Regulation (EU) 2026/2202, the EU air passenger rights reform that amends Regulation 261/2004, has been in force since 22 October 2026 but only applies from 23 October 2027: until then, the rules you know still cover delays, cancellations and overbooking. If you are wondering what the new EU rules change, in short: more information, more transparency and a few new rights, while compensation stays at €250, €400 or €600 with the same 3-hour threshold for arrival delays. For a flight you take today nothing changes, so you can claim now.
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EU air passenger rights reform: what changes and when
The reform does not replace Regulation (EC) 261/2004: it amends and updates it, after years of negotiation between the European Parliament and the Council. The text was published in October 2026, came into force twenty days later and becomes applicable one year after that, giving airlines and airports time to adapt.
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| 2 October 2026 | Regulation (EU) 2026/2202 is published |
| 22 October 2026 | Entry into force: the text exists but does not yet apply to flights |
| Until 22 October 2027 | The current rules of Regulation 261/2004 apply |
| From 23 October 2027 | The new EU rules apply |
In practice, if your flight is delayed, cancelled or overbooked before 23 October 2027, your rights are today's rights. The changes below concern flights from 23 October 2027 onwards. One note for UK travellers: flights departing from the UK follow the UK's own version of the rules, which this EU reform does not change.
What stays the same: €250, €400 or €600 and the 3-hour rule
The part that matters most to passengers does not change. Compensation still depends on the flight distance and is due to every passenger, children included, when you reach your destination more than 3 hours late, when your flight is cancelled with less than 14 days' notice (unless you are offered an alternative flight with very similar times) or when you are denied boarding against your will.
| Flight distance | Compensation | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 1,500 km | €250 | Dublin – Paris |
| Flights within the EU over 1,500 km and other flights of 1,500–3,500 km | €400 | Dublin – Tenerife |
| Over 3,500 km (outside the EU) | €600 | Dublin – New York |
The core principle stays too: the airline only avoids paying if it proves the disruption was caused by extraordinary circumstances it could not have avoided even with all reasonable measures. To see what you could get for your flight today, try our compensation calculator.
More information: airlines will have to tell you what you are owed
One of the most useful changes is about communication. From 23 October 2027 the airline operating your flight will have to:
- tell you straight away about a delay or cancellation, with real-time updates where possible, and give you the reason without undue delay;
- explain your rights in your specific case: refund or alternative flight, care and assistance, and how to claim compensation;
- contact you within 96 hours of the end of your journey, by email or another durable medium, if you may be entitled to compensation, with clear instructions on how to claim;
- acknowledge your claim immediately and, within 30 days, either pay or explain why it is refusing;
- pay by bank transfer: other means, such as vouchers, only if you explicitly agree;
- not force you to have an account or an app to receive messages, forms and boarding passes.
On top of that, check-in desks and boarding gates will have to display a clear notice about passenger rights, with a QR code so you can read them on your phone.
Extraordinary circumstances: an official list and the burden of proof on the airline
Today, the line between an ordinary fault and an extraordinary circumstance has mostly been drawn by the courts: in case C-549/07 the EU Court of Justice ruled that a routine technical problem is not enough to refuse compensation. The reform adds an official, non-exhaustive list of extraordinary circumstances, including:
- weather or natural disasters incompatible with the safe operation of the flight;
- air traffic control restrictions or closures of airspace or airports decided by others;
- strikes by airport staff, air traffic controllers or ground handlers the airline does not choose;
- unruly passengers or medical emergencies on board;
- hidden manufacturing defects revealed by the manufacturer or an authority.
A strike by the airline's own staff only counts if it stems from demands that only public authorities can meet. Above all, the airline must prove a direct link between the event and the disruption, and that it did everything reasonable to avoid it; if it refuses to pay, it must say which circumstance it relies on and explain why. Read more in our guide to extraordinary circumstances.
Refunds, rerouting and care: the other changes
- Automatic refund within 7 days of your choice, by bank transfer, including any booking fee you paid to an intermediary.
- 5-hour delay at departure: the airline must offer you a refund of your ticket.
- Self-rerouting: if you choose to continue and the airline offers no alternative within 3 hours, you can book your own and get necessary, reasonable costs back within 14 days.
- Care: refreshments every 2 hours of waiting, a meal after 3 hours, internet access and two phone calls; a hotel and transfers if you have to stay overnight. If the airline fails to provide them, reasonable expenses must be repaid within 14 days.
- EU airports will have to offer free drinking water and charging points at any time of day.
- Missed connection on a single booking: a new flight and care from the airline of the delayed flight, plus compensation if you reach your destination more than 3 hours late.
- Vouchers: only with your explicit consent; valid for up to 12 months, extendable once, with any unused value refunded automatically.
Tarmac delays, no-shows, name errors and baggage: the new rights
- Tarmac delay: if you are stuck on board, the airline must provide heating or cooling, toilets and, where possible, free water; after 2 hours the aircraft must return to the gate so you can get off, unless there are safety or air traffic reasons.
- Unused outbound flight: you cannot be refused boarding or charged extra on the return because you did not take the outbound flight on the same booking.
- Boarding pass: your own printout is valid if it is clear and readable, and after check-in you cannot be charged for printing it.
- Name error: a correction is free at least once if you ask at least 48 hours before departure.
- Baggage: a personal item in the cabin, up to 40 Ă— 30 Ă— 15 cm or small enough to fit under the seat in front, will be free, and fares including hand luggage will have to be shown first.
How to claim compensation today under the current rules
The message of the reform is clear: passenger rights remain strong. But for the flight you took yesterday or last week there is no need to wait until 2027.
- Check your arrival delay, meaning when the aircraft doors open: if it is over 3 hours, or if your flight was cancelled with less than 14 days' notice, you may be owed compensation.
- Keep your documents: booking, boarding pass, emails and texts from the airline, receipts for expenses.
- Do not accept vouchers if you want cash: without your agreement the airline has to pay in money.
- Claim compensation from the airline or let us handle it, without leaving it too long: the current time limits apply, as explained in our guide to the time limit for a flight delay claim.
With DelayFlight24 you can check for free in 2 minutes whether your flight qualifies under today's rules: nothing to pay upfront, and you only pay 25% + VAT if you get compensated. We write to the airline and follow up the claim for you: claim compensation for your delayed flight.
Frequently asked questions about the EU air passenger rights reform
When do the new EU air passenger rules apply?
From 23 October 2027. The regulation has been in force since 22 October 2026, but until 22 October 2027 the current rules of Regulation 261/2004 apply.
Do the compensation amounts change?
No: they stay at €250, €400 or €600 per passenger depending on distance, and compensation for delays still starts above 3 hours at arrival.
My flight was delayed today: which rules apply?
The current ones. You can claim compensation now, without waiting for the reform.
Will hand luggage become free?
From 23 October 2027 a personal item that fits under the seat will be free. A cabin bag must be accepted if there is room, but the text does not say it has to be free; airlines will, however, have to show fares that include it first.
Should I wait until 2027 to claim?
No. Today's flights are covered by today's rules, and waiting only increases the risk of missing the time limit to claim.
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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 23/10/2026 by the DelayFlight24 editorial team.