Flight delayed or cancelled? Check if you're owed up to €600
Answer four quick questions and ClaimCheck applies the actual rules — EU261, UK261 and US DOT — to your flight: distance bands computed from 650+ airports, the extraordinary-circumstances test, and a ready-to-send claim letter citing the right article of law.
Airport not listed?
Don't want to chase the airline yourself?
Claim services like AirHelp or Flightright handle the paperwork, legal letters and — if needed — court action. They work no-win-no-fee and typically keep ~30% of the recovery only if they win. Worth it when an airline stonewalls; claiming directly is free and keeps 100%.
Let a claim service chase it →Your claim letter
Pre-filled with your flight details and the correct legal citation. Add your name and booking reference, then paste it into the airline's claim form or send by email.
How to claim, step by step
The process is the same whether you're owed €250 or €600 — and most claims are settled without a lawyer.
- Gather evidence. Keep your boarding pass, booking confirmation and any airline emails or SMS about the disruption. Screenshot the flight's actual arrival time from a tracker like Flightradar24 or FlightAware — arrival delay (door open) is what counts, not departure delay.
- Confirm the cause. Ask gate staff or the airline in writing why the flight was disrupted. Airlines must prove extraordinary circumstances if they refuse to pay — vague answers like "operational reasons" are usually claimable.
- Run the numbers. Use the checker above to get your distance band, regulation and amount.
- Submit to the airline first. Use the airline's own compensation/complaint form (linked in your verdict above) or email customer relations with the generated letter. Give them a deadline — 14 days is reasonable — and ask for bank transfer, not vouchers.
- Escalate to the regulator. No reply in 6–8 weeks, or a rejection you think is wrong? File with the national enforcement body for the departure country (shown in your verdict), or the approved ADR/arbitration scheme the airline belongs to. This is free.
- Court or a claim service as a last resort. Small-claims/European Small Claims procedures handle EU261 well, or hand it to a no-win-no-fee claim service (~30% cut). Mind the time limits below.
Time limits: how long you have to claim
EU261 itself sets no deadline — national law where the claim would be heard does. These are the headline limitation periods:
| Jurisdiction | Limitation period | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | 6 years | 5 years in Scotland |
| Ireland | 6 years | |
| France | 5 years | |
| Spain | 5 years | |
| Germany | 3 years | Runs to the end of the third calendar year |
| Italy | 26 months | |
| Netherlands | 2 years | Shortest major EU window — act fast |
| United States | No DOT deadline | Contract-of-carriage and state-law limits of 1–2 years can apply; file DOT complaints promptly |
What each regulation actually covers
EU261 — Regulation (EC) No 261/2004
EU261 covers every flight departing an EU/EEA airport on any airline, and flights arriving into the EU/EEA on an EU/EEA airline. Compensation is a fixed amount set by great-circle distance: €250 up to 1,500 km, €400 from 1,500–3,500 km (and all intra-EU flights over 1,500 km), and €600 over 3,500 km. Delays qualify when you arrive 3+ hours late (the Sturgeon ruling); for flights over 3,500 km delayed 3–4 hours the airline may halve the payment to €300. Cancellations qualify unless you were told 14+ days ahead, or were rerouted close to your original times. Involuntary denied boarding always pays — extraordinary circumstances are no defence to bumping.
The airline escapes paying only for extraordinary circumstances it could not avoid: severe weather, ATC restrictions, security risks, bird strikes, third-party strikes. Crucially, technical faults and the airline's own staff strikes are not extraordinary under CJEU case law, however often airlines claim otherwise. Separate from compensation, you always have a right to care (meals, communication, hotel if overnight) during long delays and a full refund if the delay passes 5 hours and you abandon the trip.
UK261 — the retained UK version
After Brexit the UK copied EU261 into domestic law. Same triggers, same distance bands, sterling amounts: £220 / £350 / £520. It covers flights departing the UK on any airline and flights arriving into the UK on a UK or EU airline. A flight from the EU to the UK on a UK carrier can fall under both regimes — you choose one, you can't collect twice. Enforcement runs through the UK CAA and approved ADR schemes (most big UK airlines belong to one), and you have six years to sue in England and Wales (five in Scotland).
United States — refunds and bumping, not delay cash
Be wary of sites implying EU-style payouts for US delays: no US law pays cash compensation for a delayed or cancelled flight, whatever the cause. What you do get, under DOT's automatic-refund rule (14 CFR Part 260, in force since late 2024): if your flight is cancelled or "significantly changed" — 3+ hours late domestic, 6+ international — and you choose not to travel, the airline must refund your ticket and paid extras automatically, in cash, not vouchers. Checked-bag fees are refundable when bags arrive 12+ hours late domestically.
Real cash compensation exists only for involuntary denied boarding on oversold flights departing the US (14 CFR Part 250): nothing if you arrive within 1 hour of schedule; 200% of the one-way fare, capped at $1,075, for arrival 1–2 hours late on domestic flights (1–4 h international); and 400%, capped at $2,150, beyond that. It must be offered in cash or check — you don't have to accept vouchers. Volunteers who give up seats negotiate their own deal and get no statutory amount.
Frequently asked questions
How much does EU261 pay for a delayed flight?
Fixed amounts by distance: €250 up to 1,500 km, €400 for 1,500–3,500 km (and all intra-EU flights over 1,500 km), €600 over 3,500 km — when you arrive 3+ hours late for a reason within the airline's control. Long-haul delays of 3–4 hours can be halved to €300.
Does the 3-hour rule count departure or arrival delay?
Arrival. The CJEU defines arrival as the moment a door opens at the gate. Leave 3.5 h late but arrive 2 h 55 min late, and there's no EU261 compensation.
What counts as "extraordinary circumstances"?
Severe weather, ATC restrictions or ATC strikes, security risks, bird strikes, medical diversions, and third-party strikes (airport or ground staff). NOT extraordinary: technical faults, maintenance, crew shortage, and the airline's own staff striking — courts have ruled all of these are the airline's business risk, so compensation stays due.
Do US airlines pay cash for delays?
No — no US law mandates it. You're entitled to an automatic cash refund if a cancelled or significantly changed flight (3 h+ domestic / 6 h+ international) makes you abandon the trip, and cash compensation up to 400% of your one-way fare (max $2,150) only for involuntary bumping on oversold flights departing the US.
How long do I have to make a claim?
Depends on national law: UK 6 years (Scotland 5), Ireland 6, France and Spain 5, Germany 3, Italy 26 months, Netherlands just 2. In the US there's no DOT deadline, but contract or state-law limits of 1–2 years can apply. Sooner is always better — evidence fades.
Can I claim on points/award tickets or package holidays?
Yes. EU261/UK261 amounts are fixed regardless of fare, so award tickets, sale fares and package-holiday flights qualify. Only fully free tickets unavailable to the public and staff fares are excluded.
Should I use a claim company?
Claiming yourself is free and usually just a web form. Claim services take roughly 30% + VAT but work no-win-no-fee and will litigate. Sensible order: claim directly first, escalate to the regulator, then hand stubborn cases to a service.
The airline fed me and gave me a hotel — does that cancel compensation?
No. Care (meals, hotel, communication) is a separate duty owed during the disruption regardless of cause. It never reduces the cash compensation. And you can insist on money rather than vouchers — only accept vouchers by explicit written agreement.
Flight delayed right now?
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