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What Is EU261 / UK261 Flight Compensation?
EU261 — and its UK equivalent, UK261 — is a regulation that protects air passengers. It entitles you to compensation when your flight is significantly disrupted. The regulation applies to flights departing from UK or EU airports, or arriving in the UK/EU on a UK or EU carrier. Compensation is separate from any refund or care the airline provides.
How Much Compensation Can You Claim?
Compensation is based on flight distance, not ticket price:
- Short-haul (up to 1,500 km) — up to €250 per passenger.
- Medium-haul (1,500–3,500 km) — up to €400 per passenger.
- Long-haul (over 3,500 km) — up to €600 per passenger.
These are per-passenger amounts. A family of four on a delayed long-haul flight could claim up to €2,400 in total. Compensation applies when the delay exceeds three hours at the final destination.
Not sure if your flight qualifies?
AirAdvisor's free checker tells you in about two minutes whether your delay, cancellation or denied boarding is eligible under EU261/UK261.
Check Eligibility Free →When Can You Claim?
- Your flight arrived more than three hours late at your final destination.
- Your flight was cancelled within 14 days of departure.
- You were denied boarding due to overbooking.
- You missed a connection because of a delayed first flight.
Claims can be made retroactively for flights in the past six years in the UK, or typically two to three years in the EU.
When You Cannot Claim
Airlines are not required to pay for "extraordinary circumstances" — events outside their control:
- Severe weather (fog, storms, snow).
- Air traffic control strikes.
- Security threats or airport closures.
- Medical emergencies.
- Bird strikes.
Airlines must still provide care — food, refreshments and accommodation where needed — during long delays, regardless of the cause.
Why Use AirAdvisor?
Filing yourself takes hours of paperwork and follow-up with unresponsive airlines. AirAdvisor handles it all:
- Two-minute eligibility check.
- No win, no fee — nothing upfront.
- Deals with the airline, the legalities and the paperwork.
- Higher success rate than self-filing.
- You pay only when compensation is secured.
No win, no fee — nothing to pay upfront
Hand the paperwork, chasing and legal escalation to AirAdvisor. You only pay a percentage if your claim succeeds.
Claim Now — No Win No Fee →How Long Does It Take?
Most claims are resolved within four to eight weeks. Straightforward cases can settle in around two weeks, while complex cases requiring legal escalation may take two to three months. AirAdvisor provides a tracking dashboard so you can follow progress.
Your Rights Explained
Cancelled flights
You are entitled to a full refund or rerouting, plus compensation if the cancellation was the airline's fault.
Delayed flights
Three hours or more late at your destination means you may claim. Under three hours generally does not qualify.
Missed connections
You may claim if a delayed first flight causes a missed connection and a three-hour-plus arrival delay. Compare onward options on our flights hub.
Denied boarding
If you are bumped from an overbooked flight, you have an immediate compensation entitlement. Check terminal and airline details on our airports hub.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I claim for old flights?
In the UK you can generally go back up to six years. In the EU it is typically two to three years, depending on the country.
Does AirAdvisor charge upfront?
No. It is no win, no fee — AirAdvisor takes a percentage of the compensation only if your claim succeeds.
What if the airline offered a voucher?
You may still claim cash compensation. A voucher does not waive your EU261 rights unless you accepted it as full and final settlement.
Can I claim for my family?
Yes — every passenger on the booking can claim, including children. For more travel guides, visit our travel hub.
Start your claim in two minutes
Enter your flight details and AirAdvisor takes it from there — eligibility check, airline correspondence and escalation if needed.
Start Your Claim in 2 Minutes →Affiliate disclosure: this page contains affiliate links. If you make a claim through AirAdvisor, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
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