Flight Compensation Calculator: How Much Are You Owed?

Wondering how much compensation you're entitled to for your delayed or cancelled flight? Under EU Regulation EC 261/2004, the amount is based on one simple factor: the distance of your flight.

Not the ticket price. Not your class of travel. Not the length of the delay (as long as it's 3+ hours). Just the distance.

→ Check your flight now — free, instant result

Here's exactly how it works — plus tables showing compensation for the most common routes from Portugal, the UK, and Germany.

Quick Answer: The EC261 Compensation Calculator

Under EU Regulation EC 261/2004, you're entitled to €250 for short-haul flights (under 1,500 km), €400 for medium-haul flights (1,500–3,500 km), and €600 for long-haul flights (over 3,500 km) — per passenger, regardless of what you paid for your ticket. The only requirement is a delay of 3+ hours at arrival or a cancellation with less than 14 days' notice.

The Three Compensation Tiers

EC 261 divides flights into three distance categories:

Flight Distance	Compensation Per Person
Short-haul: Up to 1,500 km	€250
Medium-haul: 1,500 – 3,500 km	€400
Long-haul: Over 3,500 km	€600

These amounts are fixed by EU law. They don't change based on:

• How much you paid for the ticket
• Whether you flew economy, business, or first class
• How long the delay was (above the 3-hour minimum)
• Whether you can prove financial loss

Every passenger with a confirmed booking gets the same amount — including children with their own seat.

How to Calculate Your Flight Compensation: Step by Step

Calculating your compensation takes less than two minutes. Here's how:

Step 1: Confirm your flight qualifies. Your flight must either depart from an EU airport (any airline) or arrive at an EU airport on an EU-based carrier. The disruption must be a delay of 3+ hours at your final destination, a cancellation with less than 14 days' notice, or denied boarding against your will.

Step 2: Find the distance between your airports. The distance is measured as the great circle distance (shortest straight line) between your departure and final arrival airports. For connecting flights on a single booking, measure from origin to final destination — not each leg separately.

Step 3: Match the distance to the compensation tier. Under 1,500 km = €250. Between 1,500 km and 3,500 km = €400. Over 3,500 km = €600.

Step 4: Multiply by the number of passengers. Each passenger on the booking receives their own compensation. A family of four on a disrupted medium-haul flight receives €1,600 total.

Step 5: Check for extraordinary circumstances. Airlines don't have to pay if the disruption was caused by something genuinely outside their control — severe weather, air traffic control strikes, or security threats. But technical faults, crew shortages, and "operational issues" are NOT valid excuses. For the full breakdown, see our extraordinary circumstances guide.

Don't want to calculate manually? Use our free flight checker — enter your flight number and get an instant answer →

How Distance Is Calculated

The distance is measured as the great circle distance (shortest straight-line path between two points on the globe) between your departure and arrival airports.

For direct flights, it's straightforward: origin airport to destination airport.

For connecting flights booked on a single reservation, the distance is measured from your first departure airport to your final destination. So a Lisbon → Frankfurt → Bangkok itinerary uses the distance from Lisbon to Bangkok — not the sum of each leg.

This matters because connecting routes often push you into a higher compensation tier. A Lisbon to Bangkok connection is over 10,000 km, putting you firmly in the €600 bracket.

Compensation Tables: Common Routes

From Lisbon (LIS)

Short-Haul (Up to 1,500 km) — €250

Destination	Approx. Distance
Madrid (MAD)	502 km
Seville (SVQ)	314 km
Barcelona (BCN)	1,009 km
Porto (OPO)	274 km
Faro (FAR)	226 km
Málaga (AGP)	508 km
Paris Orly (ORY)	1,451 km
Toulouse (TLS)	1,073 km
Lyon (LYS)	1,405 km
Bordeaux (BOD)	968 km
Marrakech (RAK)	1,324 km
Casablanca (CMN)	838 km

Medium-Haul (1,500–3,500 km) — €400

Destination	Approx. Distance
London Heathrow (LHR)	1,586 km
London Gatwick (LGW)	1,579 km
Amsterdam (AMS)	1,862 km
Frankfurt (FRA)	1,901 km
Munich (MUC)	1,976 km
Zurich (ZRH)	1,780 km
Brussels (BRU)	1,714 km
Rome (FCO)	1,864 km
Milan (MXP)	1,695 km
Berlin (BER)	2,317 km
Dublin (DUB)	1,646 km
Copenhagen (CPH)	2,598 km
Stockholm (ARN)	2,879 km
Vienna (VIE)	2,300 km
Warsaw (WAW)	2,746 km
Athens (ATH)	2,854 km
Istanbul (IST)	3,108 km
Tel Aviv (TLV)	3,444 km
Funchal/Madeira (FNC)	978 km*

*Madeira is under 1,500 km (€250) despite feeling like a longer trip.

Long-Haul (Over 3,500 km) — €600

Destination	Approx. Distance
New York (JFK)	5,427 km
Newark (EWR)	5,389 km
Boston (BOS)	5,337 km
Toronto (YYZ)	5,740 km
São Paulo (GRU)	7,942 km
Rio de Janeiro (GIG)	7,725 km
Recife (REC)	5,744 km
Luanda (LAD)	6,019 km
Maputo (MPM)	8,531 km
Dakar (DSS)	2,900 km*

*Dakar is actually medium-haul — included here as a common misconception.

From Porto (OPO)

Short-Haul — €250

Destination	Approx. Distance
Madrid (MAD)	420 km
Lisbon (LIS)	274 km
Barcelona (BCN)	876 km
Paris (CDG/ORY)	1,136 km
Lyon (LYS)	1,089 km
London Stansted (STN)	1,332 km

Medium-Haul — €400

Destination	Approx. Distance
London Heathrow (LHR)	1,365 km*
Amsterdam (AMS)	1,575 km
Frankfurt (FRA)	1,621 km
Brussels (BRU)	1,426 km*
Dublin (DUB)	1,396 km*
Munich (MUC)	1,711 km
Rome (FCO)	1,716 km
Berlin (BER)	2,044 km

*Some routes from Porto hover near the 1,500 km boundary. The exact compensation tier depends on precise airport-to-airport distance.

Long-Haul — €600

Destination	Approx. Distance
Newark (EWR)	5,337 km
Toronto (YYZ)	5,530 km
São Paulo (GRU)	7,765 km

From Faro (FAR)

Short-Haul — €250

Destination	Approx. Distance
Lisbon (LIS)	226 km
Seville (SVQ)	200 km
Madrid (MAD)	584 km
Barcelona (BCN)	1,072 km
Marrakech (RAK)	840 km

Medium-Haul — €400

Destination	Approx. Distance
London (LGW/STN/LHR)	1,727 km
Manchester (MAN)	1,779 km
Dublin (DUB)	1,839 km
Amsterdam (AMS)	2,010 km
Frankfurt (FRA)	2,025 km
Paris (CDG)	1,644 km
Brussels (BRU)	1,862 km
Berlin (BER)	2,477 km
Copenhagen (CPH)	2,748 km

From London (LHR/LGW/STN)

Short-Haul — €250

Destination	Approx. Distance
Paris (CDG)	344 km
Amsterdam (AMS)	370 km
Brussels (BRU)	322 km
Dublin (DUB)	464 km
Edinburgh (EDI)	534 km
Geneva (GVA)	747 km
Barcelona (BCN)	1,138 km
Lisbon (LIS)	1,586 km*

*Lisbon from London is just above 1,500 km — this is a borderline case where the exact airport pair matters.

Medium-Haul — €400

Destination	Approx. Distance
Lisbon (LIS)	1,586 km
Faro (FAR)	1,727 km
Athens (ATH)	2,392 km
Istanbul (IST)	2,499 km
Tel Aviv (TLV)	3,580 km*
Marrakech (RAK)	2,378 km
Cairo (CAI)	3,517 km

*Tel Aviv from London is borderline — some routes exceed 3,500 km depending on exact airport.

Long-Haul — €600

Destination	Approx. Distance
New York (JFK)	5,539 km
Dubai (DXB)	5,475 km
Bangkok (BKK)	9,529 km
Singapore (SIN)	10,860 km
Los Angeles (LAX)	8,756 km
Toronto (YYZ)	5,713 km

From Frankfurt (FRA) / Munich (MUC)

Short-Haul — €250

Destination	Approx. Distance
London (LHR)	660 km
Paris (CDG)	479 km
Vienna (VIE)	600 km
Zurich (ZRH)	306 km
Amsterdam (AMS)	394 km
Milan (MXP)	528 km
Warsaw (WAW)	893 km
Barcelona (BCN)	1,094 km
Rome (FCO)	960 km

Medium-Haul — €400

Destination	Approx. Distance
Lisbon (LIS)	1,901 km
Athens (ATH)	1,806 km
Istanbul (IST)	1,863 km
Marrakech (RAK)	2,580 km
Tel Aviv (TLV)	2,937 km
Moscow (SVO)	2,023 km
Reykjavik (KEF)	2,963 km

Long-Haul — €600

Destination	Approx. Distance
New York (JFK)	6,196 km
Dubai (DXB)	4,839 km
Bangkok (BKK)	8,955 km
Singapore (SIN)	10,262 km
São Paulo (GRU)	9,497 km
Tokyo (NRT)	9,345 km

Multiply by Passengers

Remember: these amounts are per person. Here's what common group sizes could receive:

Group Size	Short-Haul (€250)	Medium-Haul (€400)	Long-Haul (€600)
1 passenger	€250	€400	€600
2 (couple)	€500	€800	€1,200
3	€750	€1,200	€1,800
4 (family)	€1,000	€1,600	€2,400
5	€1,250	€2,000	€3,000

A family of four on a disrupted transatlantic flight could receive €2,400. That's enough to pay for the next holiday.

The 50% Reduction Rule

There's one exception to the standard amounts. Airlines can reduce compensation by 50% if they offered you re-routing that got you to your destination with only a small delay:

• Short-haul: arrived less than 2 hours late
• Medium-haul: arrived less than 3 hours late
• Long-haul: arrived less than 4 hours late

In practice, this reduction is uncommon. If you were re-routed and still arrived within these windows, the airline may argue for half the amount. But if the re-routing itself was significantly delayed, you get the full amount.

What About Expenses During the Delay?

EC 261 compensation is separate from expenses. On top of the flat compensation, airlines must provide — or reimburse — reasonable costs for:

• Meals and refreshments during the wait
• Hotel accommodation if an overnight stay is needed
• Transport between the airport and hotel
• Two phone calls or emails

Keep your receipts. These are reimbursable regardless of whether you also receive compensation. Read more about your full rights under EC 261.

When Airlines Don't Have to Pay

Airlines can refuse compensation only if the disruption was caused by extraordinary circumstances — events genuinely beyond the airline's control. This includes:

• Severe weather making flight unsafe
• Air traffic control restrictions or closures
• Political instability or security threats
• Strikes by airport staff (not airline staff)

What does NOT count as extraordinary circumstances:

• Technical faults or mechanical problems — the CJEU ruled in Wallentin-Hermann (C-549/07) that these are inherent to airline operations
• Crew shortages or illness — per the ECJ ruling on pilot illness, this is the airline's staffing problem
• "Operational reasons" — vague catch-all that courts consistently reject
• Bird strikes — per Pešková (C-315/15), these ARE extraordinary, but the airline must still prove they took all reasonable measures

For Ryanair passengers specifically, see our Ryanair extraordinary circumstances list — a breakdown of what Ryanair commonly claims and whether it holds up.

Airlines reject roughly 40% of valid claims by citing extraordinary circumstances. Over 90% of cases that reach court are decided in the passenger's favour. Don't take the airline's word for it. Read our full guide to challenging extraordinary circumstances.

Don't Guess — Check Your Flight Now

The tables above cover the most common routes, but every flight is different. Border cases near the 1,500 km or 3,500 km thresholds can go either way depending on exact airport-to-airport distance.

The fastest way to know exactly how much you're owed? Check your flight with FlightOwed →

Enter your flight number and date. We'll calculate your compensation instantly, verify your eligibility, and — if you want — handle the entire claim process for you. Free to check. No win, no fee.

Learn more: Complete EC 261 guide | 5 things airlines don't want you to know | How FlightOwed works | How long compensation takes | Extraordinary circumstances — when airlines can refuse | Which airlines reject the most claims | Best compensation services compared

→ Part of the EC261 Complete Guide — see all related guides.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the maximum EC261 compensation I can receive?

The maximum is €600 per person, for flights over 3,500 km that were delayed by 4+ hours, cancelled, or involved denied boarding. This amount is fixed by EU law and applies regardless of ticket price, booking class, or how far in advance you purchased. Check your flight now →

Can the airline reduce my compensation by the ticket price I paid?

No — EC261 compensation is entirely separate from and additional to any ticket refund. Even if the airline refunds your fare in full, the compensation amount remains the same. The two are legally distinct: one is a contractual refund, the other is a statutory penalty for disruption.

What are the exact distance thresholds for EC261 compensation?

• €250: Flights under 1,500 km (e.g., Lisbon–Madrid, London–Dublin)
• €400: Flights between 1,500 km and 3,500 km (e.g., Lisbon–London, Lisbon–Amsterdam)
• €600: Flights over 3,500 km (e.g., Lisbon–New York, Lisbon–São Paulo)

Distances are measured as great-circle distance (straight-line) to the final destination.

Is the €400/€600 compensation reduced for short delays on long flights?

Yes — for flights over 3,500 km where you were delayed by 3–4 hours (but less than 4 hours), airlines can legally reduce the compensation by 50%, making it €300 instead of €600. For delays of 4+ hours, the full amount applies. For shorter flights, no reduction is permitted.

Do I receive compensation for a 2-hour delay?

No — EC261 compensation for delays requires a minimum 3-hour arrival delay at your final destination. A 2-hour departure delay that becomes a 3+ hour arrival delay still qualifies. The relevant time is when you land and the doors open at your final destination, not when you depart.

Can I claim compensation on top of a full ticket refund for a cancellation?

Yes. If your flight was cancelled and you chose a refund rather than rebooking, you are entitled to both: (1) a full refund of your ticket, and (2) the EC261 compensation payment. These are separate rights and are both recoverable. Start your claim here →

How is the distance calculated for flights with connections?

For connecting flights on a single booking, the distance is calculated from your origin airport to your final destination — the total journey distance, not each individual leg. This matters most for connection-heavy routes where the total exceeds a compensation threshold.

How do I use the flight compensation calculator?

Enter your flight number and travel date into the FlightOwed flight checker. The tool automatically identifies your route, calculates the great-circle distance between airports, determines your compensation tier (€250, €400, or €600), and checks whether your disruption qualifies under EC261. The check takes 30 seconds and is completely free.