British Airways compensation calculator: work out the correct amount
Reviewed on 10 August 2026. A British Airways compensation estimate needs five inputs: operating carrier, route direction, disruption type, final arrival or replacement timing, and great-circle distance. UK261 uses GBP 220, GBP 350 and GBP 520 bands; EC261 uses EUR 250, EUR 400 and EUR 600. Long-distance reduction rules can cut the top figure in half.
Free eligibility check
Check your case in the form
Enter your route, date and type of disruption. We will check whether your case qualifies for a claim under EU 261/2004 or UK261.
What happened to your flight?
Claim up to €600 for a delayed or cancelled flight.
Choose the situation that applies to your flight:
The fare paid is usually irrelevant to fixed compensation. It matters for refunds and cabin downgrade, which are separate calculations.
Calculation sequence
- Confirm who operated or intended to operate the disrupted sector.
- Determine whether UK261, EC261 or neither governs the journey.
- Verify delay, cancellation notice or involuntary denied boarding.
- Measure straight-line distance under the relevant itinerary rule.
- Apply any rerouting or three-to-four-hour long-distance reduction.
- Multiply by eligible passengers, not bookings.
Skipping the first two steps can produce the correct-looking amount under the wrong law.
Standard bands
| Distance category | UK261 amount | EC261 amount |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 1,500 km | GBP 220 | EUR 250 |
| Between 1,500 and 3,500 km | GBP 350 | EUR 400 |
| Other qualifying journey above 3,500 km | GBP 520 | EUR 600 |
For EC261, an intra-EU flight over 1,500 km generally remains EUR 400 rather than moving to EUR 600. The top euro band is for other eligible journeys beyond 3,500 km.
Under current UK CAA delay guidance, a journey over 3,500 km arriving between three and four hours late normally pays GBP 260. Arrival beyond four hours can reach GBP 520. Cancellation and denied-boarding cases also use 50% reductions when rerouting remains within two, three or four hours according to distance.
Determine coverage before using the table
British Airways is a UK carrier. Flights leaving a UK airport usually fall under UK261, whichever airline operates. BA-operated services arriving into the UK are also generally within UK scope. Departures from EU airports use EC261 even when BA operates them.
A third-country BA departure arriving directly in the EU is usually outside EC261 because BA is not a Community carrier. By contrast, a Paris-London-New York itinerary beginning in Paris on one protected booking can engage EC261 for the complete connecting journey, subject to the relevant case law and operating facts.
Codeshares require the actual operator. If American Airlines operates a BA-coded Dallas-London flight, analyse American's status and the route rather than assuming BA operation. BA CityFlyer and BA Euroflyer are UK airlines but should still be named accurately.
The UK261 and EC261 comparison offers a direction table for difficult itineraries.
Measure distance correctly
Use great-circle distance, not road mileage or the sum of sectors. For one directly connecting booking, the relevant measure normally runs from first departure to final destination. A Manchester-Heathrow-Miami journey is therefore assessed on the direct Manchester-Miami arc, not Manchester-Heathrow plus Heathrow-Miami.
Separate reservations generally remain separate. A self-built Edinburgh-Heathrow ticket followed by an unrelated Heathrow-Dubai booking does not automatically use Edinburgh-Dubai as one UK261 distance.
Keep the coordinates or calculator result used. Distances close to 1,500 or 3,500 km deserve a reproducible method. Airport marketing names can be misleading, so calculate from airport coordinates rather than city centres.
Delay example
A BA-operated Heathrow-Barcelona flight arrives three hours 22 minutes late after an ordinary operational problem. The distance is under 1,500 km and UK261 governs departure. The starting estimate is GBP 220 per eligible passenger.
For two adults and two children with their own tickets:
4 passengers x GBP 220 = GBP 880
Meals bought while waiting are not deducted. They belong in a separate care-expense request.
Long-haul example
A British Airways flight from London to New York reaches the gate three hours 35 minutes late. The journey is above 3,500 km and UK261 applies. Current CAA guidance points to the reduced GBP 260 amount in the three-to-four-hour interval.
If door opening occurred four hours 12 minutes late and no extraordinary defence succeeded, the starting figure would be GBP 520. This is why touchdown and rounded app estimates can materially alter a family claim.
An EU departure, such as Madrid-London-New York on one ticket, may instead use EC261 and EUR values. Do not convert GBP into EUR to mimic the other regime.
Cancellation example
BA cancels a 2,000 km protected service three days before departure and offers a replacement arriving four hours late. The middle distance band is GBP 350 or EUR 400 depending on the law. Because the substitute misses the relevant reduction window, the full middle-band amount may remain available.
If the replacement reached the destination less than three hours late, a 50% reduction could apply. The 14-day notice rule and narrower alternative-flight exceptions must be checked before reaching the distance table.
Denied-boarding example
A passenger is involuntarily bumped from a BA flight above 3,500 km and rerouted to arrive two hours late. Eligibility does not wait for three hours, but the prompt replacement can reduce the payment from GBP 520 to GBP 260 under UK261.
A volunteer who accepted GBP 400 and a confirmed later seat relies on that written agreement rather than automatically adding the statutory amount. The calculator should first classify voluntary or involuntary surrender.
What the calculator should not include
Ticket refund equals unused fare and is not a fixed band. Reasonable hotel, food and transport costs depend on actual expenditure. Consequential losses have other legal tests. Montreal baggage claims are based on proven loss up to a liability ceiling rather than flight distance.
Cabin downgrade uses 30%, 50% or 75% of the relevant sector price. Applying GBP 520 because a First passenger was moved to Club World would use the wrong remedy. See the BA downgrade calculation for sector pricing and taxes.
Turn the estimate into a claim
Attach the itinerary, operating-carrier evidence, arrival or notice record, distance method and passenger list. Show each step and any reduction. If BA offers a lower figure, ask which legal band, distance and timing it used.
The amount remains conditional on cause for delay and cancellation. A calculator cannot determine whether weather, ATC or a technical event meets the extraordinary-circumstances defence without evidence. Use it as a transparent estimate, not a guarantee.
FAQ
Is BA compensation based on what I paid for the ticket?
Usually not. Fixed UK261 and EC261 awards follow distance and disruption. Fare price matters for refunds and downgrade reimbursement instead.
Do children receive a separate calculated amount?
Eligible children with tickets ordinarily have individual claims. Multiply by passengers, while checking the position of an infant travelling without a separate fare.
Why does a London-New York delay sometimes pay GBP 260?
UK CAA guidance reduces the long-distance amount by half when arrival is between three and four hours late. Beyond four hours, GBP 520 may apply.
Should I add the mileage of every connecting flight?
No. A protected through journey normally uses great-circle distance from first departure to final destination rather than summed sector miles.
Can the calculated amount be paid in a voucher?
The statutory award is monetary. BA can offer a voucher, but accepting a substitute should be a free and informed choice rather than an automatic conversion.