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EU261 flight compensation calculator

Regulation (EC) 261/2004 gives fixed compensation for cancellations and, following the Court of Justice's Sturgeon ruling, for arriving 3 hours or more late. It also applies in Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein and Switzerland.

Official text: Regulation (EC) No 261/2004. Last checked 2026-09-28.

What am I owed?

Instant estimate from the same rules engine Reclamly uses. Nothing is stored and no sign-up is needed.

What happened?

How much EU261 pays

EU261 Art. 7(1) compensation by flight distance (EUR)
Flight distanceCompensation
Up to 1,500 km€250
Within the EU, over 1,500 km€400
1,500 to 3,500 km€400
Over 3,500 km€600

Which flights are covered

  • Every flight departing an airport in the EU, Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein or Switzerland, on any airline.
  • Flights arriving there from outside, when the airline is an EU/EEA/Swiss airline.

Eligibility

Delay length
3 hours or more at arrival at your final destination (Sturgeon, C-402/07). On flights over 3,500 km, a delay of 3 to under 4 hours may be halved.
Distance bands
Great-circle distance decides the band. If you were rerouted after a cancellation and arrived within 2, 3 or 4 hours of the original time (by band), the amount can be cut by 50% (Art. 7(2)).
Notice
Cancellations announced 14 days or more before departure don't qualify. Between 7 and 13 days it depends on the rerouting you were offered.
Airline size
Airline size doesn't matter under EU261.
Extraordinary circumstances
No compensation for extraordinary circumstances (Art. 5(3)), such as weather, air traffic control, security risks or strikes outside the airline. Technical problems are generally NOT extraordinary (Wallentin-Hermann, C-549/07).

Claim deadline

EU261 sets no single deadline: time limits come from the national law of the country where you claim, and they vary. Claim as soon as you can. If the airline refuses or doesn't reply, complain to the national enforcement body.

If the airline says no: European Commission: national enforcement bodies

EU261 by airline

Airline pages exist only where EU261 covers the airline's own flights. For other airlines, coverage depends on the route: use the calculator above.

If none of these rules covers your flight, the Montreal Convention (Art. 19) may still let you claim proven costs caused by an international delay, up to 6,303 SDR per passenger, within 2 years.

Frequently asked questions

How much is EU261 compensation?

€250 for flights up to 1,500 km, €400 for flights within the EU over 1,500 km and other flights of 1,500 to 3,500 km, and €600 for flights over 3,500 km.

Does EU261 cover flights from Canada or the US to Europe?

Only when the airline is an EU, EEA or Swiss airline. Flights departing Europe are covered on any airline.

Is a technical problem an extraordinary circumstance?

Generally no. The Court of Justice held in Wallentin-Hermann (C-549/07) that technical problems are usually part of an airline's normal activity.

Official sources

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Reclamly finds delayed and cancelled flights in your email and drafts the claim for you to send. You only pay 25% if compensation arrives.

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