A delayed or cancelled flight is frustrating enough without also being unsure whether you're owed anything for it. In the UK, you often are — but the rules are specific about how long the delay has to be, what caused it, and which flights are covered at all.
This is general information to help you understand your position, not legal advice for your specific case — the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) is the UK regulator and the authoritative source, and its guidance should be your first stop before you claim.
What is UK261?
UK261 is the UK's own version of the compensation rules that used to come from EU law, and it's overseen by the CAA. It sets out when an airline owes you compensation for a delay, cancellation or being denied boarding, separately from any refund or rebooking you're offered.
How much compensation am I entitled to?
If you qualify, the amount depends on how far your flight was scheduled to travel:
| Flight distance | Compensation | | :--- | :--- | | 1,500km or less | £220 | | 1,500km–3,500km | £350 | | Over 3,500km | £520 (or £260 if the airline still gets you there within 4 hours of your original arrival time) |
These are fixed amounts set in law, not a sliding scale based on your ticket price — a £40 budget fare and a £400 business fare on the same delayed route get the same compensation.
How long does the delay need to be?
The general threshold is 3 or more hours' delay on arrival at your final destination — not departure. A flight that leaves 3 hours late but makes up time in the air and lands only 2 hours behind schedule doesn't meet the threshold. The airline still owes you care (meals, refreshments, a hotel if it's overnight) for a long delay even below that line — compensation is the part that has the 3-hour test.
The part that catches people out: extraordinary circumstances
Airlines don't owe compensation if the delay was caused by something outside their control — genuinely extraordinary circumstances such as severe weather, air traffic control restrictions, security threats, or a strike unrelated to the airline itself.
What does not count as extraordinary, despite airlines sometimes claiming it does: routine technical faults, and crew or staff shortages. UK and EU courts have repeatedly found that a technical problem with the aircraft is an ordinary part of running an airline, not an extraordinary event — so a "technical fault" delay is very often still a valid claim, not an automatic dead end.
Delays, cancellations and denied boarding aren't quite the same
- Delay — compensation depends on the 3-hour arrival threshold above.
- Cancellation — whether you're owed compensation depends heavily on how much notice you got. Being told 14 or more days ahead generally means no compensation; less notice usually means you are covered, unless the airline can show extraordinary circumstances.
- Denied boarding (being bumped from an overbooked flight) — the airline has to look after you and either get you there or refund you, and compensation generally applies regardless of the cause.
Does this cover my flight?
As a general rule, a flight departing from a UK airport is covered by UK261 regardless of which airline operates it. A flight arriving into the UK from abroad is covered only if it's operated by a UK or EU airline. If you're not sure which applies to your booking, the CAA's own guidance is the place to check rather than guessing from a general rule of thumb.
How to actually claim
- Claim directly with the airline first, using its own compensation claim form — most have one.
- If they refuse or ignore you, and the airline belongs to an approved alternative dispute resolution scheme (CEDR or AviationADR are the two the CAA recognises), you can escalate there free of charge.
- If that doesn't resolve it, a small claim through Money Claims Online is the next step — designed for individuals to use without a solicitor, and airlines often settle rather than let it reach a hearing.
You generally have several years to bring a claim in England and Wales, so a delay from earlier this year — or even a couple of years ago — isn't automatically too late to pursue. Check the current position with the CAA or a consumer body like Which? before assuming a deadline has passed.
Worth knowing: the rules are under review
The CAA opened a compliance programme in October 2025 checking whether major UK airlines are actually meeting their UK261 obligations, and a bill giving the CAA stronger enforcement powers has been progressing through Parliament during 2026. None of this changes what you're entitled to today, but it's a sign the rules and how strictly they're enforced may keep evolving — another reason to check the CAA's current guidance rather than relying on an article for the fine print of your specific claim.
Where this leaves your taxi booking
Compensation for the flight itself is a separate process from sorting out your journey once you land. If your flight is delayed and you've got a car booked, our guide to delayed and cancelled flights covers how a flight-number booking adjusts automatically, and what to do if the flight is cancelled outright rather than just late.
Frequently asked questions
Q: How much compensation can I get for a delayed flight in the UK? A: Between £220 and £520 per passenger depending on the flight's scheduled distance, provided the delay was 3 or more hours on arrival and wasn't caused by extraordinary circumstances like severe weather or air traffic control restrictions.
Q: Does a technical fault count as an extraordinary circumstance? A: Usually not. UK and EU courts have generally treated routine technical problems as an ordinary part of running an airline rather than something exceptional, so a delay blamed on a technical fault is often still a valid compensation claim.
Q: What if the airline says the delay was due to bad weather? A: Weather that genuinely makes flying unsafe is a recognised extraordinary circumstance and compensation usually doesn't apply — but the airline still has to look after you with meals, refreshments and accommodation for a long delay, regardless of the cause.
Q: How long do I have to claim after a delayed flight? A: The time limit in England and Wales is generally measured in years rather than months, but the exact position can depend on your specific circumstances — check current guidance from the CAA or a consumer rights organisation rather than assuming a deadline.
Q: Is a flight from a non-UK airport to the UK covered by UK261? A: Only if it's operated by a UK or EU airline. A flight departing a UK airport is covered regardless of the airline. Check the CAA's guidance if you're unsure which applies to your specific booking.
Get a fare estimate for your airport transfer, or see our guide to booking when a flight is delayed for how the taxi side of a disrupted journey works.