Flight Delay Compensation in the UK: A Guide to Claiming and Time Limits 

A delayed flight spoils plans, costs money and tests patience. Many travellers assume that nothing can be done beyond waiting at the gate and complaining on social media. In fact, UK law gives passengers clear rights when flights are delayed, cancelled or overbooked, including, in many cases, a right to fixed-sum compensation on top of care at the airport and a refund where relevant. 

This guide explains who qualifies, how the amount is calculated, what evidence to collect, how to claim directly from an airline, what to do if the claim is refused and how long you have to act. It also covers care and expenses during a delay and ways to protect yourself on future trips. The rules are enforced by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), whose website is the best source of current detail, and compensation amounts and thresholds can be reformed, so check before you claim. 

Weighing Up Whether Your Flight Qualifies

The UK has its own version of the air passenger rights regime, often called UK261, which came from the retained version of European rules after Brexit. It applies depending on where the flight departs from, where it lands and which airline operates it. European Union rules continue to apply on flights from EU airports, so the route you took determines which regime covers you. In broad terms, UK rules apply to: 

• Flights departing from a UK airport: this covers any airline, whether British or foreign, and whether the flight is scheduled or charter. 
• Flights arriving in the UK on a UK or EU airline: in some circumstances, depending on where the flight started and whether you have already received compensation elsewhere.
• Flights departing from an EU airport: EU rules usually apply, and you would claim under those instead, though the process is similar.

The details have exceptions, so confirm your own case with the CAA website, which sets out the rules by route. Flights from outside the UK and EU on non-UK airlines arriving in the UK are generally not covered by the UK scheme, though other protections may exist. 

For a delay, the key test is the length of the delay on arrival at your final destination, not the departure delay alone. In general, you may be entitled to compensation if you arrive three hours or more late. The clock is usually stopped when an aircraft door opens at the arrival gate. A flight that leaves two hours late but makes up time in the air may not qualify, while one that departs only a little late but suffers a long taxi wait at the destination could. 

The second test is the cause. Airlines are not required to pay compensation if the delay or cancellation resulted from extraordinary circumstances that could not have been avoided even if all reasonable measures had been taken. Examples include severe weather, air traffic control restrictions, security threats and certain strikes by third parties.

Ordinary technical faults found during routine maintenance are generally regarded as part of normal operations, so they do not usually excuse an airline, though the position can depend on the facts. Staff shortages and crew rostering problems are normally within the airline’s control. 

Other conditions apply. You must have a confirmed reservation and have turned up for check-in on time. The flight must not have been on a free or heavily discounted fare not available to the public. Compensation is owed to each passenger, including children with their own seat. Passengers on package holidays are still entitled to claim from the airline, and they may also have rights against the tour operator. 

If your journey includes a connection on a single booking, the delay is measured against your final destination, so a missed connection that causes a three-hour arrival delay can count. If you booked separate tickets, each flight is treated individually, and a missed connection between them may not be the airline’s responsibility. 

Calculating the Amount You Could Receive

Compensation is a fixed sum that depends on the distance of the flight, not on the price of your ticket or the hardship you suffered. For many years the amounts under UK law have been set in pounds for three distance bands. Before relying on a figure, confirm it on the CAA website, since the government has considered reforms to the scheme and amounts or thresholds could change. The established bands are: 

• Up to 1,500 kilometres: £220 per passenger, which covers many short European routes.
• Between 1,500 and 3,500 kilometres: £350 per passenger, which covers longer European flights and some routes to North Africa and the Middle East. 
• Over 3,500 kilometres: £520 per passenger, which covers most long-haul flights.

The distance is the great-circle distance between the departure and arrival airports, not the length of the route flown. Several free online calculators let you check it. For connecting journeys, the distance is measured from the first departure point to the final destination. 

Some reductions can apply. If an airline reroutes a passenger on a cancelled or oversold flight and the passenger arrives within a set time of the original schedule, the airline may be allowed to reduce the payment by half. The exact time limits depend on the distance band, so check the rules if your case involves rerouting. 

Compensation is paid per passenger, so a family of four can claim four times the amount. Each person should be named in the claim, and one person can usually submit the claim on behalf of the group, provided they have the details of everyone. Parents or guardians normally claim for children. 

Compensation is separate from other remedies. You can claim a refund of the ticket price in some situations, such as when a flight is cancelled and you decide not to travel, or when a delay exceeds five hours and the journey no longer serves its purpose. You can also claim reasonable expenses that arose from the delay, covered later in this guide. Receiving one of these does not generally stop you from claiming fixed compensation as well. 

An airline may offer vouchers or credits instead of cash. You are not obliged to accept them, and you are entitled to ask for payment in money. If you do choose a voucher, make sure you read any conditions and expiry dates. In most cases, a cash payment by bank transfer is simpler and avoids being tied to a future booking with the same company. 

Gathering Evidence Before You Write to the Airline

Strong evidence makes a claim faster to process and harder to refuse. Begin collecting it while you are still at the airport if you can, and certainly before the details fade from memory. Keep or obtain: 

• Booking confirmation: this shows your name, flight number, date and route, and proves you had a confirmed reservation. 
• Boarding passes and baggage tags: they prove you checked in and travelled. Photograph them, since paper passes are easily lost. 
• Proof of the delay: note the scheduled and real arrival times, using the airport’s arrivals board, a flight-tracking website or the airline’s app. Screenshots with the date visible are helpful. Your own photographs of the departure board are also useful. 
• Airline communications: save emails, text messages and app notifications, and note what staff said about the reason for the delay. 
• Receipts for expenses: food, drink, transport, accommodation and communication costs, along with a note of why each was needed.

If you can, ask the airline in writing for the official reason for the delay. Staff at the gate may offer informal explanations such as “a technical issue” or “air traffic”, which can differ from the formal records. A written explanation helps you test whether the airline can rely on extraordinary circumstances. If it argues that weather or air traffic control caused the delay, you can ask for the evidence, such as details of the restriction or the weather conditions on the day. 

Organise your documents in one folder, digital or paper, and name files clearly. When writing to the airline, attach copies and never send originals. Note the dates of any calls and the names of staff you speak to. A short log of what happened, written the same day, is often more useful than a long account written months later. 

Do not exaggerate any detail. Courts and dispute schemes can check flight records, and a wrong time or date can weaken a claim. If you are unsure of an exact time, say so and rely on public flight data. 

Claiming Directly From the Airline

Claiming directly costs nothing and is often the quickest route when the case is clear. Most airlines have an online claim form or an email address for compensation requests, which you can find on their website under customer service or passenger rights. A simple process works well: 

1. Find the airline’s official compensation form or contact address, and avoid third-party sites that imitate it. 
2. Provide the passenger names, booking reference, flight number, date, route and the length of the delay on arrival. 
3. State clearly that you are claiming compensation under UK261 or the relevant rules, name the amount you expect and ask for payment by bank transfer. 
4. Attach your evidence, and keep a copy of everything you send. 
5. Note the date, and diarise a follow-up in two to four weeks. 

Keep the tone polite and brief. A short letter that cites the flight details, the delay, the legal basis and the amount is enough. Avoid emotional language, since the aim is to produce an easy decision. If the airline’s reply is a standard refusal, read it carefully. Check whether it identifies a specific reason and whether that reason is likely to count as extraordinary. Some replies are generic and do not address the facts. 

If the airline rejects the claim, you do not need to accept it. Reply in writing, explaining why you disagree and asking for supporting evidence for its position. Airlines often reconsider when presented with a well-prepared response, especially where the stated cause, such as a technical fault, is not usually accepted as an extraordinary circumstance.

Some passengers prefer to use a claims company. These firms handle the paperwork and may pursue court action on your behalf, usually in return for a percentage of any compensation. This can be convenient if you do not want to deal with the airline, but it reduces what you receive, and you should read the terms to see the fee, how long the firm may take and what happens if the claim fails. Many valid claims can be made directly at no cost. Be wary of firms that contact you unprompted or promise guaranteed results. 

If the delay was part of a package holiday, raise the matter with the tour operator as well as the airline. The operator is generally responsible for the package as a whole, and its own complaints procedure may offer a different remedy. Allow a reasonable period for a reply, but if the airline stops responding, escalate rather than wait indefinitely. 

Resolving a Refusal Through Alternative Dispute Resolution

If direct contact fails, the next step is usually alternative dispute resolution, often shortened to ADR. These are independent schemes that review disputes between passengers and airlines without the cost and formality of a court case. Airlines are expected to be members of an approved scheme, and the CAA publishes a list of approved bodies. 

You can generally refer your complaint to ADR when the airline has issued a final response rejecting it, or when a set period, commonly eight weeks, has passed since you first complained without a resolution. Check the scheme’s rules, since the timing and eligibility can vary. Key points about ADR include: 

• Cost: for passengers it is usually free or low cost, which makes it attractive compared with court.
• Evidence: you submit your documents and a short explanation, and the airline responds. An adjudicator reviews both sides on the papers. 
• Outcome: the scheme issues a decision. Depending on the scheme, the decision may be binding on the airline if you accept it, but you are not obliged to accept an outcome you do not like.
• Speed: ADR can take several weeks or months, depending on demand, so submit as early as you can. 
• Court rights preserved: you can still go to court if you reject the decision, subject to time limits. 

Before starting ADR, check that you have the airline’s final reply or the date of your first complaint, and that you have chosen the correct scheme. The airline’s final letter should say which scheme it uses. If it does not, ask. 

Prepare a clear, concise submission. Set out the facts in date order, state the compensation you seek, address the airline’s stated reason head on, and list your attachments. Do not repeat the same points several times. Adjudicators read many cases and appreciate clarity.

If you receive a favourable decision and the airline does not pay, contact the scheme and the CAA, which may take action against airlines that persistently fail to meet their obligations. Keep a record of every date and reference number. 

Alongside ADR, you can report problems to the CAA, although the regulator does not normally resolve individual claims. It does use complaints to monitor airline behaviour, and its guidance explains your rights. Citizens Advice also offers free help in drafting letters and deciding next steps. 

Escalating to Court and Meeting the Time Limits

If ADR does not resolve the dispute, or the airline refuses to engage, you can take the matter to court. This is more common than many passengers expect, and for modest sums the small claims procedure is designed for people without lawyers. The right route depends on where you live or where the airline can be sued. 

Time limits matter above all. A claim for flight delay compensation is generally treated as a debt or contract claim. In England and Wales, the usual limit is six years from the date of the flight. In Scotland, the period is generally five years. In Northern Ireland, it is generally six years.

These periods run from the date of the flight, not from the date of the airline’s refusal, so do not let a long correspondence run down the clock. If you are near the deadline, take advice on whether to begin court proceedings to protect your position. A typical court route in England and Wales runs as follows: 

1. Send a formal letter before action to the airline, setting out the claim, the amount and the legal basis, and giving a deadline, usually 14 days, to pay. 
2. If there is no payment, issue a claim online using the government’s money claims service, or on paper through a county court. A court fee applies, which is based on the amount claimed. 
3. The airline has a set period to respond. If it does not, you may be able to ask for judgment in your favour. 
4. If it defends the claim, the court will set directions and, for small claims, usually a short hearing. 
5. If you win, the court orders payment, and you may recover the court fee and limited costs. Enforcement is a separate step if the airline does not pay. 

In Scotland, the equivalent is the simple procedure in the sheriff court, which is designed for lower-value claims and for people representing themselves. Northern Ireland has its own small claims process in the county court. Forms, fees and rules differ by nation, so use the official court service guidance. 

Small claims normally limit the costs you can recover from the other side, so the process is not costly. Even so, consider the time involved. Some airlines pay once a claim is issued, because they prefer to avoid court. Others contest, especially when the cause of delay is disputed.

Think about whether the airline has a UK address for service. Some foreign carriers can be harder to pursue, and enforcing a judgment may be slower. If the airline has collapsed, compensation claims may rank behind other creditors, and other protections, such as ATOL cover for package holidays or a card claim, may be more useful. 

Take advice if the case is complex, for example if it involves multiple passengers, a high-value claim or a contested legal argument. Legal expenses cover in your home insurance may help with costs, so check your policies. 

Submitting Receipts for Meals, Hotels and Other Costs

Fixed compensation is only part of what you may be owed. Airlines also have a duty of care to passengers during long delays, and if they fail to provide it, you can claim reasonable costs afterwards. This applies whether or not the cause of the delay was extraordinary. The care obligations depend on the flight distance and the length of the wait. In general, passengers are entitled to: 

• Meals and refreshments: provided in a reasonable relation to the waiting time once the delay passes a set threshold, which is shorter for short flights and longer for long-haul.
• Communications: the ability to make two phone calls or send two emails or messages free of charge. 
• Hotel accommodation: if the delay means an overnight stay, along with transport between the airport and the hotel. 
• Refund option: if a delay exceeds five hours, you can ask for a refund of the unused part of your ticket, and where relevant a return flight to your original departure point. 
• Rerouting: in the case of cancellations, the right to be taken to your destination by an alternative flight or other transport at the earliest opportunity. 

If the airline does not offer these, keep the costs reasonable and the receipts safe. Reasonable means roughly in line with what the airline should have provided, so choose a modest meal rather than an extravagant one, and a mid-range hotel instead of a luxury suite. If the airline directs you to a specific hotel, use it where possible and keep the booking details. 

Submit your expense claim with a clear list: the date, the item, the amount, the reason and the receipt number. Group the costs under headings such as food, transport and accommodation. Attach scans or photographs of the receipts and point to the delay details. Remember that if you pay in a foreign currency, you will need to show the amount you were charged, which a bank or card statement can verify. If the airline refuses to pay expenses, the same escalation route applies: written complaint, ADR and court if necessary.

You may also be able to claim under travel insurance. Many policies pay a fixed sum after a delay of a set number of hours, regardless of the airline’s liability. Check the policy wording, the excess and the evidence required, and contact your insurer promptly. If you paid for the flight on a credit card, you may also have protection under section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 for certain purchases within the price range specified by law. This is a route for refunds of the ticket cost rather than for fixed compensation, and the rules have conditions, so check with your card provider. 

Planning Ahead for Future Trips

You cannot prevent delays, but you can reduce the stress and improve your position if one occurs. A few choices at the booking stage and on the day can make a difference. 

• Book through one ticket: connections on a single booking are covered by the airline, which must look after you if you miss the next leg because the first was late. 
• Keep evidence on your phone: store the booking confirmation and boarding passes in your email or a dedicated folder, so you can reach them offline. 
• Pay by credit card: for eligible purchases, section 75 can give extra protection, and chargeback may be possible on debit cards. 
• Buy suitable travel insurance: choose a policy with clear delay and missed-departure cover, and keep the policy number and emergency contacts with you. 
• Know the helplines: save the airline’s customer service numbers, and the CAA website address. 

Allow reasonable connection times when booking, especially at large airports where terminals are far apart. Very short connections increase the risk of a missed flight, and if you booked separately, you may be left without protection. Consider the weather and strike patterns on your route, because airlines are less likely to owe compensation in those cases. 

At the airport, stay close to the information desks and the airline’s app, as rebooking options can disappear quickly. Ask staff to confirm in writing the reason for the delay and any care they are providing. Be polite but persistent. Staff often have discretion, and it helps to be clear about what you need, such as a meal voucher, a hotel or a rerouting. 

When you get home, make your claim promptly. Evidence is fresh, and airline systems have the records to hand. Set a reminder to chase the airline after a few weeks. If you have a long flight with children or relatives who need special assistance, tell the airline in advance and keep records of what was agreed, as these may support additional claims. 

Final Thoughts

Flight delay compensation can feel like a hurdle, but the process is manageable when you take it step by step. Collect evidence at the time, write a clear claim, keep records and use ADR if the airline refuses. Watch the time limits, which differ across the UK nations, and do not let a long exchange of letters use up your window. 

Treat the compensation as your legal right, not a favour. At the same time, check the CAA website for the latest rules on the amounts, coverage and any reforms, because this area of law is under regular review. 

This guide is general information and not personal legal or financial advice. For your own situation, consult the Civil Aviation Authority, Citizens Advice or a qualified adviser.

Frequently Asked Questions 

How late must a flight be before I can claim? 

In general, you may be able to claim if you reach your final destination three hours or more late. The time is measured when the aircraft door opens, and the reason for the delay must not be an extraordinary circumstance.

How much compensation can I claim? 

The amount is set by distance. Under UK law it has been £220 for flights up to 1,500 kilometres, £350 for 1,500 to 3,500 kilometres and £520 for longer flights, per passenger. Check the CAA website for the current figures, as reform has been discussed. 

How long do I have to make a claim? 

In England and Wales the limit is generally six years from the flight. In Scotland it is generally five years, and in Northern Ireland six years. Act well before the deadline, and take advice if you are close to it. 

Do I need a claims company? 

No. You can claim directly from the airline for free, use ADR if it refuses and go to court if necessary. A claims company can save effort but usually takes a share of the compensation. 

What counts as an extraordinary circumstance? 

Examples include severe weather, security risks and air traffic control restrictions. Routine technical faults and crew shortages are generally not accepted as extraordinary. If the airline relies on this defence, ask for evidence. 

Can I claim for a flight that was cancelled? 

Often yes. You may be entitled to a refund or rerouting, plus compensation if you were told about the cancellation too late and the cause was not extraordinary. Check the CAA guidance on notice periods for your case.