Cancellations under EU 261
Flight cancelled? Claim cash on top of your refund or new flight
When an airline cancels at short notice and its replacement flight doesn’t get you there close to the original time, EU rules can entitle you to a refund or rebooking and a fixed cash payment as well.
- Up to €600 for each passenger
- Cancelled with little notice
- A refund doesn’t rule out cash
When do you get compensation for a cancelled flight?
You are owed compensation when the airline gives you less than 14 days’ notice of the cancellation and fails to offer a replacement flight arriving close to your original schedule. The sum, fixed by distance, is €250, €400 or €600. Getting your ticket money back is a separate entitlement and does not count against it.
Eligibility check
Which cancellations earn compensation
Two questions decide it: how much notice you got, and what replacement flight the airline put on the table.
- The airline told you about the cancellation under 14 days before departure.
- No replacement flight was offered that kept you within the legal delay limits.
- EU 261 applies to the route (departure from the EU/EEA, or an EU/EEA carrier flying into it).
- The airline caused it — no extraordinary event has been proven.
- Your reservation was confirmed and you were set to fly.
What you can receive
What a cancellation pays, by distance
The distance bands match those for delays. Getting your fare refunded is a separate right, so you can have both.
| Payout | Applies when |
|---|---|
| €250 · flights up to 1,500 km | Short routes cancelled at short notice without a reasonable alternative. |
| €400 · flights of 1,500–3,500 km | Medium-distance cancellations, on identical terms. |
| €600 · flights beyond 3,500 km | Long-haul cancellations. Notice given well in advance, or a closely matching replacement flight, can lower or wipe out the payout. |
Flight cancelled
A refund returns your fare. Compensation comes on top.
Airlines repay the ticket and count on you leaving it there. If the cancellation came within 14 days of departure, a separate payment is due as well.
- Eligibility check at no cost
- No win, no fee
- Filed in two minutes
Our process
What to do once your flight is cancelled
Hold on to the cancellation message and any rebooking emails, then hand the airline over to us.
Send your booking
Tell us the flight you booked and the alternative the airline proposed.
We check the notice period
The 14-day rule and the arrival-time limits for replacement flights determine whether you qualify.
We pursue both claims
Where you’re entitled, we chase your refund or rebooking and the cash compensation at the same time.
Paid when we win
No win, no fee: our success fee applies only once the airline has paid you.
Common questions
Flight cancellation compensation: common questions
What travellers ask once the cancellation email arrives.
More passenger guides
The flight went badly. The compensation is still on the table.
It takes less than two minutes to see whether your flight qualifies. If it does, we run the claim from start to finish, and our fee only applies once the airline has paid.