Overbooking compensation: up to €600 if you are denied boarding
If the airline leaves you behind because it sold more seats than it had, you are entitled straight away to €250, €400 or €600 per passenger, a replacement flight or a ticket refund, and care at the airport.
At a glance
- What it is: the airline sells more tickets than there are seats and some passengers are left behind at the gate.
- How much: €250, €400 or €600 per passenger depending on distance. Overbooking is never an extraordinary circumstance.
- As well: choose between a ticket refund and a replacement flight, and get care while you wait.
- Volunteers: if you give up your seat by choice in exchange for agreed benefits, compensation is not owed, but a refund or replacement flight is.
When you can claim compensation for overbooking
Compensation is owed if you are denied boarding against your will and everything was in order on your side.
You had a confirmed booking
Even if it was a sale fare or part of a package.
You turned up on time
Checked in and at the gate by the time the airline gave you.
You did not give up your seat
You did not accept a deal to give it up.
There were no legitimate reasons
Such as invalid travel documents, health or safety reasons.
Overbooking is never an extraordinary circumstance: if you are left behind because there are not enough seats, the airline has to pay.
Volunteer or denied boarding: the difference matters
If you volunteer
Before denying boarding, the airline must look for volunteers. If you agree to give up your seat, you get the benefits you agree (money, vouchers, a later flight) plus a refund or replacement flight, but not the compensation set by the Regulation.
If you are denied boarding
If there are not enough volunteers and you are left behind against your will, the airline must pay you compensation straight away, offer a refund or replacement flight and look after you.
Ask for the written notice
The airline must give you a written notice of your rights. Always ask for it: it helps prove you did not give up your seat by choice.
Be careful what you sign
If you are asked to sign a statement saying you volunteered, read it carefully: signing it could cost you your compensation.
How much you can claim for overbooking
Compensation is fixed per passenger and depends only on the flight distance.
| Flight distance | Compensation per passenger | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 1,500 km | €250 | Dublin – Paris |
| 1,500 to 3,500 km | €400 | Dublin – Tenerife |
| Over 3,500 km | €600 | Dublin – New York |
Every passenger left behind is entitled to it, children with a ticket included. With DelayFlight24 you receive the amount minus 25% + VAT: see our service costs
Overbooking examples and what you can claim
Four common situations at the gate.
At the gate you are told the flight is full and you leave in the evening on another flight.
You are denied boarding and rebooked on the next day's flight.
You are left behind because of overbooking and choose a ticket refund.
You agree to give up your seat for a voucher and a later flight.
Downgrading and other cases of denied boarding
Downgrading
If the airline moves you to a lower class than the one you paid for, it must refund 30% of the fare for that flight up to 1,500 km, 50% up to 3,500 km (and on longer flights within the EU) and 75% beyond.
Smaller aircraft
If the airline swaps to a smaller aircraft and there are not enough seats, the passengers left behind have the same rights as with overbooking.
Airline errors
If you are not allowed on board because of a booking error or a fault in the airline's check-in system, it counts as denied boarding and compensation is owed.
Missed connection after denied boarding
On a single booking, if you are denied boarding on one leg, what counts is the disruption to the whole trip up to your final destination.
Care while you wait for your new flight
If you are denied boarding, you are owed care until your replacement flight leaves.
| Flight distance | Care after |
|---|---|
| Up to 1,500 km | 2 hours |
| 1,500 to 3,500 km | 3 hours |
| Over 3,500 km | 4 hours |
- Meals and drinks in reasonable relation to the waiting time.
- Two free communications: phone calls, emails or messages.
- Hotel and transport if the new flight leaves the next day.
- Expenses you paid must be refunded if the airline did not look after you.
Keep the receipts for everything you pay while you wait.
Overbooking at the gate: what to do
- Do not volunteer if you want compensation: wait until you are denied boarding.
- Ask for the written notice of your rights: the airline must give it to you.
- Get the reason in writing on your boarding pass or an airline document.
- Choose a refund or a replacement flight and keep the confirmation.
- Ask for meals, drinks and a hotel if the wait is long.
- Do not sign waivers you have not read carefully.
Overbooking with the most claimed airlines
For each airline you will find how it handles denied boarding and claims.
How to claim compensation for overbooking
The airline should pay you at the airport, but it often does not. We take care of it: you only pay if we get you compensated.
Check your flight
Enter your route, date and airline: in 2 minutes you know whether you can claim and how much.
We take care of everything
We send the claim, the reminders and, if needed, a formal notice. If the airline refuses, we take legal action.
Get your money
We pay your compensation by bank transfer, minus 25% + VAT. If we get nothing, you pay nothing.
Useful documents
- Boarding pass or booking confirmation
- Messages from the airline
- Receipts for any expenses
- An identity document
Overbooking: frequently asked questions
What is overbooking?
It is the practice of selling more tickets than there are seats, counting on some passengers not turning up. If everyone turns up, some are left behind.
How much am I owed if I am denied boarding?
€250 up to 1,500 km, €400 up to 3,500 km and €600 beyond, per passenger, plus a ticket refund or a replacement flight.
Is overbooking legal?
Yes, but if a passenger is left behind against their will the airline must compensate them straight away. It cannot claim extraordinary circumstances.
I volunteered: can I claim compensation?
No, you get the benefits you agreed with the airline and a refund or replacement flight. That is why it is only worth volunteering if the offer suits you.
Does the airline have to pay me on the spot?
The Regulation says payment should be immediate, but at the airport it often does not happen. You can claim it afterwards, including through us.
I was denied boarding over a check-in problem: can I claim?
If you checked in on time and had valid documents, usually yes. If you were late or did not have the right documents, no.
I was moved to a lower class: what am I owed?
A refund of 30%, 50% or 75% of the fare for that flight, depending on distance.
Does it apply to low-cost flights too?
Yes. The rules are the same for every airline, low-cost included.
How long do I have to claim?
Time limits are set by the law of the country where you claim (C-139/11). You are often still in time even for flights from years ago.
How much does DelayFlight24 cost?
Checking your flight is free. Only if we get you compensated do we keep 25% + VAT: on €250 you receive €173.75, on €600 you receive €417.
Was your flight delayed or cancelled?
Find out in 2 minutes how much you are owed. Nothing upfront: you only pay if you get compensation.
- Check in 2 minutes
- Nothing upfront
- Up to €600 per passenger