Compensation is the money you claim afterwards. But while you're sitting in the departure lounge, the airline also owes you something more immediate: food, drink, a hotel if it comes to that, and in some cases your money back. These rights apply even when the delay isn't the airline's fault.
RIGHTS
Flight delayed? Meals, hotels and refunds the airline owes
The airline's duty of care during a delay: when you get food, drink and a hotel, when you can take a refund, and how to claim back what you paid yourself.
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- Flights from the last 6 years
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On this page
- What does the airline have to give me during a delay?
- When does the right to care start?
- Do I get care even if the delay was caused by weather?
- What if the airline doesn't give me anything?
- When can I get a refund for a delayed flight?
- What happens if my flight is cancelled?
- Is the right to care instead of compensation?
- The airline gave me a meal voucher. Is that my compensation?
- What should I do at the airport?
- Can I claim care costs and compensation together?
- Frequently asked questions
What does the airline have to give me during a delay?
The rules call it the right to care. Once your delay passes a certain length, the airline must offer:
- meals and refreshments in reasonable relation to how long you're waiting;
- two phone calls, emails or similar messages;
- a hotel room, if you need to stay one or more nights, or longer than you planned;
- transport between the airport and the hotel.
These come from Articles 6 and 9 of the regulation, in both its UK (UK261) and EU (EC261) versions.
When does the right to care start?
It depends on the flight distance and how long the airline expects the delay to be past your scheduled departure time.
| Flight distance | Care starts when the delay is at least |
|---|---|
| Up to 1,500 km | 2 hours |
| 1,500 to 3,500 km (and intra-EU flights over 1,500 km) | 3 hours |
| Over 3,500 km | 4 hours |
Note that this is about the delay to your departure, unlike compensation, which is about your arrival.
For a cancellation, care applies while you wait for the replacement flight you've chosen. For denied boarding, it applies straight away.
Do I get care even if the delay was caused by weather?
Yes. This is one of the most misunderstood points. The right to care doesn't depend on whose fault the delay was. Storms, air traffic control strikes, even airspace closures: the airline still has to look after you.
The EU Court of Justice made this clear in McDonagh v Ryanair (2013), a case about the 2010 volcanic ash cloud. The court held that the airline still had to provide care, even in circumstances that were wildly outside its control, with no fixed cap on how long it lasts. What the airline must repay is what was necessary, appropriate and reasonable.
Extraordinary circumstances only affect compensation, the fixed sum you claim afterwards. They don't affect care.
What if the airline doesn't give me anything?
It happens: no staff at the desk, vouchers that don't cover a meal at airport prices, no hotel arranged. In that case:
- Buy what's reasonable. A proper meal and drinks, not a three-course dinner with wine. A standard hotel near the airport, not a five-star suite.
- Keep every receipt. Photograph them on your phone as well.
- Claim the cost back from the airline afterwards, with the receipts.
The airline has to reimburse reasonable costs it should have covered. "Reasonable" is the key word: it means the sort of thing the airline would itself have provided.
What usually gets repaid:
- meals and soft drinks while waiting;
- a hotel for the night if the delay ran overnight;
- a taxi or bus to and from the hotel;
- phone calls if you had to pay for them.
What usually doesn't:
- alcohol;
- a hotel far more expensive than those near the airport;
- a hire car to drive to your destination, unless the airline agreed it.
When can I get a refund for a delayed flight?
If the delay reaches five hours or more, you can choose to abandon the trip and get a full refund of the ticket. If you're partway through a journey, the airline must also fly you back to where you started at the earliest opportunity.
The refund must be paid within seven days, and in money: by cash, bank transfer, cheque or the original payment method. Vouchers or travel credit are only allowed if you agree in writing.
What happens if my flight is cancelled?
You get a choice, whatever caused the cancellation:
- a full refund within seven days; or
- re-routing to your destination at the earliest opportunity; or
- re-routing at a later date that suits you.
If you choose to re-route as soon as possible, the right to care applies while you wait.
Re-routing should be "under comparable transport conditions". If the airline's own next flight is days away, it may be reasonable to expect a seat on another airline. If the airline refuses to arrange anything and you book a replacement yourself, keep the receipts and the airline's refusal: you may be able to claim the cost back.
Whether you're also owed compensation for a cancellation depends on when you were told and why it happened. See refund vs compensation.
Is the right to care instead of compensation?
No. They're separate.
- Care is food, drink, hotels and transport while you wait. It's owed whatever caused the delay.
- Compensation is the fixed £220, £350 or £520 (or €250, €400 or €600) you can claim if you arrived three hours or more late and the airline was responsible.
- Refunds are your ticket money back, if you chose not to travel after a cancellation or a delay of five hours or more.
You can be owed all three. A family stranded overnight by a technical fault could be owed a hotel and meals on the night, and then compensation afterwards. See our UK flight delay compensation guide for how compensation works.
The airline gave me a meal voucher. Is that my compensation?
No. A food voucher is part of the right to care. It doesn't replace compensation, and accepting it doesn't affect any claim you make afterwards.
The same goes for a hotel. Being put up overnight is the airline doing what it must; it isn't compensation for the delay.
The only time compensation can be replaced is if you agree in writing to accept vouchers or travel credit instead of the money.
What should I do at the airport?
- Ask the airline's staff what care is being offered and where to collect it.
- Check the airline's app or emails: many send meal vouchers or hotel details by text or email.
- If nothing is offered, buy what's reasonable and keep the receipts.
- Note the times: when you were told about the delay, when you were given food, when you left.
- Don't sign anything that says it's in full settlement unless you understand what you're giving up.
Can I claim care costs and compensation together?
Yes. Expenses you paid that the airline should have covered can be claimed alongside compensation. We include them when we send a claim, so you don't have to make a second one. Send the receipts with your claim.
Stranded and paid your own way? Enter the flight number and date and we'll check the compensation, and add your receipts to the claim. No win, no fee: 30% including VAT, nothing up front. Check my flight
Frequently asked questions
How long does a flight have to be delayed to get free food?
Two hours for flights up to 1,500 km, three hours for flights of 1,500 to 3,500 km, and four hours for longer flights, counted from the scheduled departure time.
Do airlines have to provide a hotel?
Yes, if your delay or cancellation means you have to stay overnight, the airline must provide a hotel and transport to and from it. This applies whatever caused the delay.
Can I get a refund if my flight is delayed?
If the delay reaches five hours and you decide not to travel, yes. You're owed a full refund within seven days, and a flight back to your starting point if you're mid-journey.
Do I still get care if the delay was caused by bad weather?
Yes. The right to care applies regardless of the cause. Bad weather can affect compensation, but not meals, drinks or a hotel.
Can I claim back alcohol?
Usually not. Airlines repay reasonable costs for meals and soft drinks. Alcohol is generally refused.
