TRAVEL PROBLEMS · EU FLIGHTS
EU261 claim letter: a free template to claim flight delay compensation
Copy this letter to claim up to €600 from the airline yourself, for a long delay, a late cancellation or denied boarding. Fill in the brackets, attach your documents, and send it through the airline's claim form.
Ad / affiliate disclosure: I may earn a commission if you use AirHelp through the link on this page, at no extra cost to you. Claiming yourself with this letter is free. Prepared with AI assistance.
Before you write: check you qualify
Covered flights: flights leaving an EU airport, and flights into the EU on an EU airline. UK departures follow the UK rules instead: see UK flight delay compensation.
You likely qualify if you arrived 3+ hours late, your flight was cancelled with less than 14 days' notice, or you were denied boarding, and the cause was not an extraordinary circumstance (such as bad weather, air traffic control decisions or security risks). Most technical problems and strikes by the airline's own staff do not count as extraordinary.
How much to ask for
| Flight distance | Compensation |
|---|---|
| 1,500 km or less | €250 |
| Over 1,500 km within the EU, or 1,500 to 3,500 km | €400 |
| Over 3,500 km (outside the EU) | €600 (€300 if you arrived 3 to 4 hours late) |
If the airline rerouted you and you arrived only a little late, it may cut the amount by 50%. Source: EU Your Europe passenger rights page, read October 11, 2026.
The letter (copy and fill in)
Subject: Compensation claim under Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 – flight [FLIGHT NUMBER], [DATE]
Dear [AIRLINE] Customer Relations,
I was a passenger on flight [FLIGHT NUMBER] from [DEPARTURE AIRPORT] to [ARRIVAL AIRPORT] on [DATE], booking reference [BOOKING REFERENCE]. The flight [arrived at my final destination [X] hours late / was cancelled on [DATE OF NOTICE], less than 14 days before departure / was overbooked and I was denied boarding against my will].
Under Article 7 of Regulation (EC) No 261/2004, I am entitled to compensation of €[250/400/600] for this flight distance of about [DISTANCE] km. I was not told of any extraordinary circumstance that could not have been avoided by all reasonable measures. If you believe one applies, please provide the specific cause and supporting evidence.
Please pay €[AMOUNT] to the account below, in money, within 14 days. I do not accept vouchers in place of payment.
[ACCOUNT HOLDER NAME] · [PAYMENT DETAILS YOU CHOOSE TO SHARE]
Attached: booking confirmation, boarding pass, [any delay or cancellation notice].
Kind regards,
[YOUR NAME] · [EMAIL] · [PHONE]
Send it through the airline's own claim or complaint form where one exists, and keep a copy with the date you sent it.
If the airline says no, or doesn't answer
- Wait up to 2 months for a reply.
- Escalate to the national enforcement body in the country where the incident happened. The EU lists them on its Your Europe site.
- Other options: alternative dispute resolution (for EU residents), the European Small Claims procedure, or court. Time limits for court claims depend on the country.
Don't want to write it yourself?
A claim service files the claim and chases the airline for you, and keeps a share of the payout if it wins. Writing the letter yourself costs nothing.
Check your flight with AirHelp →
Affiliate link. Opens AirHelp's website, where you check eligibility and submit a claim. A claim service keeps a percentage if it wins; claiming yourself is free.