Delayed service

UA261 from Madrid to Washington delayed 5h 2m on 2 November 2026

On 2 November 2026, UA261 MAD–IAD reached its destination 5h 2m late. For this distance EU261 sets compensation at €600 per passenger.

Madrid Barajas (MAD) → Washington – Dulles International Airport (IAD)
Landed 5h 2m late
As much as €600 per passenger

Delay at arrival: 5h 2m

€600

What EU261 sets per passenger for a flight of this length with this delay, before the airline raises any defence.

Was the UA261 delay long enough to claim?

United Airlines flight UA261 from Madrid Barajas landed at Washington – Dulles International Airport 5h 2m behind schedule on 2 November 2026, which exceeds the three-hour limit in Regulation (EC) 261/2004. This route covers 6,127 km, which places it in the bracket for flights longer than 3,500 km. If the airline is responsible, the law sets €600 per passenger.

Compensation for delayed flights · A guide to EU261

Flight data

What the screens showed for this flight

Sourced from live departure and arrival screens at both airports. All times in UTC.

Flight number: UA261
Operated by: United Airlines
Flight date: 2 November 2026
Itinerary: MAD → IAD
Departure airport: Madrid Barajas (MAD)
Arrival airport: Washington – Dulles International Airport (IAD)
Planned departure: 10:00 UTC
Landed at: Late by 5h 2m
Delay on arrival: 5h 2m
Route length: 6,127 km
Distance band: more than 3,500 km
Applicable law: EU261
United Airlines disruptions on this route: Disrupted flights logged: 2

Passenger rights

Your claim for this delay

What the law says

Under EU261, reaching your destination three or more hours late earns €250 to €600 per passenger, depending on how far you flew.

About this flight

Our records show the flight landed 5h 2m late, beyond the three-hour line. Even so, the airline may plead extraordinary circumstances.

Time limit

Claims can reach back as far as 3 years. The check costs nothing and takes around two minutes.

Rules that apply to this route

How much notice did you get?

Told under 7 days ahead: compensation is due unless the replacement left at most 1 hour earlier and landed under 2 hours late.
Told 7–13 days ahead: compensation is due unless the replacement left at most 2 hours earlier and landed under 4 hours late.
Told 14 or more days ahead: nothing is owed.

What was your arrival delay?

Less than 3 hours: no cash payment.
Between 3 and 4 hours: €300 each.
At least 4 hours: €600 each.

We take this data from the public departure and arrival screens at each airport. It is shared for information, it does not amount to legal advice, and an airline can contest liability when the disruption was beyond its control.

Nothing to pay unless we win