Short answer
What is denied boarding compensation?
Denied boarding compensation is the EU 261 payment for passengers with a confirmed seat who are refused boarding against their will, usually because the airline overbooked. The amount is €250, €400 or €600 per passenger by distance, on top of a refund or a new flight. Giving up your seat voluntarily in exchange for a voucher is different and can replace the cash right.
When denied boarding qualifies
Involuntary denial is what triggers the payment. Volunteers who agree to a deal are treated differently.
- You had a confirmed reservation for the flight.
- You checked in and reached the gate on time, with valid travel documents.
- Boarding was refused against your will — you didn't give up your seat in exchange for benefits.
- The flight departed from the EU, Iceland, Norway or Switzerland — or landed there on an airline based in one of those countries.
- The refusal wasn't justified by health, safety, security or missing travel documents.
Denied boarding compensation by distance
The same distance grid as delays and cancellations, paid on top of a refund or a new flight.
- Up to 1,500 km€250e.g. Milan–Paris, Vienna–Zurich, Hamburg–Stockholm
- 1,500–3,500 km€400e.g. Brussels–Istanbul, Munich–Lisbon, Warsaw–Malaga
- Over 3,500 km€600e.g. Paris–Johannesburg, Frankfurt–Chicago, Rome–Delhi
Volunteers who give up their seat get the benefits they agree with the airline instead. If you were bumped against your will, the full amount applies.
Volunteer or bumped? The difference matters
Airlines must first ask for volunteers. Whether you stepped forward or were chosen decides what you're owed.
Involuntary — you're owed cash
- The flight was overbooked and you were picked to stay behind
- Your seat was given to someone else despite on-time check-in
- You were offloaded because the airline swapped to a smaller aircraft
- Staff moved you to a later flight without asking
Voluntary or justified — usually no cash
- You gave up your seat in exchange for a voucher or other benefits
- You arrived at the gate after boarding had closed
- You didn't have a valid passport, visa or other required document
- You were refused for safety, health or disruptive behaviour
What the airline owes you at the gate
Involuntary denied boarding triggers four rights at once. You don't have to choose between them.
| Right | What it means |
|---|---|
| Compensation | €250–€600 by cash, bank transfer or cheque — vouchers only if you agree in writing |
| Refund or new flight | A full ticket refund, or a new flight at the earliest opportunity or on a later date of your choice |
| Care | Meals, refreshments, two phone calls or emails, and a hotel with transfers if you wait overnight |
| Written notice | A written statement setting out your rights to compensation and assistance |
After you're refused boarding
Ask for written confirmation at the gate if you can — then file with us.
- 01
Keep the evidence
Boarding pass, a photo of the gate screen and any written confirmation of the refusal.
- 02
File in two minutes
Tell us what happened and we'll confirm whether it counts as involuntary.
- 03
We pursue the airline
Overbooking is a commercial choice, never an extraordinary circumstance.
- 04
Collect your payout
Our fee is taken only if the airline pays.
Denied boarding FAQ
Overbooking questions we hear every week.
I took a voucher at the gate. Can I still claim cash?
If you volunteered and agreed to the voucher, it usually replaces the cash right. If you were refused boarding first and handed a voucher afterwards, you normally keep the full claim.
Is overbooking legal?
Yes, airlines may sell more seats than the aircraft has. But when that leaves a passenger behind against their will, fixed compensation is due — overbooking is never an extraordinary circumstance.
The airline says I was late to the gate. What now?
Airlines sometimes present a bump as passenger fault. We check check-in and boarding timestamps — if you were on time, the claim stands.
Do I get a hotel if I have to wait overnight?
Yes. The right to care — meals, refreshments, a hotel and transfers — applies on top of compensation whenever the wait for the new flight requires it.
Can the airline pay me in vouchers?
Only if you agree in writing. By default compensation is paid in cash, by bank transfer or by cheque.
I was downgraded instead of bumped. Am I owed anything?
Yes. If you're moved to a lower class, the airline must refund 30%, 50% or 75% of the ticket price for that flight, depending on distance, within seven days.
Sources
The regulation and the court rulings this guide relies on.
- Regulation (EC) No 261/2004OJ L 46, 17.2.2004
The EU law that sets compensation, care and refund rights for delays, cancellations and denied boarding.
- Finnair v LassooyC-22/11 (2012)
Denied boarding is not limited to overbooking; operational reasons count too.
- Rodríguez Cachafeiro v IberiaC-321/11 (2012)
Giving away your seat on a connecting flight because your first flight was expected to land late is denied boarding.
