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I’ve claimed EU flight compensation myself. The airline won’t bring it up at the gate, so most students never ask. Here’s how it works and how to get it.
Quick answer
If your flight from an EU airport, or on an EU airline into the EU, arrived more than three hours late or was cancelled less than 14 days before departure, you’re probably owed €250, €400 or €600 depending on the distance. In Denmark you have three years to claim. You can claim directly from the airline for free, or let a service like Flyhjælp handle it for a fee if the airline stalls.
When you’re owed compensation
The EU rule is Regulation 261/2004, usually called EU261. It applies if:
- Your flight departed from an airport in the EU, Iceland, Norway or Switzerland, on any airline, or
- Your flight arrived in the EU on an EU airline.
And one of these happened:
- You reached your final destination three hours or more late.
- The airline cancelled the flight less than 14 days before departure.
- You were denied boarding because the flight was overbooked.
The delay counts at arrival, when the doors open, not at take-off.
How much
| Flight distance | Compensation | Example from Copenhagen |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 1,500 km | €250 | Berlin, Prague, Warsaw |
| 1,500 to 3,500 km (and all longer flights within the EU) | €400 | Rome, Madrid, Athens |
| Over 3,500 km | €600 | New York, Bangkok |
On the longest routes, the amount can be halved if you arrive only three to four hours late. Compensation is per passenger, and the ticket price doesn’t matter: a 300 kr budget flight earns the same as a full-price one.
When you’re not owed anything
Airlines don’t pay for “extraordinary circumstances” outside their control. That covers severe weather, air traffic control strikes, security alerts and bird strikes. Technical faults and the airline’s own staff strikes usually don’t count as extraordinary, though airlines often claim they do. That’s where most disputes start.
Separately from compensation, the airline must look after you during a long delay: meals and drinks, and a hotel if you’re stuck overnight. Keep your receipts if they don’t, and claim the costs back.
Claim it yourself
- Find the airline’s EU261 claim form on its website. SAS, Norwegian and Ryanair all have one.
- Add your booking reference, flight number, date and what happened.
- Wait. Airlines often take weeks and sometimes reject valid claims at first.
- If the airline says no or doesn’t answer within about six weeks, complain to Trafikstyrelsen, the Danish Civil Aviation Authority. It’s free.
Claiming yourself costs nothing and you keep the full amount.
When a claims service is worth it
A claims service does the paperwork and fights the airline for you, including in court. In return it keeps part of the payout. It’s worth it if the airline has rejected you, if you don’t want to chase a claim in Danish or legal English, or if the flight was months or years ago and you’ve lost track of the details.
Flyhjælp is a Danish service. You check your flight on their site, and they take a fee only from the compensation they win. Check their current fee before you sign.
→ Check your flight with Flyhjælp
Booking the next trip
Book directly or through a site where you know who the airline is. Self-transfer connections booked as separate tickets don’t count as one journey under EU261, so a missed connection usually isn’t covered. Flybillet.dk compares flights from Danish airports if you’re planning a trip home.
FAQ
How long do I have to claim in Denmark?
Three years from the flight, under Danish limitation rules. Claims for older flights are usually rejected.
Do budget airlines like Ryanair have to pay?
Yes. EU261 applies to every airline departing from the EU and doesn’t depend on what you paid for the ticket.
Does a delay because of weather count?
No. Severe weather is an extraordinary circumstance, and the airline doesn’t owe compensation. It still has to give you food and a hotel if needed.
Can I claim for a flight from outside the EU?
Only if you flew on an EU airline into the EU. A flight from Bangkok to Copenhagen on Thai Airways isn’t covered; the same route on SAS is.
Last checked: October 2026. This is general information, not legal advice. The EU’s Your Europe site and Trafikstyrelsen publish the official rules.