SAS five-hour delay: refund or continue the journey
When departure on a covered SAS flight is delayed by at least five hours, a passenger who no longer wishes to travel can normally request reimbursement for the unused ticket and, when the journey has already begun but lost its purpose, a return to the first departure point. Continuing the journey is the alternative. The five-hour refund choice is separate from three-hour arrival compensation and from meals, hotel or transport provided during the wait.
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:
Do not press a refund button until the consequences are clear. Repayment generally ends the airline's duty to carry the passenger under the refunded portion of that ticket.
Decide from the purpose of the trip
| Situation after five hours at departure | Possible choice | Evidence to retain |
|---|---|---|
| Journey has not started and is no longer useful | Reimbursement for the unused ticket | Original itinerary and delay record |
| Journey started, but the remaining travel no longer serves its purpose | Reimbursement plus a return to the first departure point where applicable | Explanation of purpose and used sectors |
| Passenger still wants to reach the destination | Continue on the delayed or replacement service | New itinerary and final arrival time |
| Passenger independently buys another route | Possible self-rerouting cost claim, depending on SAS response and necessity | Contact attempts, alternatives and receipts |
The right is not a cash bonus added to a journey that the traveller completes as ticketed. It is a choice to abandon travel made pointless by the delay. Ask SAS to confirm in writing which coupons will be refunded or remain valid, particularly on a return itinerary.
Five hours is measured at departure
This Article 6 rule differs from fixed delay compensation. The reimbursement option arises when the flight's departure is delayed by at least five hours. The EUR 250-600 payment normally depends on reaching the protected final destination three hours late. One can exist without the other.
A passenger may wait five hours, abandon the journey and have no final arrival from which to calculate an ordinary delay payment. Case law can still affect compensation analysis, but the refund claim should not be confused with it. Conversely, a missed connection can create a four-hour final delay even if the first departure was held for only 90 minutes; that can support compensation but not the five-hour departure choice on that first sector.
Use the SAS three-hour guide for the arrival calculation.
What reimbursement can cover
The regulation refers to the full cost of the ticket at the price paid for the part or parts not made, and for parts already made if the flight no longer serves any purpose in relation to the passenger's original travel plan. Where relevant, it also provides a return flight to the first point of departure at the earliest opportunity.
The "lost purpose" element matters. A traveller who has reached Copenhagen but will miss a one-day meeting in Paris can explain why continuing the itinerary is pointless. A passenger simply preferring to return home without showing how the objective disappeared has a less complete record.
Used sectors are not automatically refundable whenever a later flight is delayed. Describe the event, timing and original objective. Preserve invitations, accommodation dates or onward commitments where they are genuinely relevant, while avoiding unnecessary personal data.
Return bookings and unused coupons
On a round trip, cancelling one portion can affect later coupons in the reservation. Before requesting money, ask whether the return remains confirmed and save the answer. If SAS cancels the entire unused itinerary, list each sector and fare component expected in the calculation.
An OTA booking adds a payment layer. SAS may owe the regulatory remedy while the agent holds the original funds or controls ticket servicing. Record both references, identify who charged the card and do not allow either party to redirect the passenger indefinitely without a substantive answer.
A voucher is not the same as reimbursement. It should be accepted only after reviewing expiry, transferability, route restrictions and the effect on other claims. Request the original payment method when that is the chosen legal remedy.
Care continues while the passenger waits
Meals and refreshments should be supplied in reasonable relation to waiting time. If the delay requires an overnight stay, accommodation and transport between the airport and hotel can be due. These duties do not wait until five hours and do not depend on whether extraordinary circumstances caused the event.
When SAS does not provide assistance, buy proportionate essentials and keep itemised receipts. Note the number of passengers served and the waiting period. A receipt for a reasonable airport meal is stronger than an unexplained payment total; alcohol and luxury purchases are unlikely to be necessary care.
If the passenger chooses reimbursement and ends the journey, care does not continue indefinitely after a reasonable return or departure arrangement has become available.
Continuing preserves the final-arrival analysis
A traveller who continues should retain the original schedule and every replacement boarding pass. Measure arrival at the final destination on the protected booking, not at an intermediate Scandinavian airport. The delay can qualify for fixed compensation even though SAS ultimately transported the passenger.
Do not sign away a claim casually in exchange for a small service voucher. A meal voucher supplied as care normally is not settlement of EC261 compensation, but read any document described as a release or final payment.
If SAS offers a route arriving much later while realistic earlier transport exists, request earliest rerouting and document the alternative. The SAS refund and rerouting guide compares all three cancellation-style choices and the evidence needed for self-booking.
Cause matters only to fixed compensation
Dangerous weather, air traffic management, airport closure or another extraordinary occurrence may defeat the EUR 250-600 element if SAS proves causation and reasonable measures. It does not normally erase the five-hour reimbursement option or care on a covered delay.
Routine technical trouble and ordinary operational shortages generally do not qualify as extraordinary. Yet the refund request need not settle that debate. Submit the travel-choice request promptly while preserving the right to examine the cause separately.
How to make the request
State the flight, date, route, passenger names, scheduled departure and time the five-hour threshold was crossed. Say clearly that the journey is being abandoned under the reimbursement right, identify unused sectors and explain any used part that no longer served its purpose. Request a return to the initial departure point if applicable.
Attach the ticket receipt, PNR, delay notice and proof of the selected option. If claiming care expenses, provide a separate table and receipts. Save the submission, reference and later repayment calculation.
The present-law position was checked on 26 August 2026. The EU reform adopted in July 2026 will not govern this request until its application date is reached.
FAQ
Must I wait exactly five hours before asking for a refund?
The regulatory delay-based right arises at five hours. An earlier cancellation or airline offer can create a separate refund route before that point.
Can I take the flight and also claim the five-hour ticket refund?
Not for the same used transport as if it were abandoned. Continuing and reimbursement are alternative travel choices, while fixed compensation is separate.
Can a flown first sector be refunded?
Potentially, if the remaining disruption means the travel already completed no longer serves the original purpose and the legal conditions are demonstrated.
Does bad weather remove the five-hour choice?
Normally no. Extraordinary circumstances can affect fixed compensation, but reimbursement and care remain distinct rights on a covered delay.
What happens to the return flight on one booking?
Its status can depend on how the refund is processed. Obtain written confirmation before abandoning the outbound so an intended return is not cancelled unexpectedly.