KM Malta Airlines compensation: EUR 250, EUR 400 or EUR 600?
Short answer: current EU261 compensation for a qualifying KM Malta Airlines disruption is usually EUR 250, EUR 400 or EUR 600 per eligible passenger. The amount comes from the great-circle distance between the relevant first departure and final destination, not the ticket price, kilometres physically flown after rerouting or the number of sectors. Coverage, lateness, notice and cause must be established before the distance table is applied.
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:
KM is an EU airline, so EU261 can cover KM-operated journeys from EU airports and KM-operated arrivals into the EU from third countries. A partner flight carrying a KM code is assessed against the airline actually operating it.
Sources were checked on 13 August 2026. The July 2026 reform had been adopted but was not yet applicable, and the familiar current distance bands remain the basis of this calculation.
Current amount table
| Protected journey | Standard amount for one passenger |
|---|---|
| 1,500 km or less | EUR 250 |
| Intra-EU over 1,500 km | EUR 400 |
| Other journey between 1,500 and 3,500 km | EUR 400 |
| Other journey over 3,500 km | EUR 600 |
The amount is not a percentage of the fare. A low promotional ticket can still support EUR 250 when the statutory conditions are met. An expensive business-class ticket does not increase the fixed band, although a separate downgrade refund may depend on the affected segment price.
Use the KM Malta Airlines compensation calculator guide to gather inputs. This page explains how the resulting distance category should be interpreted.
Measure the right route
For a direct flight, calculate the shortest great-circle distance between departure and destination airports. Do not use road distance or the aircraft's actual path around weather.
For a protected connection sold as one journey, Court of Justice case law supports looking to the first departure and final ticketed destination. Do not add each sector length. For separate tickets, each booking normally supplies its own origin and destination.
Examples:
| Itinerary structure | Distance approach |
|---|---|
| Malta-Paris direct on KM | MLA to CDG |
| London-Malta on KM | Relevant London airport to MLA |
| Non-EU origin-Malta-EU destination on one protected booking | First origin to final ticketed destination, subject to coverage and operator analysis |
| Two independent bookings meeting in Malta | Calculate the affected contract, not the combined holiday route |
Airport codes matter. London Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted are not interchangeable coordinates. Use the airports printed on the ticket and retain the method used.
When EUR 250 is possible
The lowest band applies to protected routes no longer than 1,500 km. It is frequently relevant to shorter central Mediterranean and nearby European travel, but country labels are not a reliable substitute for calculation.
An eligible passenger needs more than distance. For delay, final arrival must normally reach at least three hours. For cancellation, notice and replacement timing matter. For involuntary denied boarding, timely presentation and valid documents are essential. Extraordinary circumstances can defeat a delay or cancellation payment, while overbooking compensation follows a different liability structure.
Four qualifying passengers would normally calculate four times EUR 250, producing EUR 1,000 for the booking. Expenses and fare reimbursement should be added only as separate remedies.
When EUR 400 applies
EUR 400 covers every intra-EU journey over 1,500 km and other protected journeys between 1,500 and 3,500 km. The intra-EU rule is important: an intra-EU route does not move to EUR 600 merely because it exceeds 3,500 km.
Malta is an EU member state, so a sufficiently long Malta-to-EU journey remains in the intra-EU EUR 400 category. A route from a non-EU airport into Malta operated by KM can also sit in the EUR 400 band when its distance falls between 1,500 and 3,500 km.
Check actual airports and the protected itinerary. A connection does not earn EUR 400 by adding the flown sectors if first-to-last distance remains within 1,500 km.
When EUR 600 can arise
EUR 600 is reserved for protected non-intra-EU journeys exceeding 3,500 km. KM's own scheduled network is primarily European, but a KM-operated sector can form part of a longer one-ticket itinerary. Whether the whole itinerary falls under EU261 depends on direction, operating carriers and the legal unity of the journey.
Do not assume a partner-operated long-haul sector is KM's liability because the ticket was bought on KM's site. Read every "operated by" line. A codeshare can direct the fixed claim to another airline, and recent Court of Justice decisions require precise analysis of connecting journeys.
If rerouting on an eligible over-3,500 km journey reaches the destination no more than four hours late, the airline may reduce EUR 600 to EUR 300. A delay beyond four hours leaves the full band, provided the other requirements are satisfied.
The 50 percent rerouting reduction
EU261 permits a half reduction when alternative transport keeps arrival within these limits:
| Distance category | Maximum arrival delay for possible half payment |
|---|---|
| Up to 1,500 km | 2 hours |
| Intra-EU over 1,500 km or other 1,500-3,500 km journey | 3 hours |
| Remaining journey over 3,500 km | 4 hours |
Measure against the original scheduled arrival at the final destination. The reduction is not justified merely by an offer, a departure time or the passenger's acceptance of rerouting. Record actual arrival.
Per passenger, including families and reward tickets
Each eligible person has an individual statutory claim. The booking payer can coordinate submissions, but should identify every traveller and hold authority where KM requests it. Infants travelling without a separate fare can raise different questions; do not multiply the amount without checking the ticket and conditions.
Passengers travelling on a fare available to the public are covered. EU261 also includes tickets issued under frequent-flyer or other commercial programmes. Using SkyBux or another reward mechanism does not automatically remove fixed compensation, although a refund valuation for points and taxes may require separate treatment.
The family and group claim guide explains evidence and payment authority. The KM Rewards guide separates fixed rights from loyalty-account adjustments.
Claim the amount without overclaiming
State the protected route, calculated distance, statutory category and amount for each passenger. Attach the booking, operating-carrier evidence, disruption notice, final-arrival proof and replacement itinerary. List meals, hotel, transport, ticket refund and baggage loss under separate headings.
If the route is close to 1,500 or 3,500 km, keep the coordinates or reputable calculation output. Ask KM to explain any different distance method. Avoid claiming EUR 600 only because the itinerary included several flights or crossed a national border.
FAQ
Is KM compensation based on my ticket price?
No. The current fixed bands are based mainly on protected journey distance, while eligibility also depends on disruption type, timing, cause and operator.
Do I add the distance of every connecting flight?
No. A protected one-ticket journey normally uses great-circle distance from first departure to final destination rather than the sum of sectors.
Is every route over 3,500 km worth EUR 600?
No. An intra-EU journey remains in the EUR 400 band, and coverage plus the other liability conditions must still be satisfied.
Can KM reduce compensation after rerouting?
Yes, but only when actual final arrival remains within the statutory two-, three- or four-hour window for that distance category.
Does every family member receive a separate amount?
Each eligible passenger is assessed individually. Check infants or free travel separately and identify all claimants even when one person paid.