Home · Guides · Overbooking: your rights
Guide · as of 26 Oct 2026Denied boarding and overbooking: your rights and €250–600
If you are refused boarding against your will despite a valid ticket and arriving on time – usually because the flight is overbooked – Regulation (EC) 261/2004 entitles you to €250–600 compensation, re-routing or a refund, and care. Below are the rules as set out by the EU Commission and Austria’s apf, checked 26 October 2026.
When does this apply?
- You have a confirmed booking and valid travel documents.
- You were on time for check-in or at the gate.
- You are refused boarding against your will – usually because of overbooking, according to the EU Commission also for operational reasons.
What you are entitled to
- Compensation of €250–600 (table below).
- The choice between a ticket refund and re-routing to your destination at the earliest opportunity (or later if you prefer).
- Care in proportion to the wait: snacks, meals, drinks and, where needed, a hotel and transfers.
| Distance (great circle, first departure to final destination) | Compensation per passenger |
|---|---|
| up to 1,500 km | €250 |
| within the EU, over 1,500 km | €400 |
| other flights, 1,500–3,500 km | €400 |
| other flights, over 3,500 km | €600 |
Volunteers who give up their seat agree benefits with the airline, such as vouchers or miles. According to the apf, these offers can be worth more than the cash payment – check exactly what you get first.
When is nothing due?
When there are reasonable grounds for refusing you: you were late for check-in or the gate, your passport or ID is missing or invalid, a contagious disease was diagnosed, or safety is at risk (for example from heavily intoxicated passengers).
Downgrading
If you are moved to a lower class, the EU Commission says you get back part of the ticket price for that flight: 30% up to 1,500 km, 50% for EU flights over 1,500 km and other flights of 1,500–3,500 km, 75% for all other flights. It should be paid within 7 days. If you are upgraded, the airline cannot charge extra.
How to claim – for free or with a claims service
- Keep evidence: booking confirmation, boarding pass, the airline’s message (with its date), receipts for meals, hotel and transfers.
- Claim from the airline that was supposed to operate the flight. The Austrian apf provides template letters (in German).
- No reply or rejected? File a free conciliation request with the apf, Austria’s agency for passenger rights.
- Or hire a claims service such as AirHelp or Compensair. It handles the correspondence but keeps part of the compensation if it succeeds. Read the fee before you sign.
Let a claims service check your flight
Claims service: checks your flight and pursues the EU261 claim for you. It keeps a fee from the payout – read the fee before you sign. Claiming directly with the airline is free.
Claims service for delayed, cancelled and overbooked flights. It keeps a fee from the payout – read the fee before you sign. Claiming directly with the airline is free.
Some links may be affiliate links. Commissions do not change calculator results. See the affiliate disclosure. Affiliate disclosure.
Disclosure: TripUtils earns a commission via the Travelpayouts partner network if you hire AirHelp or Compensair through these links. We have not checked their fees or success rates; the free route via the airline and the apf is always open to you. Affiliate disclosure
Flight delay compensation and calculatorFlight cancelled: your rightsCarry-on checker
Sources
Checked on 2026-10-26. The legal basis is Regulation (EC) 261/2004; this is not legal advice.
- Your Europe (EU Commission): air passenger rights (2026-10-26)
- apf (Austria): denied boarding and overbooking (German) (2026-10-26)
- apf: template letters to the airline (German) (2026-10-26)
- apf: conciliation request for flights (German) (2026-10-26)
Common questions
How much do I get if my flight is overbooked?
€250 up to 1,500 km, €400 over 1,500 km within the EU and for other flights of 1,500–3,500 km, €600 over 3,500 km – per passenger.
Should I volunteer to give up my seat?
That is your choice. Volunteers agree benefits with the airline, such as vouchers or miles; according to the apf these can be worth more than the cash payment. Read the offer carefully before you accept.
When can the airline refuse me without compensation?
For reasonable grounds: arriving late at check-in or the gate, missing or invalid travel documents, a contagious disease, or a safety risk such as heavily intoxicated passengers.
What if I am downgraded to a lower class?
According to the EU Commission you get back 30% (up to 1,500 km), 50% (EU flights over 1,500 km and other flights of 1,500–3,500 km) or 75% (all others) of the ticket price for that flight, payable within 7 days.