EU261
EU261 is the EU's air passenger rights law. It sets cash compensation of €250, €400 or €600 for long delays, cancellations and denied boarding.
Also called: EC261, Regulation 261/2004, EU flight delay compensation
EU261 is the EU's air passenger rights law. It sets cash compensation of €250, €400 or €600 for long delays, cancellations and denied boarding.
What it means
EU261 is the common name for Regulation (EC) No 261/2004, the European Union law on air passenger rights. It covers denied boarding, cancellations and long delays. Compensation depends on flight distance. It is €250 for flights of 1,500 km or less. It is €400 for flights between 1,500 and 3,500 km, and for longer flights within the EU. It is €600 for longer flights outside the EU.
For a delay, the European Commission's guidance treats arriving three or more hours late as the trigger for compensation, unless extraordinary circumstances caused it. Even when no cash is due, you can still be owed care, such as meals and a hotel, and a refund or rerouting.
The rules apply to flights leaving an EU airport on any airline, and to flights arriving in the EU from outside on an EU airline. Iceland, Norway and Switzerland follow them too. A reform, Regulation (EU) 2026/2202, was published in October 2026 but does not apply until 23 October 2027, and it keeps the same three amounts.
What it means for you
If your trip touched the EU, you may be owed money by an airline that is not European, including a US airline on a flight that left Europe. Claim from the airline first, using the form on its website, and keep your booking confirmation, boarding pass and proof of when you landed. The airline must show it if it relies on extraordinary circumstances. If it refuses, you can contact the national enforcement body in the country involved or go to court, and the time limit depends on that country's law. Compensation is per passenger.
Example
Say you fly from Frankfurt to Chicago, a trip of about 7,000 km, and land four hours late. The flight left an EU airport, so EU261 covers it even though the airline is American. You ask the airline for €600 per passenger. If the airline says extraordinary circumstances caused the delay, it has to explain what happened and prove it.
FAQ
Yes, on flights that leave an EU airport. The rules also cover flights to and from Iceland, Norway and Switzerland. For flights arriving in the EU from outside, they apply only if the airline is an EU airline.
A reform, Regulation (EU) 2026/2202, was adopted in September 2026, but it applies from 23 October 2027. Until then, the 2004 rules apply. The new text keeps the €250, €400 and €600 amounts.
Related terms
- Regulation (EC) No 261/2004, original text (EUR-Lex)
- Regulation (EU) 2026/2202 amending Regulation 261/2004 (EUR-Lex)
- European Commission, Your Europe: Air passenger rights
Updated Oct 18, 2026. Plain-English definitions for general information — not legal or tax advice.