ConsumerSuit is a free self-help tool — not legal advice. It's AI-powered and can get things wrong, so check anything important before you act. England & Wales.
UK Flight Delay Compensation · UK261

Flight delayed? The airline may owe you up to £520.

If your flight landed 3+ hours late and it was the airline's fault, UK law says you're owed fixed cash compensation. Check free in 30 seconds — then get a ready-to-send claim letter.

No sign-up Free — keep 100% of your claim Letter ready in 2 minutes
1How far was the flight?
2How late did you arrive at your destination?
3Do you know the reason for the delay?
4When did you fly?

What you could be owed

Fixed amounts set by law (retained Regulation EC 261/2004), based on distance — not on the price of your ticket.

£220
Short flights up to 1,500 km, delayed 3+ hours
£350
Medium flights 1,500–3,500 km, delayed 3+ hours
£520
Long flights over 3,500 km, delayed 4+ hours (£260 if 3–4 hours)

The bits people get stuck on

Does it matter why the flight was delayed?

Yes. You're owed compensation when the delay was within the airline's control — a technical fault, crew shortage or overbooking. You're generally not owed it for genuinely "extraordinary circumstances" like severe weather, air-traffic-control restrictions or third-party strikes. Importantly, routine technical faults are the airline's responsibility (Huzar v Jet2), so don't be put off if they blame "a technical issue".

How late counts?

It's the delay arriving at your final destination that matters, not the departure delay. Three hours or more (four for the longest flights) puts you in scope. A cancellation with little or no notice usually counts too.

Which flights are covered?

Any flight departing a UK airport (on any airline), and flights arriving in the UK on a UK or EU airline. So most trips that started or ended in the UK are covered.

How long do I have to claim?

In England & Wales you have up to 6 years from the date of the flight (5 years in Scotland). So old delays often still count.

Do I have to pay you a cut?

No. Claims-management firms typically take 25–40%. ConsumerSuit is free — you write directly to the airline and keep 100%.