Step-by-Step Guide to Calculating Your Delay Compensation

Calculating your delay compensation entitlement requires understanding several key factors: the applicable regulation, flight distance, delay duration, delay cause, and any special circumstances that might enhance or limit your claim. Each regulatory framework uses different calculation methods, but the core process remains consistent.

Step 1: Determine Regulatory Coverage

Your first task is identifying which passenger rights regulation applies to your delayed flight. For flights departing from EU airports, EU261 applies regardless of airline nationality. For flights departing from the UK, UK261 applies. For flights departing from Canada, APPR applies if the delay is within the airline's control. US flights fall under DOT regulations, though delay compensation is limited compared to other jurisdictions.

The key insight is that departure location typically determines regulatory coverage, not airline nationality or destination. A United Airlines flight from London to New York falls under EU261, while the same airline's flight from New York to London falls under US DOT regulations. This creates opportunities to choose departure airports strategically for enhanced protection.

Step 2: Measure the Actual Delay

Delay calculation focuses on arrival time at your final destination, not departure time or intermediate flight performance. If your scheduled arrival was 6:00 PM and you actually arrived at 9:30 PM, your delay is 3.5 hours regardless of departure time or whether individual flight segments departed on schedule.

For connecting flights booked on a single ticket, the delay is measured from your original scheduled arrival to your actual arrival at the final destination. Missing connections due to delays on earlier segments counts as delay to your final destination, even if the missed connecting flight departed on time.

Step 3: Calculate Distance-Based Compensation

EU261 and UK261 use flight distance to determine compensation amounts, measured as the great circle distance between departure and arrival airports. Flights up to 1,500km receive €250 compensation, flights between 1,500-3,500km receive €400 (or €400 for EU internal flights over 1,500km), and flights over 3,500km receive €600.

Distance calculation can be tricky for connecting flights. For single-ticket itineraries with connections, distance is measured from the first departure airport to the final arrival airport, not individual segment distances. A flight from Madrid to Bangkok via Amsterdam is measured as Madrid-Bangkok distance (approximately 11,000km), qualifying for €600 compensation even if the Madrid-Amsterdam segment alone would only qualify for €400.

Step 4: Verify Delay Cause Eligibility

Most regulatory frameworks exclude delays caused by "extraordinary circumstances" beyond the airline's control. Weather-related delays, air traffic control strikes, security incidents, and political instability typically qualify as extraordinary circumstances. However, airlines frequently misapply this defense to situations that should trigger full compensation.

Technical problems, crew scheduling issues, maintenance delays, fuel shortages, and operational disruptions generally do not qualify as extraordinary circumstances. The burden of proof lies with airlines to demonstrate extraordinary circumstances with specific evidence, not general claims about "operational difficulties" or "air traffic control."

Step 5: Account for Special Circumstances and Enhancements

Certain situations can enhance your compensation beyond standard amounts. Some jurisdictions provide additional compensation for particularly long delays or multiple delays on the same itinerary. Business travelers may be able to claim additional commercial losses beyond standard passenger compensation.

Families traveling together multiply compensation amounts by the number of passengers, creating significant recovery potential. A family of four experiencing a qualifying delay under EU261 could receive €2,400 (4 × €600) for a single long-haul delay, regardless of how much they paid for their tickets.