What are the UK261 tiers in 2026?

£220 for flights up to 1,500 km, £350 for 1,500 to 3,500 km, £520 for over 3,500 km. Set by the Air Passenger Rights and Air Travel Organisers' Licensing (Amendment) Regulations 2019 and stable since.

Are UK261 amounts pegged to EU261?

No. UK261 is denominated in pounds and was originally set at approximate parity with EU261 euros in 2019. Since then, currency fluctuations mean the two have diverged. In April 2026, UK261 passengers recover slightly more in dollar equivalents than EU261.

Why is there a UK261 vs EU261 distinction?

Brexit. The UK left the EU in 2020 and retained the EU261 regulation as UK law. The substance is largely identical, but enforcement (UK CAA), currency (pounds), and scope (UK-departing and UK carriers) are UK-specific.

Can I claim both UK261 and EU261 on a round trip?

Yes. UK261 covers the UK-departing leg, EU261 covers the EU-departing return leg on an EU carrier. File each with the relevant regulator (UK CAA for UK261, NEB for EU261).

Does the 2019 law update UK261 amounts automatically?

No. UK261 amounts are fixed in the 2019 Statutory Instrument. They have not been updated since, unlike some EU member states' discretionary interpretation of EU261. Parliamentary action would be needed to change UK261 amounts.

What if I'm on a non-UK non-EU airline from London to New York?

UK261 applies because London is a UK airport. Even if the operating airline is Singapore Airlines (non-UK, non-EU), UK261 covers the UK-departing flight. See UK261 non-EU airlines departing the UK for specifics.

Will the UK and EU261 amounts align again?

Possible but not automatic. Either body could update amounts independently. UK Parliament would need to amend the 2019 SI for UK261 changes. The EU periodically reviews EU261 amounts through EC rulemaking.

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UK261April 21, 2026•6 min read

UK261 Amount Tiers After Brexit

Post-Brexit, the UK retained EU261 in a domestic regulation with amounts denominated in pounds: £220 (up to 1,500 km), £350 (1,500 to 3,500 km), £520 (over 3,500 km). Here is the full tier structure, the pound/euro equivalence question, and how the UK amounts compare in 2026.

The UK261 Tier Structure

UK261 tiers Brexit uses the same three distance bands as EU261 but denominated in pounds sterling under the Air Passenger Rights and Air Travel Organisers' Licensing (Amendment) Regulations 2019:

›
£220: flights up to 1,500 km (all tiers).
›
£350: flights between 1,500 and 3,500 km (and intra-EU over 1,500 km).
›
£520: flights over 3,500 km (extra-EU/UK).

UK261 amounts are fixed in pounds, not pegged to EU261 euros. Over time, the two regimes have diverged as currency exchange rates shifted. In early 2026, £220 ≈ €260, £350 ≈ €415, £520 ≈ €615.

Brexit and the Retained Regulation

The UK left the EU on January 31, 2020 and the Transition Period ended December 31, 2020. EU261 was retained as UK law effective January 1, 2021 via the Air Passenger Rights and Air Travel Organisers' Licensing (Amendment) Regulations 2019 (SI 2019/278). The substance is essentially identical to EU261 with three changes:

1
Currency: pounds instead of euros.
2
Scope: UK-departing flights and UK-carrier-operated flights to/from UK rather than EU-departing flights.
3
Enforcement: UK CAA rather than the EU member state's NEB.
4
Amounts: fixed at £220 / £350 / £520 without automatic indexing to EU261.

Pound-to-Euro Equivalence

When UK261 amounts were set in 2019, the conversion was approximately £220 = €250, £350 = €400, £520 = €600 at the exchange rate. Currency has since fluctuated:

›
2019 rate: 1 GBP ≈ 1.14 EUR.
›
2022 rate (post-Brexit tension, war impact): 1 GBP ≈ 1.13 EUR.
›
2024 rate: 1 GBP ≈ 1.18 EUR.
›
April 2026: 1 GBP ≈ 1.18 EUR.
›
Current equivalents: £220 ≈ €260, £350 ≈ €415, £520 ≈ €615.

UK261 passengers are currently slightly better off than their EU261 counterparts on dollar-equivalent payout. This divergence may narrow or widen depending on future exchange rate movement.

When UK261 vs EU261 Applies

›
UK-departing flight: UK261 always.
›
Non-UK EU-departing flight to UK on EU carrier: EU261.
›
Non-UK EU-departing flight to UK on UK carrier: UK261 because UK carrier.
›
Non-UK non-EU-departing flight to UK: depends on operating carrier. UK carrier → UK261. Non-UK carrier → neither (no EU261 coverage from non-EU origins, no UK261 because not UK-departing).

Double coverage on return legs: UK residents on EU/UK round-trip tickets are covered by UK261 on the UK-departing outbound and EU261 on the EU-departing return. Choose the most favorable claim.

What the Tier Pays at Each Distance

›
London Heathrow to Paris: 345 km → £220 tier.
›
London Heathrow to Rome: 1,430 km → £220 tier (under 1,500 km threshold).
›
London Heathrow to Athens: 2,400 km → £350 tier.
›
London Heathrow to New York: 5,567 km → £520 tier.
›
London Heathrow to Los Angeles: 8,780 km → £520 tier.
›
Manchester to Dubai: 5,486 km → £520 tier.
›
Edinburgh to Toronto: 5,302 km → £520 tier.

Authority Sources

For primary regulatory texts and official guidance cited in this guide, see UK CAA Passenger Rights, Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 as retained.

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