For which flights can I get missed connection compensation under EC 261?
You can get compensation for your missed connecting flight if it was within Europe no matter if you are an EU citizen or not. Your flight can also depart from a European airport or land in Europe if it’s a European airline. If part of your journey includes a European connection, you may also be entitled to compensation for a missed connecting flight. Please see the table below.
Itinerary | EU air carrier | Non-EU air carrier |
From inside the EU to inside the EU | Yes | Yes |
From inside the EU to outside the EU | Yes | Yes |
From outside the EU to inside the EU | Yes | No – unless your journey originated in the EU* |
From outside the EU to outside the EU | No – unless your journey originated in the EU* | No – unless your journey originated in the EU* |
* Under EC 261, flights are a part of the same journey if they were purchased under one booking. Flights that depart from the EU are covered by EC 261 regardless of where the flight delay, cancellation or boarding denial occurs or you miss your connecting flight.
EU Regulation EC 261 is also applicable in the following countries: Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and the so-called “outermost regions” (French Guiana and Martinique, Mayotte, Guadeloupe and La Réunion, Saint-Martin, Madeira and the Azores, and the Canary Islands).
How much compensation do I get for missing a connecting flight?
The amount of missed connection compensation depends on the reason why you were late for the connecting flight. The most frequent reason for missing connecting flights are flight delays. Take a look at the amounts of missed connection compensation presented in the table below.
Distance | Less than 3 hours | 3 – 4 hours | More than 4 hours | Never arrived |
All flights 1,500 km or less | € – | €250 | €250 | €250 |
Internal EU flights over 1,500 km | € – | €400 | €400 | €400 |
Non-internal EU flights between 1,500 km and 3,500 km | € – | €400 | €400 | €400 |
Non-internal EU flights over 3,500 km | € – | €300 | €600 | €600 |
If the reason for the missed connection is other than a flight delay, you may be entitled to a different amount of compensation.