Airlines don’t advertise this, but if your flight is delayed long enough, you may be owed real money. Sometimes, several hundred dollars per passenger. The rules exist, they’re enforceable, and most people never claim what they’re entitled to simply because they don’t know the thresholds. Here’s exactly how flight delay compensation works.
How many hours of delay before you can claim?
The standard threshold most travelers ask about is 3 hours or more of delay at arrival, not departure. That distinction matters. A flight that leaves 4 hours late but makes up time in the air and lands 2 hours 45 minutes behind schedule does not qualify. The clock starts when the doors open at your destination.
Shorter delays of 1 or 2 hours generally don’t trigger compensation on their own, though you may still be entitled to meals, refreshments, or rebooking assistance depending on the circumstances and the route.
📌 Read More: Not sure whether your specific flight qualifies at all? See our full breakdown in Flight Compensation — Claim Up to €600 for Delays.
How much compensation can you actually get?
The amount scales with the length of your flight, not the length of your delay (once you’re past the 3-hour threshold) or your ticket price:
- Short flights (up to 1,500 km): around €250 per passenger
- Medium flights (1,500–3,500 km): around €400 per passenger
- Long flights (over 3,500 km): around €600 per passenger
This is per passenger, per booking, not per household. If a family of four was on the same delayed flight, each person can claim separately, including children with their own ticket.
Does it apply to your route?
This is where most people get confused. Coverage generally depends on where you departed from and which airline operated the flight, not where you live or which country sold you the ticket. Rules like EU261 typically apply to:
- Flights departing from an EU airport, on any airline
- Flights arriving into the EU, if operated by an EU-based airline
Routes entirely outside these zones may fall under different national rules, or none at all. This is genuinely one of the most misunderstood parts of the process, and it’s worth checking your specific route rather than assuming either way.
What doesn’t count
Airlines are not required to pay compensation when the delay is caused by “extraordinary circumstances” outside their control, such as severe weather, air traffic control strikes, or security threats. However, airlines frequently overclaim this excuse. Delays caused by technical faults, crew scheduling, or standard operational issues are not extraordinary circumstances, even if the airline says so at the gate. Don’t take a verbal denial as final.
How long do you have to claim?
You typically have several years from the date of the flight to file a claim; this is not a “claim within 48 hours” situation. If you were delayed months or even a couple of years ago and never claimed, it may still be worth checking.
What to do right now
- Find your booking reference and boarding pass
- Note the scheduled and actual arrival times
- Check whether the airline gave a reason for the delay
- Submit a claim — you don’t need a lawyer to start
📌 Read More: Delay turned into a full cancellation instead? Your rights are different. See What To Do When Your Flight Is Cancelled or Delayed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is flight delay compensation per person or per booking?
Per person. Every passenger on the same delayed flight can file their own individual claim, even if they booked together.
Do children get flight delay compensation?
Generally yes, if they hold their own ticket. Infants traveling on a parent’s lap without a separate seat usually don’t qualify.
Can I claim if the airline blamed the weather?
Possibly. Airlines sometimes cite weather even when the actual cause was operational. It’s worth submitting a claim and letting it be formally assessed rather than accepting the explanation at the gate.
Is the compensation taxable?
In most jurisdictions, this type of compensation is treated as reimbursement rather than income, but rules vary by country; check locally if this matters for your situation.
Start your claim with our free compensation checker on the Air Refund page. It takes a few minutes to see if you qualify.
