Flight delayed: what you can ask for at 2, 3 and 5 hours
Flight delayed? From 2 hours you can ask for food and calls, from 5 hours a refund, and 3 hours late on arrival may mean €250-€600. Here is what to do now.
Short answer: In the EU, a 2, 3 or 4-hour delay, by distance, gives you meals, drinks and two calls. An overnight delay adds a hotel and transport. At 5 hours you can drop the trip and get a refund. Arriving 3 hours or more late can mean €250 to €600 compensation.
Your flight is delayed. The board keeps adding minutes and nobody explains why. Your rights grow with every hour you wait. Here is what to do, hour by hour.
Do this now
- Screenshot the board and the app. Note the original time and every new estimate.
- Ask the gate agent for the reason. Ask for it in writing or by email if possible.
- Check your flight distance. It decides when food and drinks start, at 2, 3 or 4 hours.
- Ask for meal vouchers once you reach that threshold. Do not wait for an announcement.
- Keep every receipt. Food, drinks, taxi, hotel, phone.
- Watch the 5-hour mark. From there you can choose to stop the trip and ask for a refund.
Do not accept a voucher in place of money before you read the terms. It can end your refund claim.
What to say at the desk
"My flight is delayed beyond the threshold for this distance. Under EU Regulation 261/2004 I am asking for meal and drink vouchers now. If the delay runs overnight, I need a hotel and transport. Please also give me the reason for the delay in writing."
Say it calmly. Keep your boarding pass in your hand. Need more lines? See what to say at the airline desk.
Delay length: what you can ask for
| Delay | Flight distance | What you can ask for |
|---|---|---|
| 2 h+ | Up to 1,500 km | Meals, drinks, two calls or emails |
| 3 h+ | Intra-EU over 1,500 km, or other flights 1,500–3,500 km | Meals, drinks, two calls or emails |
| 4 h+ | All other flights | Meals, drinks, two calls or emails |
| Overnight | Any | Hotel plus transport to and from it |
| 5 h+ | Any | Drop the trip and get a refund |
| Arrive 3 h+ late | Any | Possible €250 / €400 / €600 compensation |
Care thresholds count from the planned departure time. Compensation counts from your arrival at the final destination.
Flight delayed 2 hours: what are my rights?
On a short flight, up to 1,500 km, the 2-hour mark matters. From there the airline must give you:
- Meals and refreshments in reasonable relation to the wait.
- Two phone calls, emails or messages.
- A hotel if you must stay overnight, plus transport between airport and hotel.
On longer flights the same care starts at 3 or 4 hours. This care is owed even when the cause is weather or air traffic control. Extraordinary circumstances can block compensation. They do not block food and a bed.
No vouchers and no desk? Buy a reasonable meal yourself and keep the receipt. Claim it back later. Full guide: when the airline must give you food and a hotel.
Flight delayed what to do if it runs into the night?
Ask for a hotel and transport as soon as it is clear you will not leave tonight. Hotels near the airport fill fast during big delays.
If the airline gives no help, book a reasonable hotel yourself. Keep the receipt and screenshots of your attempts to reach them. Read flight delayed overnight: who pays for the hotel.
At 5 hours you also get a choice. You can drop the trip and get a refund. If you are already mid-journey, you can also ask for a flight back to where you started. Details: delayed 5 hours or more? you can walk away.
If the delay turns into a cancellation, your options change. Read what to do when your flight is cancelled.
How long a delay before compensation?
The magic number is 3 hours late on arrival at your final destination. Then the same compensation right applies as for a cancellation:
- €250 for flights up to 1,500 km.
- €400 for intra-EU flights over 1,500 km, and other flights of 1,500–3,500 km.
- €600 for flights over 3,500 km.
On one booking with a connection, the delay at your final destination is what counts. See missed your connection because of a delay.
The airline can refuse when it proves extraordinary circumstances it could not avoid. Examples are severe weather, air traffic control limits or security risks. Technical problems are, as a rule, not extraordinary. More: what airlines can and can't hide behind.
This is homework for next week. Tonight, focus on food, a bed and getting there.
Delayed flight rights outside Europe
These rights apply to flights departing from an EU airport on any airline. They also apply to flights into the EU on an EU airline. Iceland, Norway and Switzerland are included.
On US flights there is no federal fixed delay compensation. Meals and hotels depend on each airline's own commitments.
FAQ
How long does a flight have to be delayed before I get food? It depends on distance. It is 2 hours up to 1,500 km, 3 hours for medium flights and 4 hours for long ones.
Does the airline pay for a hotel if my flight is delayed overnight? Yes, under EU261, if you must stay overnight. It also pays transport between the airport and the hotel.
How many hours late do I need to be for compensation? 3 hours or more at your final destination. Then €250, €400 or €600 may apply, by distance.
Can I cancel my flight if it is delayed? Yes, from 5 hours. You can drop the trip and get a refund for the ticket.
Do I get compensation if the delay was caused by weather? Usually not, if the airline proves extraordinary circumstances. You still get meals and, if needed, a hotel.
Is a technical problem an excuse for a long delay? As a rule, no. Courts treat technical problems as normally not extraordinary, so compensation can still apply.
Delayed right now and nobody is helping? Get a human on your case now. Three hours late or more? See the quick sheet for a flight delayed 3 hours.
Advice only, not legal advice. Rights summarised from Regulation (EC) No 261/2004, CJEU case law and the European Commission's air passenger rights pages. Updated 10 October 2026.
