How to get Ryanair flight delay compensation?
What to do if your Ryanair flight is delayed 3 hours or more?
What are your rights if you miss a connecting flight with Ryanair?
In this article, we cover everything you need to know. If your flight is delayed for 3 hours or more, you may be eligible for European flight delay compensation up to 600 euros per passenger. Additionally, you’re entitled to care from Ryanair. All passengers flying with Ryanair have these rights.
Make sure to share your own experience with Ryanair in the comments, if you have ever experienced a Ryanair flight delay, cancellation, or overbooking.
Check flight compensation online.
Ryanair Flight Delay Compensation: UK, EU Rules
UK/EU flight delay compensation rules are super simple.
The delay must exceed three hours and it must be due to Ryanair’s fault. For example, technical problems are the airline’s fault.
If your flight in or out of Europe is over 3 hours late because of the airline, you could get up to €600 compensation, paid to your bank account. This applies to all delays and cancellations with European airlines. Ryanair is a European airline.
- It must be a 3-hour flight delay or more
- It must be due to the fault of Ryanair
- The flight must be to/from Europe
See the flight delay compensation calculator below.
Read more: Ryanair Flight Cancellation Compensation
Check flight compensation online.
By Europe, European Union and EU here on this website we mean all EU Member States, the United Kingdom (UK), Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Martinique, Reunion, Mayotte, Saint Martin (French Antilles), the Azores, Madeira, the Canary Islands, Iceland, Norway, and Switzerland. This is where these European regulations work.
European Flight Delay Compensation Calculator
How much can you claim for a European flight?
How much is Ryanair flight delay compensation?
The amount of flight compensation in the EU and also the UK depends on the duration of the delay and the distance of the flight. The longer the flight, the more compensation from the airline you can get. As long as the delay is at least 3 hours.
- 250 euros – if the flight is up to 1,500 km (3-hour delay or more)
- 400 euros – if the flight is up to 3,500 km (3-hour delay or more)
- 600 euros – if the flight is more than 3,500 km (4-hour delay or more)
- 300 euros – if the flight is more than 3,500 km (3-4 hour delay)
All of these compensation amounts are per passenger.
Children can get the same amount, too.
How much can you claim for the Ryanair flight delay? In 2024, there are four options – 250, 300, 400, or 600 euros. 250 and 400 are the most common.
How to Claim Ryanair Flight Delay Compensation?
At the moment, there are two options for how you can claim Ryanair flight delay compensation – you can contact Ryanair customer service, or work with a flight compensation company.
- You can reach out to Ryanair customer service to ask for flight delay compensation. First, send them a message or email. Or you can fill in the Ryanair delayed flight compensation form online. Then, keep on reminding them about your claim. Remember, it might take a few months to get the money, often – more than that. For the best result, have all your flight details ready, including why the flight was delayed and how many hours later you arrived at your destination. Go to ryanair.com or Ryanair app, to start the process.
- You can work with a flight compensation company. Use the claim form on our website, and experts will claim delayed Ryanair flight compensation on your behalf.
Read more: Why Should You Use a Flight Compensation Company to Claim Compensation?
What to Do If Your Ryanair Flight Is Delayed 3 Hours?
If your Ryanair flight is delayed for 3 hours or more, do this:
1. Stay Informed. When your flight is delayed, the first step is to keep updated on the situation. Visit the airport’s website or ryanair.com for the latest information on your flight status.
2. Contact Ryanair. If you booked your flight with Ryanair, get in touch with their customer service right away. They can give you details on the delay. Ask why the flight is delayed; it might help if you need compensation later. If you booked the flight from a different place, contact them. There is a chance that only they will be able to provide you with any help.
3. Know Your Rights. Under UK and EU laws, if your flight is delayed by 3 hours or more, you have the right to get certain benefits and also compensation from the airline. The former includes getting meals and drinks, being able to use a phone or email, and if you have to wait overnight, a place to stay. We talk more about this below (look for “Right to Care”).
4. Keep All Your Documents. Remember to save all your travel papers like your boarding pass, booking confirmation, and any receipts for expenses caused by this delay. You’ll need these when filing for compensation or extra expenses.
5. Claim Compensation. Do this as soon as you arrive at your travel destination, so you don’t forget about the details. The are two methods for claiming compensation for delayed Ryanair flight. Please refer to the details provided above.
Read more:
- What to Do If the Airline Refuses to Pay Compensation?
- Can You Claim Flight Compensation for Old Flights? 1 Year and More
Right to Care From Ryanair
If you have to wait longer than planned, you have a right to care.
This rule applies to all Ryanair flight delays and flight cancellations.
It does apply also to problems that aren’t considered the airline’s fault, situations that could be described as extraordinary circumstances.
- If you have to wait for 3 hours, you have a right to a meal or two, and emails or calls. This is usually provided in a form of coupons that you can use at the airport. Pay attention to the fact that you may be allowed to use them only at certain restaurants or cafes.
- If you have to wait overnight, Ryanair must offer you a free hotel stay and free airport transfer.
If you aren’t getting any of this, pay for the services yourself, keep the receipts and later file a claim for extra expenses that had occurred as a result of the delay.
Check flight compensation online.
What If You Miss a Connecting Flight With Ryanair?
In 2024, Ryanair doesn’t sell connecting flights.
If you book several flights, and if you miss one of them due to the delay of another, this is considered your responsibility – you have to buy a new flight yourself. Trips like this are called “self-transfer flights“.
The same applies to all situations.
- Ryanair – Ryanair flights
- Ryanair – Wizz Air flights
- Ryanair– easyJet flights
- and all other possible combinations
No matter the airline, this is considered your responsibility.
Flights like these are known as self-transfer flights. You may have seen this feature as one of Kiwi.com’s travel hacks. Kiwi is a very popular flight booking website.
Ryanair Voucher? Can You Ask for a Bank Transfer?
Yes, you can refuse a Ryanair voucher.
If you have a right to flight delay compensation, you don’t have to accept a Ryanair voucher. You have a right to receive the money to your bank account.
The same goes for flight cancellations. If your flight gets cancelled, European rules say you can ask for your money back instead of accepting a voucher. If the airline cancels your flight, and it’s due to their fault, you also have a right to compensation. Paid to bank account, if you choose so.
When it comes to cancellations, sometimes, it’s better to take a voucher. For example, if Ryanair has offered you an extra 20% on top of the value of your ticket, and you know that you are going to travel with Ryanair sometime soon, you can opt for the voucher.
Here Are Examples of Situations When You Can Get Ryanair Flight Delay Compensation
These aren’t all possible scenarios, just examples.
- Delayed Ryanair flight from Budapest to London. If your flight from Budapest to London with Ryanair is delayed for more than three hours, you may be eligible for compensation of up to 250 euros per passenger. Since the distance is up to 1,500 km.
- Technical issues caused a delay on a Ryanair flight from London. If your flight from London with Ryanair experiences technical issues resulting in a delay of three hours or more, you may be entitled to compensation of up to 600 euros depending on your final destination. The same applies to flight cancellations.
- Long tarmac delay at Riga Airport. If your Ryanair flight departing from Riga Airport is held on the tarmac for more than three hours during takeoff or landing, as a result of their mistake, you will be eligible for compensation of up to 600 euros. The amount of compensation depends on the total distance travelled. But, of course, the time of arrival also matters. If the flight arrives with a delay of less than 3 hours, you won’t get compensation. The moment when the aeroplane doors are opened and passengers are allowed to leave is considered the actual time of arrival.
- Your Ryanair flight is delayed due to a crew shortage on the route between Belgrade and Athens. If your Ryanair flight between Belgrade and Athens is delayed due to crew shortage and results in a delay of three hours or more, you may receive compensation from the airline.
What is your experience with Ryanair? Have you experienced a delay with Ryanair? How did Ryanair resolve the situation? Did you receive flight delay compensation?
Featured photo by Markus Winkler from Pexels