The new EU261 rules: what changes, and when
Updated
General information, not legal advice. The outcome depends on the facts of your case.
The EU has changed the rules on compensation for delayed and cancelled flights. The new rules are in Regulation (EU) 2026/2202, published on 2 October 2026. Here is what it means for you, checked against the official text.
Nothing changes for your flight yet
The regulation enters into force on 22 October 2026, but it applies from 23 October 2027 (Article 3). Until then, the current rules apply to every flight. If your flight was delayed or cancelled before that date, your claim follows today's rules and today's case law. Norway and Iceland follow EU261 through the EEA Agreement, so there the new rules apply only once they are added to that agreement, which can be later.
What stays the same
- 3 hours. You still have a right to compensation when you arrive more than 3 hours late at your final destination.
- The amounts. Still €250 (up to 1,500 km), €400 (1,500 to 3,500 km, and all longer flights inside the EU) and €600 (other flights over 3,500 km).
- Extraordinary circumstances. The airline still does not have to pay if the cause was extraordinary and it took all reasonable measures.
What changes from 23 October 2027
- A 9-month deadline. You must send your claim to the airline within nine months of the departure date on your ticket (Article 7(9)). Today the deadline is set by national law and is often several years.
- An answer within 30 days. The airline must confirm your claim straight away, and within 30 days either pay or explain why not.
- A named reason. If the airline blames extraordinary circumstances, it must say which item on the new official list it relies on, and explain how the event caused your delay and what it did to avoid it.
- An official list. The new annex lists what counts as extraordinary: for example weather that makes flying unsafe, air traffic control restrictions, strikes at the airport or air traffic control, bird strikes, and hidden manufacturing defects. Ordinary technical faults are not on the list. Crew illness counts only when it happens after departure.
- A complaint step. If the airline refuses, you can complain to it within 12 months of the flight (or 3 months after your claim, if later). It must give a reasoned reply within a month.
- Information after the flight. Within 96 hours, the airline must tell you about your right to compensation and how to claim.
What this means if you were rejected now
Your case is judged under today's rules, which are well tested in court. The EU Court has already held that most technical problems are the airline's own responsibility (van der Lans C-257/14). A vague refusal is still worth challenging. Check your rejection or read what to do when the airline rejects your claim.
From late 2027, time will matter more. A rejection should be answered quickly, so the 9-month and 12-month deadlines never run out.
Got the airline's reply? Paste it into the rejection checker and see what EU court rulings say about their excuse.