EU Flight Compensation Calculator (Regulation EC 261/2004)

Calculate up to €600 compensation per passenger for delayed (+3h), cancelled, or overbooked flights under EU passenger rights law.

EU261 compensation for flight delays and cancellations: how it works

Regulation (EC) 261/2004 grants €250 per passenger up to 1,500 km, €400 between 1,500 and 3,500 km or for a longer intra-EU flight, and €600 beyond that, for arrival delays of three hours or more, late cancellations and denied boarding. No compensation is due if the airline proves extraordinary circumstances.

What the tool checks

  1. Scope: departure from an EU airport (any airline), or arrival in the EU on an EU airline. London is treated as outside the EU.
  2. Threshold: a delay of 3 hours or more, a cancellation announced less than 14 days before departure, or denied boarding.
  3. Cause: weather and air traffic control strikes count as extraordinary circumstances (no compensation); technical faults and strikes by the airline’s own staff give a right to compensation.
  4. Great-circle distance between the two airports (haversine formula), then the Article 7 scale.

Example

Paris to New York (JFK): 5,833 km, so over 3,500 km. With a 4-hour delay, compensation is €600 per passenger, €1,200 for two, plus €150 of expenses: €1,350 in total. With a 3½-hour delay on the same flight, the tool applies €300, the 50% reduction for a long-haul arrival less than 4 hours late. Paris to Athens (2,109 km, intra-EU) gives €400; Paris to Madrid (1,063 km), €250.

Limits

The tool applies the 2004 text as interpreted by the Court of Justice: Sturgeon, 19 November 2009 (C-402/07 and C-432/07) for 3-hour delays, and SAS, 23 March 2021 (C-28/20) for staff strikes. It does not handle the exceptions for cancellations 7 to 13 days ahead with rerouting close to the original schedule, or connecting flights. Expenses entered are added as they are; meals and hotels fall under the right to care (Article 9). Regulation (EU) 2026/2202, published in the Official Journal on 2 October 2026, will revise these rules from 23 October 2027; it keeps €250, €400 and €600 and the 3-hour threshold. The result is an estimate, not legal advice.

Sources and dates: Regulation (EC) 261/2004, Articles 5 to 7, in force since 17 February 2005; Regulation (EU) 2026/2202 of 16 September 2026, applicable from 23 October 2027; European Commission, announcement of the 15 June 2026 agreement (checked 14/10/2026).

Frequently Asked Questions

How much compensation for a Paris to New York flight delayed 4 hours?

The flight exceeds 3,500 km: €600 per passenger. If the arrival delay is between 3 and 4 hours, the airline may halve this to €300.

How many hours of delay trigger compensation?

Three hours or more at arrival, following the Court of Justice’s Sturgeon ruling (19 November 2009). The delay is measured at the final destination, not at departure.

Does a strike entitle me to compensation?

A strike by the airline’s own staff is in principle not an extraordinary circumstance (CJEU, SAS, 23 March 2021), so compensation is due. An air traffic control strike, outside the airline’s control, usually exempts it.

Are the EU261 rules changing?

Yes: Regulation (EU) 2026/2202 will apply from 23 October 2027. It keeps the €250, €400 and €600 amounts and the 3-hour threshold; until then the 2004 text applies.

Is this tool really free?

Yes, all tools on Kristools are 100% free and accessible without registration.

Is my data protected?

Yes. All processing is performed directly and securely inside your browser. No personal data is sent to our servers.