Flight compensation: How much can you claim?

Flight delays, cancellations and overbookings happen a lot.

The good thing is that in Europe you are under the EU protection. If your flight ever gets heavily delayed (3+ hours), cancelled less than 14 days before the scheduled time of departure or you’ve been denied boarding, you might be entitled not only to care from the airline, but also to flight compensation.

All thanks to Europe's flight compensation regulation.

Check your compensation online!

Or continue reading to learn more about your rights.

In some cases the amount of compensation goes up to €600 per passenger. If you are a family of four, that means up to €2400 (600 x 4) in compensation. Not a small money, huh?

Flight compensation: Basics

Who can make a claim? Everyone who has bought a ticket.

To which flights does it apply?

All commercial flights from, to or within the European Union, UK, Iceland, Norway, or Switzerland, when flight disruption is the airline’s fault. If you are flying from a country outside the EU, your flight must be with a European airline. That includes also flights with charter airlines.

How much can you claim

The compensation amounts are fixed.

And mostly they are based on the distance of your flight.

The longer your journey, the more you can claim. What matters here is the final destination, distance to it and the time when you reach it. Let’s say you have a connecting flight from Paris to Bangkok via London, the first leg of the journey gets delayed and because of that you miss the next flight to Bangkok and in the end make it 8 hours later than scheduled.

So when calculating how much can you claim for this particular flight delay, we’ll look at it as a flight from Paris to Bangkok. Because it’s the final destination that matters here.

1. Flight delay compensation calculator

Here is how you to calculate it.

When your destination is within the EU:

• €250 - if the distance of your flight is up to 1500 kilometres (usually 1-2 hour long flights).
• €400 - if the distance of your flight is more than 1500 kilometres.

When your destination is outside the EU:

• €250 - if the distance of your flight is up to 1500 kilometres.
• €400 - if the distance of your flight is between 1500 - 3500 kilometres.
• **€600 - ** if the distance of your flight is more than 3500 kilometres.

Exception. In case when the distance of your flight is 3500 kilometres or more and you reach your destination with a delay between 3 - 4 hours, you are entitled to compensation of €300 not €600.

Learn more: Flight delay compensation

2. Flight cancellation compensation

Here is how you can calculate it.

When your destination is within the EU:

• €250 - if the distance of your flight is up to 1500 kilometres (usually 1-2 hour long flights).
• €400 - if the distance of your flight is more than 1500 kilometres.

When your destination is outside the EU:

• €250 - if the distance of your flight is up to 1500 kilometres.
• €400 - if the distance of your flight is between 1500 - 3500 kilometres.
• €600 - if the distance of your flight is more than 3500 kilometres.

Exception. When the distance of your flight is 3500 kilometres or more and you reach your destination with a delay between 3 - 4 hours, you are entitled to compensation of €300. That’s in case you agree to alternative flight offered by the airline.

Learn more: Flight cancellation compensation

3. Denied boarding compensation

Same rules as with flight delays and cancellations.

Exception. If you are denied boarding because of travelling with invalid travel documents or without a valid visa or visas you will not be eligible for flight compensation. And also if you voluntarily give up your seat and choose another flight offered by the airline, then as well you will not be entitled to denied boarding compensation anymore.

Learn more: Denied boarding compensation.

How to calculate travel distance between cities

Use a map or a distance calculator.

One thing to remember - in case of a connecting flights, you should look at the distance between the place of departure and the final destination, not the total distance between all the places that make up your journey.

How long was the delay

To calculate the total amount of time you were delayed look at the scheduled time of arrival and actual time of arrival.

What does count as an actual time of arrival? It’s the time when you are free to leave the aircraft. When the doors have been opened and passengers start disembark from the plane. Not the time of landing, as you may think.

In case of connecting flights what matter is the final destination.

Unless it's self transfer connecting flight with low cost airline.

How to claim compensation

So, you could be entitled to compensation.

But how to get the money? How to claim flight compensation?

You can try and do it by yourself.

Or you can ask someone more experienced to do it on your behalf.

If you’ll choose to work with us, then all you will have to do is - submit your flight details here on our site, sign the claim and wait for the money. Our professionals will do the rest.

As easy as that!