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    Flight delay rights in the UK: UK261 and EU261 explained

    Two almost identical laws protect you when a flight goes wrong: UK261 for flights to and from the UK, and EU261 for flights in Europe. Here is what each covers, what the airline must do while you wait, and when you can claim money back.

    • Food and drink after 2, 3 or 4 hours, depending on distance.
    • A hotel and transport to it if you're stuck overnight.
    • Delayed 5+ hours? You can choose not to fly and get a refund.
    • 3+ hours late at your destination? Compensation of up to £520 / €600.

    Check your claim – it's free

    Tell us your flight. If it qualifies, you sign online and our London team deals with the airline. You only pay if we win.

    Check your claim
    Compensation amounts by flight distance
    Flight distanceUK261EU261
    Up to 1,500 km£220€250
    1,500 – 3,500 km£350€400
    Over 3,500 km£520€600
    Per passenger. Which column applies depends on where your flight departed and which airline flew it (see below).

    What is UK261?

    UK261 is the UK's version of the EU's air passenger rights regulation (Regulation (EC) No 261/2004). When the UK left the EU, the rules were kept in UK law with the amounts set in pounds: £220, £350 and £520 instead of €250, €400 and €600. The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) enforces it.

    Is my flight covered by UK261 or EU261?

    It depends on where the flight left from and which airline flew it:

    • Departing a UK airport, on any airline: UK261.
    • Arriving in the UK on a UK or EU airline: UK261.
    • Departing an EU airport, on any airline: EU261.
    • Arriving in the EU on an EU airline: EU261 (and on a UK airline, UK261).
    • Arriving in the UK on an airline from outside the UK and EU (for example El Al from Tel Aviv): neither law applies.

    Some flights are covered by both, but you can only be paid once for the same disruption.

    Your right to care while you wait

    Whatever caused the delay – even bad weather – the airline must look after you once you have waited past its departure time by:

    • 2 hours for flights under 1,500 km
    • 3 hours for flights of 1,500–3,500 km
    • 4 hours for flights over 3,500 km

    That means food and drink (usually a voucher), two phone calls or emails, and a hotel plus transport if you are delayed overnight. If the airline doesn't arrange it, you can buy reasonable meals and accommodation yourself and claim it back – keep itemised receipts. The CAA says airlines are unlikely to pay for alcohol, luxury hotels or luxury meals.

    Check your claim – it's free

    Tell us your flight. If it qualifies, you sign online and our London team deals with the airline. You only pay if we win.

    Check your claim 020 8050 2979

    Delayed 5 hours or more: the right to a refund

    If your flight is delayed by at least five hours, you can choose not to travel and get a refund for the flights on the booking you have not yet taken. If you are part-way through a connecting journey, the airline must also get you back to where you started. Don't choose this option if you still want to travel.

    Your right to compensation

    On top of care, you may be owed a fixed sum if you arrived at your final destination more than three hours late, your flight was cancelled at short notice, or you were bumped from an overbooked flight – unless the cause was an extraordinary circumstance. On a connecting journey on one booking, the distance is measured from your first airport to your last.

    Self-transfer journeys

    If you booked two separate tickets and a delay on the first made you miss the second, the CAA says you have no right to care, compensation or onward transport for the missed connection. Each flight still has its own rights.

    Questions people ask

    What's the difference between UK261 and EU261?

    The rules are almost the same. UK261 pays in pounds (£220, £350, £520) and is enforced by the UK CAA; EU261 pays in euros (€250, €400, €600). Which one applies depends on where you flew from and which airline operated the flight.

    Does UK261 still apply after Brexit?

    Yes. The regulation was kept in UK law, with the compensation amounts changed to pounds.

    Are my flight delay rights different if I booked through a travel agent?

    No. The rights belong to the passenger and the claim is against the airline that operated the flight, however you booked.

    What if the airline didn't give me food or a hotel?

    Buy what's reasonable and keep itemised receipts. You can claim those costs back from the airline, separately from compensation.

    How much do you charge to claim?

    Checking your flight is free. If we win, our fee is 25% of the compensation, with no VAT. If you don't get paid, you pay nothing. If a claim has to go to a solicitor or court, the fee is 45%, and no court action starts without your OK.

    Check your claim – it's free

    Tell us your flight. If it qualifies, you sign online and our London team deals with the airline. You only pay if we win.

    Check your claim 020 8050 2979

    More flight compensation guides

    Sources

    Checked against official guidance on 2 November 2026. This page is general information, not legal advice.

    Questions? Call 020 8050 2979 or message us on WhatsApp.