Flight Delay Compensation: What You’re Owed and How to Claim It

The part airlines rarely explain clearly

When your flight is delayed or cancelled, the most frustrating thing is not just the time lost. It is the confusion. One person at the desk says “we can’t do anything.” Another says “take this voucher.” A third tells you to email a form and wait. Meanwhile you are hungry, tired, and trying to salvage your plans.

Here’s the truth: what you are owed depends on where you are flying, who operated the flight, why the disruption happened, and how late you arrived. And “owed” can mean different things:

A cash payment for the inconvenience, which is what most people mean by flight delay compensation.
A refund of your ticket if you choose not to travel, including certain fees.
Care while you wait, like meals, hotel, and transport in specific situations.
Rebooking or rerouting options, sometimes on alternative flights.

Airlines often mix these together in conversation, intentionally or not, and that is where travelers get pushed into the wrong choice. This guide breaks everything down so you can ask for the right thing, at the right time, with the right proof.

This is general information (not legal advice), and exact rules can vary by country, route, and airline conditions of carriage. But if you follow the process here, you will handle disruptions calmly and you will stop leaving money on the table.

 

First, separate “refund,” “care,” and “compensation” in your mind

Most people treat disruption like one problem. It is actually three different problems, and they have three different solutions.

Refund is about getting your money back for travel you did not receive.
Care is about not being abandoned while you wait.
Compensation is about the inconvenience and lost time, often a fixed amount in certain regions.

You might qualify for all three, or only one, depending on the situation. The most common mistake is focusing only on flight delay compensation while ignoring the refund and care rights that are easier to claim and often worth just as much.

 

The one detail that decides most claims: arrival time at your final destination

When people say “my flight was delayed four hours,” they often mean the departure was four hours late. In many systems, what matters is your arrival time at the final destination on your booking, not your departure time.

Why this matters:

• A late departure can still arrive “not that late” if the plane makes up time.
• A small first delay can cause a missed connection and a huge arrival delay at your final destination.
• Airlines sometimes talk about the first segment only, hoping you will not ask about the final arrival impact.

So if you are building a claim, you want to document:

• Scheduled arrival time at the final destination.
• Actual arrival time at the final destination.

That difference, in minutes and hours, is the heartbeat of your case.

 

Step zero: collect proof while it’s happening

You do not need a mountain of paperwork, but you do need a clean record. Think of it like insurance. The best time to collect proof is when you are still at the airport.

Save these items:

• Your booking confirmation and ticket number.
• Your boarding pass (even if it is digital).
• Screenshots of delay notifications and updated departure times.
• A photo of the airport board showing the delay or cancellation.
• A note of the reason given (even if vague).
• Receipts for food, hotel, taxi, and essentials if you had to buy them.

Also write down these four times:

• Scheduled departure time.
• Actual departure time (if you eventually leave).
• Scheduled arrival time.
• Actual arrival time.

If you missed a connection, the missed connection and the final arrival delay are often the most important part of the story.

 

The airline will ask “why” the delay happened, so be ready

In many jurisdictions, the cause of the delay matters. Airlines often label disruptions in ways that reduce what they have to pay. You do not need to argue at the gate, but you should make sure you know what they are claiming.

Common reasons you will hear:

• Weather.
• Air traffic control restrictions.
• Mechanical or technical issue.
• Crew scheduling or crew out of hours.
• Operational reasons (a catch-all).
• Late inbound aircraft (another catch-all).
• Airport congestion.

Some of these reasons can reduce or remove eligibility for cash compensation in certain regimes, but not always for refunds or care. That is why separating the remedies matters.

 

Your rights depend on the route and the operating airline

Here is the simplest way to think about it:

• If your journey touches the EU/EEA (or is operated by a qualifying carrier), EU261 compensation style rules may apply.
• If your journey touches the UK under the UK regime, UK flight delay compensation may apply.
• If your journey involves US airlines or US consumer protections, DOT refund rules are often the most relevant for refunds after cancellations or significant changes.
  Other countries have their own systems, some strong, some limited.

A lot of travelers lose claims because they apply the wrong rulebook. You do not have to become a lawyer, but you do have to identify which “bucket” your trip falls into.

 

Europe: how EU261 compensation generally works in plain language

Under the European regime, compensation can become a fixed cash amount when you arrive at your final destination late enough, and the cause is within the airline’s responsibility (with exceptions often called extraordinary circumstances). The exact eligibility depends on route, operating carrier, and timing.

What matters most in practice:

• How late you arrived at your final destination (commonly, 3 hours or more late is a key threshold people use when discussing eligibility).
• Whether the disruption was something the airline could control.
• Whether it was a delay, cancellation, missed connection, or denied boarding.

What people misunderstand:

• A “delay” can turn into a “cancellation” if you are rerouted and arrive very late, and cancellation rules may apply.
• A missed connection on one booking can be treated as a delay to the final destination, even if the first flight was only slightly late.
• You can have a right to care (food, hotel) even if you do not qualify for cash compensation.

 

Delay vs cancellation in the EU world

If your flight is delayed and you arrive late, you may be eligible for EU261 compensation depending on the length of delay and circumstances.

If your flight is cancelled, you typically have additional choices, like:

• A refund if you choose not to travel.
• Rerouting as soon as possible.
• Rerouting at a later date that suits you, subject to conditions.

And you may also qualify for cancelled flight compensation if notice was short and the cause was not extraordinary.

 

Care while you wait is a separate right

Even when compensation is disputed, “care” can still apply. If you are stuck for hours, you may be entitled to meals or meal vouchers, communication assistance, and in overnight cases, hotel and transport.

If the airline does not proactively provide it, you often can buy reasonable items and later claim reimbursement, but keep receipts and keep it reasonable.

Reasonable means:

• Meals that match the situation, not luxury dining.
• Hotels that are appropriate, not resort upgrades.
• Transport that is practical, like taxi or shuttle when needed.

 

Extraordinary circumstances: what travelers should know

Airlines often deny EU261 compensation by claiming extraordinary circumstances. You will hear “weather” a lot. Sometimes it is true. Sometimes it is a convenient label.

The reality is this:

• If the cause is genuinely outside the airline’s control, cash compensation may not apply.
  But the airline still often must provide rerouting and care obligations, depending on the situation.

The practical move is not to argue in theory. The practical move is to submit the claim anyway with your timeline and ask the airline to state the exact reason for denial in writing. If they deny, you then decide whether to escalate.

 

United Kingdom: how UK flight delay compensation generally works

The UK’s regime is similar in shape to the EU approach, with fixed compensation for certain delays and cancellations when conditions are met, plus rights to care and rerouting.

The most important thing for travelers is not memorizing every detail. It is recognizing when UK flight delay compensation might apply and building your claim around:

• Final arrival delay.
• Route and carrier details.
• The airline’s stated reason for disruption.
• Receipts for care expenses if the airline did not provide assistance.

If your flight departs from the UK, or is operated under UK-covered conditions, do not assume “this is only an EU thing.” UK protections can be strong, and many travelers qualify without realizing it.

 

United States: why DOT refund rules are the big deal

In the US, the most powerful and consistent consumer protection for disruptions is often about refunds, not fixed “inconvenience cash” in the same way Europe handles it.

The practical takeaway is this:

If your flight is cancelled and you choose not to travel, you generally should be able to get a refund instead of being forced into a voucher. This is where DOT refund rules matter for real people.

The second major point:

If the airline makes a significant schedule change or delay and you choose not to travel, you may also be entitled to a refund. Airlines sometimes use different wording, but the key is that you did not receive the service you paid for, and you are refusing the altered itinerary.

 

Refund vs voucher in the US

A voucher is optional from the traveler’s perspective. It may be convenient, but it often comes with restrictions and expiration dates. A refund puts the money back in your hands.

If you want a refund, you should be direct:
“I am choosing not to travel due to the cancellation or significant delay. I am requesting a refund to the original form of payment.”

Be polite, but do not let the conversation drift into “we can offer you a credit.” Credits are not the same thing.

 

What about meals, hotels, and extra expenses in the US?

In the US, coverage for meals and hotels can vary more by airline policy and the reason for disruption. Some airlines provide hotel vouchers for controllable disruptions, others provide limited assistance, and weather events often reduce what they voluntarily offer.

This is why receipts matter. Even if the airline refuses, your travel insurance or card benefits may cover certain costs, and a clean paper trail gives you options.

 

Cancellations: how cancelled flight compensation and refunds can overlap

Cancellation is where travelers either win big or lose big based on choices made in the moment.

When a flight is cancelled, you typically have to decide:

• Do I still want to travel, meaning rerouting or rebooking?
• Or do I want to abandon the trip and get my money back?

You can also sometimes qualify for cancelled flight compensation in jurisdictions that provide fixed compensation, depending on notice and cause, even if you accept rerouting.

The trap is accepting a voucher or a rebook that quietly waives certain rights. This can happen with one-click “accept changes” buttons. Read what you are accepting. If it says you are “agreeing” to something that sounds like you are giving up claims, stop and choose a different path, or request confirmation in writing.

 

Delays: when you should push for care immediately

With delays, the biggest immediate risk is being stranded without support. Even if you later claim flight delay compensation, you still have to survive the day.

Here is how to handle it calmly:

• Ask the airline staff what assistance is being provided and when.
• If you will be waiting for many hours, ask for meal vouchers.
• If it becomes overnight, ask about hotel accommodation and transport.
• If they cannot provide it, ask them to confirm in writing that you should keep receipts for reimbursement.

If you get the “we don’t do that” response, do not explode. Just document and proceed. A calm record beats a loud argument every time.

 

Missed connections: the scenario that confuses people most

Missed connections are where the “final destination arrival time” concept becomes everything.

If you missed a connection because your first flight was delayed, and you were on one booking (one itinerary), then the relevant delay is how late you arrive at your final destination, not how late the first flight was.

This is where airlines sometimes try to separate segments in conversation:
“Your first flight was only 45 minutes late.”
Okay, but you arrived 6 hours late to your destination. That is the disruption you experienced.

If you were on separate tickets, it becomes harder. Airlines often treat separate bookings as separate contracts, even if you personally consider it “one trip.” This is why booking connections on one ticket is safer if you want protection.

 

Denied boarding and overbooking: different from a delay, often easier to win

If you were denied boarding against your will because of overbooking, that is a different category than “delay due to weather.” Many systems treat involuntary denied boarding seriously, and airlines often owe compensation and obligations.

Key details to document:

• Were you denied boarding involuntarily, or did you volunteer?
• Did the airline offer you a choice, and what did you accept?
• What rebook were you placed on, and what was your final arrival delay?

If you volunteered, you typically agree to the terms offered. If you were involuntarily bumped, the rules can be stronger.

 

What you can claim besides cash compensation

Even when fixed flight delay compensation is not available, there can be meaningful money to recover.

Refund of unused ticket parts

If you did not travel, or you traveled only part of the itinerary and then abandoned the rest, you might be owed a refund for unused segments. This depends on fare rules and jurisdiction, but it is often worth asking.

Refund of fees you did not use

Certain optional fees, like seat selection, baggage fees, or upgrade fees, may be refundable if the service was not provided due to cancellation or rebooking on a different configuration.

Reimbursement of reasonable expenses

If the airline failed to provide care (meals, hotel, transport) where required, you can often claim reasonable expenses back, as long as you have receipts.

Downgrade reimbursement

If you paid for a higher cabin and were placed in a lower cabin, many regimes require reimbursement of a portion of the price difference. Do not ignore this. It can be a large amount on long flights.

 

The step-by-step claim process that actually works

Most claims fail because people send a vague email like “my flight was delayed, please compensate.” Airlines can ignore vague requests. You want to write a claim that is clean, structured, and hard to deflect.

Use this structure:

Step 1: Identify the flight and booking
Include your name, booking reference, ticket number, flight number, date, origin, destination.

Step 2: State the disruption outcome
State your scheduled arrival time and your actual arrival time at the final destination. State the total delay.

Step 3: State what you are requesting
Ask for flight delay compensation under the applicable regime (for example EU261 compensation or UK flight delay compensation) if relevant.
If you are requesting a refund, explicitly request it under applicable consumer protection, including DOT refund rules where relevant.
If you are requesting expense reimbursement, list the items and attach receipts.

Step 4: Ask for the airline’s disruption reason in writing
If you do not already have it clearly, ask them to confirm the reason in writing. This matters if they deny.

Step 5: Give a reasonable response deadline
Ask for a response within a set time (for example 14 or 21 days). Keep it polite.

Step 6: Escalate only if needed
If denied or ignored, escalate through the appropriate complaint channel, dispute resolution scheme, or regulatory complaint process available for your case. Also consider a card dispute only when appropriate and factual.

 

A claim template you can copy and personalize

Subject: Claim for flight delay compensation and expenses for [Flight Number] on [Date]

Hello [Airline Name] Support Team,

I am writing to request flight delay compensation and reimbursement of reasonable expenses related to my disrupted journey.

Passenger name: [Full Name]
Booking reference: [PNR/Reference]
Ticket number: [Ticket Number]
Flight number: [Flight Number]
Route: [Origin] to [Destination] (final destination on booking: [Final Destination])
Date of travel: [Date]

Scheduled arrival time at final destination: [Time]
Actual arrival time at final destination: [Time]
Total arrival delay: [X hours, Y minutes]

Based on the above, I am requesting compensation under the applicable passenger rights regime, including EU261 compensation or UK flight delay compensation where applicable to this itinerary.

In addition, I am requesting reimbursement for reasonable expenses incurred due to the disruption, as the required assistance was not provided at the airport. Receipts are attached for:
[Meal] [Amount] [Currency]
[Hotel] [Amount] [Currency]
[Transport] [Amount] [Currency]

Please also confirm in writing the reason for the disruption recorded by your operations team for this flight.

Thank you, and I look forward to your response within [14/21] days.

Kind regards,
[Full Name]
[Email]
[Phone]

If your case is a cancellation and you want a refund, you can adjust the request line to:
“I am choosing not to travel due to the cancellation/significant delay and am requesting a refund to the original form of payment in line with DOT refund rules (if applicable) and the airline’s refund obligations.”

 

What to say at the airport desk without getting stuck in circles

At the airport, the goal is not winning an argument. The goal is getting an outcome.

If cancelled and you still want to travel:
“Please rebook me on the earliest available option to my final destination. If there are alternatives today with partner airlines or different routings, please check those.”

If cancelled and you want to abandon travel:
“I am choosing not to travel due to the cancellation. Please process a refund to the original payment method.”

If delayed for many hours:
“Can you confirm what assistance is being provided, including meal vouchers, and whether hotel accommodation will be provided if this becomes overnight?”

If they refuse care:
“Under your passenger assistance obligations, please confirm in writing that you are unable to provide meals or accommodation so I can submit receipts for reimbursement.”

Stay calm, repeat the key line, and document. You are creating a record.

 

Vouchers: when they are okay and when they are a trap

A voucher is not automatically bad. Sometimes it is generous, flexible, and fits your plans. But many vouchers:

• Expire quickly.
• Have blackout dates.
• Cannot be used for taxes or fees.
• Are non-transferable.
• Require booking in the airline’s ecosystem, sometimes at higher fares.

If you accept a voucher, treat it like a product with terms. Read them. If you would not buy that product, do not accept it as payment for your disruption.

If your priority is cash, request a refund or claim compensation where applicable.

 

Credit card and insurance: your backup route

Even if the airline refuses, you might have other protection:

• Travel insurance can cover accommodation, meals, and rebooking costs depending on policy.
• Some credit cards have trip delay or trip cancellation coverage.

This is why receipts are so important. Insurance is often strict about documentation.

Also, if you are considering a card dispute, do it only when you did not receive the purchased service and the airline refuses a legitimate refund. Never exaggerate. Keep it factual and backed by documents.

 

Common reasons airlines deny claims and how to respond

“Extraordinary circumstances” or “weather”

Response: Ask them to provide the exact recorded cause and supporting explanation, and then evaluate whether it truly applies. Even when compensation is denied, you can still request care reimbursement where applicable.

“You accepted the rebook, so you are not owed anything”

Response: Accepting rerouting does not automatically erase compensation eligibility in regimes that allow compensation for the delay outcome. Ask them to review based on final arrival delay and applicable passenger rights.

“You were only delayed two hours”

Response: Clarify that the relevant delay is arrival at the final destination on the booking, especially for missed connections.

“We already offered a voucher”

Response: If you want a refund or cash compensation, say so directly. A voucher offer does not necessarily replace legal obligations.

A quick “do I likely qualify” checklist

You likely have a strong flight delay compensation style claim in EU/UK style regimes if:
You arrived 3+ hours late to the final destination (common threshold people use).
The disruption reason appears within airline control (for example operational or technical issues rather than severe weather).
You were on one booking for connections.

You likely have a strong refund claim under DOT refund rules in the US if:
Your flight was cancelled and you choose not to travel.
Your itinerary was significantly changed or delayed and you choose not to travel.
You were offered only a voucher and want a refund to the original payment method.

And you likely have a strong expense reimbursement claim anywhere if:
The delay forced you to buy meals, hotel, or transport and the airline failed to provide assistance where required or promised, and you have receipts.

 

FAQs

Is flight delay compensation the same as a refund?

No. A refund returns money for travel not taken or services not received. Flight delay compensation is typically a separate cash amount for inconvenience in certain jurisdictions. You can sometimes be eligible for both, depending on the case.

What is EU261 compensation in simple terms?

EU261 compensation refers to fixed cash compensation that may apply for certain delays, cancellations, or denied boarding on qualifying itineraries, often tied to distance and arrival delay, with exceptions for extraordinary circumstances. It is separate from care and refund rights.

What does UK flight delay compensation cover?

UK flight delay compensation generally mirrors the EU-style approach for qualifying trips under the UK regime, with potential fixed compensation for long arrival delays and rights to care and rerouting. Eligibility depends on route, carrier, delay outcome, and cause.

What are DOT refund rules and why do they matter?

DOT refund rules are the practical backbone of US consumer protections for air travel refunds. In plain terms, if your flight is cancelled and you choose not to travel, you should be able to get a refund to the original payment method rather than being forced into a voucher. Significant changes can also trigger refund rights.

Can I claim cancelled flight compensation if I accept a rebook?

Sometimes, depending on the regime and circumstances, compensation can still be tied to the delay outcome at the final destination even if you accept rerouting. The key is the final arrival delay and the applicable rule set.

What if the airline ignores my claim?

Follow up once with a clear timeline and attachments. If still ignored, escalate through the complaint or dispute resolution process relevant to your case. Keep everything documented and factual.