Delayed at the airport: your rights
Whatever caused the delay, the airline has to look after you while you wait. Here is what you can ask for now, and what to keep for a claim later.
Checked against official sources on 16 October 2026
In short
- After a delay of 2, 3 or 4 hours, depending on distance, the airline must give you food, drink and a way to make contact.
- If the delay runs overnight, it must give you a hotel and transport to it.
- These rights apply even when the delay was outside the airline’s control.
- After a delay of 5 hours or more you can choose not to fly and get a refund.
When care starts
The airline must look after you once it expects your departure to be delayed by at least:
| Flight distance | Delay |
|---|---|
| 1,500 km or less | 2 hours or more |
| 1,500 to 3,500 km | 3 hours or more |
| Over 3,500 km | 4 hours or more |
Unlike compensation, which is about your arrival time, care is triggered by the expected delay to your departure.
What the airline must give you
- Food and drink in proportion to the wait. This is often a voucher.
- Two phone calls or emails, or the cost of them back.
- A hotel if you need to stay one or more nights, and transport between the airport and the hotel. If you live near the airport, the airline may pay for you to travel home instead.
If the airline gives you nothing
The CAA says that if the airline cannot provide care, you can arrange reasonable care yourself and claim the cost back afterwards. To make that claim easy:
- Keep every receipt, and photograph them in case they fade.
- Spend what is reasonable. The CAA warns that alcohol and luxury hotels are likely to be refused.
- Ask staff at the gate what the airline is offering before you spend, and note who you spoke to.
If the delay reaches 5 hours
Once the delay is 5 hours or more, you can choose not to travel and get a refund of the ticket price for the parts of the journey you have not made, paid within 7 days. If you are partway through a journey with connections, the airline must also fly you back to where you started. If you take the refund, the airline no longer has to get you to your destination.
What to collect for a compensation claim
If you end up arriving 3 hours or more late, you may also be owed compensation of £220 to £520 per passenger. While you are still at the airport or on the way:
- Ask the airline for the reason, ideally in writing. The CAA says that if an airline relies on extraordinary circumstances, it should clearly set out why.
- Keep your booking confirmation and boarding passes. They show the flight number, booking reference and who operated the flight.
- Note the time you arrived at your final destination, and photograph the departures or arrivals board if it shows the delay.
- Keep any emails or texts from the airline about the delay.
When you are home, check what you may be owed in about a minute.
On an EU flight
EU261 gives the same kinds of care, refund and rerouting rights, at similar thresholds. Your Europe sets them out for EU flights.