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If your flight in or out of Europe arrived more than three hours late, was cancelled at short notice or you were bumped from it, you may be owed up to €600 in cash. Most American travelers never claim, simply because they don't know the rule exists.
The rule is the European Union's air passenger rights regulation, usually called EU261. It protects passengers of any nationality, including Americans, as long as the flight is covered. Here's how it works in plain English.
Which flights are covered
EU261 applies to two kinds of flights:
- Any flight departing from an airport in the EU, on any airline. A Delta or United flight from Paris to New York is covered.
- Flights arriving in the EU on an EU-based airline. A Lufthansa flight from Chicago to Frankfurt is covered, but an American Airlines flight from Chicago to Frankfurt is not.
The same rules also apply in Iceland, Norway and Switzerland. The United Kingdom has its own almost identical version, often called UK261.
When you can claim
- Delay: you reached your final destination three or more hours later than scheduled. What counts is the arrival time, roughly when the aircraft door opens, not the departure.
- Cancellation: the airline cancelled your flight less than 14 days before departure.
- Denied boarding: you were bumped from an overbooked flight against your will.
Missed connections can count too. If all flights were on one booking and you arrived at your final destination three or more hours late, the delay is usually measured at the end of the journey.
How much you can get
The amount depends on the flight distance, not on the ticket price:
- €250 for flights of up to 1,500 km.
- €400 for flights within the EU over 1,500 km, and other flights between 1,500 and 3,500 km.
- €600 for flights over 3,500 km, which includes most flights between Europe and the US.
On long-haul flights, the amount can be cut in half if you arrived between three and four hours late. Compensation is per passenger, so a family of four on a badly delayed transatlantic flight could be owed a significant sum.
When you're not owed compensation
Airlines don't have to pay when the problem was caused by "extraordinary circumstances" outside their control, such as severe weather, air traffic control restrictions or strikes, security threats or political unrest. Technical faults and problems with the airline's own staff usually do not count as extraordinary, which is why many claims succeed even after the airline first says no.
What to do at the airport
- Keep your boarding pass and booking confirmation, or take photos of them.
- Note the actual arrival time and ask staff, politely, for the reason for the delay or cancellation.
- Accept food, drinks and a hotel if offered. During long delays, airlines must also provide meals, refreshments and, for overnight delays, a hotel and transfers. This is separate from the cash compensation.
- Keep receipts for anything you had to buy yourself.
- Be careful what you sign. Vouchers offered at the gate can sometimes replace your right to cash if you accept them.
How to claim
Option 1: claim directly with the airline
Most airlines have an online claim form. It's free, and you keep 100% of the compensation. Expect to send your booking details and boarding pass, and be prepared to follow up, since airlines often reply slowly or reject claims at first. If they refuse, you can escalate to the national enforcement body in the country where the problem happened.
Option 2: use a claim service
If you'd rather not deal with the paperwork, a claim service handles everything for you. AirHelp, one of the best-known, lets you check your flight for free in a couple of minutes. If your claim is valid, it deals with the airline, and only charges a fee, a percentage of the compensation, if it wins. You get less money than claiming yourself, but you save the time and the back-and-forth.
Check your flight for free with AirHelp
Don't wait too long
You don't have to claim right away. Time limits are set by each country's national law and range from about one year to several years, so older flights from past trips may still qualify. The sooner you claim, the easier it is to find your documents.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Rules and time limits vary by country and can change, so check the details for your flight.
If you need a new flight
When a flight is cancelled, EU261 also gives you the right to choose between a refund and an alternative flight from the airline, so ask the airline first before paying for anything yourself. If you do end up booking on your own, or you simply want to rebook part of your trip, Trip.com lets you compare flights and hotels worldwide in one search, which helps when you're short on time at the airport.
Planning your next trip to Europe?
Quick recap
- Covered: flights departing the EU on any airline, and flights into the EU on EU airlines.
- Arrived 3+ hours late, cancelled under 14 days before, or bumped? You may be owed €250 to €600.
- Weather and air traffic control problems don't qualify; technical faults usually do.
- Claim free with the airline, or let a service like AirHelp handle it for a fee if it wins.