EU261 compensation by great-circle distance, with the 3-hour rule and the 50% reduction
Updated October 2026
1. Coverage. EU261 covers flights departing from an airport in the EU (and Iceland, Norway and Switzerland), on any airline, and flights arriving there from outside on an EU airline. 2. Distance. Measure the great-circle distance from the first departure airport to the final destination, even for connections (CJEU case C-559/16). 3. Band. Up to 1,500 km: €250. Flights within the EU over 1,500 km, and other flights of 1,500 to 3,500 km: €400. All other flights: €600. 4. Adjustments. Delays need a 3-hour arrival delay; reroutes that arrive close to schedule can be halved; extraordinary circumstances cancel the compensation.
Worked example. JFK to CDG on an EU airline: the calculator finds 5,834 km from the airports’ coordinates, over 3,500 km, so the band is €600. Arriving 4 hours late: €600 per passenger. Arriving 3.5 hours late: the Court of Justice allows a 50% cut for flights over 3,500 km delayed between 3 and 4 hours, so €300. The same delay on a U.S. airline flying JFK to CDG is not covered, because the flight departs outside the EU on a non-EU airline; the return flight CDG to JFK is covered on any airline.
Delays: the regulation’s text covers cancellations and denied boarding; the Court of Justice (Sturgeon, joined cases C-402/07 and C-432/07, November 19, 2009) extended the same compensation to passengers who arrive 3 or more hours late. Cancellations: no compensation if you were told at least 14 days before departure; with 7 to 13 days’ notice, none if the reroute leaves no more than 2 hours early and arrives less than 4 hours late; with under 7 days’ notice, none if it leaves no more than 1 hour early and arrives less than 2 hours late (Article 5). 50% reduction (Article 7(2)): when a reroute arrives within 2 hours (up to 1,500 km), 3 hours (1,500-3,500 km or within the EU) or 4 hours (over 3,500 km). Extraordinary circumstances (Article 5(3)): no compensation if the airline proves the cause could not have been avoided with all reasonable measures, such as severe weather, air traffic control restrictions or security threats; routine technical problems generally do not qualify. Care: meals, drinks, and a hotel when needed are owed during long waits regardless of the cause.
Enter the first departure airport and the final destination as 3-letter codes from your ticket; for a connection, ignore the middle stop. Choose who operated the flight (the airline whose crew flew it, not the one that sold the ticket). Choose what happened and enter how many hours late you reached your final destination, on the replacement flight if you were rebooked. If the airline cited weather, air traffic control or security, mark extraordinary circumstances.
| Trip | Great-circle distance | EU261 compensation per passenger |
|---|---|---|
| JFK to Paris CDG on an EU airline, 4 hours late | 5,834 km | €600 |
| JFK to Paris CDG on a U.S. airline, 4 hours late | 5,834 km | None (not covered) |
| Paris CDG to JFK on any airline, 3.5 hours late | 5,834 km | €300 |
| Paris to Rome cancelled the day before, reroute arrives 1.5 hours late | 1,101 km | None (reroute within limits) |
| Paris to Rome cancelled the day before, reroute arrives 5 hours late | 1,101 km | €250 |
| Frankfurt to Lisbon 3 hours late, airport closed by a storm | 1,873 km | None (extraordinary) |
| Madrid to Helsinki denied boarding, rebooked 2.5 hours later | 2,946 km | €200 |
The Paris-Rome cancellation pays nothing when the replacement arrives 1.5 hours late (Article 5 exemption, assuming it left no more than an hour early), but the full €250 when it arrives 5 hours late.
U.S. law does not require airlines to pay cash compensation for delays or cancellations. Since the Department of Transportation’s rule in 14 CFR part 260 (published April 26, 2024), passengers are entitled to an automatic refund of the fare, taxes and paid extras if a flight is cancelled or significantly changed (departing or arriving 3 or more hours late on a domestic itinerary, 6 or more hours on an international one) and they decline the alternative or the airline offers none. Refunds go back to the original form of payment within 7 business days for card purchases and 20 calendar days otherwise. Any meal vouchers or miles beyond that depend on the airline’s own commitments. This calculator does not estimate U.S. compensation because there is no legal amount to estimate.
Claim directly from the operating airline, in writing, with your booking reference, flight numbers and the actual arrival time. If the airline refuses or does not answer, each EU country has a national enforcement body that handles complaints. Time limits for claims are set by national law and differ by country. Claim companies charge a share of the payout; filing yourself costs nothing.
It cannot judge whether a specific cause counts as extraordinary, apply the separate UK rules that replaced EU261 for UK flights after Brexit, or handle package-tour and free-ticket exclusions. It uses distance from airport coordinates and assumes you checked in on time with a confirmed booking. For a disputed claim, the airline’s written reason and the national enforcement body decide.
Measuring departure delay instead of arrival delay at the final destination. Claiming on a non-EU airline flying into the EU, which is not covered. Adding up connection legs instead of using the straight-line distance. Accepting a voucher when cash is owed; vouchers require your written agreement. Expecting compensation for a U.S. domestic delay.