How do I claim delay compensation from British Airways?

To claim from British Airways: (1) Submit your claim through BA's online compensation form at britishairways.com/en-gb/information/legal/flight-delay-compensation. You need your booking reference and flight details. (2) If BA rejects or ignores your claim after 8 weeks, escalate to CEDR (Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution) — BA's approved ADR scheme at cedr.com/aviation. (3) As a final option, use Money Claim Online (MCOL) for a small claims court claim.

How much compensation can I get from British Airways?

Under UK261, BA must pay: £220 per passenger for short-haul delays (under 1,500km); £350 for medium-haul (1,500–3,500km, e.g. New York domestic connections, North Africa); £520 for long-haul (over 3,500km — most intercontinental BA routes). These rates apply for delays of 3+ hours at destination, cancellations within 14 days, and denied boarding. Note: BA flies many long-haul routes, so £520 claims are common.

What ADR scheme does British Airways use?

British Airways uses CEDR (Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution) as its approved Alternative Dispute Resolution scheme. CEDR is available at cedr.com/aviation. You can escalate your BA claim to CEDR for free if BA rejects or ignores your claim after 8 weeks. CEDR decisions are binding on British Airways.

British Airways Delay Compensation 2025

Quick answer

How much can you claim from British Airways?

UK261 sets fixed rates: £220 per passenger for EU short-haul routes (under 1,500km), £350 for medium-haul routes (1,500–3,500km), and £520 for long-haul (over 3,500km). The majority of BA's network is long-haul — flights to the US, Caribbean, Middle East, Asia, and Africa all qualify at £520 per person. A family of four on a delayed Heathrow–New York flight could claim £2,080 total.

✈️ Mostly long-haul routes✓ £520 for USA, Caribbean, Asia⏱ 6-year window

Free calculator

Calculate your British Airways UK261 compensation

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British Airways Compensation Calculator

Fixed UK261 statutory rates — identify your route type

Destination / route type

Number of passengers

Type of disruption

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These are your legal entitlements — BA cannot offer lessIf BA offers a voucher, travel credit, or Avios points, you are entitled to demand cash instead. Avios and vouchers are not equivalent to statutory compensation. Do not accept them as "full and final settlement" without reserving your cash rights.

Step-by-step

How to make a British Airways compensation claim

Submit through BA's online claim form

Go to britishairways.com and search for "flight delay compensation". You'll need: booking reference, flight number (BA + 4 digits), departure date, and details of the delay or cancellation. BA aims to respond within 4 weeks but can take up to 8.

Challenge any extraordinary circumstances rejection

BA sometimes cites extraordinary circumstances for technical issues — which courts have consistently found is not extraordinary. If rejected, reply asking for: (a) the specific extraordinary circumstance; (b) evidence of all reasonable measures taken. Reference Wallentin-Hermann v Alitalia. Give BA 28 days to substantiate.

Escalate to CEDR after 8 weeks

CEDR (Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution) is BA's ADR scheme — available at cedr.com/aviation. Submit your claim, BA's rejection, your challenge letter, and supporting evidence. CEDR is free to use and its decisions are binding on BA. Most cases resolve within 90 days.

Small Claims Court as a final option

Money Claim Online (MCOL) is fast and inexpensive. Filing a court claim usually prompts BA's legal team to settle. For long-haul claims of £520+ per person, even a modest claim fee is easily recovered. BA typically settles before the hearing date.

Long-haul route table

British Airways routes and UK261 compensation amounts

RouteDistanceCompensation per person

London Heathrow → New York (JFK/EWR)5,570km£520

London Heathrow → Los Angeles (LAX)8,755km£520

London Heathrow → Dubai (DXB)5,475km£520

London Heathrow → Barbados (BGI)6,680km£520

London Heathrow → Singapore (SIN)10,840km£520

London Heathrow → Madrid / Barcelona~1,200km£220

London Heathrow → Tenerife (TFS)2,870km£350

Evidence guide

Evidence needed for a British Airways UK261 claim

📋 For a British Airways delay claim

BA booking reference (PNR) — 6-character alphanumeric code from your booking confirmation email.

Boarding pass — digital (BA app) or paper. Confirms you checked in and the flight number. Essential.

Actual arrival time evidence — FlightAware or FlightRadar24 data for your flight. Search by BA flight number and date. Capture a screenshot showing scheduled vs actual arrival (not departure) times. Delay is measured at destination gate arrival.

BA's response and any rejection letter — keep all correspondence for CEDR or court proceedings.

Right to care receipts — meals, refreshments, transport, and accommodation costs during a delay of 2+ hours are separately claimable. Keep all receipts with your boarding pass.

FAQs

British Airways compensation — questions answered

I used Avios to book my BA flight — can I still claim cash compensation?+

Yes. UK261 compensation rights apply regardless of how you paid for your ticket — cash, Avios, or any combination. The entitlement is based on the flight journey and the delay experienced, not the fare paid. You are entitled to cash compensation even if your ticket cost zero cash. BA may try to offer Avios as compensation — you are entitled to demand the cash equivalent instead.

My BA flight connected through Heathrow — how is the distance calculated?+

For connecting flights on a single booking, the distance is measured from your departure airport to your final destination. If you flew from Manchester to Heathrow, then Heathrow to New York — and the delay caused you to miss your connection — the relevant distance is Manchester to New York, and the compensation is £520 per person. This assumes both flights were on a single BA booking (same PNR).

Can I claim for a BA delay that happened several years ago?+

Yes — in England and Wales, you have 6 years from the date of the flight to make a claim (6-year limitation period under the Limitation Act 1980). For flights from 2019 onwards, you are clearly within time. For flights from 2015–2018, you may still be within time. Earlier than that, it becomes complex — consult a specialist. Evidence (especially FlightAware historical data) is available for flights going back many years.

BA offered me an eVoucher — should I accept?+

Only accept if the voucher value equals the statutory cash amount AND you explicitly reserve your right to the difference if you decide to claim later. If BA's email says "accept this voucher as full and final settlement", do not accept without legal advice. The safest approach: decline the voucher and proceed with the formal cash compensation claim. Vouchers expire and have restrictions; statutory cash compensation does not.

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Disclaimer: Compensation rates are fixed by UK Regulation 261/2004. Extraordinary circumstances defences are fact-specific. ClaimValue is not affiliated with British Airways. Not legal advice.