Denied Boarding on a European Flight: EU261 Amounts

EU Regulation 261/2004 Article 4 obligates any airline departing an EU or EEA airport to pay fixed cash compensation to any passenger denied boarding involuntarily. The airline must also provide alternative transport or a full refund, plus duty of care (meals, hotel, transport). Passengers denied boarding on European flights are owed denied boarding EU261 amounts that are larger and clearer than anywhere else in the world.

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  Up to 1,500 km: €250 per passenger. Typical routes: Paris to London, Amsterdam to Frankfurt, Barcelona to Rome.

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  1,500 km to 3,500 km within EU, or up to 3,500 km outside EU: €400 per passenger. Typical routes: Paris to Athens, Madrid to Canary Islands, London to Istanbul.

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  Over 3,500 km between EU and non-EU: €600 per passenger. Typical routes: Paris to JFK, London to Los Angeles, Frankfurt to Shanghai.

No fare cap. Whether you paid €50 on a budget carrier or €5,000 in business class, the compensation is the same. That makes EU261 the most generous jurisdiction for low-fare passengers.

EU261 applies when either (a) the flight departs from an EU or EEA airport, regardless of airline, or (b) the flight arrives at an EU or EEA airport on an EU-based carrier. Plus Iceland, Norway, Switzerland, and the UK's own UK261 (identical amounts in GBP). See denied boarding due to overbooking rights explained for how the same amounts apply to overbooking events.

You do not have to be an EU citizen. Nationality and residence are irrelevant; the flight route decides.

If the airline rebooks you and the alternative flight reaches your final destination within a specific window of the original arrival time, compensation is halved:

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  Up to 1,500 km: rebooked within 2 hours of original arrival: €125 instead of €250.

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  1,500 to 3,500 km: rebooked within 3 hours: €200 instead of €400.

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  Over 3,500 km EU to non-EU: rebooked within 4 hours: €300 instead of €600.

Arrival times past those windows pay the full amount. For the related US-side rules, see denied boarding rights 2026 guide.

1. 1

   Voucher instead of cash. EU261 entitles passengers to cash payment by bank transfer under Article 7(3). Vouchers are not mandatory.

2. 2

   "Extraordinary circumstances" claim. Denied boarding due to overbooking is never extraordinary. Only weather and ATC strike events sometimes qualify, and almost never for denied boarding.

3. 3

   Claim limited to ticket value. There is no connection between fare and compensation. The amounts are fixed regardless of ticket price.

4. 4

   Burden of proof shift. Under EU261 the airline must prove the denial was justified. Passengers do not prove the airline was at fault.

1. 1

   Secure the written denial notice from the airline at the gate, including the reason.

2. 2

   Gather booking reference, boarding pass screenshot, and any SMS or email from the airline about the rebooking.

3. 3

   File the claim on the airline's website within their claims portal. Most EU carriers publish an EU261 form.

4. 4

   Request cash via bank transfer. Reject vouchers unless the voucher value exceeds the cash alternative.

5. 5

   Escalate to the NEB (national enforcement body) if the airline denies or ignores. Ireland = IAA, Germany = LBA, UK = CAA, Spain = AESA, France = DGAC.

6. 6

   Keep all receipts for meals and hotels paid out of pocket. Article 9 reimburses those separately.

Most EU denied boarding payouts are within easy reach, but the airline will rarely pay without a formal claim. Check your flight. We file the claim, chase the airline, and escalate to the NEB when needed. For the broader denied boarding picture, see the denied boarding compensation guide.