Cash or vouchers: which compensation should you accept for a delayed flight?
You've just spent hours stuck in an airport, your flight finally arrives late, and now the airline offers you a travel voucher. It feels like something is better than nothing, but should you take it?
It's a question we hear constantly at AirAdvisor. When you're tired, frustrated and just want to move on, that voucher can seem like the easiest route. But it's not always the smartest one. Here's what you need to know before you decide.
Know what you're owed
Under EU261 and UK261, if your flight arrives at your final destination more than three hours late and the delay was within the airline's control, you may be entitled to up to £520 (€600) in statutory cash compensation.
Airlines are not required to proactively tell you this. Instead, many will offer a travel voucher — sometimes with an enticingly high face value. If you're not aware of your rights, you might accept it without realising you could have taken the cash instead.
Why airlines push vouchers so hard
From the airline's perspective, a voucher is a straightforward win. It keeps the money in their account, encourages you to fly with them again, and frequently goes unused, especially when it expires before you get around to booking another trip.
For you, it's a different story.
Vouchers come with strings attached
Unlike cash, a voucher typically means:
- You're locked into using that airline again.
- It may come with expiry dates or blackout periods.
- If the airline goes out of business, it could be worth nothing.
- You could unknowingly waive your right to the statutory compensation you're legally owed.
Passengers who accepted a voucher in the moment frequently find that it couldn't be used when they needed it or that it didn't cover the routes they fly.
Does accepting a duty-of-care offer affect your cash claim?
This is one of the most important distinctions to understand. During a delay, airlines are required to provide care: meals, refreshments, and hotel accommodation if you're delayed overnight. These are your care rights, and are separate from your right to cash compensation.
Accepting a meal voucher or a hotel stay during your delay does not affect your right to claim statutory compensation afterwards. These are different entitlements, and one does not cancel the other.
Are there situations where a voucher makes sense?
Sometimes, yes. If you fly frequently with that airline, the voucher is more generous than the statutory cash amount, and it comes with no meaningful restrictions, it may genuinely be worth considering. Read the fine print carefully before deciding.
But if you travel occasionally, or simply want the freedom to spend your compensation as you choose, cash is almost always the better option.
You have the right to choose, and airlines know it
Airlines cannot legally force you to accept a voucher in place of cash compensation. They are required to offer you the statutory amount. If an airline only offered a voucher and you felt that was your only option, you can still pursue the cash compensation you're entitled to, even after the fact.
It's also worth knowing the difference between compensation and refunds. A refund returns your ticket cost if you choose not to travel. Compensation is the separate, fixed amount owed for the disruption itself. Both may apply to your situation.
What to do if you've been delayed
If your flight delay might qualify for compensation and you're deciding what to do:
- Save your boarding pass and any confirmation emails.
- Note your actual arrival time at the final destination.
- Politely ask the airline what caused the delay.
- Decline a voucher if you'd prefer cash, as it is your right to do so.
- Submit a claim, either directly to the airline or through AirAdvisor.
You have up to 6 years to claim for flights departing from the UK, and typically 2–3 years for EU departures. If you've already accepted a voucher, it's still worth checking whether your right to cash compensation was formally waived.
Take the cash, unless you have a good reason not to
The short answer to the original question: unless the voucher is genuinely more valuable than your statutory entitlement and comes with no restrictions you can foresee, the cash is usually the right choice.
At AirAdvisor, our legal team handles the claim from start to finish, including filing with the airline, following up, and escalating if needed. If the claim isn't successful, you pay nothing. If it is, our service fee is 30% of the compensation recovered.
A delayed flight is frustrating enoughYou should at least get what you're legally owed for it.Check your eligibility in under a minute
Tools to Help You Out
See our list of FREE tools in the links below:
- Online compensation eligibility checker
- Calculator for flight delay compensation
- Flight delay complaint letter + template
Resources & Additional Reading
Some extra resources to help you better understand flight delay compensation:
- Delayed flight compensation claim deadlines
- What are delay reversals?
- Business trip and flight delays
Flight Delays by Issue
Read more about the most popular flight delay causes:
- Flight delay due to weather
- Flight delay due to diversion
- Flight delay due to aircraft maintenance
- Flight delay due to overfueling
- Flight delay due to extraordinary circumstances
Frequently asked questions
If I accepted a voucher, can I still claim cash compensation?
Possibly. It depends on whether you formally waived your right to cash compensation when you accepted the voucher. Simply taking a voucher that was offered doesn't automatically mean you've given up your statutory entitlement. Submit your details to AirAdvisor and we'll advise you on your specific situation.
Does accepting a meal or hotel voucher during the delay affect my compensation claim?
No. Meals, refreshments, and accommodation provided during a delay are part of your care rights, which is a separate entitlement from compensation. Accepting them has no effect on your right to claim the statutory cash amount.
How do I know if my delay qualifies for cash compensation?
The two main conditions are: the delay was 3 hours or more at your final destination, and the cause was within the airline's control (not genuine extraordinary circumstances like severe weather or air traffic control strikes). You can check your specific flight using AirAdvisor's free eligibility tool.
What if the airline already rejected my claim?
A rejection from the airline is not the final word. Airlines frequently decline valid claims on questionable grounds. AirAdvisor can review the rejection and challenge it, including escalating to the relevant national enforcement body if necessary.
Author:
Joanna Teljeur
Job/Position: Senior Editor & Content Lead
Joanna Teljeur is a senior editor and writer with 15+ years of experience in editorial leadership, journalism, and content development, specialising in consumer rights, aviation law, and public-interest reporting. Her work focuses on transforming complex regulatory and legal topics into clear, accurate, and accessible content for international audiences.
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