Ryanair delay compensation: check your flight against the record
Ryanair is an EU carrier. Flights out of the UK are covered by UK261; flights out of the EU by EU261; flights from the EU into the UK by both, and you choose which to claim under.
Enter the flight number and date. We pull the actual arrival time, the Eurocontrol air-traffic delay logged at both airports that day and the airport weather, then tell you whether Ryanair owes you £220, £350 or £520 per passenger and how strong the airline's likely defence is.
Typical Ryanair routes
| Route | Distance | Per passenger |
|---|---|---|
| Stansted to Dublin | 465 km | £220 |
| Stansted to Malaga | 1,720 km | £350 |
| Manchester to Faro | 1,810 km | £350 |
| Dublin to Alicante | 1,830 km | €400 |
Bands: up to 1,500 km £220 / €250; 1,500 to 3,500 km £350 / €400; over 3,500 km £520 / €600 (halved for a 3 to 4 hour long-haul delay).
What to know about claiming from Ryanair
- Ryanair DAC is an Irish (EU) carrier, so a Ryanair flight into the UK from the EU is covered by both UK261 and EU261. Ryanair UK (RK) operates some UK domestic and third-country routes as a UK carrier.
- Ryanair requires claims through its own EU261 online form and will not deal with claims companies unless a signed authority is supplied, which is one more reason to send it yourself.
- The CAA lists Ryanair with AviationADR for UK flights. Passengers on EU departures can also complain to the Irish Aviation Authority or the national enforcement body of the departure country.
If Ryanair refuses or does not answer within 8 weeks: The CAA lists this airline with AviationADR. Free to you. You can go there once the airline has given a final answer, or has not answered within 8 weeks of your written complaint, and its decision binds the airline if you accept it.
You can claim from Ryanair for free.
Use the claim page above and a free template from the CAA, Which? or MoneySavingExpert. Our £4.99 letter adds the verified flight record and the day's delay and weather evidence, which is what you will need if Ryanair replies with “extraordinary circumstances”. Claims firms charge 35% to 50% of the payout for the same claim.
Ryanair compensation questions
Answers people search for
How much does Ryanair pay for a delayed flight?
€250 (or £220 under UK261) for flights up to 1,500 km and €400 (£350) for 1,500 to 3,500 km, per passenger, for arrival delays of 3 hours or more that were within Ryanair's control. Ryanair has no routes over 3,500 km.
Can I claim under UK261 or EU261 for a Ryanair flight?
Flights departing the UK are covered by UK261. Flights departing the EU are covered by EU261. Flights from the EU into the UK on Ryanair (an EU carrier) are covered by both, and you can choose which to claim under; UK residents usually claim in sterling under UK261 because enforcement is through UK courts and AviationADR.
Ryanair says the delay was due to air traffic control strikes. Can I still claim?
A genuine ATC strike that affected your flight is an extraordinary circumstance and no compensation is due for the delay it caused. But Ryanair must show the strike affected your specific flight and that it took all reasonable measures. Eurocontrol records industrial action by ATC as a distinct cause code per airport per day; our check shows whether any was logged.
Does Ryanair pay compensation for a cancelled flight?
Yes, unless you were told at least 14 days before departure or were re-routed within the Article 5 time limits. Ryanair's own staff strikes and crew shortages are not extraordinary circumstances (Krüsemann v TUIfly, Airhelp v SAS). After two hours on a short-haul flight (three on medium-haul, four on long-haul) you are owed meals, drinks and two calls or emails, and a hotel with transfers if you are stuck overnight. Keep every receipt; these are refundable on top of any compensation.