If your flight is diverted to an airport that does not serve your city or area, EU rules treat it like a cancellation: you are entitled to get to your destination or a refund, to care and, unless there were extraordinary circumstances, to €250, €400 or €600 in compensation. If you land at another airport serving the same city or area, it counts as a delay: the airline must take you to the original airport at its own cost, and compensation is due if you get there 3 hours or more late.
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Flight diverted to another airport: delay or cancellation?
Regulation (EC) 261/2004 has no section on "diversions". The European Commission's guidelines, based on rulings of the Court of Justice, separate two cases:
| Where you land | How it is treated | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Another airport serving the same city or area | Delay | A flight to Milan Linate that lands at Milan Malpensa |
| An airport that does not serve the same city or area | Cancellation | A flight to Dublin that lands at Shannon |
The difference matters because your rights change. If the diversion counts as a cancellation, compensation can be due even if you then reach your destination less than 3 hours late. If it counts as a delay, what matters is when you actually arrive at the airport you booked.
Landing at another airport in the same area
When you land at a nearby airport serving the same city or area, the airline must arrange, on its own initiative and at its own cost, transport to the airport you booked or to another nearby destination agreed with you. The delay is measured when you get there, not when you land at the alternative airport.
If the airline does not arrange transport and you have to make your own way by bus, train or taxi, you can claim back necessary and reasonable costs. Keep tickets and receipts: the claim works as explained in our guide on claiming expenses.
Landing at an airport in a different area
If the flight lands far from your destination, for example a London–Dublin flight diverted to Shannon or a flight to Funchal diverted to Porto Santo, the booked flight is treated as cancelled. You are entitled to:
- a choice between alternative transport to your destination as soon as possible and a refund of your ticket;
- care while you wait: meals, drinks, communication and, if you travel on the next day, a hotel and transfers, as explained in our guide on who pays for the hotel;
- compensation of €250 up to 1,500 km, €400 from 1,500 to 3,500 km and for flights within the EU over 3,500 km, €600 over 3,500 km outside the EU, unless there were extraordinary circumstances.
When compensation is not due
Many diversions are caused by events the airline does not control: fog or strong wind at the destination, a closed runway, air traffic control restrictions, a serious medical emergency on board. In those cases the airline may not have to pay compensation, but it has to prove the cause; care and onward transport are always owed. Wind and fog are covered in our guide on a flight cancelled due to weather.
A technical fault on the aircraft, missing crew or an organisational problem at the airline, on the other hand, are not extraordinary circumstances: the full list is in our guide on extraordinary circumstances.
What to do if your flight is diverted
- Note the airport and time you landed and ask the crew or ground staff why the flight was diverted.
- Ask how you will get to your destination: an organised coach, a new flight or another option.
- Ask for care if the wait is long: meals, drinks and, if needed, a hotel.
- If you have to make your own arrangements, choose reasonable options and keep every receipt.
- Note your final arrival time at the booked airport or destination: it is used to work out the delay.
How to claim compensation for a diverted flight
With DelayFlight24 you can check for free in 2 minutes whether your diverted flight qualifies for compensation: enter your details on the cancelled flight compensation page or, if you reached the same airport late, on the flight delay compensation page. We handle the claim, reminders and, if needed, court action. Nothing to pay upfront, and you only pay 25% + VAT if you get compensated.
Frequently asked questions about diverted flights
My flight was diverted: am I entitled to a refund?
If the airport you landed at does not serve the same city or area, the flight is treated as cancelled: you can choose a refund or transport to your destination.
They took us by coach to the right airport: am I owed compensation?
If you landed in the same area, yes, when you reach the booked airport 3 hours or more late and the cause was not extraordinary.
Who pays for the transfer to the booked airport?
The airline, on its own initiative. If it does not arrange it, it must reimburse necessary and reasonable costs.
The diversion was caused by fog: am I owed anything?
Usually not compensation, because bad weather can be an extraordinary circumstance. Care and onward transport, yes.
Is compensation based on the distance to the alternative airport?
No, on the distance of the flight you booked: €250, €400 or €600 per passenger.
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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 09/11/2026 by the DelayFlight24 editorial team.