Oversold flight? Overbooking may owe you up to €600.
Airlines routinely sell more seats than a plane has. If overbooking meant you were refused a confirmed seat against your will, EU261 or UK261 may entitle you to fixed compensation plus a refund or rerouting and care.
Checked by the FlightCompensations editorial team
Last updated 1 July 2026 · Editorial & corrections policy
Direct answer
Key takeaways
- Overbooking is legal, but being bumped involuntarily from an oversold flight can trigger compensation.
- You must have a confirmed reservation and have checked in / reached the gate on time.
- Airlines must first ask for volunteers before bumping anyone against their will.
- Involuntary bumping pays €250, €400 or €600 by distance; volunteering pays whatever you agree instead.
- You also keep the right to a refund or rerouting and to care (meals, and accommodation where needed).
What qualifies — and what usually doesn't
May qualify for compensation
- You held a confirmed booking on the oversold flight.
- You checked in and presented at the gate on time.
- You were denied boarding involuntarily because the flight was overbooked.
- The flight departed the EU/EEA or UK, or arrived there on an EU/UK carrier.
- You did not accept a voluntary offer to surrender your seat.
Usually excluded
- You volunteered to give up your seat in exchange for benefits (that agreement replaces fixed compensation).
- You did not check in on time or arrived at the gate after the boarding deadline.
- You had no confirmed reservation for the flight.
- Boarding was refused on reasonable grounds such as documents, health, safety or security rather than overbooking.
- The flight had no qualifying EU/EEA or UK connection under the regulations.
Rights by jurisdiction
Under EU Regulation 261/2004, when a flight is overbooked the airline must first seek volunteers to give up their seats for an agreed benefit, then pay fixed compensation to anyone bumped involuntarily.
Involuntary denied boarding from overbooking pays €250–€600 by distance, in addition to a refund or rerouting and to care, provided the passenger had a confirmed booking and presented on time.
Compensation amounts
EU261 / UK261 overbooking (denied-boarding) compensation by distance
| Flight | Amount |
|---|---|
| Up to 1,500 km | €250 |
| 1,500–3,500 km (and all intra-EU over 1,500 km) | €400 |
| Over 3,500 km | €600 |
Amounts may be reduced by 50% where rerouting limits the extra time to your destination under Article 7(2). Per passenger and illustrative until verified.
What to do
- 1Ask the airline to confirm, in writing, that overbooking caused the denied boarding.
- 2Keep your boarding pass and booking confirmation as proof of a confirmed seat.
- 3Weigh any 'volunteer' offer carefully before accepting — it can replace your fixed rights.
- 4Note your check-in and gate times.
- 5Keep receipts for meals, refreshments and any accommodation.
Documents to keep
How to claim
- 1Enter your flight number and date to get a preliminary assessment.
- 2Tell us whether you were bumped involuntarily or volunteered, and add your documents.
- 3We prepare and submit the claim to the airline and follow up.
- 4If compensation is recovered, you receive the airline's award and pay our fixed €39 fee.
Frequently asked questions
Is it legal for airlines to overbook?
Yes. Selling more seats than the aircraft holds is permitted, but if it results in involuntary denied boarding of a confirmed passenger, compensation may be due.
Should I volunteer to be bumped?
That's your choice. Volunteering means you accept the airline's offered benefit instead of the fixed €250–€600 compensation, so weigh the deal against what you might otherwise be owed.
How is the US different?
The US requires denied-boarding compensation too, but calculates it as a percentage of your fare based on the delay length and subject to caps, rather than the EU's fixed distance bands.
Do I still get home if I'm bumped?
Yes. Alongside any compensation you can choose a refund or rerouting to your destination and are entitled to care such as meals while you wait.
Check if your flight qualifies
Free in about 15 seconds. You receive the airline's compensation and pay only our fixed €39 fee after success.
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