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Flight delay claim · UK261 · step by step

How to claim flight delay compensation: UK261 step by step

A practical UK261 claim guide: check coverage and the 3-hour arrival rule, estimate £220/£350/£520, gather evidence, claim from the airline and escalate if needed.

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How to claim flight delay compensation: UK261 step by step

To claim UK flight delay compensation, first confirm that UK261 covers the journey and that the final arrival delay and cause can support a claim. Then gather the booking, arrival-time evidence and airline explanation, submit the claim to the operating airline, and keep the case reference. If the airline rejects the complaint or does not resolve it, an approved ADR body or the CAA Passenger Advice and Complaints Team may be the next route.

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How much compensation could be due?

Fixed compensation is only one part of passenger rights. The applicable regime, flight distance, final arrival delay, disruption cause and any rerouting can change the amount or remove fixed compensation entirely.

UK261 fixed compensation reference
Flight distance Arrival delay Reference amount
Under 1,500 km 3+ hours £220
1,500–3,500 km 3+ hours £350
Over 3,500 km 3–4 hours £260
Over 3,500 km 4+ hours £520

These are UK Civil Aviation Authority reference amounts for qualifying delays. They are not an automatic entitlement: UK261 coverage and the cause of the disruption still need to be established.

Official source: UK Civil Aviation Authority — delays

1. Check that UK261 covers the flight

UK261 covers many flights departing the UK and certain flights arriving in the UK or EU depending on the operating carrier. Establish the departure airport, final destination and operating airline before calculating a possible amount.

A compensation calculator is only useful after coverage is clear. The same flight number can be marketed by one airline and operated by another.

2. Confirm the final arrival delay and the cause

For a standard delay claim, the final arrival delay is central. A departure delay of three hours does not by itself prove that the final arrival threshold was met.

The reason also matters because qualifying extraordinary circumstances can remove fixed compensation even where the arrival delay is long.

  • Booking confirmation and operating flight number.
  • Scheduled and actual final arrival information.
  • Airline messages explaining the disruption.
  • Any rerouting details if the journey changed.

3. Estimate the UK261 compensation band

The CAA's current fixed amounts are £220 for flights under 1,500 km, £350 for flights between 1,500 and 3,500 km, and up to £520 for flights over 3,500 km. For long-haul arrivals between three and four hours late, the reference amount is £260.

These figures are not automatic payouts. Coverage, cause and the precise arrival delay still determine whether the amount applies.

4. Claim directly from the operating airline

The CAA recommends contacting the airline directly. Use the carrier's compensation form where available and include the flight facts that determine the result instead of sending only a generic complaint.

  • Keep a copy of the submitted form or email.
  • Save the claim or case reference.
  • Attach itemised receipts separately when claiming reasonable care expenses.

5. Escalate a rejected or unresolved complaint

If you are dissatisfied with the airline's final response, or the airline has not resolved the complaint within the relevant CAA complaints timeframe, the next route may be an approved Alternative Dispute Resolution provider. Where the airline is not signed up to an approved ADR body, the CAA Passenger Advice and Complaints Team can be relevant.

Keep the airline's final response and the evidence already submitted because the escalation body will need the same factual record.

Official sources used for this guide

This page separates general editorial guidance from AeroDue's flight-specific checker. The sources below support the legal or operational framework described here.

Airline, route, notice period, operating carrier, cause and actual arrival time can change the result. This page does not guarantee compensation or replace the flight-specific eligibility check.

Related AeroDue guidance

Flight delay rights

Start with the broader disruption guide if you need the general framework before checking a specific flight.

Passenger rights

See how AeroDue keeps compensation, refunds, care and eligible expenses separate.

Turn the search question into a flight-specific check

Enter the actual itinerary and disruption facts. AeroDue only shows conclusions supported by the rules and facts available for the case.

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