United Airlines Flight Compensation Guide
According to EU Regulation 261/2004, passengers who have experienced flight delays, cancellations or denied boarding should be compensated for their flight disruption. Although United Airlines is an American airline and not a European carrier, travellers are eligible for compensation of up to €600 for flights departing from the European Union or codeshared flights.
How to claim compensation for a delayed flight with United Airlines?
Are you eligible for United Airlines flight delay compensation?
Claiming on your own could be difficult as only 1 in 8 air passengers know their rights. Airlines often try to avoid paying compensation, making the process long and frustrating.
SkyRefund is here to enforce your rights. Our experienced team of lawyers is ready to deal with all the administrative hassle and claim what is rightfully yours. We get a 35% fee of the compensation amount, only if we are successful - “No Win, No Fee”.
There’s only onegood thingabout a delay
You can get up to €600 in compensation
What is the compensation amount for a delayed flight with United Airlines?
Under European Regulation 261, the amount of your United Airlines flight delay compensation depends on the flight distance.
For journeys less than 1500km, the airline is required to pay €250. If your flight covers a distance between 1500km and 3000km, the compensation amount rises to €400. For long-haul trips exceeding 3500km, you are entitled to €600.
| € 250 | € 400 | € 600 |
| Less than 1500 km | Between 1500 & 3500 km | More than 3500 km |
When can you claim United Airlines compensation?
The airline’s passengers are entitled to compensation in the case of:
- a severe delay;
- flight cancellation;
- denied boarding by the airline.
To submit a compensation claim, you need to have your flight number and date.
United Airlines Flight Delay - Compensation Rules
To claim United Airlines flight delay compensation, your flight should meet the following conditions:
- You arrived at your destination more than 3 hours after the scheduled time of arrival.
- Your flight delay was not caused by extraordinary circumstances.
Note that delays are calculated at the time of reaching your final destination.
There are cases when the pilots manage to compensate for the delay during the actual flight. We advise you to take a note of your actual time of arrival.
The airlines are not obliged to reimburse passengers when there are “extraordinary circumstances”.
These include:
- Bad weather conditions
- Civil or political unrest
- Air Traffic Control restrictions
- Runway closure
- Medical emergencies
- Airport and Union strikes (but not airline/crew strikes)
- Security risks
Technical issues are not seen as extraordinary circumstances, therefore you could be eligible for compensation.
United Airlines Flight Cancellation Compensation
Under European Regulation 261, you are entitled to United Airlines flight cancellation compensation when the carrier informs you about the disruption less than two weeks before the actual flight.
You are eligible for United Airlines flight cancellation compensation if:
- the airline informed you 7 to 13 days before departure
and
- your alternate flight arrived with a delay of more than 4 hours.
Additionally, you could be owed reimbursement from United Airlines if:
- you were informed less than 7 days prior to departure
and
- the alternate flight arrived more than 2 hours late.
| Notice Given | Arrival at Final Destination |
| 14 Days or More | No compensation |
| 7-13 Days | Your alternate flight arrived at your final destination more than 4 hours late. |
| Less than 7 Days |
Your replacement flight arrived at your final destination more than 2 hours late. |
Remember that in case of a United Airlines cancellation, they are required to offer a replacement flight.
Moreover, if a flight was delayed or cancelled, the airline is responsible for covering all necessary expenses for the period of the passengers’ wait for departure: food, drinks, accommodation, transport, etc.
United Airlines Missed Connection
If you miss a connecting flight because of a delay or cancellation, you can get a refund for the connecting flight. The conditions are almost identical to those for flight delays. The only significant difference is that your flights need to be on the same booking.
United Airlines Denied Boarding
Denied boarding often happens when the airline has sold more seats than the ones available on the plane.
In the event of an overbooked flight you have 2 options:
- a replacement flight to your destination at your earliest convenience
or
- a full refund for the total cost of your ticket and a return ticket to your point of departure.
Moreover, under EU law, you could be eligible for reimbursement of up to €600 - but only if you have been denied boarding involuntarily.
About United Airlines
The headquarters of the company are located in Chicago, Illinois in the United States. Measured by the fleet size and route network, United Airlines is the third largest airline in the world. Chicago-O’Hare is its largest hub. United Airlines has a fleet of 797 aircraft manufactured by Airbus and Boeing operating to 342 destinations across the globe.
The company is a member of the Star Alliance and has codeshare agreements with a large number of European airlines.
United Airlines Rankings
The company holds a 3 star rating on Skytrax. This reflects the onboard services and the overall value for money.
Have you experienced any problems with your flights in the past 3 years? We can help you claim United Airlines flight cancellation compensation or flight delay compensation.