How Much Is Flight Delay Compensation in 2026? Full UK261 and EU261 Amounts
A quick reference for exactly how much UK261 and EU261 pay per passenger in 2026, broken down by distance band, delay length and disruption type.
The amounts under UK261 and EU261 haven't changed in 2026, but the question comes up constantly, so here's the full breakdown in one place: exactly what a delay, cancellation or denied boarding is worth, per passenger, and what actually decides which band you fall into.
The three distance bands
- £220 or €250, flights under 1,500km, delayed arrival of 3+ hours
- £350 or €400, flights between 1,500km and 3,500km, delayed arrival of 3+ hours
- £520 or €600, flights over 3,500km, delayed arrival of 4+ hours
Distance is measured using the great circle route between departure and arrival airports, not the route the aircraft actually flew. For a flight with a connection on a single booking, distance is measured from your original departure to your final destination, not leg by leg.
What counts as "delayed" for compensation purposes
What matters legally is how late you actually landed and the doors opened at your final destination, not the scheduled departure time. A flight that leaves 4 hours late but makes up time in the air and lands only 2 hours 45 minutes behind schedule falls just short of the 3-hour threshold and pays nothing. This single detail is one of the most common reasons a claim gets under- or over-estimated before it's checked properly.
Cancellations pay the same amounts
A cancelled flight pays the same distance-based figures as a delay, provided you weren't given at least 14 days' advance notice, or given notice inside that window that still leaves you arriving significantly later or earlier than originally planned. On top of compensation, a cancellation also entitles you to a choice between a full refund or rerouting, which is separate money on top of the compensation itself.
Denied boarding pays out even faster
If you're refused boarding on an oversold flight, the same three distance bands apply, but there's no minimum delay requirement at all. The money is owed because you were bumped, not because you arrived late, so it's payable even if the airline gets you to your destination on the very next flight.
What these amounts don't cover
Compensation is a fixed, no-questions-asked payment for the disruption itself. It's separate from a refund for the ticket, separate from care costs like meals, hotels or phone calls the airline should have provided, and separate from any provable financial losses like a missed non-refundable hotel booking, which are claimed differently and aren't guaranteed.
How far back can you claim?
You have 6 years to bring a claim in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and 5 years in Scotland, so a disrupted flight from several years ago may still be well inside the window.
How to claim
Klaimly checks your actual arrival time and route distance, confirms which band your claim falls into, and handles it end to end for a flat 5% fee, only if we win. No VAT, no minimum fee, and nothing to pay unless your claim succeeds.