Educational passenger-rights overview only — not legal advice. Compensation bands cited below come from published regulation text; eligibility and amounts depend on your itinerary, operating carrier and the cause of disruption. Verify current official figures before you claim.
Cancellation compensation under EU261 and UK261 — 14-day notice rule, re-routing alternatives, EUR 250–600 and £220–520 bands and when airlines owe cash versus care only.
Key takeaways
- Under Regulation EC 261/2004, passengers on qualifying flights may claim standardised compensation when the airline cancels and the passenger was informed less…
- If the airline cancels and informs you 14 or more days before departure, compensation typically does not apply.
- Article 7 sets EUR 250 (flights up to 1,500 km), EUR 400 (1,500–3,500 km and intra-EU over 1,500 km) and EUR 600 (over 3,500 km).
- Verdict: cancellations under 14 days with poor re-routing are among the strongest EU261 claims — but notice timing and extraordinary circumstances defences need…
- 14-day notice and re-routing quality decide many cancellation claims. Use regulation article numbers in your letter.
When does a cancelled flight trigger EU261 compensation?
Under Regulation EC 261/2004, passengers on qualifying flights may claim standardised compensation when the airline cancels and the passenger was informed less than 14 days before departure (subject to re-routing conditions), unless extraordinary circumstances apply. Amounts follow distance bands: EUR 250, EUR 400 or EUR 600 per passenger as set in Article 7.
UK261 mirrors the structure with GBP bands (£220, £350, £520). Cancellation claims also interact with refund and re-routing rights — compensation is additive to getting home, not instead of it.
Compare regimes: UK261 vs EU261.
How does the 14-day notice rule work?
If the airline cancels and informs you 14 or more days before departure, compensation typically does not apply. Under 14 days, compensation may apply depending on re-routing offered and arrival delay versus original schedule — Article 5(1)(c) sets the matrix. Always check whether the re-routing gets you in within close windows of the original arrival.
Airlines sometimes rebook you onto flights that arrive much later — that delay can open compensation even when they notified you "in time" on paper.
| Notice given | Re-routing offered | Compensation (typical) |
|---|---|---|
| 14+ days | Any | Usually none |
| 7–13 days | Arrival within 2h of original | Reduced or none per Article 5 |
| 7–13 days | Arrival 2h+ later | Full band if airline-responsible |
| Under 7 days | Arrival within 1h of original | Reduced per Article 5 |
| Under 7 days | Arrival 1h+ later | Full EUR/GBP band if eligible |
What cancellation compensation amounts apply?
Article 7 sets EUR 250 (flights up to 1,500 km), EUR 400 (1,500–3,500 km and intra-EU over 1,500 km) and EUR 600 (over 3,500 km). UK261 uses £220, £350 and £520 at equivalent distance thresholds. These are statutory figures — cite them in claims, not invented estimates.
50% reduction rules apply when the airline re-routes you within specified time windows — see EU261 50% reduction rules.
Cancellation compensation — verdict
Verdict: cancellations under 14 days with poor re-routing are among the strongest EU261 claims — but notice timing and extraordinary circumstances defences need checking. Not for voluntary refunds you initiated yourself.
Framework checked August 2026 — cite Regulation EC 261/2004 Article 5 and 7 in airline correspondence.
Cancellation compensation FAQ
14-day notice and re-routing quality decide many cancellation claims. Use regulation article numbers in your letter.
Package holiday? Organiser may owe separate remedies — keep both contracts.
Cash or voucher? Statutory compensation is money unless you accept otherwise.
Evidence note
How we checked this guide
Research basis
Structured desk research with 3 relevant primary or independent sources linked below.
Experience standard
No first-hand test or trip is implied unless the article explicitly states who tested it, when and under what conditions.
Review date
Editorially reviewed on 8 August 2026. Time-sensitive prices, rules and eligibility must be checked again before purchase or travel.
Commercial independence
This guide currently carries no configured commissioned partner link. Editorial conclusions are not sold.
See the editorial policy, method notes, or report a correction.