Flight Delay Compensation Calculator: All You Need to Know

Delayed flight? Quickly check if you’re eligible for compensation. The SkyRefund Flight Compensation Calculator makes it simple to understand your rights after a delayed or canceled flight. Just enter your flight details to instantly see the exact cash compensation you may be entitled to.

Find out your expected compensation

Check your compensation

1 Passenger Passengers

- +

€250

1500 km
or less

€600

3500 km
or more

€400

1500 - 3500 km

Check your compensation

Key points about flight delay compensation

There is no compensation for delayed flights in the United States. However, under DOT regulations you may be entitled to an automatic refund of the ticket cost in cases of significant delays.

How to Use Flight Delay Compensation Calculator

To use the SkyRefund flight delay compensation calculator, simply provide a few details about your delayed flight. The process is straightforward:

• Enter your departure and final destination.
• Specify the number of passengers included in your claim.
• Instantly see your potential compensation amount pop up on the globe.
• If you wish to start your claim, click “Check your compensation"

If you decide to proceed, SkyRefund’s team of experts will manage all communication with the airline that owes you compensation and initiate legal action if necessary to secure your payment. We will keep you updated throughout the entire process.

How the Calculator Checks Your Eligibility

The SkyRefund flight compensation calculator is a quick and easy first step for any American traveler facing a delayed or canceled flight. Here’s what you should know:

• In the US, the Department of Transportation (DOT) mostly requires airlines to give you a full refund if your flight is canceled or if there’s a big schedule change. But there’s no federal law that guarantees extra cash compensation just for delays.
• If your US flight is significantly delayed or canceled by the airline, your rights allow you to accept the alternative flight the airline offers you or cancel your trip and receive a full refund. 

Europe’s rules are different. Under EU Regulation EC 261, airlines must pay passengers up to €600 ($700) in cash for delays longer than 3 hours and cancellations that are the airline’s fault.

This is relevant for US travelers because EC 261 applies to:

• Any flight that leaves from the EU, regardless of which airline you’re on.
• Flights going to the EU, if they’re operated by an EU airline.

The same rules apply in the UK, which has a regulation identical to EU 261.

Example: If you fly with American Airlines from Frankfurt, Germany, to Dallas and your flight is delayed over 4 hours due to a mechanical issue, you’re protected by EC 261 and entitled to $700 cash compensation. If the same delay happened on a flight from Dallas to Los Angeles, you’d only get whatever the airline’s own policy allows.

Compensation Exceptions: When Airlines Don't Pay

Knowing the rules is key to a successful claim, but you need to know the exceptions, too. Even if your flight was seriously delayed, the airline gets a pass if the problem was due to what the law calls “еxtraordinary circumstances.”

Think of these as reasons totally beyond the airline's control. When these situations pop up, the carrier is simply not required to pay that mandatory cash compensation.

Common examples of “extraordinary circumstances” include:

• Bad Weather: Blizzards, hurricanes, or heavy fog that grounds planes.
• Air Traffic Control (ATC) Issues: Delays caused by official restrictions or flow management.
• Strikes: Disruptions caused by airport employees, like security or baggage handlers, who are not on the airline's payroll.
• Security Risks or Political Reasons: Major events or threats that close down airspace.

If your delay was caused by one of these reasons, the airline isn’t legally required to pay you compensation—though they still have to offer meals and, in some cases, a hotel stay.

However, airlines sometimes claim that a delay was due to an “extraordinary circumstance” when it actually wasn’t. That’s where SkyRefund can step in—we check whether the airline’s explanation holds up, and if it doesn’t, we can help you claim the compensation you deserve.

Flight Delay Compensation on International Flights

It is good to know that several other countries have their passenger rights laws as well:

• Brazil’s ANAC 400 applies to flights to, from, or within Brazil, offering compensation for delays over four hours and requiring airlines to provide care and assistance.
• In Saudi Arabia, the GACA regulations cover flights to and from Saudi airports, granting compensation for delays of more than three hours.
• In Canada, the Air Passenger Protection Regulations (APPR) entitle passengers to compensation for delays or cancellations within the airline’s control on flights to, from, or within Canada.

SkyRefund’s compensation service works with all of these regulations, so you can check your eligibility wherever your journey takes you.

Why Claim Flight Delay Compensation with SkyRefund

SkyRefund makes claiming the money owed for your delayed or canceled flight simple, fast, and risk-free. Our team works on a ‘No win, No fee’ basis, meaning you will never be charged if we are unsuccessful in securing your payment. Our transparent standard fee is 35% (VAT included) of the total compensation, ensuring you receive your maximum payout without any upfront cost or financial stress.

FAQs

What Are the Benefits of Using the Flight Delay Compensation Calculator?

• Quickly calculates the flight distance and estimates the potential compensation amount for a delayed flight
• User-friendly and intuitive to navigate
• Operates based on the EC261 regulation, ensuring accurate eligibility checks
• Supports multiple passengers at once, so you can see the total compensation for everyone traveling with you

How Long Does a Flight Have to be Delayed to Get Compensation?

To qualify for compensation, your flight must reach its final destination at least 3 hours later than scheduled. Keep in mind that eligibility is determined by your arrival time, not when the plane took off.

Insider tip: Arrival time officially counts as the moment the aircraft door opens, not when the wheels touch down.