EU 261

EU flight delay compensation calculator (EU261)

Enter your departure and arrival airports and how late you arrived. The calculator works out the distance and the amount EU Regulation 261/2004 entitles you to.

How the calculator works

It measures the great-circle distance between the departure airport and the final destination, as article 7(4) of Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 requires. The amounts are €250 up to 1,500 km, €400 for flights within the EU over 1,500 km and other flights of 1,500–3,500 km, and €600 for all other flights. Under the EU Court of Justice ruling Sturgeon (C-402/07), arriving 3 hours or more late counts like a cancellation.

The regulation covers every flight departing from an airport in the EU, Iceland, Norway or Switzerland, and flights into them operated by a European airline. Dollar amounts use the ČNB exchange rates.

When you won't get compensation

• When the airline proves extraordinary circumstances it could not have avoided even with all reasonable measures (art. 5(3)), such as dangerous weather.
• When you reached your destination less than 3 hours late.
• When the regulation does not cover the flight (see above).

The airline still owes you care (meals, drinks, a hotel for an overnight wait) even in extraordinary circumstances.

How to claim

Start for free with the airline's claim form. If it does not answer or refuses, you can turn to the national enforcement body of the country where the incident happened. Our guide to EU flight delay compensation walks through the steps and deadlines.

If you don't want to handle it yourself, a claims service files it for a share of the payout.

Airport data: OurAirports (public domain).

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