Cancelled Flight Compensation & Passenger Rights: How to Claim (2026)
Checked 2026-06.
Checked 2026-06: if your EU/UK flight was cancelled with under 14 days' notice and the cause was within the airline's control, you may be owed €250–€600 (about £220–£520) in fixed compensation — on top of a refund or re-routing.
AirHelp files EU261/UK261 claims on a no-win-no-fee basis (it keeps roughly 35%, more if the case goes to court), which is worth it if you'd rather not chase the airline yourself. Honestly, though, you can claim the full amount for free directly with the airline — the service buys you convenience, not a bigger payout.
Check my cancelled flight with AirHelpWe may earn a commission if you buy through this link — at no extra cost to you. See our affiliate disclosure.
| Scenario | Delay / issue | Deadline | Payout | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Short-haul ≤1,500 km | Cancelled, <14 days' notice | ~2–6 yrs (6 yr UK / 5 yr ES / 2–3 yr many EU) | €250 (~£220) | e.g. London–Paris, Madrid–Lisbon |
| Medium-haul 1,500–3,500 km | Cancelled, <14 days' notice | ~2–6 yrs by country | €400 (~£350) | Most intra-EU routes over 1,500 km |
| Long-haul >3,500 km | Cancelled, <14 days' notice | ~2–6 yrs by country | €300–€600 (~£260–£520) | Halved to €300 if re-routed and arrived 3–4 hrs late |
| Any distance — extraordinary cause | Strike / severe weather / ATC | n/a for cash | €0 cash | Refund + care still owed; no fixed compensation |
A cancellation gives you two separate things. First, a right to care and to your money back or a seat onward: the airline must offer you a choice between a full ticket refund, re-routing to your destination at the earliest opportunity, or re-routing later at your convenience — plus meals, drinks and a hotel if you're stranded overnight. Pick one option and you waive the other two, so choose before you accept a voucher. Second, and separately, fixed cash compensation may be due on top of that refund or re-routing.
Compensation depends on distance and notice. Under EU Regulation 261/2004 (and the mirrored UK261 post-Brexit) the bands are roughly €250 for short-haul up to 1,500 km, €400 for medium-haul 1,500–3,500 km, and €600 for long-haul over 3,500 km. It's payable only if you were told less than 14 days before departure. Note the catch on long-haul: if the airline re-routed you and you still arrived, the €600 can be halved to €300 when the delay at arrival was between 3 and 4 hours.
The big disqualifier is 'extraordinary circumstances'. Cancellations caused by severe weather, air-traffic-control or airport strikes, or political instability are exempt — no compensation, though your refund and care rights still stand. Cancellations within the airline's control (most technical/mechanical faults, crew shortages, scheduling and over-booking decisions) do qualify. Airlines lean heavily on the 'extraordinary' defence, so a refusal is not the final word — many are overturned.
Claim deadlines vary by jurisdiction, which is why people leave money on the table. In the UK you generally have up to 6 years (5 years in Scotland) from the flight date; in Spain it's around 5 years; many other EU countries run shorter windows of roughly 2–3 years. Figures here are ranges checked 2026-06 — confirm the exact limit for the country whose courts apply to your route before assuming you're out of time. Note: a June 2026 reform was provisionally agreed but the current €250–€600 / 3-hour rules remain fully in force, with changes not expected to apply until around 2027.
How to claim, free: gather your booking reference, boarding pass and the cancellation notice; write to the airline's customer-relations team citing EU261/UK261, the flight and the amount; and escalate to the national enforcement body (the CAA in the UK, AESA in Spain) or a small claim if they stall. If you'd rather hand it off, AirHelp or a similar service files on no-win-no-fee and takes around 35% (more if it escalates to court) — you net less but do nothing. Same payout from the airline either way; the only difference is who does the chasing and what they keep.
Check your specific case with the EU261 flight-compensation checker.
FAQ
Can I get both a refund and compensation for a cancelled flight?
Yes — they're separate rights. The refund (or re-routing) returns what you paid or gets you to your destination; the EU261/UK261 compensation of €250–€600 is a fixed sum on top, owed when the airline cancelled with under 14 days' notice for a reason within its control.
Is it worth paying AirHelp's ~35% fee instead of claiming myself?
The payout from the airline is identical whether you claim yourself or via AirHelp. Doing it yourself is free and keeps 100%; AirHelp's no-win-no-fee service (around 35%, more if it goes to court) is worth it only if you'd rather not handle the paperwork or chase a stubborn airline.
Do I get compensation if my flight was cancelled because of a strike or weather?
Usually not for cash. Severe weather, air-traffic-control strikes and similar 'extraordinary circumstances' exempt the airline from the €250–€600 compensation. But your refund, re-routing and right to meals and accommodation still apply regardless of the cause.
How long do I have to claim cancelled flight compensation?
It depends on jurisdiction. The UK allows up to 6 years (5 in Scotland), Spain around 5 years, and many EU countries roughly 2–3 years from the flight date. Ranges checked 2026-06 — confirm the exact limit for your route's country before assuming you've missed it.