Denied boarding compensation: overbooking and your rights
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Quick answer
If you had a confirmed booking, checked in on time and were refused boarding against your will — for example because the flight was overbooked — the airline must pay fixed compensation immediately (€250–€600 / £220–£520) and offer you a refund or re-routing plus care. Extraordinary circumstances are not a defence.
How much compensation could I receive for denied boarding?
€250–€600 per passenger, by distance, when you had a confirmed booking, checked in on time and were refused boarding against your will. There is no extraordinary-circumstances defence: it is due at the airport.
Does this apply to your flight?
Were you refused boarding?
A few short questions — no flight number needed yet. You get a preliminary result on the facts you give; the full check confirms it from the itinerary.
Already known from this page
- Denied boarding
Did you give up your seat voluntarily?
| Distance | EU / CH (Reg. 261/2004) | UK261 |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 1,500 km | €250 | £220 |
| 1,500 – 3,500 km | €400 | £350 |
| Over 3,500 km, both airports in EU/EEA | €400 | — |
| Over 3,500 km | €600 | £520 |
Prepare the claim letter
Enter your flight and what happened; get the regulation, the amount, the evidence list and an editable letter — free.
What denied boarding means
Under Article 2(j) of Regulation 261/2004, denied boarding is a refusal to carry a passenger who:
- holds a confirmed reservation,
- presented for check-in on time (by the airline’s deadline or, if none was communicated, 45 minutes before departure),
unless the airline had reasonable grounds — health, safety or security reasons, or inadequate travel documents.
The Court of Justice has confirmed that denied boarding covers more than classic overbooking: passengers bumped because of an aircraft swap, rescheduling or operational reasons are also protected (Finnair v Lassooy, C-22/11), as are passengers denied boarding on a later flight because the airline expected them to miss it after an earlier delay (Rodríguez Cachafeiro, C-321/11).
Voluntary vs involuntary
Airlines must first ask for volunteers to give up their seats in exchange for benefits. If you volunteer, your compensation is whatever you agreed — but you still get a refund or re-routing under Article 8. If not enough passengers volunteer and you are bumped against your will, the fixed compensation applies.
What you are owed
- Compensation immediately (Article 4(3) and Article 7): €250, €400 or €600 (£220, £350 or £520) depending on distance. The airline may halve it if it re-routes you and you arrive within 2/3/4 hours of the original arrival time.
- Refund or re-routing (Article 8).
- Care (Article 9): meals, refreshments, communication and a hotel where necessary.
The airline cannot invoke extraordinary circumstances for denied boarding: even if a strike or weather caused the original disruption, choosing which passengers to leave behind is the airline’s decision.
When it is not denied boarding
- You arrived late at check-in or the gate.
- Your passport or visa did not meet the entry rules of the destination.
- You were refused for safety or security reasons (behaviour, intoxication).
- You did not have a confirmed reservation (e.g. a stand-by ticket).
If the airline claims “reasonable grounds” that you dispute, the enforcement body or a court can decide.
How to claim
Ask the airline for a written statement of the reason at the airport, keep your boarding pass and booking confirmation, and claim compensation in writing quoting Article 4 of Regulation 261/2004 (the claim letter generator writes the denied-boarding letter from your flight). Many airlines pay denied-boarding compensation at the airport; if not, use the checker above to build the claim. For what to do at the gate, step by step, see denied boarding: your rights.
Frequently asked questions
How much is denied-boarding compensation?
The same fixed amounts as for delays and cancellations — €250, €400 or €600 (£220, £350 or £520) per passenger by distance — payable immediately at the airport, plus a refund or re-routing and care. Extraordinary circumstances are no defence for denied boarding.
What if I volunteered to give up my seat?
Volunteers negotiate their own benefits with the airline and keep the right to a refund or re-routing, but the fixed compensation applies only to passengers denied boarding against their will. Do not volunteer if you want the statutory amount.
Is a downgrade denied boarding?
No. If you are carried in a lower class than booked, Article 10 entitles you to a refund of 30 %, 50 % or 75 % of the ticket price for that flight within 7 days, not to denied-boarding compensation.
Does it count if I arrived late at the gate?
No. Denied boarding requires that you presented yourself for check-in on time (as instructed, or at least 45 minutes before departure) with a confirmed reservation. Missing the check-in deadline is not denied boarding.
Sources
- Court of Justice of the European UnionCase C-22/11 Finnair v Lassooy — "denied boarding" covers operational reasons beyond overbooking; extraordinary circumstances are no defence
- European CommissionInterpretative Guidelines on Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 (2016/C 214/04)
- European Parliament and CouncilRegulation (EC) No 261/2004 establishing common rules on compensation and assistance to passengers in the event of denied boarding and of cancellation or long delay of flights
- European Union — Your EuropeAir passenger rights
- UK Government — legislation.gov.ukRegulation (EC) No 261/2004 as retained in UK law (assimilated law)
Last legally reviewed: 12 September 2026 · Content updated: 12 September 2026
Refused boarding with a confirmed booking?
Enter the flight; denied boarding has no extraordinary-circumstances defence, so the check turns on your booking, your check-in time and the distance.