Cancelled flight
Your flight was cancelled
A cancellation gives you two separate things: a choice between a refund and a replacement flight, and — if the notice was short — a fixed cash payment on top.
Your choice, not the airline's
When a flight is cancelled you may take a full refund of the unused ticket, or rerouting to your destination at the earliest opportunity, or rerouting at a later date that suits you. This applies whatever the cause, including weather. A voucher is only a valid outcome if you actively choose it.
When compensation is due
- 14 days or more notice — no compensation.
- 7 to 13 days notice — compensation unless you were rerouted departing no more than 2 hours early and arriving under 4 hours late.
- Less than 7 days notice — compensation unless you were rerouted departing no more than 1 hour early and arriving under 2 hours late.
The amounts are the same €250 / €400 / €600 distance bands as for delays, per passenger.
Care while you wait
If the replacement flight leaves much later, the airline must cover meals and refreshments, and a hotel with transfers for an overnight wait. If it offered nothing, book something reasonable, keep the receipts, and claim them back alongside the compensation.
Quick answer
A cancellation gives you two separate things: a choice between a refund and a replacement flight, and — if the notice was short — a fixed cash payment on top.
- 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
- I took the refund. Can I still claim compensation?
- Yes. The refund returns your fare; compensation is a separate fixed payment for the disruption. Taking one does not cancel the other.
- The airline moved me to a flight the next day. Does that count?
- It counts as rerouting, and whether compensation still applies depends on how much notice you had and how far the new times sat from the original ones. It is worth checking rather than assuming.
- My flight was cancelled months ago. Too late?
- Probably not. Time limits are set by national law and commonly run from two to six years after the flight.
Primary sources
Official guidance and legislation used to review this page.
- Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 — EUR-Lex
- Air passenger rights in the EU — European Commission