Air passenger rights · European Union

Flight delayed or cancelled?
You may be owed €250–600.

Under EU Regulation EC261/2004, a delay of 3 hours or more, a cancellation, or denied boarding can entitle you to cash — on any flight leaving the EU, or arriving in the EU on an EU airline. Check below, then claim in your country.

DIRECT ANSWER

The amount is a flat €250, €400 or €600 by distance, regardless of ticket price — unless the airline proves “extraordinary circumstances” (extreme weather, ATC strike, security). Meals and accommodation are owed either way. These rules are identical across the EU; only the claim procedure differs by country.

Reviewed by the FFCheck editors · June 2026

What happened?

01 / 02

Is the airline claiming extraordinary circumstances (weather, ATC strike)?

02 / 02

The amounts (EC261)

€250
Flights up to 1,500 km
€400
Intra-EU flights over 1,500 km, and all flights 1,500–3,500 km
€600
Flights over 3,500 km (between an EU and non-EU airport)

Your rights, no matter what

Even with extraordinary circumstances, beyond a certain wait the airline must provide meals and drinks, two means of communication, and accommodation + transfers if you stay overnight. This right to care is separate from compensation and applies across the EU.

Learn before you claim

Everything we cite — free to read.

Plain-language explainers, your rights article by article, landmark ECJ case law and honest comparisons. Everything behind a winning claim, at no charge.

📖 Explainers9
Plain-language concept explainers — each with the exact legal reference attached, so you know what the words on your claim letter actually mean.
⚖️ Your rights6
EU 261/2004 article by article — what each one gives you, in plain language, so you can point to the exact provision in your claim.
⚖️ Case law7
The landmark Court of Justice rulings that decide claims in practice — what each one held, and how it shows up in your letter.
💶 Amounts6
How much each kind of travel claim is worth — flight compensation, baggage, denied boarding, trains and package tours — with the rule that sets the figure.
🧭 What now?8
Step-by-step protocols for the moment it goes wrong — what to do, what to keep, and what to say, situation by situation.
🔎 Compare6
What the commission services actually keep, how doing it yourself compares, and what you sign away with a Power of Attorney.
📇 Who to contact32
The enforcement body, consumer dispute board and claim deadline — country by country.

Claim in your country

The compensation is EU-wide, but how you claim — the mediator, the deadline, the enforcement body — is national. Pick yours:

🇫🇷FranceLive →🇩🇪GermanyLive →🇮🇹ItalyLive →🇪🇸SpainLive →🇬🇷GreeceLive →🇵🇹PortugalLive →🇵🇱PolandLive →🇦🇹AustriaLive →🇮🇪IrelandLive →🇸🇪SwedenLive →🇩🇰DenmarkLive →🇨🇿CzechiaLive →🇭🇺HungaryLive →🇷🇴RomaniaLive →🇫🇮FinlandLive →🇧🇬BulgariaLive →🇭🇷CroatiaLive →🇸🇰SlovakiaLive →🇸🇮SloveniaLive →🇱🇹LithuaniaLive →🇪🇪EstoniaLive →🇱🇻LatviaLive →🇨🇾CyprusLive →🇧🇪BelgiumLive →🇱🇺LuxembourgLive →🇲🇹MaltaLive →🇳🇱Netherlandsffcheck.nl →🇨🇭SwitzerlandLive →🇳🇴NorwayLive →🇮🇸IcelandLive →🇱🇮LiechtensteinLive →🇬🇧United KingdomLive →🇦🇱AlbaniaLive →

FAQ

How much can I claim?

€250 up to 1,500 km; €400 for intra-EU flights over 1,500 km and all flights 1,500–3,500 km; €600 beyond 3,500 km outside the EU.

When does it apply?

A 3-hour+ arrival delay, a cancellation with under 14 days’ notice, or denied boarding — on any flight leaving an EU airport, or arriving in the EU on an EU airline. The 3-hour threshold still stands in 2026.

What about weather or strikes?

“Extraordinary circumstances” (extreme weather, air-traffic-control strike, security) remove the cash compensation but not your right to care. A strike by the airline’s own staff usually does not count.

Do I need a paid claim company?

No. Claiming is free and you keep 100%. Claim firms take 25–35%. FFCheck shows you exactly how to do it yourself, country by country.

Official sources