Flight Delay and Cancellation Compensation UK: UK261 Guide

The CAA describes three coverage routes: departures from the UK on any airline; arrivals in the UK on a UK or EU airline; and arrivals in the EU on a UK airline. Check the operating airline, which may differ from the company that sold the ticket.

EU261 can also be relevant to a journey. Do not assume the UK and EU regimes are interchangeable or claim twice for the same entitlement. For connections, establish whether the flights form one booking; separate tickets do not automatically protect a missed onward departure.

For an eligible arrival delay of at least three hours, the distance bands are £220 for up to 1,500 km and £350 for over 1,500 to 3,500 km. For over 3,500 km, the amount can be £260 for a delay between three and four hours or £520 for a longer delay. At exactly four hours, confirm the precise arrival time and applicable reduction before claiming. The calculator flags this boundary for review.

Use the arrival delay at the final destination on the relevant booking, rather than departure delay. Distance is measured between the relevant departure and final destination, not by adding each connecting leg. The fixed amount is per eligible passenger; a child travelling free without a qualifying ticket may be treated differently.

A delay under three hours can still trigger care at the airport. A ticket refund and fixed compensation address different rights; the ticket price does not determine the fixed band.

At least 14 days of cancellation notice generally removes fixed cancellation compensation. With 7 to under 14 days of notice, the exception applies if the offered replacement departs no more than two hours early and arrives less than four hours late. With under seven days of notice, those limits become one hour early and less than two hours late. The offer matters even if you did not take it.

Outside those exceptions, the cause and evidence still matter. A replacement arriving close to the original time may allow a 50% reduction: compare its arrival delay with the two-, three- or four-hour threshold for the distance band. The calculator requests missing timings and flags exact threshold cases instead of assuming a full award. See the CAA cancellation guidance.

Illustrative example, not a reported claim: a covered flight cancelled 20 days before departure normally gives a choice of refund or rerouting, but no fixed cancellation compensation. A five-hour arrival delay on a long flight caused by an ordinary airline operational problem could indicate £520 for each eligible passenger. Both outcomes require the facts to be checked.

For delays and cancellations, an airline can avoid fixed compensation if it proves extraordinary circumstances that could not have been avoided by reasonable measures. The phrase “outside our control” alone does not settle the question. Ask for the specific cause and supporting evidence. Ordinary operational or technical problems do not automatically qualify as extraordinary.

Involuntary denied boarding has a different test: check that the passenger met check-in and boarding conditions and was not refused for a justified document, health or safety reason. Do not automatically apply the delay-and-cancellation extraordinary-circumstances defence to overbooking. Volunteers use the benefits agreed with the airline. The CAA denied-boarding guidance explains the distinction.

For covered delays, care starts after two hours for flights up to 1,500 km, three hours for over 1,500 to 3,500 km, and four hours for longer flights. Ask for reasonable refreshments and communication, and necessary overnight accommodation with transport where applicable. Care can remain available when extraordinary circumstances prevent fixed compensation.

At a departure delay of at least five hours, you can choose to abandon the journey and request a refund for unused travel, with a return to your original departure point where applicable. For covered cancellations and involuntary denied boarding, refund and rerouting options apply separately. Taking a refund or choosing a later convenient travel date does not create unlimited hotel cover.

Ask the airline to provide care first. If it does not, keep itemised receipts and evidence of the circumstances for reasonable expenses. No universal meal or hotel spending amount is guaranteed. Explain the expense separately from your fixed-compensation claim.

Use the free calculator to record the route, notice, replacement timings and known cause. Its result links to an editable claim-letter template. Keep the booking, flight details, scheduled and actual timings, airline messages, replacement offer and receipts. Submit to the operating airline through its official claims channel.

If the amount is uncertain, ask for the facts and evidence rather than asserting a sum. You do not need a claims company to contact an airline. Check representation fees and terms before choosing one.

If the airline rejects the complaint or has not provided a final response within eight weeks, check the CAA complaints process. The route depends on whether the airline belongs to an approved ADR scheme; check the current scheme and any fee conditions. Court deadlines and jurisdiction can differ, so seek specific advice if time is running out.

Find the relevant claim process in the airline compensation guides. Each guide links back to these shared rules and explains the operator-specific evidence or submission route. The passenger-rights hub covers rejected claims, missed connections and care expenses.