EU Regulation 261/2004

Not allowed on board? Overbooking is not your problem.

Airlines sell more seats than the aircraft holds. If you are refused against your will, the airline must compensate you immediately: €250 to €600, plus a replacement flight or your money back.

✓ No win, no fee✓ Result in 2 minutes✓ Weather excuse? We check the real data

Check your flight for free

Instant result, no account needed

Flight number

Flight date

Result in ±2 minutes · free & no obligation

No flight number? Search by route

€250

Flights up to 1,500 km

e.g. Amsterdam → London

€400

1,500 – 3,500 km

e.g. Brussels → Malaga

€600

Over 3,500 km

e.g. Amsterdam → New York

Per person, for 3+ hours delay at your final destination, cancellation less than 14 days ahead, or denied boarding. Claimable up to 6 years back.

When is denied boarding claimable?

Valid booking, on time
You had a confirmed reservation and presented yourself on time at check-in or the gate.
Refused against your will
If you gave up your seat voluntarily in exchange for an offer, the fixed compensation lapses.
EU departure or EU airline
Departing from an EU airport, or flying into the EU with a European carrier.
Payable immediately
Unlike delays there is no 3-hour wait: the right arises the moment you are refused.

Overbooking is the airline's choice

Overbooking is a deliberate business strategy: more tickets are sold than seats, on the assumption that some passengers will not show up. When everyone does, someone is left behind. The legislator has put a clear price on that.

For denied boarding against your will the airline must compensate you at the airport, immediately: €250, €400 or €600 depending on distance. Extraordinary circumstances play no role whatsoever here; overbooking is by definition the airline's own choice.

Care and transport while you wait

Besides the compensation the airline must offer you a choice: your money back within 7 days or an alternative flight to your destination. In the meantime you are entitled to meals, drinks and, if needed, a hotel night with transfers.

Be careful with offers at the gate: if you sign away your seat voluntarily, you trade your legal rights for that day's offer. Always ask what the law owes you before you sign.

How to claim for denied boarding

Keep your boarding pass, booking confirmation and every message from the airline. Enter your flight number and date in our checker; we confirm the flight data and calculate your compensation immediately.

After your digital signature we put the airline on notice and handle the entire claim. You only pay a fixed percentage on success; otherwise nothing.

Frequently asked questions

How much compensation for an overbooked flight?

€250 for flights up to 1,500 km, €400 up to 3,500 km and €600 beyond. The right arises immediately when you are refused against your will, with no waiting period.

I gave up my seat voluntarily. Can I still claim?

The fixed compensation then lapses; you fall back on what you agreed with the airline. If you doubt whether it was truly voluntary, for instance under pressure at the gate, put your case to us.

Does denied boarding apply if I checked in late?

No. You must have checked in and been at the gate on time under the airline's conditions. If you were late because of a delayed connecting flight on the same booking, that is different; check your case for free.

May an airline refuse me for medical or safety reasons?

Yes, for legitimate reasons such as safety, health or missing travel documents the right to compensation lapses. Overbooking emphatically does not fall under that.

What should I do at the airport itself?

Ask for written confirmation of the refusal and its reason, keep every document and accept no offer without knowing what the law owes you. We handle the rest afterwards.

Sources and legal basis

Legal framework reviewed on 19 September 2026. This page is general information about EU Regulation 261/2004, not individual legal advice.

Find out in 2 minutes what your flight is worth

Free and without obligation. We do the work; you only pay when we win.