After a disrupted How Much journey, compensation is only one possible remedy. Rerouting, reimbursement, meals, accommodation and communication support may also matter at different stages.
Use the full booking and final destination to check route coverage, notice, arrival impact, cause and evidence before drawing a conclusion.
Current position: the existing EU261 framework remains the rule used for present-day eligibility checks. Standard EU compensation bands remain €250, €400 and €600, subject to route, final-arrival impact, exclusions and possible reductions after rerouting.
Upcoming EU reform: revised rules were finally approved in July 2026, but they do not apply immediately. They enter into force 12 months and 20 days after publication in the Official Journal. Until that effective date is known and reached, this site treats the existing rules as current law.
How the compensation bands are organised
The headline amount is based primarily on flight distance and the legal regime that covers the journey. It is not based on the ticket price. Before selecting a band, identify the operating carrier, route, final destination and actual arrival impact.
EU261 compensation amounts
| Flight category | Standard EU amount |
|---|---|
| 1,500 km or less | €250 |
| Intra-EU over 1,500 km, and other flights from 1,500 to 3,500 km | €400 |
| Other flights over 3,500 km | €600 |
These are standard bands, not automatic payments. Final-arrival delay, cancellation notice, rerouting, the operating carrier, route coverage and extraordinary circumstances can change the result. In some rerouting scenarios the amount can be reduced by 50%.
Check Your EligibilityUK261 amounts for covered UK journeys
| UK261 flight category | Standard amount |
|---|---|
| Under 1,500 km | £220 |
| 1,500 to 3,500 km | £350 |
| Over 3,500 km and arrival 3–4 hours late | £260 |
| Over 3,500 km and arrival more than 4 hours late | £520 |
UK261 coverage depends on the route and operating carrier. A British airline name on the booking does not by itself answer every jurisdiction question, especially where a journey involves multiple carriers or an EU departure.
Why rerouting can reduce the amount
Where the airline reroutes the passenger and the replacement journey arrives within specified time windows, the standard sum can be reduced by half. The exact window depends on distance. Record the arrival time at the final destination, not only the departure delay of the original flight.
Compensation is not the same as expenses
Fixed-sum compensation addresses qualifying disruption. Reimbursement covers an unused ticket or an abandoned journey in defined circumstances. Expense claims concern reasonable meals, accommodation or transport where the airline did not provide required care. These remedies should be documented and submitted separately when the airline’s process requires it.
Worked assessment example
A passenger on a covered 1,200 km flight who reaches the final destination more than three hours late may fall into the €250 EU band, but only if the other conditions are met and no valid extraordinary-circumstances defence applies. A 3,800 km UK261 flight arriving three hours and thirty minutes late uses a different long-haul UK amount than one arriving more than four hours late.
Ask for immediate assistance while still travelling
Meals, refreshments, accommodation, transport and communication support can matter before any compensation decision. Ask How Much what is being provided and keep a record. Where necessary assistance is refused, retain reasonable itemised receipts and explain why the expense was required.
Protect the choice between rerouting and reimbursement
After cancellation, or in defined long-delay circumstances, the passenger may face a choice about continuing the journey. Record every alternative offered before selecting an option. A hurried self-cancellation can make later facts harder to prove, while accepting rerouting does not automatically answer every compensation question.
Follow the journey to the final destination
On one reservation, a missed connection can turn a modest first delay into a substantial final-arrival disruption. Keep the entire itinerary and replacement route. Separate tickets should be identified honestly because the onward journey may not have the same protection.
Keep compensation separate from practical travel rights
Fixed payment is assessed later and can be excluded by a valid extraordinary-circumstances defence. Care, refund and rerouting can still remain relevant. Do not abandon an urgent travel solution while waiting for an answer about compensation.
Request explanations in writing
Ask for the precise reason, notice time and final decision. Airport announcements and staff comments can be useful, but the carrier’s written position creates a clearer record for ADR, enforcement or court review. Preserve changing explanations rather than keeping only the last message.
Escalate only after identifying the unresolved right
State whether the dispute concerns care, rerouting, refund, expenses or fixed compensation. Different public bodies and dispute services may have different powers. Check the correct country and deadline rather than sending the same complaint to several organisations without a plan.
Amount-specific rights point: the statutory band is based on distance and delay category, while expenses and refund are separate. A low ticket price does not by itself reduce a qualifying fixed amount.
Practical scenarios
The following examples show why passenger rights must be separated into compensation, care, rerouting and reimbursement. They are illustrations, not automatic results.
Short covered EU journey
A flight of 1,200 km that reaches the final destination more than three hours late can point to the €250 band. The amount still depends on coverage, cause and the other legal conditions; it is not confirmed by distance alone.
Long EU journey with fast rerouting
A journey over 3,500 km may point to €600, but rerouting that limits the final arrival delay can permit a 50% reduction in defined circumstances. Compare the original and replacement final-arrival times carefully.
Covered UK long-haul journey
Under UK261, a flight over 3,500 km uses different standard amounts for a final arrival delay of three to four hours and for a delay exceeding four hours. The route and operating carrier still determine whether UK rules apply.
Build a reliable evidence timeline
Create one chronology from booking to final arrival. Record the original schedule, when the first change was communicated, each revised departure estimate, boarding or offloading events, replacement travel and the time the journey actually ended. A clear timeline is more useful than a folder of unexplained screenshots.
Booking and operating-carrier evidence
Keep the e-ticket, booking reference, passenger names and every segment. Where a codeshare is involved, identify the airline that operated the aircraft. For a connection, show whether all segments were issued on one reservation or were purchased separately.
Disruption and notice evidence
Save messages from How Much, airport notifications and app screenshots with visible dates and times. For cancellation, the notice timestamp can be decisive. For delay, the final-arrival record is usually more important than the first departure estimate.
Cause and response evidence
Record the exact reason given, who gave it and when. Ask what alternative aircraft, crew, route or transport was considered. If the explanation later changes, preserve both versions rather than replacing the older screenshot.
Expenses and assistance
Request care from the carrier before buying replacement services where reasonably possible. Keep itemised receipts, explain why each expense was necessary and avoid unrelated or luxury spending. A card statement alone may not show what was purchased.
Final-destination proof
For a through journey, record the actual arrival at the destination shown on the booking. Replacement boarding passes, baggage records, hotel receipts and timestamped messages can help reconstruct a missed connection and later arrival.
Compare the available remedies
Passenger rights are broader than a fixed payment. The most useful remedy during the disruption may be immediate care or alternative travel rather than a later compensation request.
| Remedy | What it addresses | Evidence to keep |
|---|---|---|
| Fixed compensation | Qualifying delay, cancellation or denied boarding under the applicable regime | Route, distance, final arrival, notice and cause |
| Rerouting | Travel to the final destination at the earliest opportunity or, where applicable, at a later chosen date | Options offered, replacement itinerary and communications |
| Ticket reimbursement | Unused travel or an abandoned journey in defined circumstances | Ticket price, unused segments and refund request |
| Care and expenses | Meals, accommodation, communication and necessary ground transport during the wait | Requests for assistance and itemised reasonable receipts |
The fixed compensation band is not a cap on every possible expense request. Equally, the cost of a replacement ticket does not automatically increase the statutory compensation amount.
Questions to put to How Much
Written answers make the later assessment clearer. Keep the request focused and ask for facts rather than a generic promise of payment.
- What was the precise operational cause of the disruption?
- Which airline operated the affected segment?
- What rerouting options were available and when?
- What meals, accommodation or transport were offered?
- What was the recorded final-arrival time?
- Which claim or reimbursement form should be used for each remedy?
- Can the carrier provide its written decision and supporting reason?
- Which ADR or escalation route is named in the final response?
Passenger-rights checklist
Work through every point before relying on a headline amount or sending documents. Missing one item does not always end a case, but it can change the evidence needed and the appropriate route.
- Confirm the complete route and final destination on the booking.
- Identify the operating carrier for the disrupted segment.
- Record scheduled and actual departure and final-arrival times.
- Save the notice time and the exact reason communicated by How Much.
- Separate fixed compensation from refund, rerouting and expenses.
- Keep boarding, check-in, replacement-flight and receipt evidence.
- Check whether the journey is covered by EU261, UK261 or another regime.
- Verify the applicable national time limit before relying on an older case.
- Use distance and final-arrival category rather than ticket price.
Using departure delay instead of final arrival
The legal threshold can depend on arrival at the final booked destination, particularly where a protected connection is missed. Record the whole journey rather than one airport-board time.
Treating every remedy as the same claim
Compensation, ticket reimbursement, rerouting and reasonable expenses answer different questions. Identify each request and attach the evidence that supports it.
Accepting a vague disruption reason
A phrase such as “operational reasons” does not explain whether an event was internal, external or avoidable. Ask How Much for the specific cause and retain the response.
Sending original documents without keeping copies
Store copies of forms, attachments, receipts and confirmation numbers. Where a secure external service is later used, review its terms and fee model before submitting personal documents.
Focusing only on compensation
Immediate care, rerouting and reimbursement can be more urgent than a later fixed-sum claim. Ask for assistance during the disruption and keep receipts when it is not provided.
What to do next
Ask How Much for care or rerouting while the disruption is happening, then preserve the evidence needed for any later request. Submit compensation, reimbursement and expenses as distinct remedies where the carrier process separates them.
If the airline rejects the request, compare the explanation with the route, timings and cause. Depending on the jurisdiction, the next option may be ADR, a national enforcement body, a court or an approved specialist service. Check the powers and deadlines of that route before proceeding.
Is compensation based on the ticket price?
No. Fixed EU and UK amounts are generally based on distance and delay category, subject to the other legal conditions.
Can care be owed when compensation is not?
Yes. Meals, accommodation, rerouting or reimbursement can remain relevant even when extraordinary circumstances remove fixed compensation.
Should I claim from the travel agent?
The operating carrier is normally the first target for EU261 or UK261 disruption compensation, although an agent may remain relevant for ticket or package-travel issues.
What should I keep before contacting How Much?
Keep the booking, boarding or check-in evidence, airline messages, actual arrival details, replacement-flight information and itemised receipts.
General information only: this guide is not legal advice and cannot determine an individual claim. The operating carrier, an enforcement body, a court or an approved specialist may reach a different conclusion after reviewing the full itinerary and evidence.
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