# Flight delay compensation EU 2026: the €250/€400/€600 distance tiers

Megan Taylor · October 17, 2026

> EU flight delay compensation in 2026 pays €250, €400 or €600 by distance: up to 1,500 km, 1,500-3,500 km, or over 3,500 km. Learn your tier.

| Takeaway | Detail |
| --- | --- |
| EC261 compensation is €250 for flights up to 1,500 km. | The tier is set by great-circle distance between origin and destination airports, not by delay length or ticket price. |
| EC261 compensation is €400 for flights from 1,500 km to 3,500 km. | Grounding examples include Bari to London or Madrid. |
| EC261 compensation is €600 for flights over 3,500 km. | Grounding examples include Bari to New York or Dubai. |
| The airline must compensate you even if it reroutes you on another flight. | The compensation obligation remains after rerouting under the cited EC261 guidance. |

This guide shows how to compute the great-circle distance between your origin and destination airports and map it to the correct EC261 tier.

It also explains when to accept an airline's offer and when to challenge it.

![Blue hour vast airport terminal rain streaked glass curtain](https://static.mm-ais.com/article-images-ai/flight-delay-compensation-eu-2026-the-25-ai-18f9c414.jpg)
Blue hour vast airport terminal rain streaked glass curtain

## How the 250/400/600 tiers actually work

Under EU Regulation 261/2004, the compensation tier is fixed by the great-circle distance between the origin and destination airports, not by how long the delay lasted or what the ticket cost. That means the first check is geographic: measure the airport-to-airport distance, map it to the published band, and only then compare the airline's offer to that amount.

| Great-circle distance | Compensation tier |
| --- | --- |
| Up to 1,500 km | €250 |
| 1,500–3,500 km | €400 |
| More than 3,500 km | €600 |

flyhelp.com and troubleflight.com both present the same distance bands: up to 1,500 km corresponds to 250, 1,500–3,500 km to 400, and more than 3,500 km to 600. Because the first two bands both mention 1,500 km, a route sitting exactly on that boundary should be checked against the airline's stated basis or the relevant national enforcement body before you treat the amount as settled.

The tier only matters if a qualifying disruption occurred. Under EU Regulation 261/2004, the standard triggers are a delay of more than 3 hours at arrival, a cancellation the airline did not notify you about at least 14 days before departure, or denied boarding when you did not volunteer to give up your seat. Time limits for filing a claim vary by jurisdiction, so before claiming, check the limitation period that applies in the country where you would file.

Rerouting does not by itself remove the compensation. troubleflight.com states that the airline must compensate you even if it reroutes you on another flight. A rebooking may solve the travel problem, but it does not automatically convert a 400 or 600 case into a zero-euro case.

Practically, compute the great-circle distance, assign the band, and demand that figure if the disruption trigger is met. If the airline's offer matches the band, it is consistent with the distance rule; if it is lower, the shortfall is the amount to challenge. Keep the comparison to the distance-based tier rather than to delay length, fare paid, or the fact that you were rebooked.

![Dawn after storm regional airport asphalt puddles mirroring](https://static.mm-ais.com/article-images-ai/flight-delay-compensation-eu-2026-the-25-ai-8f3a25bd.jpg)
Dawn after storm regional airport asphalt puddles mirroring

## The evidence: what the sources actually say

flyhelp.com states the three tiers in wording a passenger can lift straight into a dispute: "Distance up to 1500 km – 250; Distance up to 1500-3500 km – 400; Distance more than 3500 km – 600." The same page says the amount of compensation depends on the distance between the airports, so the quote is not merely a price list; it is the distance-to-amount rule expressed in the source's own words.

troubleflight.com supplies the worked route examples that make those bands concrete. Its Bari page places Bari–London and Bari–Madrid in the 400 band for flights between 1,500 km and 3,500 km, and Bari–New York and Bari–Dubai in the 600 band for flights over 3,500 km. Its Saarbrücken page confirms the other end of the ladder, with the 250 band for short-haul routes up to 1,500 km, such as intra-European hops from Saarbrücken.

delaybuddy.com adds the claims-handler side of the evidence with a visible split rather than a vague promise: on a 600 long-haul claim, the passenger keeps 450 and the handler keeps 150. That example is useful because it shows the deduction taken from the same distance-based amount, giving a concrete benchmark when an offer arrives wrapped in "we will take care of everything" language.

flight-help.org frames the same three amounts as 250, 400, or 600 for each person, alongside a ticket refund or rerouting and expenses. As evidence, that wording keeps the distance-based compensation amount separate from the refund or rerouting line, so a reader can see which figure is the tier amount and which items are additional.

The value of these pages is comparative rather than official: each one repeats the same three distance bands, while the route examples and fee split show how the bands appear in real offers. A reader should therefore treat the examples as illustrations to verify against the actual origin and destination airports, not as a substitute for measuring the route.

![The evidence: what the sources actually say — Flight delay compensation EU 2026](https://static.mm-ais.com/article-images-pixabay/flight-delay-compensation-eu-2026-the-25-1088a9a3.jpg)

## Accept vs challenge: options compared

Start with the carrier's own claim form or written demand. The cost is zero and, if successful, you keep the entire statutory amount; the trade-off is that you must assemble boarding passes, booking confirmations, delay evidence, and follow up yourself. Claim-firm sites such as flyhelp.com advertise handling this process for you, which is a sign that direct claims can involve lengthy procedures — but treat any success-rate marketing as advertising, not evidence, and judge the route by cost and effort, not by slogans.

If the airline refuses or underpays, the National Enforcement Body route is free and statutory, but it is not a single EU desk: you must file in the airline's or departure state's jurisdiction. Before filing, check the EU Air Passenger Rights page for the correct NEB; filing in the wrong country wastes time and can stall the claim.

Commercial handlers such as FlyHelp/Softclaims or DelayBuddy require no upfront payment and charge only on success. DelayBuddy states that you see the exact split before confirming and that court costs are covered with no extra fees if the case escalates; FlyHelp/Softclaims advertises zero financial risk and handling of the necessary legal procedures.

The comparison is therefore not about eligibility but about who does the work and who takes the risk. Direct filing maximizes net recovery but puts documentation, deadlines, and escalation on you. A handler reduces that burden and advances costs, but its fee comes out of the recovery. The NEB sits between them: free and official, but dependent on correct jurisdiction and your own filing discipline.

Name the winner by your constraint: direct-to-airline is the winner for maximum net payout; a commercial handler is the winner for minimum effort and zero upfront cost; the NEB is the winner when you want a free statutory escalation and can file in the right jurisdiction. In all three, the first move is the same: compare the offer to your computed tier, accept only an exact match, and challenge any shortfall through the channel you can sustain.

![Accept vs challenge: options compared — Flight delay compensation EU 2026](https://static.mm-ais.com/article-images-pixabay/flight-delay-compensation-eu-2026-the-25-2aebb093.jpg)

## Costs and numbers that matter

Before using any commercial handler, verify on its own site whether payment is genuinely contingent on recovery and whether any upfront or court fees can be charged to you. On a true no-win-no-fee structure, the passenger's out-of-pocket downside is 0 if no compensation is recovered; the cost appears only as a deduction from money actually received, not as an upfront payment. Get the fee basis in writing before you sign.

DelayBuddy's published example shows the arithmetic on a 600 award: the passenger keeps 450 and the handler keeps 150, which is a 25% effective deduction (delaybuddy.com). The same statutory amount can therefore leave very different net proceeds depending on the fee basis, so the percentage matters as much as the headline tier.

Softclaims' German price list shows the 400 figure as the compensation for the out-of-court tier (soft.claims). That means an enforcement charge should be measured against the 400 base, not treated as an extra amount added on top of it; otherwise the passenger may overestimate the net recovery.

| FlyHelp | Fee only if compensation is recovered; out-of-pocket downside €0 (flyhelp.com) |
| --- | --- |
| DelayBuddy | €600 award → €450 net to passenger, €150 to handler, i.e. 25% (delaybuddy.com) |
| Softclaims | €400 listed as the compensation for the out-of-court tier; fee is not an add-on above it (soft.claims) |

Keep the comparison on one award at a time: a 25% deduction on 600 is 150, while a charge taken from a 400 tier leaves less room for error. The 0 downside applies only where payment is genuinely contingent on recovery, as FlyHelp describes.

![Costs and numbers that matter — Flight delay compensation EU 2026](https://static.mm-ais.com/article-images-pixabay/flight-delay-compensation-eu-2026-the-25-81768ff8.jpg)

## What the evidence does NOT establish

The sources in the available sources do not settle every rule that determines whether an EC261 claim succeeds or how long it remains open. They support some checks, but this section flags only the gaps: limitation periods, the extraordinary-circumstances defence, and exact NEB filing windows are not supplied in operative form.

On limitation periods, the sources do not state a single, consistent deadline. The period within which an EC261 claim can be brought depends on the national law of the jurisdiction where you file, and it can range around two to three years or more. Do not infer a deadline from any marketing page; check the specific national limitation period for the jurisdiction before filing.

The available sources also does not define the "extraordinary circumstances" defence in operative terms. flyhelp.com uses phrases such as a delay "caused by the airline for reasons beyond your control" and a cancellation "caused by the airline for reasons beyond your control," but it does not set out the legal test. Before accepting an airline's refusal on that ground, check Article 5(3) of Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 and the CJEU's Wallentin-Hermann line of cases.

The available sources do not list exact filing windows for national enforcement bodies. It does not state a fixed NEB deadline, so any filing window should be checked against the relevant body's own procedure rather than treated as a number taken from the sources. The same caution applies to any statement that a claim must be filed within a particular period after the flight.

The safe reading is therefore negative: where the available sources is silent or inconsistent, the passenger should not infer a deadline, defence, or filing window from it. Verify the limitation period, the extraordinary-circumstances test, and any NEB procedure independently before deciding whether to accept or challenge an offer.

![What the evidence does NOT establish — Flight delay compensation EU 2026](https://static.mm-ais.com/article-images-pixabay/flight-delay-compensation-eu-2026-the-25-fd122403.jpg)

## Bari → New York, 4-hour delay

Take Bari (BRI) to New York (JFK) as a worked check. The great-circle distance on this route is above 3,500 km, which places it in the 600 band, as troubleflight.com's Bari–New York example and flyhelp.com's distance mapping both indicate. Then check your own arrival time: if the delay at arrival exceeded 3 hours, the delay trigger is met and the 600 tier applies. Because the 3-hour threshold and your actual arrival time are the facts that decide the claim, keep your boarding pass and any arrival-time evidence before you make the demand.

| Check | Bari → New York result |
| --- | --- |
| Great-circle distance | Over 3,500 km |
| Correct tier | €600 (flyhelp.com; troubleflight.com) |
| Arrival delay | 4 hours, beyond the 3-hour threshold (flyhelp.com) |
| Decision | Accept only at €600 with no waiver; challenge otherwise |

Demand 600 as the opening position, not as a concession. If the airline offers exactly 600 and does not require a waiver of other claims, accepting it ends the matter. If the offer is 400 or 250, or if it is packaged as a voucher, future credit, or release, do not treat it as final; the four-hour delay does not move this route into a lower distance band. Even if the airline rerouted you, compensation is still owed (troubleflight.com).

Before answering, verify the band independently: use the great-circle distance between BRI and JFK, keep the booking confirmation and arrival-time evidence, and ask the airline to state in writing which band it applied and why. A written mismatch between its band and the over-3,500 km band is the substance of the challenge.

If the airline will not move to 600, escalate through the channel already selected for the claim rather than starting over; keep the same 600 demand and the same distance and delay evidence. Retain the boarding pass, booking confirmation, arrival-time proof, and any rerouting notice, and read any release before signing. The decision rule for this route is accept at 600 with no waiver, and challenge anything lower or conditional.

## Decision rules: accept or challenge

If the airline's written offer equals the correct tier for your route's great-circle distance, accept it, but only after you have the offer in writing and have checked that it names the same origin and destination airports you used in your calculation.

If the offer is below that tier, challenge it in writing. State the two airports, the great-circle distance you calculated, the tier that distance supports, and the exact amount you are claiming; set a 14-day deadline for a substantive reply and keep proof of delivery.

If the airline invokes extraordinary circumstances, demand three specifics in writing: the exact event, its date, and the evidence behind it. If the airline cannot name a concrete event, treat the defense as unproven and challenge the refusal rather than accept a lower amount.

If the airline's reasoning rests on delay length, ticket price, or any factor other than distance, reject that basis in writing and restate that the tier follows the great-circle distance between the two airports, not the circumstances of the disruption.

If the 14-day deadline passes without a substantive reply, or the reply repeats an unsupported defense, do not reopen negotiation on the same terms; escalate the claim beyond direct airline contact and keep copies of every message, calculation, and offer.

| If | Then |
| --- | --- |
| The written offer equals the correct tier for the route's great-circle distance | Accept it and keep written confirmation |
| The offer is below that tier | Challenge in writing, cite distance and tier, and set a 14-day reply deadline |
| The airline invokes extraordinary circumstances | Demand the event, date, and evidence; if no concrete event is named, treat the defense as unproven and challenge |
| The reasoning rests on delay length or ticket price | Reject that basis and restate the distance-based tier |
| The 14-day deadline passes without a substantive reply | Escalate beyond direct airline contact and keep the full record |

## What to do next

| Step | Action | Why it matters |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | Compute the great-circle distance between your origin and destination airports and map it to the €250, €400, or €600 tier, using examples such as Bari to London or Madrid versus Bari to New York or Dubai. | The tier is set by distance, not by delay length or ticket price. |
| 2 | Demand the airline state in writing which tier it applied and why. | It creates a record and exposes any mismatch before you accept. |
| 3 | Accept only a written offer that matches your tier and shows no valid extraordinary-circumstances defence, including after rerouting. | The compensation obligation remains even if the airline reroutes you. |
| 4 | If the offer mismatches or relies on an invalid defence, challenge it in writing within the airline's stated deadline. | It preserves your claim and moves the dispute to escalation. |
| 5 | Escalate to the national enforcement body or a no-win-no-fee claims handler. | It brings independent review or representation after the airline's deadline. |

## Frequently Asked Questions

**What determines the EC261 compensation tier?**

The tier is set by great-circle distance between origin and destination airports, not by delay length or ticket price.

**What happens to compensation if the airline reroutes the passenger?**

The airline must compensate you even if it reroutes you on another flight, and the compensation obligation remains after rerouting under the cited EC261 guidance.

**What is the first geographic check recommended before comparing an airline's offer?**

The first check is geographic: measure the airport-to-airport distance, map it to the published band, and only then compare the airline's offer to that amount.

**Which websites are cited as presenting the same distance bands?**

flyhelp.com and troubleflight.com both present the same distance bands.

**Which cities are given as grounding examples for the middle compensation tier?**

Grounding examples include Bari to London or Madrid.

**Which cities are given as grounding examples for the highest compensation tier?**

Grounding examples include Bari to New York or Dubai.

## Quick answers

| What determines the EC261 compensation tier? | The great-circle distance between the origin and destination airports, not delay length or ticket price. |
| --- | --- |
| Must an airline compensate after rerouting? | Yes, the airline must compensate you even if it reroutes you on another flight. |

Also worth reading: **EU261 2026: €250–€600 Tiers, 1,500km Rule & Filing Routes**: [EU261 2026: €250–€600 Tiers, 1,500km](https://aiflightrefunds.com/blog/eu261-2026-250600-tiers-1500km-rule-filing-routes.php) · **Heathrow EU261 Payouts: €250, €400, or €600 by Distance**: [Heathrow EU261 Payouts: €250, €400,](https://aiflightrefunds.com/blog/heathrow-eu261-payouts-250-400-or-600-by-distance.php) · **Airport Delay Compensation 2026: AI Systems Prove Your €250–€600 EU261 Claim**: [Airport Delay Compensation 2026: AI](https://aiflightrefunds.com/blog/airport-delay-compensation-2026-ai-systems-prove-your-250600-eu261-claim.php)

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