Amsterdam to New York flight delay and cancellation compensation

Compensation on the Amsterdam to New York route

Amsterdam to New York connects Schiphol, one of Europe's largest hubs, with JFK and Newark. The great-circle distance is approximately 5,850 km, placing the route in the highest EU261 band. Compensation is triggered by an arrival at your final destination three or more hours late, a cancellation with less than fourteen days' notice, or involuntary denied boarding. A large share of passengers on this route connect through Schiphol from elsewhere in Europe on a single booking, and that matters: eligibility and the band are assessed against the end of the whole journey, not the transatlantic sector alone.

How much you could be owed

Over 3,500 km, so €600 per passenger. Article 7(2) adds a long-haul qualification: where the airline re-routes you and you arrive in New York less than four hours after the originally scheduled time, it may halve the payment to €300; beyond four hours, the full €600 stands. The amount is fixed per passenger regardless of cabin or fare, and it is separate from your rights to a refund or re-routing and to meals, communication and a hotel if you are held overnight.

Which regulation applies

Departing Amsterdam, EU261 applies to every operating airline without exception, because the flight leaves an EU airport — a US carrier departing Schiphol is bound exactly as KLM is. The return is where most claims on this route fail: a New York to Amsterdam flight operated by a US carrier such as Delta is not covered, because arrivals into the EU are protected only when the operating airline is an EU or EEA carrier. The identical inbound flight on KLM or another European airline is covered in full. Check the operating carrier on your return leg, not the code on the ticket.

Airlines flying this route

Schiphol to the New York area is typically served by KLM alongside US carriers including Delta and United, with extensive joint-venture flying that means the airline on your ticket is often not the airline that flew you. The EU261 obligation attaches to the operating carrier, so your boarding pass is the reliable indicator.

How to claim

Send the flight number and date and we confirm direction, operator and coverage, then calculate the band and any likely Article 7(2) argument. Where extraordinary circumstances are pleaded — severe weather, an air traffic control restriction, a security incident — the airline must prove both the event and the reasonable measures it took; a strike by its own crew does not qualify, and an unevidenced refusal is not the end of the matter. The eligibility check is free. If we recover your compensation we charge a fixed €39 success fee — the same whether you're owed €250 or €600. No win, no fee.