Core passenger-rights guides

Know which framework you are using.

We keep EU261, UK261 and U.S. DOT information separate so that claims, care, refunds and decision thresholds are not mixed together.

Legal framework content last reviewed: 24 August 2026

Official links checked before publication

EU261 explained

Compensation, care, refunds and re-routing with incident-date rule review.

Check your route

UK261 explained

A separate UK framework with its own coverage and compensation values.

Check your route

U.S. DOT information

Refund and involuntary denied-boarding information—not an EU-style fixed-compensation tool.

Check your route

Amount reference, not a promise

Common statutory compensation bands.

These are high-level reference amounts. Eligibility still depends on route coverage, final-arrival timing, notice, rerouting, the operating airline and whether an extraordinary circumstance applies.

Framework	Distance / arrival context	Reference amount
EU261	Up to 1,500 km / 1,500–3,500 km / over 3,500 km	€250 / €400 / €600
UK261	Under 1,500 km / 1,500–3,500 km / over 3,500 km	£220 / £350 / £260–£520
U.S. DOT	Refunds and involuntary denied boarding follow separate rules	Not a fixed EU/UK-style delay band

For UK long-haul delays, the CAA explains that the reference amount may depend on the length of the final-arrival delay. Use the calculator to keep the frameworks separate.

Extraordinary circumstances need evidence.

Official EU and UK guidance gives examples such as serious weather, air-traffic-control decisions, political instability, security events and some external strikes. This does not automatically remove care, rerouting or refund rights. A normal maintenance technical fault is not automatically extraordinary under EU guidance; ask the operating airline for its recorded reason.

Read the EU official examples

Do not assume one claim time limit.

The EU’s official FAQ says the time limit for legal action varies by national law. Preserve your booking, notices, final-arrival evidence and receipts now; then check the national enforcement body, a consumer centre or the airline’s official process for the route concerned.

Read the official EU time-limit caution

Official starting points

Use the rule-maker before a third-party summary.

EU air passenger rights

Official EU information on cancellation, delay, rerouting, care, compensation, connections and operating carriers.

Your Europe FAQ

UK261 delay rights

The UK CAA explains care, compensation bands, refunds after long delays and final-destination timing.

UK CAA delay guidance

U.S. refund information

The U.S. Department of Transportation explains refund protections and airline consumer information.

U.S. DOT refunds

U.S. denied boarding

The U.S. Department of Transportation explains voluntary and involuntary bumping protections.

U.S. DOT bumping guidance

Situation-specific preliminary tools

Check the facts that change the path.

These tools keep connection, strike and India DGCA facts separate from the main calculator. They provide cautious information paths and evidence checklists, not claim decisions.

Missed connection delay checker Airline strike rights checker India DGCA rights checker

High-value route guides

Start with the city pair, then check the operating-flight facts.

Every published page gives an evidence checklist, route-specific framework note and a prefilled calculator handoff. These are educational pages, not compensation guarantees.

Why this is not legal representation

FlightRefundCalc provides preliminary information and an evidence-first checklist. It does not decide claims, guarantee compensation or act as your legal representative.

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