Estimate likely UK261 or EU261 flight delay compensation from route coverage, flight distance, final-destination delay, passenger count.
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Flight delay compensation estimate Check a likely UK261 or EU261 compensation band from route coverage, flight distance, final
destination delay, and passenger count. This page keeps delay compensation separate from
cancellation refunds and from direct disruption-expense planning.
Rights framework
UK coverage normally means flights departing the UK on any airline, or arriving in the UK on a UK or EU airline.
Use the final destination delay
Delay compensation is generally judged by how late you reached your booked final
destination, not just by when the first aircraft pushed back. If a connection made the
overall trip land 3 or more hours late, enter that final destination delay here.
Likely statutory amount
£1,040.00 total potential compensation
UK261 likely points to £520.00
per passenger across 2 passengers, using a
long haul: more than 3,500 km delay estimate.
Per passenger
£520.00
Care threshold
4h
Refund option
Not yet
Distance band
Long haul: more than 3,500 km
What this estimate includes
Uses the fixed UK261 compensation bands for delay at arrival.
Separates care rights and the 5-hour refund option from the compensation number.
Flags long-haul UK delays under 4 hours because the fixed amount is reduced.
Quick reading
The entered delay is long enough that meals, refreshments, and communication support
are likely due while you wait.
The 5-hour refund option has not been reached on the current delay estimate.
Flight delay compensation calculator: estimate likely UK261 or EU261 compensation by delay
A flight delay compensation calculator is only useful if it does more than multiply a delay by a headline table. This page also explains the main assumptions behind the flight delay compensation calculator result, highlights the supporting figures shown by the calculator, and helps the reader use the estimate without overstating what a quick online tool can prove.
What this flight delay compensation calculator is estimating
This page estimates a likely fixed compensation amount under UK261 or EU261 for delayed flights. It asks which rights framework is relevant, whether the route appears to be in scope, how far the flight travelled, how late you reached your booked final destination, and whether the airline is blaming extraordinary circumstances.
That means it is narrower than a general travel disruption page. It does not estimate hotel, meal, or replacement transport cost. It also does not decide cancellation refunds or package-holiday remedies. The purpose here is to estimate the statutory compensation band for flight delay at arrival while still reminding you that care, support, and refund rights can follow different thresholds.
Why final destination delay matters more than gate departure time
The central delay-compensation question is normally how late you reached your final booked destination, not just how late the first aircraft left the stand. That matters most on connecting journeys. If your first leg was delayed and that made you miss a connection, the relevant delay can be the time difference at the end of the whole itinerary rather than the shorter delay on the first boarding pass.
Strong competitor pages usually mention this because passengers often underestimate their claim by looking only at the first flight. Official EU guidance also makes the same point for missed connections. That is why this calculator uses final destination delay as its core timing input.
Further reading
Your Europe - Air passenger rights — Official EU guidance explaining that missed connections and final-destination arrival delay matter for compensation.
Compensation bands for UK261 and EU261 delay claims
Under both frameworks, compensation usually starts when the passenger reaches the final destination 3 hours or more late and the airline was responsible for the disruption. The amount then depends mainly on distance. For UK261, the standard fixed amounts are 220 for short haul, 350 for medium haul, and 520 for long haul, with the long-haul amount reduced to 260 in the under-4-hour arrival-delay scenario reflected in the official guide.
For EU261, the standard amounts commonly used in the official summary are 250, 400, and 600 euros across the same broad distance bands. Those numbers are fixed compensation bands, not reimbursement of your personal expenses. That distinction matters because an eligible compensation payment does not automatically mean every meal, hotel, or replacement-transport cost is covered.
Total potential compensation = fixed compensation per passenger x number of passengers
The calculator multiplies the statutory band by the passenger count on the claim.
Compensation usually starts when final destination delay is 3 hours or more
This is the threshold used before checking extraordinary circumstances and route scope.
Care rights, refreshments, and the 5-hour refund option
Compensation is not the only right in play during a long delay. Care rights can start earlier than compensation rights. The official guidance explains that meals, refreshments, communication, and in some cases hotel accommodation can become due after 2, 3, or 4 hours depending on the distance of the journey. That is why this page shows the care threshold separately from the compensation amount.
A second threshold matters at 5 hours. Once a delay exceeds 5 hours, the airline must usually offer a refund if you choose not to travel. That refund decision is separate from the fixed compensation estimate. A passenger can be below the compensation threshold but still be entitled to care, or can choose a refund once the delay becomes severe enough.
Extraordinary circumstances are often the main dispute point
Passengers often assume the only question is how long the delay lasted. In practice, many claims turn on whether the airline can rely on extraordinary circumstances. Official CAA guidance gives examples such as severe weather, air traffic control disruption, security risks, political instability, and certain hidden manufacturing defects. If extraordinary circumstances genuinely caused the delay, fixed compensation is usually not due.
That does not mean every airline explanation is decisive. UK and EU case law has repeatedly shown that not every technical fault counts as extraordinary. The CAA notes this explicitly. That is why this calculator lets you model the airline's extraordinary-circumstances argument, but still presents the result as a likely estimate rather than a guaranteed payout.
Worked examples: short-haul UK delay and long-haul EU delay
Take a UK261 short-haul flight of 1,200 km that reached its final destination 3.5 hours late with no extraordinary circumstances. The likely compensation band is 220 per passenger. Two passengers on the same booking would therefore point to a 440 total estimate, while the care threshold would already have been crossed because the waiting-time support threshold starts at 2 hours for short haul.
Now take an EU261 long-haul journey of 6,200 km that arrived 4.25 hours late, still with no extraordinary circumstances. That points to the 600-euro band per passenger, so three passengers would indicate a possible 1,800-euro total. Those examples show why both distance and final-destination delay matter, and why a route-scope mistake can change the answer entirely.
What this calculator cannot decide for you
This page does not prove the actual route scope, evaluate every airline defense, decide whether the carrier's evidence about extraordinary circumstances is persuasive, or calculate package-holiday remedies. It also does not estimate direct disruption expenses, distress, missed business value, or other consequential loss. Those are separate questions.
Use the result as a structured screening estimate before you draft a claim or complaint. For a cancellation-focused case, use a cancellation refund tool rather than this delay page. For cash losses such as hotels and meals, use a travel disruption cost calculator. For disputed legal positions, check the latest official guidance and consider formal dispute resolution or legal advice.
Frequently asked questions
When does flight delay compensation usually start?
For UK261 and EU261 style claims, compensation usually starts when you reach your final destination 3 hours or more late and the airline was responsible for the disruption. The exact amount then depends mainly on flight distance and route scope.
Do I use departure delay or arrival delay in a flight delay compensation calculator?
Usually arrival delay at the booked final destination. That is especially important for connecting itineraries. A first leg may only be delayed briefly, but if the missed connection made you arrive more than 3 hours late overall, the final destination delay is the stronger measure for compensation screening.
Does a missed connection count for flight delay compensation?
It often can, provided the itinerary was booked as one journey and the route falls within the relevant rights framework. Official EU guidance says compensation can still be due when a missed connection causes you to arrive at the final destination more than 3 hours late.
What counts as extraordinary circumstances?
Typical examples include severe weather, air traffic control disruption, security incidents, political instability, and some hidden manufacturing defects. The CAA also notes that not every technical problem counts as extraordinary, so airline explanations should be checked carefully.
Can I still get meals or hotel accommodation even if compensation is not due?
Yes. Care rights and compensation rights are not the same thing. Meals, refreshments, communication, and sometimes hotel accommodation can become due even when fixed compensation is later refused, because the care threshold can start earlier and does not always rise or fall with the compensation decision.
What happens if my flight delay goes over 5 hours?
At that point the airline usually has to offer a refund if you choose not to travel. That refund option is separate from the fixed compensation estimate, so a passenger may have a refund choice even while the compensation position is still disputed.
Why is the long-haul UK amount sometimes reduced?
The official UK guide reflects a reduced long-haul amount in the under-4-hour arrival-delay scenario. That is why a long-haul UK delay estimate can show 260 instead of 520 when the final destination delay is over 3 hours but still under 4.
Should I use this page or a flight cancellation refund calculator?
Use this page when the main question is fixed compensation for a delayed arrival. Use a flight cancellation refund calculator when the main question is reimbursement, rerouting, or refund rights after the airline cancelled the flight.
