Last updated: July 26, 2026
If your flight is cancelled, you have two separate rights: a refund or a re-routing to get you there, and — if the airline told you less than 14 days before departure and the cancellation was its fault — cash compensation of £220 to £520 under UK261 on top. Being bumped from an overbooked flight is compensated separately again. Here’s exactly what you’re owed for a cancelled flight in 2026, in the UK, EU and US.
Quick answer: flight cancellation compensation
- Always: your choice of a full refund or re-routing, plus care while you wait.
- Plus compensation of £220–£520 if you were told <14 days before departure and it was the airline’s fault.
- No compensation if given 14+ days’ notice, re-routed close to schedule, or the cause was extraordinary.
- Bumped from an overbooked flight? That’s separate cash compensation — and in the US it can be hundreds of dollars.
- US flights: cancellations mean an automatic cash refund, not a fixed payout.
Are you owed flight cancellation compensation?
You’re owed compensation if the airline cancelled less than 14 days before departure, it was their fault, and you weren’t re-routed close to your original schedule.
Two things always apply when a flight is cancelled, no matter the reason: you can choose a full refund or re-routing to your destination, and the airline must provide care (food, drink and a hotel if needed) while you wait. Cash compensation is the extra bit, and it depends on notice and cause:
| How much notice you got | Compensation? |
|---|---|
| 14 days or more before departure | No compensation |
| Less than 14 days, airline’s fault, not re-routed close to schedule | Yes — £220–£520 |
| Less than 14 days, but cause was extraordinary (weather, ATC strike) | No compensation — but refund/re-routing and care still apply |
How much is cancelled flight compensation?
When it is payable, the amount follows the same distance bands as a delay, per passenger:
| Flight distance | UK261 | EU261 |
|---|---|---|
| Under 1,500 km | £220 | €250 |
| 1,500–3,500 km | £350 | €400 |
| Over 3,500 km | £520 (can be halved to £260 if re-routed close to schedule) | €600 (or €300) |
Use the flight compensation calculator to check your band and amount in a few seconds.
The re-routing exemption: when the airline avoids paying
Even with less than 14 days’ notice, no compensation is due if the airline re-routed you close to your original times.
This is the get-out clause airlines rely on, so it’s worth knowing the exact windows. Compensation is not payable if the replacement flight fits inside these limits:
| Notice given | No compensation if the re-route… |
|---|---|
| 7 to 13 days before departure | departs no more than 2 hours before your original time and arrives less than 4 hours after your original arrival |
| Less than 7 days before departure | departs no more than 1 hour before your original time and arrives less than 2 hours after your original arrival |
If the re-routing they offered was outside these windows — for example, it got you in five hours late — the exemption doesn’t apply and compensation is due. Check the actual times before accepting an airline’s “no compensation” line.
Refund or re-routing: your choice, not theirs
When a flight is cancelled you decide between:
- A full refund of the unused parts of your ticket — paid within 7 days, in cash or to your original payment method (not a voucher unless you want one), plus a flight back to your first departure point if you’re part-way through a journey.
- Re-routing to your destination at the earliest opportunity, or on a later date that suits you.
Don’t be pushed into a voucher. Airlines sometimes offer travel credit as if it’s the only option. You have the legal right to a cash refund, and taking a voucher can weaken your position.
Bumped from an overbooked flight? (denied boarding)
Being involuntarily bumped is compensated separately — and it’s often more than a cancellation.
Airlines routinely sell more seats than the aircraft has. If they then ask for volunteers and no one accepts, they bump passengers involuntarily — and that triggers compensation, on top of a refund or re-routing.
UK and EU flights
Involuntary denied boarding pays the full distance-band amount — £220, £350 or £520 — regardless of how late you eventually arrive. Overbooking is squarely within the airline’s control, so “extraordinary circumstances” is not a defence.
US flights
The US uses a different, fare-based system for involuntary bumping:
| How late the bump makes you arrive | Compensation |
|---|---|
| Domestic 1–2 hrs (international 1–4 hrs) | 200% of your one-way fare, up to $1,075 |
| Domestic over 2 hrs (international over 4 hrs) | 400% of your one-way fare, up to $2,150 |
Involuntary bumping must be paid in cash or cheque — not vouchers. If you volunteer to be bumped, whatever you accept is a private deal with the airline, so hold out for cash and confirmed re-routing rather than a low-value voucher.
US flights: cancellations and refunds (DOT)
If your US flight is cancelled and you choose not to travel, the DOT rules require an automatic full refund — the ticket price plus taxes and fees, in cash or your original payment method, within 7 business days (card) or 20 calendar days (other). Crucially, the US has no fixed cancellation payout like UK261: you get your money back, not a €600-style bonus. The exception is involuntary bumping, which does carry the cash compensation above.
When you’re not owed compensation
- You were told 14 days or more before departure.
- You were re-routed within the notice windows above.
- The cancellation was a genuine extraordinary circumstance — severe weather, ATC strikes, security incidents. (Refund/re-routing and care still apply.)
- You voluntarily gave up your seat in return for benefits.
As always, treat a “technical fault” or “crew shortage” explanation with suspicion — those are usually within the airline’s control and don’t remove your right to compensation.
How to claim
Claim directly with the airline — it’s free and you keep the full amount. State your booking reference, the cancelled flight, how much notice you were given, the re-routing you were offered (with times), and the compensation you’re claiming. Our guide to claiming compensation has a copy-and-paste template and a rundown of the excuses airlines use and how to challenge each.
Worked example
Edinburgh → Paris, cancelled 3 days before departure due to a crew shortage. You’re re-routed onto a flight that arrives five hours after your original time. Because you had under 7 days’ notice and the re-route arrived more than 2 hours late, the exemption doesn’t apply — and a crew shortage isn’t extraordinary. The route is under 1,500 km, so you’re owed £220 per passenger, plus you keep the re-routing and any meals while you waited.
Related guides and tools
- Flight Delay Compensation Calculator
- How to claim delayed flight compensation (with template)
- Missed Connecting Flight Compensation
- Delayed & Lost Baggage Compensation — Montreal Convention claims for a delayed, lost or damaged bag
- Summer 2026 Flight Delays: Worst UK Airports
FAQs
How much compensation for a cancelled flight?
If the airline cancelled less than 14 days before departure, it was their fault and you weren’t re-routed close to schedule, you’re owed £220 (under 1,500 km), £350 (1,500–3,500 km) or £520 (over 3,500 km) per passenger under UK261, plus a refund or re-routing.
Do I get compensation if my flight is cancelled?
Only if you were given less than 14 days’ notice and the cancellation was within the airline’s control. You always get a refund or re-routing and care, but the cash compensation depends on notice and cause.
Can I get a refund for a cancelled flight?
Yes. You can always choose a full refund of the unused ticket instead of re-routing, paid within 7 days in cash or to your original payment method — not a voucher unless you accept one.
What is the 14-day rule for cancelled flights?
If the airline tells you 14 days or more before departure, no compensation is due. Compensation only becomes possible when notice is shorter than 14 days and the cancellation was the airline’s fault.
How much compensation for being bumped from a flight?
In the UK/EU, involuntary denied boarding pays the full £220–£520 distance band. In the US it’s 200% of your one-way fare (up to $1,075) for shorter delays and 400% (up to $2,150) for longer ones, paid in cash.
Can I claim if my flight was cancelled due to weather?
No compensation is payable for genuine extraordinary circumstances like severe weather or ATC strikes, but you still get a refund or re-routing and care while you wait.
Do US airlines pay compensation for cancellations?
Not a fixed payout. The DOT requires an automatic cash refund if your flight is cancelled and you don’t travel, but there’s no EU-style compensation. Involuntary bumping is the exception and does carry cash compensation.
Should I accept a voucher instead of a refund?
Only if you genuinely want travel credit. You have the legal right to a cash refund for a cancelled flight, so a voucher is optional — and usually worse value.
Sources
Based on UK Civil Aviation Authority guidance on cancellations and denied boarding (the 14-day rule, re-routing exemption windows and distance bands), with EU261 amounts from the equivalent EU regulation and US denied-boarding and refund rules from the US Department of Transportation. Verified 14 July 2026. This is general guidance, not legal advice — confirm your position with the airline or the CAA.
Reviewed by Muhammad Umar Khan
Founder and editor of TripBuffer. Reviewed against official airport, airline and transport-provider information. For our research standards, see the Editorial Policy.