EU261 Compensation for US Travelers: €250, €400 or €600 — When You're Owed It and How to Claim

Published October 5, 2026 · Keyproof

If your flight in or out of Europe was delayed, cancelled or overbooked, the airline may owe you up to €600 in cash, per passenger, on top of a refund or a new flight. The rule behind it is EU Regulation 261/2004, usually called EU261. Many American travelers have never heard of it, because nothing like it exists for delays on US domestic flights.

This guide explains, in plain English, which flights are covered, how much you can get, when the airline can legally say no, and how to claim directly with the airline without paying anyone a fee.

This is general information, not legal advice. Rules are applied by airlines, national authorities and courts case by case.

Does EU261 cover your flight?

EU261 depends on where the flight departs and which airline operates it, not on your nationality or where you bought the ticket. According to the European Commission's Your Europe guide (updated 21 September 2026), you are covered on:

• Any flight departing from an EU airport, on any airline (a United flight from Paris to Newark counts).
• Any flight arriving in the EU from outside, but only if the airline is an EU airline (Air France from New York to Paris counts; Delta from New York to Paris does not).
• Flights within the EU, on any airline.

Iceland, Norway and Switzerland apply the same rules. The UK left the EU but kept a near-copy, often called UK261, with amounts in pounds (more on that below).

Connecting flights: if all your flights are on one booking, what matters is your delay at the final destination. A Chicago–Frankfurt–Rome trip on Lufthansa booked as one ticket is assessed on when you reach Rome.

How much is EU261 compensation?

The amount depends on the flight distance, not on what you paid for the ticket. It is a fixed sum per passenger:

• €250 for flights of 1,500 km or less
• €400 for all flights within the EU longer than 1,500 km, and for other flights between 1,500 and 3,500 km
• €600 for all other flights longer than 3,500 km

Two adjustments to know:

• On flights over 3,500 km between the EU and a non-EU country, if you arrive between 3 and 4 hours late, the amount is €300 rather than €600.
• If the airline reroutes you and you still arrive late, the compensation can be reduced by 50%.

Rough examples (great-circle distances, approximate):

• Paris → Rome (about 1,100 km), 3+ hours late: €250
• Lisbon → Berlin (about 2,300 km, within the EU): €400
• Madrid → New York (about 5,800 km), 4+ hours late: €600

A family of four on that Madrid–New York flight could be owed €2,400 in total, because the amount is per person, including children with their own seat.

When are you owed cash?

There are three main situations.

1. You arrive at your final destination 3 hours or more late. It is the arrival delay that counts, not the departure delay. A flight that leaves 3.5 hours late but makes up time and lands 2 hours 50 minutes late does not qualify.

2. Your flight is cancelled with less than 14 days' notice. If you were told 7 to 14 days before departure, the airline can avoid compensation by offering a new flight that leaves no more than 2 hours earlier and arrives no more than 4 hours later. With less than 7 days' notice, the rerouting must leave no more than 1 hour earlier and arrive no more than 2 hours later.

3. You are denied boarding against your will because the flight was overbooked.

When can the airline legally refuse?

The airline does not owe compensation if the disruption was caused by extraordinary circumstances that could not have been avoided even with all reasonable measures. The Your Europe guide lists examples such as:

• Air traffic management decisions (for example, air traffic control restrictions)
• Severe weather
• Security risks and political instability
• Strikes by people outside the airline (for example, air traffic controllers or airport staff)

What usually does not count as extraordinary:

• Technical problems and maintenance issues with the aircraft
• Strikes by the airline's own staff. The EU Court of Justice confirmed this in 2021 (case C-28/20, Airhelp v SAS).

This is where most claims get disputed. Airlines often cite "operational reasons" or "weather". Ask the airline in writing for the specific reason, and compare it with what happened that day (news reports, flight-tracking history, airport notices).

What you're owed even when there's no compensation

Cash compensation is only one part of EU261. Whatever the cause, including extraordinary circumstances, the airline must also look after you during long delays and cancellations. According to Your Europe, this "right to care" includes:

• Meals and refreshments in proportion to the waiting time
• A hotel room and transport to it if you are stuck overnight
• Two phone calls or emails

And if your flight is delayed 5 hours or more, you can choose not to travel and get your ticket refunded.

If the airline doesn't provide care at the airport, keep the receipts for reasonable expenses and claim them back afterwards.

UK flights: UK261 amounts

Flights departing from the UK, or arriving in the UK on a UK or EU airline, fall under the UK version. According to the UK Civil Aviation Authority, compensation for arriving 3+ hours late is:

• £220 for flights up to 1,500 km
• £350 for flights of 1,500–3,500 km
• £520 for flights over 3,500 km (£260 if you arrive between 3 and 4 hours late)

What about US flights?

US rules work differently. The Department of Transportation does not require cash compensation for delays; a proposal to add it was withdrawn in November 2025 (Federal Register, 17 Nov 2025).

What US law does give you is a refund. According to the DOT, if an airline cancels your flight or makes a significant change (for example, a departure or arrival moved by 3+ hours on a domestic flight or 6+ hours on an international one, a different airport, or an added connection) and you decide not to travel, you are entitled to your money back, not just a voucher. Refunds are due within 7 business days for credit card purchases.

So on a trip from Europe back to the US, you might have both: EU261 compensation from the airline and, on the US leg, a refund right under DOT rules.

Is EU261 changing in 2026?

Yes, but not yet. The EU agreed a reform of passenger rights in 2026 (Council of the EU, 13 July 2026). Reports on the final text say it keeps the 3-hour threshold and the €250/€400/€600 amounts. The new rules only apply some time after official publication, so claims for flights today are still decided under the current regulation. Be wary of any website quoting "new" amounts or thresholds as if they already apply.

How to claim EU261 compensation yourself (step by step)

You don't need a lawyer or a claims company to start. Most airlines have an online form.

1. Save the evidence on the day. Boarding passes, booking confirmation, screenshots of delay or cancellation notices, photos of departure boards, and any messages from the airline. Note the time you actually arrived (when the doors opened).
2. Ask for the reason in writing. If staff give a reason at the airport, write it down. It will matter if the airline later claims extraordinary circumstances.
3. Check eligibility. Confirm the flight is covered (departure airport + airline), the distance band, and your arrival delay.
4. Claim directly with the airline that operated the flight. Use its compensation or complaints form. Ask for compensation under Regulation (EC) 261/2004, quote the flight number and date, state the amount, and attach your evidence. Ask for payment in money; you are not obliged to accept vouchers.
5. Keep receipts for meals, hotels and transport if the airline did not provide care.
6. Escalate if needed. If the airline refuses or doesn't reply within about two months, you can complain for free to the national enforcement body of the country where the incident happened (Your Europe links to the list). EU residents may also use alternative dispute resolution, and small-claims procedures are another option.
7. Don't sit on it. The time limit for claims is set by each country's national law, and it varies. Claim as soon as you can.

Claim companies vs doing it yourself

Claim companies can be useful if you don't want to deal with the airline, but they charge a fee or keep part of the payout. Check their terms before signing. For a straightforward claim (clear delay, no extraordinary circumstances), filing directly with the airline costs nothing.

Quick EU261 checklist

• Did the flight depart from the EU, or arrive in the EU on an EU airline?
• Did you arrive 3+ hours late, or was the flight cancelled with less than 14 days' notice, or were you bumped?
• Was the cause within the airline's control (technical issue, own staff strike), not weather or air traffic control?
• What's the distance band: €250, €400 or €600?
• Do you have your boarding pass, booking and screenshots?
• Did you claim with the operating airline in writing?

If you can tick the first three, you likely have a claim worth making.

Check your flight for free

We built a free flight check into our travel app: enter your flight and it tells you which rules (EU261, UK261 or US DOT) likely apply and what you may be owed, and can help you put together a claim letter. The check is free, no payment needed. Check your flight at keyproof.flysolutionsholdings.com

Disclosure: we make this app. It is a self-help tool, not a law firm, and nothing here is legal advice. For a disputed or high-value claim, consider talking to a consumer advice service or a lawyer in the relevant country.