Airline Reimbursement

Amy Lancelotte

By:  Amy Lancelotte

Last Updated:  November 13, 2026

Airline Reimbursement: Which Expenses You Can Claim Back & How to Get Paid

If your flight is delayed 2+ hours or cancelled and the airline gives you no meals, hotel, or transfers, you can pay yourself and claim the cost back under Article 9 of Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 (and its UK copy, UK261). 

That’s in addition to your rights under Article 8 of EU261/UK261, where you can choose a full refund if your flight is cancelled, delayed by 5 hours or more, or you're denied boarding against your will, and, where eligible, cash compensation under Article 7.

Key takeaways

• Depending on the flight situation, you can ask for a ticket refund, reimbursement for delay-related expenses, or both.
• Refunds and reimbursement are different. A ticket refund returns the amount you paid for the affected flight; a reimbursement gives you back the money you had to spend during the disruption, such as meals and hotels.
• Flight cancellations and severe delays trigger the airline’s duty of care. That means offering assistance during the disruption. If they don’t provide that help, you can claim back reasonable expenses. Itemised receipts are the strongest proof, though a card statement can help if you've lost one.
• Compensation for disruptions is also possible, but compensation comes with its own set of rules.
• Claim directly from the airline, within the time limit, and attach your receipts and boarding pass.

Reimbursement or ticket refund: what's the difference?

• Ticket refund: This is the money you paid for your flight. It may apply when your flight is cancelled or significantly disrupted, and you choose not to travel. You apply directly to the airline for your flight refund. If you want the price of your ticket back, read our guide to flight refunds.
• Reimbursement: This refers to the reasonable expenses you had to pay for because of the disruption, such as meals, accommodation, or transport. If the airline didn't give you vouchers for these, you can claim the cost back.

Note: Airline reimbursement is separate from any flight delay or cancellation compensation you may also be entitled to.

When can you claim your expenses back?

You can claim reasonable expenses when the airline should have provided care, but you had to pay for it yourself (no vouchers were offered). Under Regulation UK261 and EU261 (Articles 4, 5, 6 and 9), you can claim expenses for:

1. A cancelled flight when you have to wait for rerouting.
2. A delayed flight: the right to care starts after 2 hours for flights up to 1,500 km, 3 hours for flights of 1,500 to 3,500 km and longer flights within the EU, or 4 hours for other longer flights (under Article 6(1) of EU261/UK261).
3. Denied boarding when you didn’t volunteer for it.
4. A missed connection that’s on the same booking where you have to wait for an alternative flight.

A common exemption under both EU261 and UK261 is extraordinary circumstances, such as bad weather or air traffic control restrictions. While it can negate the right to compensation, the right to care still applies, as per the legal precedent set in McDonagh v Ryanair, C-12/11 (2013).

EU261 covers departures from the EU/EEA and arrivals there on EU/EEA airlines. UK261 covers departures from the UK and qualifying arrivals on UK or EU airlines; it also covers UK-airline flights from outside the UK to the EU.

Not sure if you qualify for disruption expense reimbursement?Check your flight using our free tool

Which expenses can you claim?

You can claim meals and drinks, a hotel and transfers to it, and up to two calls or emails (Article 9). There is no fixed reimbursement amount, but your expenses must be:

Many passengers assume the airline will only look after them if they ask at the airport. But if the airline provides nothing, you can pay for reasonable meals and a hotel yourself and claim the money back, provided you keep your receipts.

— Anton Radchenko, Founder and CEO of AirAdvisor

What the airline must provide and what you pay for

The airline must offer the required care while you wait. It may automatically provide or offer vouchers for everything from meals and refreshments to accommodation and transport. In that case, there's nothing to claim back, because you didn't pay anything yourself.

Alternatively, if the airline provides nothing, or what it offers is clearly insufficient, you can pay reasonable costs upfront and then claim reimbursement.

For example: A sandwich and a drink during a long delay would normally be reasonable; an expensive restaurant meal with alcohol likely isn’t. Likewise, pick a standard hotel and a bus or regular taxi, not a luxury option.

If the airline offers you a voucher or asks you to sign a document, read the terms carefully first. Don’t sign anything that requires you to waive your other passenger rights.

How to claim your expenses, step by step

Once you’ve paid reasonable expenses yourself, submit your reimbursement request directly to the airline.

1. Gather your evidence. Have your booking confirmation, boarding pass, itemised receipts, photos of departure boards or relevant airport announcements, and any emails, texts, or other messages from the airline ready.
2. Contact the airline. Use its online expense claim form where available, or the official contact channel (sometimes a feedback form) it provides for airline reimbursement requests.
   • British Airways expense reimbursement form
   • easyJet expense reimbursement form
   • Ryanair expense reimbursement form
3. List your expenses. Give the amount of each expense separately and attach the corresponding receipt or other proof of payment. Be clear on the total amount you’re claiming.
4. Keep the confirmation. Save a copy of your submission, attachments, claim reference, and any confirmation the airline sends you.

If you would rather have help handling the entire process, AirAdvisor can assist with your flight reimbursement claim.

You can also use this message when contacting the airline:

Beyond reimbursement: when you may be owed compensation too

Claiming your expenses back doesn't stop you from claiming compensation. The maximum amounts are EU261 Article 7 = €250 / €400 / €600; UK261 = £220 / £350 / £520 by distance.

This can apply when:

• Flight delay compensation: you arrive at your final destination 3 hours or more late, per the CJEU ruling in Sturgeon (C-402/07, 2009). This also applies if a delay causes you to miss a connecting flight on the same booking and arrive at least 3 hours late (Folkerts (C-11/11, 2013)).
• Flight cancellation compensation: your flight is cancelled less than 14 days before departure.
• Denied boarding compensation: you are denied boarding against your will.

The airline doesn’t have to pay compensation when the disruption is caused by extraordinary circumstances. These are situations that could not have been avoided with reasonable measures.

Time limits for flight reimbursement claims

Time limits depend on where you initiate the claim:

• England and Wales: 6 years from the disrupted flight date (Limitation Act 1980 s.5). 
• Scotland: 5 years (Prescription and Limitation (Scotland) Act 1973, s.6).
• Northern Ireland: 6 years (Limitation (Northern Ireland) Order 1989).

EU deadlines are set by each country's law (CJEU, Moré v KLM, C-139/11).

What to do if the airline doesn’t reply or refuses

If the airline doesn’t reply, send a written reminder. After a final response, or 8 weeks without one, you can escalate in the UK to its approved ADR provider (AviationADR and CEDR) if the airline belongs to a scheme; otherwise, the UK CAA’s Passenger Advice and Complaints Team (PACT) may be able to help.

Our individual airline complaint pages can help you through the escalation process.

Reminder: Even if the disruption is due to extraordinary circumstances, your right to care and reimbursement of reasonable care expenses still applies.

Example: AirAdvisor secures €11,572 (£9,680) in expenses for cancelled SAS flight

On 3 July 2022, a family of 5 was supposed to fly on SAS flight SK1 from Copenhagen to Washington Dulles. They learned of the flight cancellation via the SAS app just 3 hours before the scheduled departure.

To get to their destination, the family had to book their own tickets; the next available SAS flight was a week away. The new connecting flights on Icelandair and Play meant a total delay of 15 hours (overnight).

The family didn’t receive their bags in time to catch the Icelandair flight, and SAS didn’t provide any care during the delay. As a result, AirAdvisor claimed €11,572 (£9,680) on the family’s behalf for the expensive replacement flights, hotel rooms, meals, and delayed baggage.

Claim with AirAdvisor and get up to €600 (EU) or £520 (UK). Find out how much you’re owed today.Check Your Flight

FAQ

Author:

Amy Lancelotte

Job/Position: Senior Writer & Content Strategist

Amy Lancelotte is a Senior Content Writer and editorial contributor at AirAdvisor with over seven years of experience producing research-based articles for international audiences. Her work focuses on travel, aviation, and air passenger rights, with an emphasis on factual accuracy, verified data, and clear, reader-first explanations.

•