Air Canada Flight Compensation: Delay and Cancellation

Air Canada operates over a thousand flights daily, and disruptions are quite common. Based on Cirium’s OTP Annual Review, only 71.36% of the airline’s flights arrived on time in 2024. If you happened to be on one of the flights that landed with a delay, you may be entitled to compensation under European and Canadian air passenger laws. Find out when you can claim Air Canada compensation from our guide below.

Was your Air Canada flight delayed or cancelled?

You might be eligible for compensation.

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Can you claim Air Canada compensation?

Depending on your flight, you can claim compensation from Air Canada either under Regulation EC 261/2004, which protects all flights departing from the European Union, or under Canada’s Air Passenger Protection Regulations (APPR), which protect travelers on flights to, from, or within Canada.  Let's see in what cases you can claim compensation from Air Canada. 

Air Canada Flight Delay Compensation

Was your Air Canada flight from London to Toronto delayed? You might be entitled to up to €600 Air Canada flight delay compensation under EU Regulation 261/2004 (EU261) if your flight departs from a European/UK airport. Additionally, your Air Canada flight needs to:

• Be delayed by more than 3 hours at the time of arrival
• The delay was caused by issues within Air Canada's control

So, if you landed with more than a 3-hour delay because the Air Canada crew was on strike or the plane was experiencing technical issues, you can claim flight delay compensation from Air Canada. But if your flight was delayed because of extraordinary circumstances like bad weather or airport strikes, you aren't eligible for compensation from Air Canada. 

How much compensation from Air Canada can you claim? The amount of your compensation depends on the distance of your flight. In most cases, if you're flying outside of Europe, you can get up to €600 in compensation from Air Canada. The table below breaks down the compensation under EU26. 

It's good to remember that flights over 3,500 km that are delayed between 3 and 4 hours are compensated less than those delayed over 4 hours. 

Luckily, delays over 2 hours give you a right to care, meaning the airline is obliged to provide food and refreshments and accommodation for overnight delays.

But if you were flying from Toronto to London, your passenger rights are protected under Canada's APPR. So, if you experience a flight delay of more than 3 hours on flights operated by Air Canada within, to, or from Canada and the delay is within the airline’s control, you can still claim compensation.

Under APPR, your Air Canada flight delay compensation depends on the length of the delay and the size of the carrier. As Canada's largest carrier, you can claim the following amounts from Air Canada, depending on the arrival delay:

• CAD $400 for delays between 3 and 6 hours
• CAD $700 for delays between 6 and 9 hours
• CAD $1,000 for delays that go beyond 9 hours

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Air Canada Flight Cancellation Compensation

Under EU261, you are entitled to Air Canada compensation if your flight gets cancelled within 14 days of departure and the airline fails to offer an appropriate alternative flight. 

Any flight that departs from the European Union makes you eligible for up to €600 in compensation, unless the reason was due to extraordinary circumstances. Mirroring flight delays, the Air Canada flight cancellation compensation amounts depend on the distance of your flight. So, if your flight is:

• Up to 1,500 km you can claim €250 
• 1,500 km — 3,500 km you can claim €400
• Over 3,500 km you can claim between €300 — €600 

For example, if your flight has been affected by the flight cancellations due to the crew strike on August 16th, 2025, then you might be entitled to compensation. If you're flying from Europe within 14 days of the strike and your flight was cancelled, you're entitled to compensation and a refund/rebooking on a new flight. 

Under APPR, you can also be compensated for your Air Canada cancelled flight, as long as any part of your journey had a touchpoint in Canada. This means that even cancelled connecting flights are eligible for compensation. Similarly to delays, your compensation varies:

• Between 3 and 6-hour arrival delay: CA $400
• Between 6 and 9 hours arrival delay: CA $700
• Over 9-hour arrival delay: CA $1,000

In case your flight was impacted by the crew strikes, our aviation experts advise not to accept travel vouchers you might be offered. You forfeit your right to monetary compensation if you accept travel vouchers. As this is a cancellation, under EU261, you're entitled to a free rebooking of your flight and care while you're waiting at the airport. 

Air Canada Denied Boarding

Denied boarding can occur when Air Canada overbooks a flight and more passengers check in than available seats. In such cases, the airline must first ask for volunteers willing to give up their seats in exchange for compensation or alternative travel arrangements. If there are not enough volunteers, you may be involuntarily denied boarding.

In such cases, flights departing from the EU entitle you to Air Canada compensation between €250 and €600, identical to the amounts for delays and cancellations. 

Under APPR, if you're denied boarding on an Air Canada flight from, to, or within Canada, you can claim compensation. How much you can get depends on the delay of your arrival after the disruption:

• Between 3 and 6-hour arrival delay: CA $900
• Between 6 and 9 hours arrival delay: CA $1,800
• Over 9-hour arrival delay: CA $2,400

Air Canada Refund Policy

Air Canada allows a 24-hour grace period during which you can cancel bookings for a full refund without additional charges. After this period, your refund eligibility depends on the fare type, as some are strictly non-refundable. Others include an administrative fee for refund requests.

Nevertheless, certain scenarios allow partial or full refunds regardless of your ticket type. Here’s the complete list:

• Flight Cancellations: If Air Canada cancels your flight and you no longer wish to travel.
• Denied Boarding: If you are denied boarding, you can choose not to accept an alternative flight and claim a refund.
• Downgraded Seating: If you are moved to a lower class than the one you booked, you are entitled to a refund of the fare difference, or you can opt for a full refund. This rule applies only to flights to and from the United States.
• Schedule changes: Air Canada accepts refund requests from passengers whose itinerary was rescheduled by three hours or more. 
• Airport changes: You can request a refund if the airline changes the airport you depart from or arrive at. 
• Additional stopovers: You can also request a refund if the airline changes your itinerary by adding additional stopovers. 

Air Canada Compensation: Common issues & Tips for passengers

Below is a list of issues people often face when dealing with Air Canada compensation and refund claims. 

Fare Rules & Refundable Tickets

While Air Canada does offer refundable ticket options, some Air Canada fares are non-refundable or feature strict change policies and fees. Passengers typically mistakenly believe they are eligible for a refund or free rebooking when their fare conditions do not allow it.

Expert Tip: Consider booking Comfort or Latitude tickets if flexibility is important, as the Basic and Standard fares are strictly non-refundable.

Delayed Processing Times

Regulation EC 261/2004 mandates that Air Canada refunds should be processed within seven days, and Canadian regulations include a 30-day deadline. Nevertheless, delays still occur regularly, especially during peak travel season. 

Expert Tip: Keep all email correspondences and reference numbers. If necessary, escalate the issue to the relevant regulatory body, such as the Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) or a national enforcement body within the EU.

Proving Eligibility for Compensation

Airlines may argue that a flight disruption was caused by extraordinary circumstances, thus denying compensation claims. 

Expert Tip: Keep all relevant documents and airline communications regarding disruption. If you believe the airline rejected your claim unfairly, seek assistance from a legal service specialising in air passenger rights like SkyRefund.

Is Air Canada a good airline?

Canada's flagship carrier is considered one of the most punctual airlines in North America. According to Cirium's OTP report for July, around 72% of Air Canada's flights arrived on time. Skytrax has given Air Canada 4 stars for its quality of service and customer satisfaction. 

Air Canada has recently made the news as their crew has gone on strike due to an impasse in talks for increased salaries and unpaid overtime. The company estimated that the mass cancellation could potentially affect around 130,000 passengers per day. 

Why SkyRefund?

Airlines can dispute eligibility and leave inexperienced passengers at a dead end. SkyRefund can take over your case and handle the full process on your behalf. Our legal experts will manage every step, including any legal proceedings, and you will never have to hear from Air Canada again. If you believe you are eligible for Air Canada compensation, submit your claim today, as there are strict deadlines. 

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to receive an Air Canada refund?

Refunds should be processed within seven days under EC 261/2004, while Canadian regulations require airlines to process refunds within 30 days. 

Does Air Canada provide compensation for flights delayed due to weather?

No, Air Canada does not compensate passengers for delays caused by extraordinary circumstances, such as bad weather. 

What if Air Canada rebooks me on a much later flight?

You may be eligible for compensation if your new flight departs 3+ hours later than the original. 

Don't let your Air Canada compensation fly away!

Submit your claim today.

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