and caps the hotel duty-of-care at 3 nights during extraordinary circumstances. The 3-hour threshold and €250/€400/€600 amounts stay the same. If you're reading this after October 2027, check the current text.

When EU261 applies

Any flight departing from the EU/EEA/UK — regardless of airline nationality.
Flights arriving in the EU — only if operated by an EU-based airline.
Covers delays, cancellations, denied boarding, and downgrades.

How much you're owed

Flight distance	Compensation
Up to 1,500 km	€250
1,500 – 3,500 km	€400
Over 3,500 km	€600

The delay is measured at arrival, not departure — and the threshold is 3 hours. A flight that departs 4 hours late but arrives 2h55m late owes nothing; one that arrives 3h01m late owes the full amount. (This comes from the Sturgeon ruling — airlines know it, now you do too.)

Cancellations

If your flight is cancelled, you're entitled to re-routing or a full refund plus the compensation above — unless the airline informed you far enough in advance:

14+ days before: no compensation owed (refund/re-routing still required).
7–14 days before: no compensation if re-routing gets you there within 2 hours of schedule and departs no more than 2 hours early.
Under 7 days: no compensation only if re-routing departs within 1 hour early and arrives within 2 hours late.

What the airline must also provide (care)

Regardless of compensation, for qualifying delays the airline must provide meals, refreshments, hotel accommodation if overnight, and transport — the "right to care." Keep every receipt: these costs are reimbursable on top of compensation.

The honest part: airlines reject first claims routinely — "extraordinary circumstances" is their default reply. Most of the time it's a bluff (see our extraordinary circumstances guide). A second letter citing the specific case law gets paid far more often than the first. Persistence is the whole game.

How to claim (without giving away 35%)

Write directly to the airline — every airline has a claim form or customer-relations email. Cite Regulation (EC) No 261/2004, your flight number, date, and the delay length.
Give them 6 weeks. Then escalate.
Escalate to the National Enforcement Body of the departure country (each EU state has one) — free, and airlines take NEB referrals seriously.
Consider ADR (alternative dispute resolution) where available — binding in some countries.

Our free eligibility checker tells you in 60 seconds whether EU261 applies to your flight and how much you're owed. The $29 Claim Kit writes the letter, builds your evidence pack, and walks you through escalation if they say no.

Figures per Regulation (EC) No 261/2004, as applied through CJEU case law (Sturgeon, Wallentin-Hermann, van der Lans). National claim deadlines vary by member state (typically 2–6 years). Last verified October 2026.