Flight Cancelled? Your Rights to a Refund, Rerouting and Expenses

Seeing CANCELLED appear next to your flight can completely change your travel plans.

But once an airline cancels a flight, it cannot simply refund your ticket and leave you to work everything else out for yourself.

If your journey is protected by UK261 or EU261, you can have important rights to a refund or alternative travel, as well as food, accommodation and other reasonable assistance while you wait.

Depending on why the flight was cancelled, how much notice you received and what alternative journey was offered, you may also be entitled to flight compensation.

The important thing is understanding that these are different rights.

A refund is not the same as rerouting. Expenses are separate from compensation. And even if the cancellation was caused by something outside the airline’s control, the airline may still have a duty to help you. Pasted markdown

This guide provides general information about passenger rights and is not legal advice.

Does UK261 or EU261 apply to your flight?

Before working out what the airline owes you, it helps to establish which passenger-rights rules apply to your journey.

Under current UK passenger-rights legislation, UK261 generally covers flights departing from a UK airport on any airline, flights arriving in the UK on a UK or EU airline, and flights arriving in the EU on a UK airline. Civil Aviation Authority

That means a flight from London to New York can be covered regardless of the airline because it departs from the UK.

For an inbound journey, the operating airline becomes important. A flight arriving in the UK from abroad on a UK or EU airline can be covered by UK law, whereas an inbound flight operated by a non-UK/non-EU airline may fall outside UK261. Civil Aviation Authority

EU261 generally covers flights departing from an EU airport regardless of the airline, as well as qualifying flights arriving in the EU from outside the EU when operated by an EU airline. European Union

Another country’s passenger-rights legislation may apply where neither UK261 nor EU261 covers the journey.

If you are unsure which rules apply to your particular flight, see International Travel Rights: Know Your Rights When Flying Abroad.

Your flight has been cancelled – what should the airline offer you?

If a cancelled flight is protected by UK passenger-rights law, the airline should give you a choice.

You can generally choose between a refund, rerouting to your destination at the earliest opportunity, or rerouting at a later date that suits you, subject to availability. The same basic choice exists under EU261. Civil Aviation Authority

This matters because the option you choose can affect what the airline is required to do next.

If you still need to make the journey, do not automatically click “refund” simply because it is the easiest option shown in the airline app.

Ask yourself first:

Do I want to abandon the journey, or do I still need the airline to get me to my destination?

Option 1: Take a refund

If the trip is no longer useful to you or you simply no longer want to travel, you can choose a refund.

Under current UK guidance, the airline should generally provide the refund within seven days. If you booked through a third party, it may take longer for the money to reach you. Civil Aviation Authority

Your refund applies to the unused parts of the ticket.

For example, if you booked a return journey and the outbound flight is cancelled before you travel, you can generally receive the cost of the return ticket back as well where the journey no longer serves its purpose.

If you are already part-way through a journey and a connecting flight is cancelled, there can also be circumstances where you are entitled to transport back to your original departure point if you decide not to continue. Civil Aviation Authority

Don’t choose a refund if you still want the airline to get you there

This is important.

If you still need to travel, rerouting may be the better option.

Current CAA guidance specifically warns passengers not to choose a refund if they still want to make the journey. Once you choose reimbursement, you will generally no longer be entitled to rerouting or the associated care while waiting for alternative travel. Civil Aviation Authority

So do not accept the money back without considering what it means for the rest of your journey.

Option 2: Ask to be rerouted at the earliest opportunity

If you still want to travel, tell the airline clearly:

“I want to be rerouted at the earliest opportunity.”

The airline should find a reasonable alternative way of getting you to your destination.

And something passengers are not always told clearly is:

The replacement does not necessarily have to be another flight operated by the same airline.

If your airline says its next flight is several days away but another airline has suitable seats significantly sooner, ask whether you can be transferred onto that service.

The CAA confirms that where another airline can get you to your destination significantly sooner, or another suitable form of transport is available, you may have the right to that alternative transport. Civil Aviation Authority

Rerouting is about getting you to your destination at the earliest reasonable opportunity — not simply waiting until your original airline happens to operate another convenient flight.

Option 3: Travel at a later date

You do not necessarily have to travel immediately.

If your plans are flexible, you can generally choose rerouting at a later date that suits you, subject to availability.

That may be useful where the cancellation has made the original trip impractical but you would still like to make the journey another time.

Make sure you understand which option you are accepting before confirming anything with the airline.

What if the airline tells you to book another flight yourself?

This is where things can become more complicated.

During major disruption, an airline may be unable to arrange suitable replacement travel immediately.

You might be told:

“Book another flight yourself and claim it back.”

If that happens, do not start booking blindly.

Where possible, ask the airline to confirm in writing that it cannot provide suitable rerouting, that you have been told to make your own arrangements and that reasonable replacement-travel costs can be submitted for reimbursement.

Save the email, online chat or message.

If the conversation happens over the telephone or at an airport desk, make a note of what you were told, when the conversation took place and, where possible, the name or reference number of the person you spoke to. Pasted markdown

Current CAA guidance says that where an airline cannot offer suitable replacement flights, it expects the airline to promptly reimburse passengers for the reasonable costs they incur making their own arrangements. Civil Aviation Authority

Choose a reasonable replacement

The word reasonable matters.

If your cancelled ticket was for economy travel and a reasonably priced economy replacement is available, booking an expensive business-class ticket simply because you prefer it could create problems when you later ask for reimbursement.

Look for replacement travel that gets you to the same destination, is reasonably close to your original journey, is under comparable transport conditions and is reasonably priced given what was available at the time.

That does not mean the replacement has to be cheap.

During widespread disruption, available seats can disappear quickly and fares can rise substantially.

A high fare does not automatically make the replacement unreasonable.

What matters is whether you can demonstrate that the choice you made was sensible based on the alternatives genuinely available at that point. Pasted markdown

Take screenshots before you book

This can become extremely important if the airline later challenges your reimbursement claim.

Before paying for replacement travel, take screenshots showing the alternative flights available, their departure and arrival times, their prices, whatever replacement your original airline offered and any message telling you to make your own arrangements.

If the airline offers to fly you three days later but another carrier can get you there that evening, keep evidence showing both options.

The same applies if you cannot contact the airline at all. Save unanswered chats, call records or other evidence showing your attempts to obtain assistance.

Do not assume you will be able to recreate this evidence a month later.

Flight availability and prices can change within minutes. Pasted markdown

Keep every receipt and booking confirmation

If you arrange your own replacement travel, retain your booking confirmation, payment receipt, boarding pass, airline correspondence and any relevant baggage or transport charges.

Keep the original cancelled-flight booking as well.

When you eventually submit the reimbursement claim, make it easy for the airline to understand exactly what happened.

Explain what the original flight was, what alternative the airline offered, why that was unsuitable, which replacement you booked, what it cost and why you considered it the earliest reasonable alternative.

That is much stronger evidence than simply uploading a bank statement showing that money left your account. Pasted markdown

What if the airline refunds you without giving you a choice?

A refund and rerouting are not the same thing.

Under EU passenger-rights rules, passengers should be offered the choice between reimbursement and rerouting.

Current EU guidance states that if the airline unilaterally refunds the original ticket instead of giving you that choice, you may be entitled to reimbursement of the additional price difference for a comparable replacement ticket. European Union

UK guidance similarly requires qualifying passengers to be offered the choice between refund and alternative travel. Civil Aviation Authority

So if you still intended to make the journey but the airline simply refunded your ticket and left you to make your own arrangements, keep evidence of exactly what happened.

Do not automatically assume that receiving the original fare back settled every right you had.

What happens while you wait for your replacement flight?

If you choose rerouting and are left waiting for replacement travel, the airline also has a duty of care.

Under UK law, that includes reasonable food and drink, a means of communication, accommodation if you are rerouted the following day and transport to and from that accommodation. Civil Aviation Authority

Crucially, the CAA says the airline must provide that care until it can get you to your destination regardless of what caused the cancellation. Civil Aviation Authority

So even if severe weather, air traffic control disruption or another extraordinary event means you are not entitled to fixed compensation, that does not mean the airline can simply leave you without assistance.

What if the airline does not provide food or a hotel?

During major disruption, airlines sometimes cannot arrange meal vouchers, accommodation or transport quickly enough.

If the airline fails to provide the care you are entitled to, you may need to make reasonable arrangements yourself and claim the costs back afterwards.

Again, reasonable spending matters.

A normal airport meal and reasonably priced hotel are easier to justify than luxury accommodation, expensive restaurants, alcohol or unnecessary extras.

Keep itemised receipts, not simply a bank transaction.

The CAA specifically says passengers arranging their own reasonable care should retain receipts and avoid excessive spending. Civil Aviation Authority

What if your replacement flight uses another airport?

Sometimes the quickest rerouting option may take you to another airport serving the same town, city or region.

For example, you may originally have booked one London airport but be rerouted to another.

Under EU passenger-rights rules, where the airline reroutes you to another airport serving the same town, city or region, the airline can be responsible for the cost of transferring you to the original airport or another nearby destination agreed with you.

Keep receipts for reasonable onward transport.

As with other expenses, consider whether the transport you choose is proportionate. A very expensive taxi may be harder to justify where an equally practical and substantially cheaper alternative was available.

Can you receive compensation as well?

Potentially, yes.

This is where it is important to separate your different rights.

Rerouting, reimbursement, expenses and fixed compensation are not the same claim.

Receiving a replacement flight does not automatically mean you cannot also receive compensation.

Likewise, compensation does not replace the airline’s separate obligations concerning rerouting and care.

UK261 cancellation compensation

For UK261-covered cancellations, compensation becomes relevant where the airline gave you less than 14 days’ notice.

But less than 14 days’ notice does not automatically mean compensation is due.

The timing of the replacement journey matters.

If you receive between 7 and 14 days’ notice, whether compensation is payable depends on when the replacement departs and when it reaches the final destination.

If you receive less than 7 days’ notice, compensation can also depend on whether the replacement leaves significantly earlier or gets you to your destination sufficiently close to the original arrival time. The CAA confirms that where a replacement leaves no more than one hour before the original departure and arrives less than two hours after the original arrival time, fixed compensation is not payable. Civil Aviation Authority

Where compensation is due, the current UK amounts are:

Flight	Full compensation	Reduced amount where applicable
Under 1,500km	£220 per passenger	£110
1,500km–3,500km	£350 per passenger	£175
Over 3,500km	£520 per passenger	£260

The reduced amount can apply where rerouting gets you to the final destination within the relevant time limits. The exact result depends on the notice given and timings of the alternative journey. Civil Aviation Authority

EU261 cancellation compensation

For qualifying EU261 cancellations, the standard compensation levels are €250, €400 or €600 per passenger, depending on the flight distance.

Where the passenger is rerouted and reaches the final destination relatively close to the original arrival time, compensation may be reduced by 50% to €125, €200 or €300 respectively. European Union

EU261 also has specific notice rules. Generally, compensation is not payable where you were informed at least 14 days before departure. Different rerouting exceptions apply where you were told between 7 and 14 days beforehand or less than 7 days beforehand. European Union

So one cancellation can potentially create several separate rights at once: replacement travel, reimbursement of reasonable expenses and fixed compensation.

When claiming, keep those amounts clearly separated rather than presenting the airline with one unexplained total.

What if the cancellation was caused by bad weather or air traffic control?

This is one of the most important distinctions in passenger-rights law.

Severe weather, air traffic control restrictions and other genuine extraordinary circumstances can mean that fixed compensation is not payable.

But that does not automatically remove your right to a refund or rerouting.

And if you choose rerouting, the airline can still have duties to provide reasonable care while you wait. The CAA confirms that those care obligations continue regardless of what caused the cancellation. Civil Aviation Authority

In other words:

No compensation does not mean no passenger rights.

Or put another way:

“It wasn’t our fault” does not automatically mean “we have no responsibility to help you.”

For a deeper explanation, see Extraordinary Circumstances: When Airlines Don’t Have to Pay Compensation.

What if you booked through a travel agent?

Booking through a travel agent or another third party does not automatically remove your underlying passenger rights.

Where UK261 or EU261 applies, the operating airline still has responsibilities under those rules.

However, refunds can sometimes take longer where the payment needs to pass back through a travel agent or booking intermediary. Current CAA guidance specifically notes that third-party refunds may take longer. Civil Aviation Authority

Keep records of communication with both the airline and the company you booked through.

What should you do as soon as your flight is cancelled?

If your flight is cancelled, I would deal with it in this order:

1. Find out exactly what the airline is offering. Decide whether you genuinely want to abandon the journey or still need to travel. If you still want to go, ask for rerouting at the earliest opportunity. If the airline’s own flight is significantly later, ask about another airline or suitable alternative transport. Before booking anything yourself, screenshot the alternatives, prices and timings available. Keep all airline emails, app notifications, chats and messages. If you have to pay for reasonable replacement travel, meals, accommodation or transport, keep every itemised receipt and booking confirmation. And if you cannot contact the airline, document the attempts you made to obtain help.

The stronger your evidence is while the disruption is actually happening, the easier it will be to explain your decisions afterwards.

What if the airline refuses to reimburse your expenses or replacement flight?

An airline rejecting your claim does not automatically mean the matter is over.

First, read the reason it has given.

The airline might argue that suitable rerouting was already offered, that the replacement you purchased was unnecessarily expensive, that UK261 or EU261 did not apply or that the expenses were unreasonable.

Respond with evidence showing what was cancelled, what assistance you requested, what the airline offered, what other alternatives were available, what you eventually booked and what you paid.

Keep the airline’s final response.

If the airline rejects the claim or simply stops responding, there are independent escalation routes available. Different airlines use different ADR providers, regulators or national enforcement bodies, so make sure you identify the correct organisation for the airline and flight concerned.

For the full escalation process, see Flight Compensation Claim Rejected or Ignored? What to Do Next.

What if the dispute still isn’t resolved?

Court action may ultimately remain an option, but it should normally come later in the process.

Try to resolve the dispute directly with the airline and use the appropriate ADR, regulator or enforcement route where available.

Keep all of your evidence and correspondence.

If you have made reasonable attempts to resolve the dispute and still believe you can demonstrate that the airline failed to provide the rerouting, reimbursement or other rights required by law, you can then consider whether legal action is appropriate.

For that stage, see Taking an Airline to Small Claims Court: UK Guide.

The bottom line

If your flight is cancelled, do not assume the airline’s only responsibility is returning the price of your original ticket.

Depending on your circumstances, you may have rights to a refund or rerouting, care and reasonable expenses, reimbursement for replacement travel and potentially flight compensation.

If you still need to travel, do not automatically accept a refund.

Ask for rerouting at the earliest opportunity.

If another airline can get you there significantly sooner, ask about that option.

If the airline tells you to book another flight yourself and claim it back, get evidence of that instruction wherever possible, choose a reasonable replacement and keep every receipt.

And remember the four distinctions that matter most:

A refund is not the same as rerouting.

Rerouting is not the same as compensation.

Expenses are separate again.

And being refused compensation does not automatically mean the airline has no other obligations to you.

Understanding those differences can help prevent you from accidentally giving up travel arrangements or money that you may be entitled to.