Flight Delay Compensation Calculator: How It Works

A flight delay compensation calculator takes your flight details and applies the applicable regulation's formula:

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  US DOT refund rule: 14 CFR 259.5 thresholds applied; cash refund if delay triggers.

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  EU261: distance tier formula applied (€250/€400/€600).

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  UK261: distance tier formula (£220/£350/£520).

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  Denied boarding (DOT): 14 CFR 250.5 formula (200% or 400% of fare, up to caps).

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  Baggage liability: DOT or Montreal Convention cap applied.

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  Duty of care: additional amenities applicable.

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  Departure airport: determines jurisdiction (US vs EU vs UK).

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  Arrival airport: affects international vs domestic classification.

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  Airline operating the flight: affects which rules apply.

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  Scheduled and actual departure/arrival times: delay duration.

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  Cancellation or delay: binary classifier.

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  Fare paid: for denied boarding formula.

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  Cause of disruption: for controllable vs weather/ATC determination.

1. 1

   UK-departing flight: UK261 applies, pound amounts.

2. 2

   EU-departing flight (non-UK): EU261 applies, euro amounts.

3. 3

   US-touching flight (arrive or depart from US airport): US DOT refund rule applies.

4. 4

   EU carrier return from non-EU to EU airport: EU261 applies.

5. 5

   UK carrier return from non-UK to UK airport: UK261 applies.

6. 6

   Multi-jurisdiction itineraries: apply each rule independently to each segment.

EU261 uses great-circle distance (shortest path between airports), not actual flight distance:

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  €250: flights up to 1,500 km.

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  €400: flights between 1,500 and 3,500 km (or intra-EU over 1,500).

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  €600: flights over 3,500 km.

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  Great-circle calculation: the calculator uses airport coordinates and Haversine formula or equivalent.

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  Multi-segment trips: based on final destination distance, not segment by segment.

For involuntary bumps:

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  Under 1-2 hour late arrival (domestic): 200% of fare, capped $1,075.

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  Over 2-hour late arrival (domestic): 400% of fare, capped $2,150.

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  Under 1-4 hour late (international): 200%, $1,075 cap.

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  Over 4-hour late (international): 400%, $2,150 cap.

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  Fare: base fare plus carrier-imposed surcharges (YQ, fuel surcharge); excludes taxes.

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  Rebooking rearrivals: if rebooked to arrive within 1 hour, no DBC owed.

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  Extraordinary circumstances: calculator flags likely denial defenses (weather, ATC, strikes).

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  Lap infants: excluded from DBC (no paid seat).

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  Multi-segment long-haul: computed as single journey for EU261/UK261.

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  Code-share flights: operating airline, not marketing, for EU261/UK261 coverage.

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  Predict airline behavior: whether airline will pay or deny.

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  Assess evidence quality: whether your documentation is sufficient.

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  Account for extraordinary circumstances: calculator shows maximum; actual may be less.

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  Handle consequential damages: out-of-pocket costs require separate evaluation.

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  Predict processing time: claim resolution depends on many factors.

For specific calculator guides see Baggage compensation calculator by airline, Class action vs individual claim value estimator, and DOT denied boarding calculator 2026.

For the pillar see Compensation Calculators and Tools. TravelStacks's calculator feeds directly into claim filing at $19 flat. Start a claim in 30 seconds.

For primary regulatory texts and official guidance cited in this guide, see DOT Aviation Consumer Protection, 14 CFR Subchapter A (eCFR).