Your right to compensation depends on where your flight departs and lands

If your flight is delayed more than 3 hours at arrival, you may be owed money from the airline — but only under certain rules, and the amount depends on which country's law covers your flight. In the United States, there is no federal compensation requirement for delays of any length. In Europe, the UK, and Canada, airlines must pay you a set amount based on how long the delay is and how far you were flying. The airline's reason for the delay also matters: weather, air traffic control problems, and some mechanical issues may exempt them from paying.

The first step is to find out which rules explore to your flight. This depends on where the flight departed and where it landed, not where you bought the ticket or where the airline is based. A flight from New York to London follows European rules. A flight from London to New York follows US rules (which means no compensation). A flight from Toronto to Vancouver follows Canadian rules.

Key Takeaways

  • European, UK, and Canadian rules require airlines to pay compensation for delays over 3 hours, but US law does not.
  • The amount you are owed depends on the flight distance and delay length, ranging from roughly $260 to $850 under European rules.
  • Airlines do not have to pay if the delay was caused by extraordinary circumstances like severe weather or air traffic control strikes.
  • You must request compensation from the airline in writing; they will not offer it automatically, and you may need to pursue a claim through small claims court or a third-party service.

European and UK compensation rules for delays over 3 hours

If your flight departed from or landed in the European Union or the UK, EU261 regulation requires the airline to pay you compensation unless the delay was caused by extraordinary circumstances. The amount depends on the flight distance and how late you arrived. For flights up to 1,500 km (roughly 930 miles), you are owed approximately €250 (about $270 USD). For flights between 1,500 and 3,500 km, you are owed approximately €400 (about $435 USD). For flights over 3,500 km, you are owed approximately €600 (about $650 USD).

The airline must also provide you with meals, refreshments, hotel accommodation if needed, and two phone calls or emails while you wait. If the delay was the airline's fault — a mechanical problem they should have caught, a crew scheduling error, or overbooking — you are may have access to to the full compensation. If the delay was caused by severe weather, a strike by air traffic controllers, a security threat, or a bird strike, the airline may not have to pay compensation, though they still must provide care and information.

You do not have to accept a voucher or travel credit in place of cash compensation. The airline may offer one, but you have the right to insist on money. Write to the airline with your booking reference, flight number, the date of the flight, your arrival time, and proof of the delay. Send it by email or registered mail so you have a record. The airline has two months to respond in most EU countries, though this varies slightly by country.

Canadian compensation rules for delays over 3 hours

Canada's Air Passenger Protection Regulations require airlines to pay compensation for delays of 3 hours or more at arrival. The amount is $900 CAD for flights within North America and $2,400 CAD for international flights. Like the European rules, the airline does not have to pay if the delay was caused by extraordinary circumstances outside their control — severe weather, a security threat, or an air traffic control decision.

The airline must also provide meals, accommodation, and communication while you wait. If you were bumped from an oversold flight, the compensation is higher: $900 CAD for flights under 6 hours and $1,800 CAD for longer flights. Send your claim to the airline in writing with your booking reference and proof of the delay. The airline has 30 days to respond. If they refuse or do not respond, you can file a complaint with the Canadian Transportation Agency, which will investigate at no cost to you.

Why US airlines do not have to pay for delays

The United States has no federal law requiring airlines to compensate passengers for delays. The Department of Transportation requires airlines to have a written policy about what they will do for delayed passengers, but the policy can say they will do nothing. Airlines may offer a travel voucher or rebooking on another flight, but they are not required to pay money for the delay itself.

You do have rights under US law if the airline cancels your flight or oversells it: you are owed a refund or rebooking. But a delay — even a 12-hour delay — does not trigger a compensation requirement. Your only recourse is to ask the airline for compensation as a courtesy, file a complaint with the Department of Transportation, or pursue a claim in small claims court if you can show the airline was negligent. Many passengers pursue claims through third-party services that specialize in European compensation claims, but these services cannot help with US domestic flights.

How to request compensation from the airline

Airlines do not automatically pay compensation. You must request it. Start by gathering your evidence: your booking confirmation, your boarding pass, a photo of the departure board showing the delay, or a screenshot of your flight status from the airline's website. Write to the airline's customer service department with your flight number, booking reference, the date of the flight, and your actual arrival time compared to the scheduled arrival time.

State clearly that you are requesting compensation under the regulation that applies to your flight (EU261, UK law, or Canadian regulations). Include your name, contact information, and the amount you are owed. Send the letter by email to the airline's customer service address, or by registered mail if email is not available. Keep a copy for yourself. The airline will respond within the timeframe required by law — usually 2 to 8 weeks depending on the country.

If the airline refuses to pay or does not respond, you have options. In the EU and UK, you can file a complaint with your national aviation authority or use an alternative dispute resolution service. In Canada, you can file a complaint with the Canadian Transportation Agency. You can also hire a third-party claims service that will pursue the claim on your behalf in exchange for a percentage of the compensation (usually 25 to 30%), or you can pursue a claim in small claims court yourself.

Extraordinary circumstances that may exempt the airline from paying

Airlines are not required to pay compensation if the delay was caused by extraordinary circumstances — events outside their control that they could not have prevented even with reasonable care. Severe weather, including thunderstorms, heavy snow, and fog that makes landing unsafe, is the most common example. A strike by air traffic controllers, a security threat, a bird strike, or a mechanical problem that was not the airline's fault also may have access to.

The airline bears the burden of proving that extraordinary circumstances caused the delay. They must provide evidence — a weather report, a statement from air traffic control, or a maintenance log. straightforward saying "it was weather" is not enough. If you believe the airline is wrongly claiming extraordinary circumstances, you can challenge their claim through the dispute process. Many passengers have won compensation by showing that the airline had advance warning of weather and should have scheduled differently, or that the delay was actually caused by a maintenance problem the airline should have caught earlier.

What to do if the airline refuses to pay

If the airline denies your claim or ignores your request, your next step depends on where you live and where the flight departed. In the EU and UK, contact your national aviation authority — for example, the Civil Aviation Authority in the UK or the Luftfahrt-Bundesamt in Germany. These agencies can investigate the airline's refusal and sometimes order them to pay. You can also use an alternative dispute resolution service, which is faster and cheaper than court.

In Canada, file a complaint with the Canadian Transportation Agency through their website. The agency will investigate at no cost to you. In the United States, file a complaint with the Department of Transportation, though they cannot order the airline to pay — they can only investigate whether the airline violated its own policy. If you want to pursue payment, you will need to file a claim in small claims court. Many passengers use third-party claims services instead, which handle the paperwork and negotiation in exchange for a cut of the compensation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I get compensation if the delay was caused by weather?

Not usually. Severe weather is considered an extraordinary circumstance, and airlines are not required to pay compensation. However, the airline must still provide meals, accommodation, and communication. If you believe the airline could have prevented the delay through better planning, you can challenge their claim.

What if my flight was delayed but I missed a connection?

If the airline booked you on the connecting flight as part of one ticket, the delay is measured from your final destination, not the connection point. If you booked the flights separately, each flight is treated independently. You may be owed compensation for the delayed flight, but not for missing the connection unless the airline was responsible for the miss.

Can I get compensation if I was rebooked on a later flight instead of waiting?

Yes. If the airline rebooked you on a flight that arrived 3 or more hours late, you are still owed compensation based on the final arrival time. The fact that you were rebooked does not remove your right to compensation.

Do I have to accept a travel voucher instead of cash?

No. Under European, UK, and Canadian rules, you have the right to cash compensation. The airline may offer a voucher, but you can refuse it and insist on money. In the United States, airlines have no obligation to offer anything, so a voucher is a courtesy.

How long do I have to request compensation after the flight?

This varies by country. In the EU and UK, you typically have 6 years from the date of the flight. In Canada, you have 2 years. In the United States, there is no federal important date, but your state's small claims court rules will explore if you pursue a claim. It is best to request compensation as soon as possible while the airline still has records of the delay.