How long flight delay compensation takes depends mostly on the airline: Regulation (EC) 261/2004 sets a deadline only for refunding your ticket, 7 days, and sets none for the €250, €400 or €600 compensation. In practice the timing changes depending on whether the airline pays straight away, says no or does not reply at all. Here are the stages of a claim and a checklist to avoid losing time.
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What the law says about payment deadlines
The regulation gives you three separate rights, and only one comes with a fixed deadline:
| Right | When it applies | Deadline in the regulation |
|---|---|---|
| Ticket refund | Cancelled flight, or a delay of at least 5 hours, if you choose not to travel | Within 7 days |
| Compensation of €250, €400 or €600 | Arrival 3 hours or more late, cancellation with less than 14 days' notice, denied boarding | None |
| Refund of care expenses | Meals, hotel or transfers you paid for because the airline did not provide them | No specific deadline |
Compensation must be paid in cash, by bank transfer or by cheque. A voucher only counts if you accept it in a signed agreement: if you say no, the airline cannot push it on you to settle faster.
The stages of a claim: checklist
- Written complaint to the airline. Always the first step: use its official claim form and keep the confirmation.
- The airline's reply. It can pay, refuse or stay silent. The regulation sets no reply deadline, but national bodies say when you can turn to them.
- If it pays: check the amount matches the distance and the number of passengers, and that it reaches the account you gave.
- If it refuses: reply in writing and ask for evidence. If it blames extraordinary circumstances, follow our guide on how to answer that rejection.
- If it does not resolve it: for flights from Ireland, complain to the Irish Aviation Authority through its online form. For flights from the UK, the CAA says you can use a free ADR scheme once you have a final response or 8 weeks have passed since your written complaint; if you accept the decision, the airline must follow it. See our guide to national enforcement bodies.
- Court action. If the airline still does not pay, the courts remain. It is the longest route, but it forces the airline to pay.
What slows things down
- Missing details: booking reference, names of every passenger, boarding passes. Each request for more information adds another round of waiting.
- Wrong bank details: an incorrect IBAN, or one in someone else's name, can hold up a payment that has already been approved.
- Several claims for the same flight: writing through several channels, or for other passengers without their authority, can stall the case.
- Vague refusals: "operational reasons" with no details means another letter and sometimes an ADR body or a court.
- Waiting too long to claim: the more time passes, the harder it is to piece the flight together. Check the time limit for claims and act early.
Documents to keep ready
- Booking confirmation and boarding passes for every passenger.
- Messages from the airline: emails, texts, cancellation or delay notices.
- Proof of your actual arrival time: photos of the arrivals board, messages, flight-tracking apps.
- Receipts for meals, hotels and transport, if you are claiming expenses.
- Bank details in the passenger's name or, for children, in the name of a parent or guardian.
- A copy of the complaint you sent and every reply you received.
Leave the chasing to us
With DelayFlight24 you can check for free in 2 minutes whether you are owed compensation. If you go ahead, we prepare and send the claim, handle the reminders and, if the airline does not pay, take legal action too. You pay nothing upfront and our fee is 25% + VAT only if you get compensated. Answers about our service are in the FAQ; to get started, go to our flight delay compensation page.
Frequently asked questions about how long compensation takes
How many days does the airline have to pay compensation?
The regulation sets no deadline for compensation. It only sets 7 days for refunding the ticket when your flight is cancelled and you choose not to travel.
The airline is not replying: how long should I wait?
For UK departures, you can go to an ADR scheme after 8 weeks without a final response. For Irish departures, the IAA asks you to raise the matter with the airline first and then use its online form.
Do the ticket refund and the compensation arrive together?
Not necessarily. They are separate rights: the airline may refund the ticket and deal with compensation separately, on a different timescale.
Should I take a voucher to get paid sooner?
Only if it suits you, and only with a signed agreement. Otherwise you are entitled to be paid in money.
Is ADR free for passengers?
Yes. ADR schemes approved by the CAA are free for passengers, and you can still go to court if you do not accept the decision.
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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 02/11/2026 by the DelayFlight24 editorial team.