How EU261 Actually Works
EU261 is a European Union regulation that applies to any flight departing an EU airport regardless of operating airline, and to flights arriving in the EU on an EU carrier. The UK has its own near-identical version, UK261. Compensation applies for cancellations and delays of three hours or more at your final destination, generally set at €250 for shorter flights, €400 for medium-haul, and €600 for long-haul flights over roughly 3,500 km — figures set in the regulation itself, not decided case by case.
EU261 is a European Union regulation that applies to any flight departing an EU airport regardless of operating airline, and to flights arriving in the EU on an EU carrier. The UK has its own near-identical version, UK261. Compensation applies for cancellations and delays of three hours or more at your final destination, generally set at €250 for shorter flights, €400 for medium-haul, and €600 for long-haul flights over roughly 3,500 km — figures set in the regulation itself, not decided case by case.
The key exception is 'extraordinary circumstances.' If the airline can show the disruption was caused by something outside its control — severe weather, ATC strikes, security threats — it doesn't owe compensation, though it still owes care in the meantime, like meals and hotel accommodation.
The US Approach Is Fundamentally Different
The Department of Transportation does not require US airlines to pay cash compensation for delays, no matter how long the delay lasts. What the DOT does require is a refund, not just a travel credit, if your flight is cancelled or significantly changed and you choose not to travel.
The Department of Transportation does not require US airlines to pay cash compensation for delays, no matter how long the delay lasts. What the DOT does require is a refund, not just a travel credit, if your flight is cancelled or significantly changed and you choose not to travel.
Beyond refunds, airlines make their own customer service commitments, which vary by carrier and are published in each contract of carriage. Some major US airlines voluntarily cover meals and hotels for controllable delays, but these are airline policies, not federal law.
Why the Gap Exists — and Whether It's Changing
The DOT has periodically pushed for stronger protections, including proposals that would require airlines to cover meals and hotels automatically for controllable delays. Progress on mandatory cash compensation specifically has been slow, and there is still no federal requirement matching EU261.
The DOT has periodically pushed for stronger protections, including proposals that would require airlines to cover meals and hotels automatically for controllable delays. Progress on mandatory cash compensation specifically has been slow, and there is still no federal requirement matching EU261.
In practice, US travelers have fewer guaranteed rights than European travelers when a flight is delayed. It's worth checking the DOT's airline customer service dashboard, which tracks what each major carrier has committed to.
How to Actually File a Claim
For EU261 or UK261, start with the airline's own online compensation claim form with your booking reference and flight details. If denied or ignored, escalate to the relevant national enforcement body; claims generally have a multi-year window, though the exact limit depends on that country's civil claims rules.
For EU261 or UK261, start with the airline's own online compensation claim form with your booking reference and flight details. If denied or ignored, escalate to the relevant national enforcement body; claims generally have a multi-year window, though the exact limit depends on that country's civil claims rules.
For US disruptions, pursue a refund or rebooking directly through the airline first. If refused, you can file a complaint through the DOT's Air Consumer complaint portal.
When Insurance Beats Regulation
For domestic US delays, regulatory compensation essentially does not exist, making travel insurance or a credit card's trip delay benefit your realistic path to reimbursement. Many premium cards include trip delay coverage that kicks in after a set number of hours and reimburses reasonable expenses up to a per-trip cap.
For domestic US delays, regulatory compensation essentially does not exist, making travel insurance or a credit card's trip delay benefit your realistic path to reimbursement. Many premium cards include trip delay coverage that kicks in after a set number of hours and reimburses reasonable expenses up to a per-trip cap.
Even for EU261-eligible flights, insurance remains a useful complement, since EU261 compensation is a fixed amount unrelated to actual costs and can take weeks to pay out.