Cancelled flight compensation: up to €600 plus a ticket refund
If your flight is cancelled you can always choose between a ticket refund and a replacement flight. If you were told less than 14 days before departure, you are also entitled to €250, €400 or €600 per passenger.
At a glance
- Always: choose between a refund within 7 days and a replacement flight, plus care while you wait.
- Compensation: if the cancellation reaches you less than 14 days before departure, unless the replacement flight has very similar times.
- How much: €250, €400 or €600 per passenger depending on distance, on top of the refund or replacement flight.
- When you cannot claim: in extraordinary circumstances such as bad weather or an air traffic control strike. A strike by the airline's own staff does not count.
The notice you were given decides compensation
What matters is when you were told and how far the replacement flight is from your original times.
| When you were told | Can you claim compensation? |
|---|---|
| 14 days or more before departure | No, but you can still choose between a refund and a replacement flight |
| 7 to 13 days before | Yes, if the replacement flight leaves more than 2 hours earlier or arrives 4 hours or more later than planned |
| Less than 7 days before, at the airport included | Yes, if the replacement flight leaves more than 1 hour earlier or arrives 2 hours or more later than planned |
The airline has to prove when it told you. If it only informed the agency or website you booked with and nothing reached you, it usually counts as no notice.
Refund, replacement flight and compensation: what you are owed
A refund or replacement flight is always owed. Compensation comes on top when the notice was short.
Ticket refund
You get back what you paid within 7 days, in cash or by bank transfer, including for any part of the trip not yet taken. If you had already set off, you are also owed a flight back to your first departure airport.
Replacement flight
The airline must get you to your destination as soon as possible, with another airline or from a nearby airport if needed, or on a later date of your choice.
Compensation
€250, €400 or €600 per passenger for the disruption, on top of the refund or replacement flight, if you had less than 14 days' notice.
A voucher instead of a refund only counts if you accept it: the airline cannot impose it.
How much you can claim for a cancelled flight
Compensation is fixed per passenger and depends only on the distance of the cancelled flight.
| 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 |
If you are also owed a ticket refund, the two amounts add up. With DelayFlight24 you receive the compensation minus 25% + VAT: see our service costs
Cancellation examples and what you can claim
Four common situations and the result for each passenger.
The flight is cancelled 5 days before and the replacement arrives 9 hours later.
The flight is cancelled at the airport because of a strike by the airline's staff.
The airline tells you 20 days before.
You are told 3 days before and the replacement arrives only an hour and a half later.
Flights moved earlier, new times and partial cancellations
Flight moved earlier
If the airline brings your flight forward significantly, it counts as a cancellation: with less than 14 days' notice you may be entitled to compensation, plus the choice between a refund and a replacement flight.
Flight moved later
If the new time gets you there 3 hours or more late, the rules for delays on arrival apply.
One leg of a trip cancelled
On a single booking, arrival at the final destination counts: if one leg is cancelled and you arrive much later, compensation is based on the whole journey.
Return flight cancelled
Outbound and return flights are assessed separately: a cancelled return gives you the right to compensation even if the outbound went smoothly.
Care while you wait for the replacement flight
If you are waiting at the airport for a replacement flight, the airline must look after you even when the cancellation was caused by extraordinary circumstances.
| 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 replacement flight leaves the next day.
- Expenses you paid must be refunded if the airline did not look after you.
Keep every receipt: it is your proof of the expenses the airline must pay back.
Causes of the cancellation: when you can claim and when you cannot
The airline can only refuse compensation if it proves an extraordinary circumstance it could not avoid.
Usually you can claim
Usually you cannot
- Weather that makes flying unsafe
- Air traffic control or airport staff strikes
- Airport or airspace closures
- Security risks or political instability
- Medical emergencies on board
Even in extraordinary circumstances, a refund or replacement flight and care are still owed.
Cancelled flight: what to do straight away
- Get written confirmation of the cancellation and the reason for it.
- Choose a refund or a replacement flight and ask for your choice in writing.
- Do not accept vouchers if you want the money: refunds are paid in cash.
- Ask for meals, drinks and a hotel if you have to wait for a replacement flight.
- Keep your booking and receipts for every extra expense.
- Note when you were told and by which message: it decides compensation.
Cancelled flights with the most claimed airlines
For each airline you will find the routes with most cancellations and how it handles claims.
How to claim for a cancelled flight
You ask the airline directly for your ticket refund. For compensation you can write yourself or let us handle it: you only pay if we get it.
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
Cancelled flight: frequently asked questions
My flight was cancelled: am I entitled to a refund?
Yes, always: you can choose between a ticket refund within 7 days and a replacement flight. Compensation comes on top if you were told less than 14 days before.
How much notice does the airline have to give?
With 14 days' notice or more, no compensation is owed. With less than 14 days it is, unless the replacement flight has times very close to the original ones.
The airline is only offering a voucher: do I have to accept it?
No. The refund is owed in money within 7 days. A voucher only counts if you choose to accept it.
I accepted the replacement flight: do I lose compensation?
No. Compensation depends on the notice and the times of the replacement flight, not on whether you chose a refund or rebooking.
My flight was cancelled because of a strike: can I claim?
If the strike was by the airline's own staff, yes (C-28/20). If it was an air traffic control or airport strike, usually not.
My flight was moved earlier: is that a cancellation?
If it was moved significantly earlier, yes: cancellation rules apply, with compensation if you had less than 14 days' notice.
I booked through an agency and never got the notice: what happens?
If the airline only told the agency and nothing reached you, it usually counts as a cancellation without notice and compensation is owed.
Only my return flight was cancelled: can I claim?
Yes. Outbound and return flights are assessed separately, so a cancelled return gives you the right to compensation on the same terms.
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