A delayed return flight gives you the same right to compensation as the outbound: arrive more than 3 hours late and you are owed €250, €400 or €600 per passenger, even if the outbound went perfectly. Outbound and return are two separate flights: if both are delayed, you can claim twice. The only real exception is a return from a non-EU country with a non-EU airline.
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Return flight delayed: when compensation is due
Under Regulation (EC) 261/2004 each flight is assessed on its own, even when outbound and return are on the same booking. These are the most common cases:
| Your return flight | Compensation if more than 3 hours late on arrival |
|---|---|
| From an EU city, with any airline (Malaga–Dublin, Paris–Dublin) | Yes, unless there were extraordinary circumstances |
| From a non-EU country with a European airline | Yes, unless there were extraordinary circumstances |
| From a non-EU country with a non-EU airline (New York–Dublin with a US airline) | No, EU261 does not apply |
| Outbound and return both more than 3 hours late | Yes, two separate payments |
| Return with a connection on a single booking | The delay at your final destination counts |
The amount depends on the distance of that flight: €250 up to 1,500 km, such as London–Dublin with a European airline; €400 from 1,500 to 3,500 km, such as Malaga–Dublin; €600 over 3,500 km, such as New York–Dublin with a European airline. Your rights hour by hour are in our guide flight delayed 3 hours: what am I entitled to.
Outbound and return are two flights, not one
Many passengers think the return is "the second half" of the same flight, and that their rights depend on where the trip began. They don't: for EU261 the return flight departs from the airport you are in. That is why Dublin–New York and New York–Dublin on the same ticket with a US airline are treated differently: the outbound is covered because it departs from the EU, the return is not. With a European airline, both are covered.
The same rule applies to closer destinations outside the EU, such as the UK, Turkey or Morocco: all the cases are in our guide to EU261 for flights outside Europe.
If the outbound goes wrong: what happens to your return ticket
- Outbound cancelled or delayed over 5 hours and you give up the trip: you can ask for a refund of the unused parts of the ticket, return included, and, if you are already part-way through the journey, a flight back to your starting point.
- Outbound missed through your own fault: under their conditions of carriage, many airlines cancel the return if you do not show up for the outbound. Tell the airline before departure. Under the new EU rules this practice will be banned from 23 October 2027, as explained in our guide to the EU air passenger rights reform.
- Outbound and return with different airlines on separate tickets: these are two separate contracts; a delay on one does not bind the other.
A late-night return and a lost working day
On the way home a delay hurts more: work the next morning, the car in the car park, the children's school run. While you wait, the airline owes you meals and refreshments in proportion to the wait and, if departure moves to the next day, a hotel and transfers: who pays and what to do if nobody offers it is explained in our guide flight delayed overnight: hotel. EU261 does not pay for a lost day of leave or work: the fixed compensation exists precisely to make up for the inconvenience without you having to prove any loss.
How to claim for a delayed return flight
- Keep the return boarding pass and the booking confirmation showing all flights.
- Note the actual arrival time: what counts is when at least one aircraft door opens.
- Ask for the reason in writing at the airline desk or take a photo of the departures board.
- Keep receipts for meals, taxis and hotels if you paid yourself.
- Submit your claim: if both outbound and return were delayed, list both flights. Don't leave it too long: the deadlines are in our guide to the time limit for flight delay claims.
With DelayFlight24 you can check for free in 2 minutes whether you are owed compensation for the outbound, the return or both: enter your details on the flight delay compensation page and we handle the claim, the reminders and, if needed, court action. Nothing to pay upfront: you only pay 25% + VAT if you get compensated.
Frequently asked questions about delayed return flights
My outbound was on time but the return was 4 hours late: am I owed anything?
Yes. Each flight counts on its own: arrive more than 3 hours late without extraordinary circumstances and you are owed €250, €400 or €600 depending on the distance of the return.
If both outbound and return are delayed, do I get paid twice?
Yes, if both flights arrive more than 3 hours late and there were no extraordinary circumstances.
Is a return from New York with a US airline covered?
No. On flights into the EU from outside, EU261 only applies if the airline is European.
I missed my outbound flight: can they cancel my return?
Today many airlines provide for this in their conditions. Tell them before departure that you will use the return. The new EU rules will ban this practice from 23 October 2027.
My return was a charter flight in a package holiday: does the same apply?
Yes. What counts is the airline operating the flight, not the tour operator, and the return is assessed like any other flight.
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Find out more
- Air passenger rights
- Delayed flight: when you can claim compensation
- Cancelled flight: refund and compensation
- Overbooking: what you are owed
- What our service costs
Article updated on 14/11/2026 by the DelayFlight24 editorial team.