Most flights leave on time, but when yours doesn't, it helps to know what the airline has to do for you. The rules are called UK261, and they cover more than most people realise: food and drink while you wait, a hotel if you're stuck overnight, a refund or a new flight, and sometimes cash compensation on top. Here's how it works, what the airline can use to say no, and how to claim.

This is general information, not legal advice. The details can depend on your booking and the reason for the disruption.

Does UK261 cover your flight?

It covers flights that leave a UK airport, on any airline. It also covers flights arriving in the UK from outside the UK, but only if the airline is a UK or EU carrier. You need a confirmed booking and must have checked in on time. So a Ryanair flight from Manchester to Spain is covered, and so is the flight home to the UK if the airline is UK or EU-licensed, while a flight home from New York on a US airline generally isn't covered under UK261.

If you flew from an EU airport, the EU version of the rules (EU261) may apply instead. They work in a similar way.

What you're entitled to straight away

These rights apply whatever caused the delay, even if the airline isn't going to pay compensation. The details below follow the CAA's guidance on delays and cancellations.

  • Food and drink and communication. If your departure is delayed by two hours on a flight under 932 miles, three hours for 932 to 2,175 miles, or four hours for anything longer, the airline should provide meals and refreshments, plus a way to make two calls or send two emails
  • A hotel and transport. If the delay runs overnight, you're entitled to accommodation and transfers to and from it
  • A refund or a new flight. If a flight is cancelled, you can choose a refund or to be rerouted. If a delay reaches five hours, you can choose a refund as well

If the airline doesn't organise this, the CAA's view is that you can arrange reasonable help yourself and claim the money back. Keep itemised receipts and don't overspend, because airlines are unlikely to refund alcohol, luxury meals or a luxury hotel. Food is usually given as a voucher, so ask staff if you aren't offered one.

One warning on refunds: if you take a refund because of a long delay, that ends your journey with that airline. The CAA says you shouldn't choose it if you still want to travel.

When you can claim cash compensation

You may be owed cash if you reach your final destination three hours or more late, or if your flight is cancelled at short notice. The amount is per passenger and depends on the distance of the flight and how late you arrive. These figures are from the CAA's delays page:

  • Up to 932 miles (for example Manchester to Paris or Amsterdam): £220
  • 932 to 2,175 miles (for example the Canary Islands): £350
  • Over 2,175 miles (long-haul, such as the US): £260 if you arrive 3 to 4 hours late, £520 if more than 4 hours late

It's the arrival time that counts, measured at the destination, not the time the flight took off. Distance is measured in a straight line, not by the route flown, so check yours rather than guessing. The official limits are set in kilometres (1,500km and 3,500km), so the mile figures here are rounded conversions. For cancellations, compensation applies if you got less than 14 days' notice. Even then, you generally won't get any if the replacement flight leaves close to your original time and gets you there close to on time. With 7 to 14 days' notice that means leaving no more than two hours earlier and arriving less than four hours late. With under 7 days' notice it means leaving no more than one hour earlier and arriving less than two hours after your original arrival. The amount can also be lower, for example £110 instead of £220 on a short flight, if you arrive only a little late. The CAA's cancellations page has the full table.

If you booked separate flights yourself to connect, rather than on one booking, you generally have no right to care, compensation or onward travel for the missed connection. The rights still apply to each flight individually. Connecting flights on a single booking are judged by your arrival at the final destination.

When the airline can say no

Airlines don't have to pay compensation if the disruption was caused by "extraordinary circumstances" they couldn't have avoided. These usually include:

  • Weather that makes it unsafe to fly
  • Air traffic control strikes and airspace closures
  • Strikes that have nothing to do with the airline, such as airport staff
  • Security risks, unrest and hidden manufacturing defects

These don't usually count: a routine technical fault, the airline's own staff strikes, or crew shortages. The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) says ordinary wear and tear on a part should not be treated as extraordinary, and compensation should usually be payable. If an airline blames "technical problems", don't take that as the end of the matter.

Even when the airline doesn't have to pay compensation, the food, hotel, refund and rerouting rights above still apply.

What to do on the day

  • Ask for the reason in writing, or screenshot the app or email that gives it
  • Note your actual arrival time. A photo of your boarding pass and the arrivals screen is enough to back it up
  • Keep receipts for food, transport and hotels

How to claim

The CAA explains the process on its pages on claiming for costs and compensation and how the CAA can help. In short:

  1. Complain to the airline in writing first. The CAA won't help unless you've tried this
  2. If you're unhappy or have had no reply after 8 weeks, you can take it further. If the airline belongs to an approved alternative dispute resolution (ADR) scheme, such as AviationADR or CEDR, use it. It's free and usually decided within about three months
  3. If the airline isn't in a scheme, you can contact the CAA's Passenger Advice and Complaints Team. It can take up your case, but it can't force an airline to pay
  4. Small claims court is the last resort

You have six years from the date of the flight to claim in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and five in Scotland. Airlines aren't allowed to set shorter limits in their terms. You don't need a claims company, though many offer to do it in return for a share of what you recover. If you booked a package holiday, you have extra protections through your tour operator, so check with them as well.

Insurance and UK261 are different things

UK261 is the airline's obligation. Travel insurance is a separate cover, and some policies pay out a set amount after a delay of a certain number of hours, or cover costs the airline doesn't. Check the delay wording on your policy before you fly. Our guide to whether you actually need travel insurance explains what to look for.

To cut the chances of disruption in the first place, what actually changes the price of a flight and our cabin bag guide are good places to start.

A note on change

Parliament was considering a bill on consumer protection in aviation in July 2026, so these rules could change. Check the CAA's website for the latest before you rely on any figure here.

Where this comes from

Rules and figures can change, so this is a snapshot checked on 9 October 2026. These are the sources it draws on: