EU261 decision tree

Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 as interpreted by the Court of Justice of the EU (CJEU). Applies today and until 22 October 2027; see changes from 23 October 2027.

1. 1Did your journey depart from an airport in the EU, EEA (Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein) or Switzerland?

   YesCovered, whatever the airline (Art 3(1)(a)). Go to step 3.

   NoGo to step 2.

2. 2Did you fly into the EU/EEA/Switzerland on an airline licensed there (for example Air France, KLM, Lufthansa, Iberia, Ryanair)?

   YesCovered (Art 3(1)(b)), unless you received compensation and assistance under the law of the departure country. Go to step 3.

   NoEU261 does not apply. Check UK261, APPR or US rules.

3. 3Were you bumped (denied boarding) against your will, with valid documents and on time for check-in?

   YesYou are owed compensation. Extraordinary circumstances do not excuse bumping (C-22/11 Finnair; C-321/11 Rodríguez Cachafeiro). Go to step 7.

   NoGo to step 4.

4. 4Was your flight cancelled?

   YesIf you were told at least 14 days (two weeks) before departure, no compensation is due. If told 7 to 13 days before, none is due if the replacement left no more than 2h early and arrived less than 4h late. If told under 7 days before, none is due if it left no more than 1h early and arrived less than 2h late (Art 5(1)(c)). Otherwise go to step 6.

   NoGo to step 5.

5. 5Did you reach your final destination 3 hours or more late? Arrival is when the doors opened (C-452/13 Germanwings). For connections on one booking, only the final arrival counts (C-11/11 Folkerts).

   YesGo to step 6 (C-402/07 Sturgeon).

   NoNo compensation. You may still be owed care: meals and refreshments if your departure was delayed by 2 hours or more (1,500 km or less), 3 hours or more (intra-EU over 1,500 km, or other flights over 1,500 km up to 3,500 km) or 4 hours or more (other flights), and a hotel if you had to stay overnight (Art 6(1), Art 9).

6. 6Was the cause an extraordinary circumstance that could not have been avoided with all reasonable measures (for example bad weather, air traffic control decisions, security risks, a strike outside the airline)?

   YesNo compensation, but the airline must prove it. See extraordinary circumstances.

   NoCompensation is due. Technical faults and own-staff strikes are generally not extraordinary. Go to step 7.

7. 7Work out the distance band.

   Measure the great-circle distance from your first departure airport to your final destination (Art 7(4); C-559/16 Bossen), then find your amount in the table below. Exactly 1,500 km is in the lowest band; exactly 3,500 km is in the middle band.

Amounts per passenger

Scroll sideways to see the whole table.

The airline must pay in money (cash, bank transfer or cheque). It can only pay in vouchers if you agree in writing (Art 7(3)).

Deadline

The regulation sets no time limit. National limitation periods apply (C-139/11 Cuadrench Moré), from 1 year to 6 years or more depending on the country. See the deadline table.

Changes for flights from 23 October 2027 (Regulation 2026/2202)

• Delay must be more than 3 hours at arrival (amended Art 6(4)).
• Cancellations: no compensation if you were told at least 14 calendar days before the departure date. With less notice, no compensation only if the replacement departs no more than 1 hour early and arrives less than 2 hours late (amended Art 5(5)).
• The 50% reduction applies only to the €600 band (not intra-EU, over 3,500 km), when you arrive no more than 4 hours late after a delay or a later replacement flight (amended Art 7(2)). The 50% cuts for shorter rerouted journeys no longer exist.
• New reduction: if you take a replacement flight scheduled to leave more than 1 hour before the original, the airline may cut compensation by 50% (brought forward by less than 2 hours) or 25% (less than 3 hours) (amended Art 7(3)).
• You must submit your request to the airline within 9 months of departure, and the airline must pay or explain its refusal within 30 calendar days (amended Art 7(9)).
• Airlines must send you information on your right to compensation within 96 hours of the end of your journey (amended Art 7(4)).
• A list of extraordinary circumstances is added. Strikes by the airline's own staff count only if they come from demands only public authorities can meet.

Last updated: 2026-10-16