How to Check if Your Delayed Flight Qualifies for Compensation
Not every delayed flight qualifies for compensation, but more flights qualify than most passengers realize. Here is a simple decision tree to determine whether your specific delay entitles you to money.
The Decision Tree
Determining compensation eligibility requires answering three questions: How long was the delay? Where did the flight depart? Which airline operated it?
- 1
Was your flight delayed 3+ hours (domestic US) or 6+ hours (international US)? If yes, you are entitled to a full cash refund under DOT rules.
- 2
Did your flight depart from an EU airport? If yes, EU261 applies regardless of airline. Delays of 3+ hours at arrival trigger compensation of €250 to €600.
- 3
Did your flight depart from a UK airport? If yes, UK261 applies. Same amounts as EU261, paid in GBP.
- 4
Was the flight operated by an EU carrier and arrived at an EU airport? If yes, EU261 applies even if the departure was outside the EU.
Multiple rules can apply to the same flight. A flight from Paris to New York that is delayed 4 hours triggers both EU261 compensation (€600) and DOT refund rights. You can claim both. See our EU261 guide for details.
Delay Length Thresholds
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DOT refund: 3 hours (domestic) or 6 hours (international).
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EU261/UK261 compensation: 3 hours at final arrival (any distance).
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EU261 duty of care (meals): 2 hours (short-haul), 3 hours (medium-haul), 4 hours (long-haul).
Note that DOT and EU261 measure delay differently. DOT uses departure delay; EU261 uses arrival delay at the final destination. For more on delay thresholds, see our delay compensation guide.
Common Situations
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US domestic delayed 4 hours: DOT refund eligible. No EU261.
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Paris to New York delayed 3 hours (any airline): EU261 compensation (€600) plus DOT refund eligible.
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New York to Paris on Delta delayed 4 hours: DOT refund eligible. No EU261 (non-EU carrier departing outside EU).
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New York to Paris on Air France delayed 4 hours: DOT refund plus EU261 compensation (€600, because Air France is an EU carrier).
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London to New York on BA delayed 3 hours: UK261 compensation (£520) plus DOT refund eligible.
The Fastest Way to Check
The simplest approach: check your flight with TravelStacks. Enter your flight details and we determine eligibility in 30 seconds. We identify which rules apply, calculate the compensation amount, and can handle the entire claim process. For US DOT claims, we charge a flat $19. For EU261/UK261 claims, we charge 25% of recovered compensation.