Flight Delay Compensation: When You Are Entitled and How to Claim

Compensation for a delayed flight

The rules on compensation are set by Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council. It applies to all flights departing from an airport within the EU regardless of the airline, and also to flights arriving in the EU operated by a European carrier.

Does a 2-hour flight delay give you compensation? When does the right arise?

Financial compensation for a delayed flight is calculated from the moment the aircraft arrives at the destination airport, not from the scheduled departure time. What matters is when the plane actually lands and the doors open. The right to a financial payment arises when the delay is three hours or more.

The right to care kicks in earlier. When a delay reaches two hours or more on short-haul flights under 1,500 km, three hours on medium-haul routes (1,500 to 3,500 km), and four hours on flights over 3,500 km, you are entitled to refreshments, two free phone calls or emails/faxes, and — if an overnight stay is required — hotel accommodation plus a transfer to and from the airport.

How much compensation can you claim for a delayed flight?

The amount of compensation depends on the flight distance, not the length of the delay:

The airline may reduce the compensation by 50 % if it offers you a rerouted flight that arrives at your destination no more than two hours late compared with the original itinerary (for flights up to 1,500 km), three hours late (1,500 to 3,500 km), or four hours late (over 3,500 km).

If your flight arrives five or more hours late, you also have the right to withdraw from the journey entirely and claim a full refund of your ticket price.

Do not be fobbed off with a travel voucher or discount coupon. A cash payment is your statutory right and the airline may only substitute a voucher with your explicit consent.

Compensation for a cancelled flight

A cancelled flight gives you two basic options: a full refund of your ticket price within seven days, or rerouting to an alternative flight under comparable conditions as soon as possible. The choice is yours.

Financial compensation at the same level as for a delay (250 to 600 EUR) is owed to you if the airline notified you of the cancellation fewer than 14 days before departure, the offered alternative flight arrives significantly later than the original was scheduled to, or the alternative departs from a different airport and you do not agree to that.

When you are not entitled to compensation

A cancellation announced more than 14 days in advance does not trigger compensation, but the airline must still offer you an alternative flight or a refund. The right to financial compensation also lapses if the carrier offered you an alternative service within a reasonable time frame and you accepted it.

Extraordinary circumstances form a special category: storms, strikes, political instability or other events outside the airline's control. In these cases the obligation to pay compensation falls away, but the right to care and a ticket refund remains.

How to claim compensation for a delayed or cancelled flight

Documents you will need

Have the following ready:

• date and flight number,
• booking reference,
• departure and destination airport,
• boarding pass,
• written confirmation of the delay or cancellation from the airline or airport,
• and receipts for any expenses incurred (hotel, food, taxi).

Step-by-step guide to claiming flight delay compensation

First, find out the cause of the delay directly at the airport or in the carrier's app. The cause determines whether a right to compensation arises at all. If the airline cites extraordinary circumstances, ask for written confirmation.

Then contact the airline in writing — by online form or email. Avoid phone calls; written communication gives you a verifiable record of the entire exchange. State clearly the flight number, the length of the delay, and the amount of compensation you are claiming.

Did you receive no response within six weeks, or did the airline reject your claim without adequate justification? Contact the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), which handles passenger complaints in the UK, or the equivalent national body in your country. An alternative is to use a specialist claims agency, which will handle the claim for a commission on the awarded compensation, typically 20–35 %.

Compensation can be claimed retrospectively — in the Czech Republic the general statute of limitations is three years. Limitation periods vary across EU countries, so act as quickly as possible.

Tip — the stress of a delayed flight is enough; do not add to it before departure. The guide on how the airport works and tips on airport check-in will set you up for a calm departure. And before you board, also sort out where your car will wait for your return. Our overview of Prague Airport parking shows available spots, prices and ratings in real time.

Time limits and key information

Claims for compensation become time-barred after three years in the Czech Republic. In the United Kingdom it is six years, in Germany three years, and in France five years. If you flew from a foreign airport or with a carrier from another EU country, check the local rules or hand the case to a specialist agency.

The airline has a statutory period to process your claim; in practice responses range from two weeks to three months. If neither a rejection nor a payment arrives within six weeks, escalate to the relevant national aviation authority or begin legal enforcement proceedings.

Litigation is a last resort, but it works in many cases. Specialist lawyers and agencies such as AirHelp, ClaimCompass, or FlightRight handle the whole process, and you only pay them if your claim succeeds.

Legal basis

Two instruments underpin these rights: Regulation (EC) No 261/2004, which defines passenger rights in air transport within the EU, and the applicable national civil code governing limitation periods and contractual claims. Oversight of compliance in the Czech Republic is carried out by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA Czech Republic); in the UK it is the Civil Aviation Authority (UK CAA).

Practical tips to make sure you actually receive your compensation

• Keep everything: your boarding pass, receipts for food and accommodation, emails from the airline, text messages about the delay. Without documentation a claim is very hard to prove.
• At the airport, ask staff for written confirmation of the reason for the delay or cancellation. Both airports and airlines are obliged to provide this.
• Do not accept a voucher without reading the terms. A voucher may have a shorter validity, restricted usability or a lower value than your statutory cash compensation in euros.
• A specialist agency makes sense above all when the airline repeatedly rejects your claim or goes silent, or when the negotiation is consuming too much of your time. You only pay the commission on success.

Financial compensation for a delayed flight is your right, not a favour from the airline

A flight delay is unpleasant, but EU Regulation 261/2004 gives you a concrete lever: 250 to 600 EUR for a delay of three hours or more, care entitlements while you wait, and the right to a refund if the flight is cancelled. Submit your claim in writing, keep your documentation, and do not back down from your statutory right.

Before your next flight, also check what carry-on luggage size limits apply and find out how early to arrive at the airport so the journey gets off to a smooth start even before the departure hall doors open. First-time travellers will also find the guide for first-time flyers helpful, along with an overview of what the airport security check involves.

Airport parking is one of the few things on a trip where you have complete control. Browse the latest offers on our Prague parking comparison page.