EU261 passenger rights: compensation, refunds and care
EU Regulation 261/2004 is the core European air passenger rights law. It sets fixed compensation for long delays, cancellations and denied boarding, plus a right to care and to a refund.
Checked by the FlightCompensations editorial team
Last updated 1 July 2026 · Editorial & corrections policy
What are EU261 passenger rights?
Key takeaways
- EU261 covers all departures from the EU/EEA on any airline, and arrivals into the EU/EEA on an EU/EEA airline.
- Fixed compensation of €250, €400 or €600 depends on flight distance, not ticket price.
- For delays, the 3-hour rule is measured by arrival at your final destination (the Sturgeon ruling, C-402/07).
- Care and assistance (meals, refreshments, and accommodation where needed) can apply even when cash compensation does not.
- Extraordinary circumstances outside the airline's control can remove compensation, but the airline must prove them.
- Limitation periods vary by country, from 1 year in Poland to 6 in the UK, so it is worth checking sooner rather than later.
Which flights does EU261 cover, and which are excluded?
May qualify for compensation
- Your flight departed an EU/EEA airport, or arrived in the EU/EEA on an EU/EEA carrier.
- You had a confirmed booking and checked in on time (usually where a check-in deadline applies).
- You experienced a qualifying disruption: a delay, cancellation or denied boarding.
- For delay compensation, you reached your final destination 3 or more hours late.
- For cancellation compensation, you were given less than 14 days' notice and were not re-routed within the allowed windows.
- The cause was within the airline's control rather than a genuinely extraordinary circumstance.
Usually excluded
- Disruptions caused by extraordinary circumstances the airline could not have avoided (for example severe weather, air traffic control restrictions, or political instability).
- Delays of under 3 hours at the final destination.
- Flights with no qualifying EU/EEA connection (for example a non-EU airline flying between two non-EU airports).
- Cancellations notified at least 14 days in advance.
- Cases where you were offered re-routing close to your original times within the regulation's notice windows.
Which rules apply to your flight?
For a delay, EU261 gives a right to care once the wait passes a set threshold — 2, 3 or 4 hours, by distance. That means meals and refreshments, two phone calls or emails, and a hotel plus transport if you have to stay the night.
Fixed sums of €250 to €600 apply when you reach your final stop 3 or more hours late, for a reason within the airline's control. That comes from the Court of Justice ruling in Sturgeon (C-402/07).
If a delay reaches 5 hours you can also choose a refund instead of travelling, and a return flight to your first departure point where relevant.
What are the EU261 compensation amounts by distance?
EU261 compensation by flight distance
| Flight | Amount |
|---|---|
| Up to 1,500 km | €250 |
| 1,500–3,500 km (and all intra-EU flights over 1,500 km) | €400 |
| Over 3,500 km(€400 if the flight is within the EU) | €600 |
Under Article 7(2), a cancellation or bumping with re-routing that arrives close to the original time can be reduced by 50% in any band; for delays, only flights over 3,500 km arriving 3 to 4 hours late. Amounts are per passenger and illustrative until eligibility is verified.
What should you do now?
- 1Note your original scheduled and actual arrival times at the final destination.
- 2Ask the airline, in writing, for the reason for the disruption.
- 3Keep your boarding pass and booking confirmation.
- 4Keep receipts for meals, refreshments and accommodation.
- 5Check your eligibility and start a claim.
Which documents should you keep?
How do you claim?
- 1Enter your flight number and date to get a preliminary assessment.
- 2Add the journey details and any documents you have.
- 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
Which flights does EU261 cover?
Any flight departing an EU/EEA airport on any airline, and any flight arriving in the EU/EEA operated by an EU/EEA carrier. A non-EU airline flying between two non-EU countries is not covered.
How much compensation can I get under EU261?
€250, €400 or €600 per passenger depending on the flight distance. The amount is fixed by the regulation and does not depend on what you paid for your ticket.
Is the 3-hour rule about departure or arrival?
Arrival at your final destination. After the Sturgeon ruling, a long delay pays out when you reach your stop 3 or more hours late, for a reason within the airline's control.
What are extraordinary circumstances?
Events outside the airline's control that it could not avoid with all reasonable measures: severe weather, air traffic control limits, certain security risks. The airline must prove them, and care rights can still apply.
How far back can I claim under EU261?
It depends on the country, as national limitation periods currently range from 1 year in Poland to 6 years in the UK. The EU261 reform approved in July 2026 will replace these national limits with one 9-month deadline across the EU, expected from the second half of 2027; until then the national limits apply.
Sources
- Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 — the regulation itself, in every EU language
- Sturgeon v Condor (C-402/07 & C-432/07) — the ruling that brought long delays inside the compensation rules
- Nelson v Lufthansa (C-581/10 & C-629/10) — and the challenge that confirmed it
Does your flight qualify?
Free in about 15 seconds. You receive the airline's compensation and pay only our fixed €39 fee after success.
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