To check whether a delay qualifies, first identify the route and operating airline, then compare your arrival time at the ticketed final destination with the applicable rules. Under UK rules, compensation may be due if you arrive more than three hours late; under the EU guidance, the threshold is three hours or more. In both cases, the cause of the delay and other conditions matter. In the United States, a delayed flight may give you a right to a refund if you reject a significant change, but that is different from fixed compensation for inconvenience.
Check your flight in this order
- Write down the itinerary. Note the departure and arrival airports, the airline that operated each flight, and whether connections were on one booking. The marketing airline shown on a ticket may not be the operator.
- Identify the rules that may cover it. UK, EU and US protections are different. For UK261, coverage includes flights departing a UK airport on any airline, flights arriving at a UK airport on a UK or EU airline, and flights arriving at an EU airport on a UK airline. EU guidance covers qualifying departures from the EU and certain arrivals operated by EU-licensed carriers; check the exact route and operator.
- Measure the delay at the final destination. Compare the scheduled arrival with the actual arrival at the destination on your ticket, not just the departure delay or the time the first leg arrived. For an EU connecting itinerary, the European Commission says the flights must be on a single reservation for delay compensation.
- Ask what caused the delay. Request the airline’s explanation and keep it. Extraordinary circumstances may exclude fixed UK or EU compensation, but a broad label such as “weather” or “technical issue” does not by itself establish whether the exception applies.
- Check distance and the remedy you want. Distance helps determine the UK or EU compensation amount. Separately check whether you may be due care while waiting or can choose a refund instead of continuing your trip.
- Save records and claim from the airline. Keep your booking confirmation, scheduled and actual arrival details, disruption notices, the airline’s explanation, receipts for reasonable expenses, and its response to your claim.
Which rules may apply?
| Regime | Route and carrier check | What delay relief to check |
|---|---|---|
| UK261 | Departure from a UK airport on any airline; arrival in the UK on a UK or EU airline; or arrival in the EU on a UK airline. | Fixed compensation may be due if you reach the destination more than three hours late and extraordinary circumstances did not cause the delay. Care and refund rights have separate triggers. |
| EU passenger-rights guidance | Check whether the flight departed from the EU or arrived there on an EU-licensed carrier, along with the exact itinerary and operator. | Compensation may be due if you reach the final destination at least three hours late and the delay was not caused by extraordinary circumstances. Care while waiting can arise sooner. |
| United States | Check the itinerary and the US Department of Transportation’s rules and airline-specific commitments. | A significant delay or schedule change may qualify for a ticket refund if you reject travel and alternatives. That is not the same as general fixed compensation for inconvenience. |
How late does the flight have to be?
For UK and EU fixed delay compensation, use the delay at the final destination, especially when a connection is involved. A long delay before takeoff does not settle eligibility if the aircraft later makes up time; conversely, a short delay on the first leg can grow into a longer delay by the end of a connection.
- UK: The Civil Aviation Authority says compensation may be due when you reach your destination airport more than three hours late.
- EU: The European Commission’s guidance says you may be entitled to compensation when you arrive at your final destination three hours or more late.
- Connections: Record the arrival time at the ticketed final destination. For EU compensation on connecting flights, the Commission says the flights must be part of one reservation; do not assume separate tickets count as a protected connection.
Does the cause of the delay matter?
Yes. Meeting the arrival threshold is not enough if an extraordinary circumstance caused the delay. UK guidance gives examples including severe weather, air-traffic-control decisions, natural disasters, bird strikes and political instability. These are examples, not an automatic checklist that decides every claim: the specific cause and circumstances matter.
Ask the airline to explain what happened and how it affected your flight. Keep that explanation with your records. If the carrier relies on an extraordinary-circumstances exception, assess the actual facts rather than treating the label alone as proof that compensation is excluded.
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How much could UK or EU compensation be?
The amounts below are the standard fixed amounts described in UK and European Commission guidance. They depend on route distance; the UK long-haul amount also depends on the length of the arrival delay.
| Distance | UK amount per passenger | EU amount per passenger |
|---|---|---|
| Under 1,500 km | £220 | €250 |
| 1,500–3,500 km | £350 | €400 |
| Over 3,500 km | £260 when arrival is between three and under four hours late; £520 when it is over four hours late. The CAA guidance summarized here does not specify the amount at exactly four hours, so check the current CAA guidance for that boundary case. | €600 |
The European Commission announced a political agreement on revised rules on 15 June 2026, saying the existing standard amounts and three-hour threshold were maintained in that agreement. A political agreement is not by itself an operative rule change: the Commission said revisions would apply only after adoption, publication in the Official Journal and a further 12 months. Check the Commission’s current status information before relying on a rule change for an individual claim.
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Compensation, care and refunds are different
These remedies have different triggers. Qualifying for meals while waiting does not automatically mean you qualify for fixed compensation, and choosing a refund is not the same as receiving delay compensation.
Care while waiting in the UK
UK care thresholds are based on departure delay and route distance, rather than the final-arrival test for compensation. The CAA and GOV.UK guidance lists care after at least two hours for flights under 1,500 km, three hours for flights between 1,500 and 3,500 km, and four hours for flights over 3,500 km. Care can include meals and refreshments, and overnight accommodation and transport when needed. If you arrange reasonable care yourself, keep the receipts.
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Choosing not to travel in the UK
If the delay reaches five hours, you may choose not to travel and seek a refund for unused flights. This choice is separate from whether you qualify for compensation based on the eventual arrival delay.
Refunds and disruption commitments in the United States
The DOT says a passenger may obtain a refund after a significant delay or schedule change if they decide not to travel or accept travel credits, vouchers or other alternatives. If you take the changed or rebooked flight, DOT rules generally do not provide a ticket refund solely because it was delayed. For meals, hotel stays and other disruption help, check the airline’s current policy and the DOT Airline Cancellation and Delay Dashboard. Airline commitments listed there are enforceable; controllable causes can include maintenance or crew problems, cabin cleaning, baggage loading and fueling. Dashboard commitments can change, so check the current entry for your airline.
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How to make a claim and what to do if it stalls
- Submit the claim to the airline. Include your booking reference, route, flight details, scheduled and actual final-destination arrival times, and a concise account of the disruption. State whether you are seeking compensation, reimbursement for reasonable expenses, a refund, or more than one remedy.
- Attach supporting records. Include the booking, delay notices and explanation, and receipts for reasonable expenses you paid because of the disruption. Keep copies of everything you submit.
- Wait for the airline’s response and retain it. If its final response is unsatisfactory, or it has not replied after eight weeks, UK CAA guidance says you may be able to escalate to the relevant alternative dispute resolution provider or to CAA PACT, depending on the airline’s membership.
What information settles an individual case?
- Departure and arrival airports, plus each operating airline.
- Scheduled and actual arrival time at the final destination.
- Whether connecting flights were on one reservation.
- The cause the airline gave and any supporting explanation.
- The remedy sought: fixed compensation, care or expenses, or a ticket refund.
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