A refund gives you back the ticket price when your flight is cancelled or you give up a long-delayed flight; compensation is a fixed €250, €400 or €600 per passenger for the disruption. They are two different rights and, when a flight is cancelled, you can get both. On top of these come care at the airport and, in some cases, damages for further losses. Here is how to tell them apart and claim them.
The differences at a glance
| Refund | Compensation | Care | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | Your ticket price back | A fixed sum for the disruption | Meals, drinks, calls, hotel |
| How much | What you paid for the unused part | €250, €400 or €600 per passenger | Whatever you need while you wait |
| When | Cancelled flight, or a delay over 5 hours if you give up the flight | Arrival 3 hours or more late, cancellation with under 14 days' notice, denied boarding | Long waits at the airport |
| With extraordinary circumstances | Yes | No | Yes |
The ticket refund
If the airline cancels your flight, you can choose between a refund within 7 days and an alternative flight. You can also get a refund if the flight is delayed by more than 5 hours and you decide not to travel. It must be paid in money: a voucher only counts if you agree to it in writing. The refund is due even when the cancellation is caused by extraordinary circumstances such as an air traffic control strike or bad weather.
Compensation
Compensation under EU Regulation 261/2004 does not depend on the ticket price but on the flight distance:
- €250 up to 1,500 km (for example Dublin–Paris);
- €400 from 1,500 to 3,500 km, and on flights within the EU over 3,500 km (for example Dublin–Rome);
- €600 over 3,500 km outside the EU (for example Dublin–Boston).
It is owed if you arrive 3 hours or more late, if your flight is cancelled with less than 14 days' notice or if you are denied boarding because of overbooking, unless there were extraordinary circumstances. See our pages on delayed flights and cancelled flights.
Can I get a refund and compensation together?
Yes. If your flight is cancelled a few days before and you choose a refund, you are also entitled to compensation: one pays back the ticket, the other the disruption. Example: an €80 ticket for a 1,200 km flight cancelled the day before, with no extraordinary circumstances. You are owed the €80 refund plus €250 compensation.
If you choose an alternative flight instead, you do not get the refund, but compensation is still owed if the conditions are met.
Further losses and expenses
As well as compensation, you can claim reasonable expenses you paid because the airline did not provide care (meals, hotel, taxi) and, in some cases, damages for further losses, such as a prepaid hotel night you lost. Always keep your receipts.
How to claim them
- Refund: ask the airline, usually through manage booking or its refund form.
- Compensation: you have to claim it: airlines often refuse or offer a voucher.
- Expenses: attach your receipts to the claim.
With DelayFlight24 you can check for free in 2 minutes whether you are owed compensation, and we handle the claim and, if needed, court action: you pay nothing upfront and our fee is 25% + VAT only if you get compensated. Read our guide to flight vouchers and credits too.
Frequently asked questions about refunds and compensation
Are a refund and compensation the same thing?
No. A refund gives you back the ticket price; compensation is a fixed €250, €400 or €600 for the disruption.
If I get my ticket refunded, do I lose compensation?
No. If the flight is cancelled with less than 14 days' notice you can get both the refund and compensation.
With extraordinary circumstances, do I at least get a refund?
Yes. Extraordinary circumstances only rule out compensation: a refund or rerouting and care are still owed.
My ticket cost €30: can I get €250?
Yes. Compensation depends on the flight distance, not on what you paid.
Do I have to accept a voucher instead of a refund?
No. Refunds and compensation are owed in money; a voucher only counts if you accept it.
Work out your compensation now
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- Free check, no commitment
- No upfront costs: 25% + VAT only if we win
- We deal with the airline for you
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 22/10/2026 by the DelayFlight24 editorial team.