Your flight was cancelled: refunds, rerouting and compensation, step by step
What to do the moment a flight is cancelled — your right to a full refund or rerouting, hotel and meal cover, and when the airline additionally owes you up to €600.
If your flight is cancelled you can choose between a full refund within seven days or rerouting to your destination at the earliest opportunity, at no extra cost. The airline must also feed and accommodate you while you wait, and if it told you less than 14 days before departure you are additionally owed €250–€600 in compensation unless the cause was extraordinary.
Choose before you queue
The instant a cancellation appears you have a legal choice, and the airline app will usually only offer one of the three:
- Full refund of the unused ticket, within seven days, including the return leg if the outbound is now pointless.
- Rerouting at the earliest opportunity — this can mean a competitor's aircraft. Airlines rarely volunteer this; ask in writing.
- Rerouting at a later date of your choice, subject to seats.
Accepting a voucher waives your cash rights. Never accept one at the desk.
The right to care, immediately
Regardless of the cause, while you wait the airline must supply meals and refreshments proportionate to the wait, two phone calls or emails, hotel accommodation when an overnight stay becomes necessary, and transport between hotel and airport.
If the airline abandons you, book something reasonable yourself, keep receipts, and invoice the airline. "Reasonable" means a mid-range airport hotel and normal meals, not a suite and champagne.
When compensation is added on top
| Notice given | Compensation |
|---|---|
| 14 days or more | None |
| 7–13 days, with an alternative that departs ≤2h earlier and arrives ≤4h later | None |
| Less than 7 days, with a close alternative | Reduced by 50% |
| Any other case, airline at fault | €250 – €600 |
Self-rerouting: the practical move
When the airline offers a flight three days later, you may buy a comparable ticket yourself and reclaim the cost. EU courts have repeatedly upheld this, but the rules matter: give the airline a chance to reroute first (in writing), buy a similar class, and keep it proportionate.
A five-step checklist
- Screenshot the cancellation notification with its timestamp.
- Refuse vouchers, state you want a refund or rerouting under EU261 Article 8.
- Ask for the cancellation reason in writing.
- Keep every receipt for food, transport and hotel.
- File the compensation claim within a week, while evidence is fresh.
Frequently asked questions
Can the airline make me accept a voucher instead of a refund?
No. Under EU261 you are entitled to cash back to the original payment method within seven days. A voucher is only valid if you freely and explicitly agree to it in writing.
Does the airline have to pay for my hotel?
Yes, whenever the disruption forces an overnight stay, including when the cause was weather or a strike. Book a reasonable hotel yourself if the airline provides nothing and claim the receipts back.
Can I book my own replacement flight and get reimbursed?
You can if the airline cannot reroute you within a reasonable time. Ask the airline first in writing, buy a comparable ticket rather than a premium one, and submit the receipt with your claim.
What if my flight was cancelled months ago?
You can still claim. The window is three years in most EU countries and six years in the UK, and the airline must honour a valid claim regardless of how long ago you flew.
Two things we never travel without: a medical policy that actually pays abroad, and a way to claim cash back when an airline ruins the plan.
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