Emirates Compensation EU261 for Delayed or Cancelled Flights and Refunds

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Amy Lancelotte

By:  Amy Lancelotte

Last Updated: May 20, 2025

Edited by: Anton Radchenko

Your Passenger Rights For Emirates Cancellations or Delays

In 2023, Emirates transported 51.9 million passengers to over 150 destinations. This is up 19% from 2022, and all these extra passengers and flights can lead to an increase in travel disruptions. So, it’s good to look into your Emirates passenger rights.

To complicate matters slightly, your passenger rights differ from region to region. In some parts of the world, you might have almost no rights, while in others, like Europe, you could even be eligible for flight compensation in case of disruptions.

Since we are experts in claiming EU and UK flight compensation, we will focus on your rights for these 2 regions.

What is Emirates EU261 Compensation?

So, what do we mean when we talk about EU261 or EC261? Well, those letters and numbers refer to a specific piece of EU law that exists to help and protect people when travelling throughout Europe. UK261 offers the same protections for passengers departing from the UK.

Through EC 261, passengers can claim cancelled flight compensation and/or flight delay compensation if their travel plans around Europe are disrupted by factors and forces beyond the airline’s control. In other words, EU 261 keeps you safe if your Emirates flight is interrupted.

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What Emirates Flights are Covered by EU261?

Since Emirates is a UAE airline, not all flights are covered under EU and UK compensation laws. Thus, only flights that originate from a UK or EU airport are covered. For example, all Emirates flights from Paris or London, no matter the destination, are eligible for compensation.

A flight from New York, on the other hand, even if it lands in Paris or London, isn't covered because it originates from a non-EU and non-UK airport.

The Emirates cancelled flight refund policy and rules for delayed flights state that if your Emirates flight is delayed or cancelled, there are a few things that can happen.

• If your flight gets cancelled or significantly delayed, you will get rebooked on the next available flight to your destination.
• If getting an alternative flight for you is not possible, you will receive a refund according to the airline’s refund policy.
• This airline does not issue travel vouchers for delayed or cancelled flights anymore.
• The airline will give vouchers for food and drink during your airport wait time if your flight is delayed for more than two hours after the original scheduled time of departure. If they don’t you can file an Emirates refund claim for the expenses you incurred during the wait time. Remember to keep your receipts.
• If you need to spend the night at the airport waiting for your flight, the airline is obliged to pay for your accommodation. If the airline doesn’t make the necessary arrangements, you can file an Emirates refund claim to get your accommodation costs back.

Apart from the rights mentioned above, EU law mandates that as a ticketed passenger, you are also entitled to the following:

• Up to £520 (€600) in compensation.
• Compensation for a flight delayed for more than 3 hours, a flight cancelled with less than 14 days’ notice, or an overbooked flight.
• The right to claim on flights up to six years after they were scheduled for the UK, and three years for most of Europe.

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How Much Can You Receive for an Emirates Flight 261 Compensation Claim?

According to the EU 261 regulation, if your flight gets delayed or cancelled you are eligible for the following compensation:

• All flights under 1,500km - Up to £220 / €250 per person
• All EU/UK flights over 1,500km - Up to £350 / €400 per person
• International flights ranging from 1,500 to 3,500km - Up to £350 / €400 per person
• International flights longer than 3,500km - Up to £520 €600 per person

To see exactly what compensation amount you can receive, use our Compensation Calculator.

Emirates Flight Delay Compensation Claims

Flight delays and cancellations can be frustrating and time-consuming, particularly for disrupted passengers who have important business meetings or social events to attend.

The good news is that according to EU Regulation 261/2004 (EC 261), you may be eligible for up to €600 in Emirates flight delay compensation. You can claim compensation from Emirates in the following situations:

• Delays - To get compensation, your flight needs to be at least 3 hours late at the final destination. The total amount depends on the length of the flight.
• Cancellations - If your flight is cancelled and the airline didn’t let you know at least 14 days before the departure date, per Emirates flight cancellation rules.
• Denied boarding due to an overbooked flight - If you cannot board your flight because of accidental overbooking, you can receive an Emirates denied boarding compensation.
• Missed connection - If you miss a flight because of delays or cancellations caused by the airline, you’re also entitled to an Emirates missed flight refund.

To file your Emirates complaints, submit your claim with us. We will take care of your Emirates compensation claim form for Emirates delayed or cancelled flights.

Emirates Compensation for Cancellation

Dealing with an Emirates cancelled flight at the airport can be challenging. Without a doubt, cancelled flights can cost you and your travel companions not only stress but also money and time. To continue your trip, you may need to incur extra costs.

So, you may be asking yourself, “How do I claim compensation from Emirates?” Let’s answer that question, assuming your flight departs from either the EU or the UK.

For example, for all Emirates Dubai flights cancelled, passengers are still eligible for Emirates flight compensation as long as the flight was scheduled to depart from an airport in the EU or the UK. If that’s the case, you can submit an Emirates claim for a cancelled flight.

In the event of a cancelled flight from an EU or UK airport, you have the right to either a refund or a ticket on the next available flight. And, depending on when the new flight lands compared to the original one, financial compensation is similar to the one offered for delays.

To find out all your rights and financial compensation claims you can make in case of a flight cancellation, read our dedicated guide.

Emirates Denied Boarding Compensation

In some cases, you might find yourself in a situation where the airline staff won't let you board the airplane because the flight is overbooked.

If this happens to you in the EU or UK, again, you are protected by the same laws stated previously.

If you are denied boarding, the airline must either give you a refund or a ticket on a replacement flight, as well as financial compensation. Read our guide on denied boarding compensation to learn more.

We work on a No-Win, No-Fee basisAirAdvisor is happy to help with your claim, so you can avoid the stress of dealing with airlines and complicated laws.Check Your Flight

What to Do if Your Emirates Flight Delayed or Cancelled

Take immediate action to increase your chances of a successful compensation claim. Here are the steps you should follow:

1. In case of a delayed, cancelled, or overbooked flight, get in touch with the airline representatives to find out more details about the situation. They will also give you the necessary guidance for the next steps you should take.
2. If you plan on making an Emirates claim for a delayed flight, keep all your tickets, boarding passes, and receipts. This will help you support your claim.
3. You are eligible for a food and drink voucher if your airline keeps you waiting at the airport. Don’t forget to claim it.
4. You can check your Emirates flight cancellation compensation with our Compensation Calculator and learn how to claim flight delay compensation from Emirates.

How to Fill Out an Emirates EU261 Claim Form

You might be eligible for compensation after an Emirates flight, but the airline won’t usually pay out unless you actually fill in the necessary forms and let them know about it. So, how do you fill in the EU261 compensation form?

Well, you can usually do this on the official Emirates website. They’ll have a section there with the necessary forms for you to fill in online. But it can be quite complicated to figure out the forms and enter everything correctly if it’s your first time.

What if the Emirates EU261 Claim Form Doesn’t Work

If you need a helping hand, Air Advisor is here. We have a team of travel and legal experts who can help you get paid your EU261 compensation in the UK, Europe, and elsewhere around the world.

You can fill in the EU 261 form on our website and enjoy all the benefits of our expert team working around the clock to help with your case. This should ensure that your claim is successful and you get a swift payout.

Emirates Flight Cancellations: Can They Avoid Liability?

In some cases, airlines may not be liable for the cancellations or delays of their flights. Although, in most cases, flight disruptions happen due to reasons within the airline’s control, sometimes that’s not the case. An airline could avoid liability for a delayed or cancelled flight if there were “extraordinary circumstances” surrounding it. These circumstances included things out of the airline’s control, such as bad weather or unexpected incidents at the airport. If the delay cause is not something the airline could have prevented, you won’t be eligible for flight compensation.

However, even in these rare cases, the airline is still obligated to put you on an alternative flight and comply with your passenger rights, such as issuing a voucher for food and drink as long as you’re waiting at the airport or paying for your overnight accommodation if your alternative flight leaves the following day.

In a recent example, up to 1,000 flights were cancelled at Dubai Airport in early May due to severe flooding. According to Gulf News, an Emirates spokesperson commented:

Due to bad weather in Dubai on 2 May, flight movements at Dubai Airport have been reduced. Customers arriving or departing from Dubai Airport on 2 May can expect some delays as flights are rescheduled.

This is an instance of an extraordinary weather event causing Emirates flight delays and cancellations. So, even if your flight to Dubai departed from the UK or EU, Emirates is not required to issue EU261 compensation. But, they are still required to keep passengers updated, comfortable through meals and refreshments, and provide overnight accommodation and transfers as many were delayed over 16 hours.

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FAQs: EU261 Compensation Claims and Refunds