What a flight!

Amounts

How much EU261 pays

Compensation under EU261 is a fixed amount set by distance — never by what you paid for the ticket. Here is the whole table and the exceptions to it.

The three bands

  • €250 — flights of 1,500 km or less.
  • €400 — flights between 1,500 and 3,500 km, and any flight within the EU over 1,500 km.
  • €600 — flights over 3,500 km between an EU and a non-EU airport.

The amount is per passenger, including children with their own seat. A family of four on a delayed Madrid–New York flight is owed €2,400.

When the amount is halved

If the airline rerouted you and you arrived less late than a set threshold, it can reduce the payment by 50%: under 2 hours late on short flights, under 3 hours on medium ones, and under 4 hours on the longest. So a €600 claim becomes €300 if you landed 3 hours 40 minutes late.

How distance is measured

Great-circle distance from your first departure airport to your final destination — not the sum of the legs, and not the actual flight path. On a connecting itinerary booked as one reservation, the short feeder flight does not set the band; the whole journey does.

What does not change the amount

  • The fare you paid, including a free reward ticket booked with miles.
  • The class of travel.
  • Whether you also got a refund — that is separate money.
  • How much the disruption actually cost you.

Quick answer

Compensation under EU261 is a fixed amount set by distance — never by what you paid for the ticket. Here is the whole table and the exceptions to it.

Main rule
EU261 (EC 261/2004)
Potential compensation
€250–€600 per passenger
Delay threshold
Usually 3+ hours at final destination
Coverage
EU/EEA departures and qualifying arrivals

Common questions

Is compensation per person or per booking?
Per person. Every passenger on the booking with their own seat can claim the full amount.
My ticket cost €29. Do I really get €250?
Yes. The amounts are fixed by distance and have nothing to do with the fare.
Does a reward flight count?
Yes, as long as it was not part of a public loyalty programme's free-of-charge exclusion. Most ordinary miles bookings are covered.

Primary sources

Official guidance and legislation used to review this page.