> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.sosflights.help/blog/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Bumped from an overbooked flight? What to say and what you get - URL: https://www.sosflights.help/blog/denied-boarding-overbooked-flight/ - Published: 2026-10-11T08:01:58.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-11T12:23:19.000Z - Description: Denied boarding on an overbooked flight? In the EU you get €250 to €600 on the spot, a new flight or refund, and food and a hotel. What to say at the gate. - Author: Codeblocks - Tags: Travel Help, Denied Boarding > **Short answer:** On an overbooked EU flight, the airline must first ask for volunteers. If you are bumped against your will, you are owed compensation immediately: €250, €400 or €600 by distance. You also choose a refund or a new flight, plus food and a hotel if needed. Get everything in writing. The gate agent says the flight is full and your seat is gone. You checked in, you are on time, and the plane is right there. Do not walk away. The next ten minutes decide what you get. ## Do this now 1. **Stay at the gate.** Do not leave until you have a written answer. 2. **Ask one question first: "Is this voluntary or involuntary?"** The answer decides your rights. 3. **Screenshot your boarding pass, check-in time and the gate screen.** This is your proof you were on time. 4. **Ask for the written notice of your rights.** The airline must hand it out on denied boarding. 5. **Ask for your new flight, meals and, if needed, a hotel.** Name each one. 6. **Do not sign or click anything** until you know if it is cash, a voucher or a deal. ## What to say at the desk > "I checked in on time and I am at the gate with a valid ticket. I am not volunteering to give up my seat. Under Article 4 of EU Regulation 261/2004, I am asking for compensation now. I also want a new flight or a refund, plus meals and a hotel if needed. Please give me this in writing." Stay calm and specific. If they offer a deal, listen, then decide. More ready-made lines: what to say at the airline desk. ![Denied boarding overbooked rights](https://www.sosflights.help/blog/content/images/2026/10/denied-boarding-overbooked-flight-inline.webp) Denied boarding overbooked rights · Illustration: SOS Flights ## Volunteer or bumped: what you get | Situation | Compensation | New flight or refund | Food and hotel | | ------------------------ | ------------------------------- | -------------------- | ------------------- | | You volunteer | Whatever you agree | Agree it in writing | Agree it in writing | | Bumped against your will | €250 / €400 / €600, immediately | Yes, your choice | Yes, while you wait | The amount depends on flight distance. €250 is for flights up to 1,500 km. €400 is for intra-EU flights over 1,500 km and other flights of 1,500 to 3,500 km. €600 is for longer flights. It can be halved if your new flight arrives close to the original time. The limit is 2, 3 or 4 hours, by distance. ## Overbooked flight compensation: should I volunteer? Maybe. Volunteering can work well if you are flexible. But your rights then come from the deal, not the fixed amounts. So negotiate before you say yes. Ask these questions out loud: - Is it cash or a voucher? Cash is easier to use. - If a voucher, when does it expire and what does it cover? - Which flight am I on, and when does it arrive? - Will you cover meals, a hotel and transport if I wait overnight? Get the deal in writing or as an email before you hand over your boarding pass. Accepting a voucher can end your cash claim, so read before you click. Full guide: voucher or refund: read this first. ## Bumped from flight, what now? If you did not volunteer, you are owed compensation immediately. You also choose between three options. A refund within 7 days. The next available flight to your destination under comparable conditions. Or a later date that suits you. While you wait, the airline owes you meals and two calls or emails. If you must stay overnight, it owes a hotel and transport. If you face a night at the airport, read [stranded at the airport overnight](https://www.sosflights.help/blog/stranded-at-airport-overnight/). The same choices apply as after a cancellation: [what to do when your flight is cancelled](https://www.sosflights.help/blog/flight-cancelled-what-to-do/). ## Airline denied boarding and says I was late. What now? This is a common pushback. If the airline says you were late, it may refuse the compensation. Your answer is proof. So arrive on time and keep proof. Useful evidence: - Your check-in confirmation with its time stamp. - A photo of the gate screen when you arrived. - Bag drop receipt, if you checked a bag. - Names of any staff you spoke to. If you were truly late, be honest with yourself. The claim will be weak. If you were on time, keep the proof and claim later. See your disruption evidence kit. ## Moved to a lower class instead? Sometimes the airline keeps you on the plane but in a lower class. That is a downgrade, not denied boarding. You get back 30%, 50% or 75% of the ticket price for that flight, by distance. Read downgraded? you get money back. ## Flying in the US? The US DOT has its own bumping rules, separate from EU261\. Check transportation.gov for current terms before you accept anything. ## FAQ **How much compensation do I get for an overbooked flight?** Under EU261, €250, €400 or €600 per passenger, by distance, if you are bumped against your will. It is owed immediately. **Do I have to volunteer to give up my seat?** No. The airline must ask for volunteers first. You can say no and keep your full rights if you are then bumped. **Is a voucher better than cash for volunteering?** It depends on the deal. A voucher may expire or carry limits. Get the terms in writing before you accept. **What else am I owed besides compensation?** A choice of refund or new flight, plus meals, two calls or emails, and a hotel with transport if needed. **The airline says I checked in too late. Can they refuse me?** They may, if you really were late. Arrive on time and keep timestamped proof of check-in and arrival at the gate. **I was moved to economy instead of business. Is that denied boarding?** No, that is a downgrade. You get 30%, 50% or 75% of that flight's ticket price back, by distance. --- Bumped right now and the gate is closing? [Get a human on your case now](https://www.sosflights.help/en?ref=sosflights.help). Quick sheet: [overbooked flight and denied boarding](https://www.sosflights.help/en/help/overbooked-denied-boarding?ref=sosflights.help). *Advice only, not legal advice. Rights summarised from Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 and the European Commission's air passenger rights pages. Updated 10 October 2026.* ## Related guides - [Flight cancelled? What to do in the next 30 minutes](https://www.sosflights.help/blog/flight-cancelled-what-to-do/) - [Stranded at the airport overnight? What the airline owes you](https://www.sosflights.help/blog/stranded-at-airport-overnight/)