TRAVEL PROBLEMS · UK FLIGHTS
UK flight delay compensation: what you can claim under UK261
Since Brexit the UK has its own version of the EU delay rules, usually called UK261, with amounts in pounds. If your flight arrives more than three hours late and the airline was responsible, you can be owed £220 to £520 per person. Here is who is covered, how much, and how to claim.
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 from the airline yourself is free. Prepared with AI assistance.
The 30-second answer
Covered: flights leaving a UK airport on any airline, flights into the UK on a UK or EU airline, and flights into the EU on a UK airline.
Owed: compensation if you arrive more than 3 hours late, unless the airline shows extraordinary circumstances. Plus food, drink and a hotel if needed while you wait.
How: claim from the airline first. If it says no or doesn't answer within eight weeks, escalate to its ADR scheme or the CAA.
Arrived 3+ hours late on a UK flight (or a UK/EU airline into the UK)? AirHelp checks whether your flight qualifies for free; it charges a fee (35%) only if it wins your claim.
Check your flight with AirHelp →
Affiliate link. Prefer to claim yourself for free? The amounts and the step-by-step claim route are below.
How much: UK261 amounts per person
| Flight distance | Arrive more than 3 hours late |
|---|---|
| Under 1,500 km | £220 |
| 1,500 to 3,500 km | £350 |
| Over 3,500 km, 3 to 4 hours late | £260 |
| Over 3,500 km, more than 4 hours late | £520 |
Amounts as listed by the UK Civil Aviation Authority. Delay is measured at arrival at your final destination.
Food, drink and a hotel while you wait
This "care" is separate from compensation and applies whatever caused the delay. The CAA says the airline owes it once the delay reaches:
| Flight distance | Care starts after |
|---|---|
| Under 1,500 km | 2 hours |
| 1,500 to 3,500 km | 3 hours |
| Over 3,500 km | 4 hours |
Care means food and drink in proportion to the wait, two phone calls or emails, and a hotel with transport to it if you're stuck overnight. If the airline doesn't provide it, keep receipts and claim reasonable costs back. More in flight delayed overnight.
Delayed 5 hours or more: you can walk away
If the delay reaches about five hours, the CAA says you can choose not to travel and get a refund instead. Only do this if you no longer need the flight, because you give up the journey.
When the airline doesn't have to pay
No compensation is due if the delay was caused by extraordinary circumstances outside the airline's control. The CAA gives extreme weather and air traffic control strikes as examples. You are still owed care while you wait. Ask the airline for the reason in writing.
How to claim, step by step
- Save proof: boarding pass, booking reference, and the actual arrival time.
- Claim on the airline's website and quote UK261. Compensation is not paid automatically.
- Wait for a final answer. If the airline refuses, or hasn't replied within eight weeks, escalate.
- Escalate: to the airline's alternative dispute resolution (ADR) scheme if it belongs to one, or otherwise to the CAA's Passenger Advice and Complaints Team (PACT).
Or use a claim service
A claim service such as AirHelp checks eligibility and chases the airline for you, and keeps a percentage of the compensation if it wins. Claiming yourself keeps the full amount but takes your own time.
Check a UK flight with AirHelp →
Affiliate link. Opens AirHelp's website, where you check eligibility and submit a claim.
Flying to or from the EU instead?
EU rules work the same way with amounts in euros (€250, €400, €600). See flight delay compensation in the EU and US.