Your delayed flight may owe you up to $1,000.
Two of the strongest consumer laws in the world cover air travel: EU Regulation 261 (250 to 600 euros for qualifying delays and cancellations) and Canada's Air Passenger Protection Regulations (up to $1,000 for controllable disruptions on large carriers). Airlines rarely volunteer either.
What qualifies
- EU261: flights departing the EU (any airline) or arriving in the EU on an EU carrier, delayed 3+ hours at arrival, cancelled inside 14 days, or denied boarding — compensation of 250 to 600 euros depending on distance, unless extraordinary circumstances apply.
- Canada APPR: disruptions within an airline's control on flights to, from, or within Canada — $400 to $1,000 on large airlines depending on arrival delay, plus meal and hotel duties.
- Claims typically reach back one to six years depending on jurisdiction — past trips count.
How to claim it yourself
Find your booking confirmation and any delay notice in your inbox, and confirm the actual arrival delay — flight-history sites record it even when the airline's email does not. Then submit the airline's own claim form: every large carrier has one for EU261 and APPR claims, and filing it takes minutes. If the airline refuses or stalls, escalate for free — to the national enforcement body of the EU country involved, or to the Canadian Transportation Agency for APPR claims. Airlines count on passengers never filing; most valid claims are simply never made.
Common questions
How much is flight delay compensation in the EU?
EU Regulation 261/2004 sets compensation at 250 euros for flights up to 1,500 km, 400 euros up to 3,500 km, and 600 euros beyond that, for qualifying delays of three hours or more at arrival, cancellations, or denied boarding.
How much is flight delay compensation in Canada?
Under the Air Passenger Protection Regulations, large airlines owe $400 for arrival delays of 3 to 6 hours, $700 for 6 to 9 hours, and $1,000 for 9 hours or more, when the disruption is within the airline's control.
Can I still claim for a flight from last year?
Often yes. Limitation periods vary by country — commonly one to six years — so past trips can still qualify. Check the limitation period for the country involved before you file.