What you can claim, and how
A delayed, cancelled or overbooked flight
EU261: €250 for flights under 1,500 km; €400 for 1,500 to 3,500 km, and for flights within the EU over 1,500 km; €600 over 3,500 km (€300 if 3 to 4 hours late).
UK261: £220, £350 and £520 for the same distances (£260 if 3 to 4 hours late on a long flight).
Canada (APPR), large airlines: CAD 400 for 3 to 6 hours late, CAD 700 for 6 to 9, CAD 1,000 for 9 or more; small airlines: CAD 125, 250 and 500.
Refused boarding: CAD 900 if you arrive less than 6 hours late, CAD 1,800 for 6 to 9 hours, CAD 2,400 for 9 hours or more.
Refused boarding against your will: 200% of the one-way fare (up to $1,075) if you arrive 1 to 2 hours late (1 to 4 hours internationally), 400% (up to $2,150) beyond that.
EU and nearby (EU261)
- Compensation is due when you arrive 3 hours or more late, or your flight is cancelled with less than 14 days' notice, or you're refused boarding — unless the airline proves extraordinary circumstances.
- Whatever the cause, the airline must also offer a refund or another flight, and meals and a hotel while you wait.
Set by each country — often several years. Claim as soon as you can, while you still have the boarding pass.
United Kingdom (UK261)
- The same rules as the EU, in pounds: compensation for 3+ hours late, late cancellations and overbooking — unless the cause was extraordinary.
- The airline must also offer a refund or another flight, and meals and a hotel while you wait.
Up to 6 years in England and Wales, 5 in Scotland.
Canada (APPR)
- Compensation is due when the cause was within the airline's control and not needed for safety, and you arrive 3 hours or more late.
- Claim from the airline first; it must answer within 30 days. Still no? Complain to the Canadian Transportation Agency.
One year from the flight.
United States (DOT)
- US law gives no cash compensation for delays — but a cancelled flight, or a change of 3 hours or more (6 for international flights) that you decline, must be refunded in cash.
- The refund is due within 7 business days on a card, 20 days otherwise. Airlines also refund bag fees when a checked bag is badly delayed.
The refund should come by itself — if it hasn't within the time above, claim it now.
Elsewhere (Montreal Convention)
- On international flights, the Montreal Convention lets you claim proven costs caused by a delay (meals, hotel, missed bookings), up to 6,303 SDR — about US$8,000.
- Check the airline's own conditions of carriage: many offer vouchers or refunds of their own.
Under the Montreal Convention, any court claim must start within 2 years.
A delayed, cancelled or overbooked flight
- Keep your boarding pass, booking confirmation and any messages about the delay.
- Claim directly from the airline, on its own claim form — you don't need a claims company, and they keep up to a third.
- Ask for meals, hotel and transport receipts to be paid back too.
Lost, delayed or damaged baggage
- Report it at the airport before you leave, and get the reference (a property irregularity report).
- Keep receipts for what you had to buy while the bag was missing.
- Send your written claim in time: 7 days for damage, 21 days from delivery for a delayed bag.
International flights (Montreal Convention): the airline pays proven loss up to 1,519 SDR per passenger — about US$2,000.
A bag missing for 21 days counts as lost.
A delayed or cancelled train
- Keep your ticket and note the arrival time.
- Claim on the rail company's own website or form.
European Union: EU rail rules: 25% of the ticket price back if you arrive 60 to 119 minutes late, 50% from 120 minutes — unless it was severe weather or another event outside the railway's control. Strikes don't count as an excuse. The railway must pay within a month of your claim.
United Kingdom: Most train companies pay Delay Repay from 15 or 30 minutes late — claim on the operator's website.
A rental deposit not returned
- Ask for the deposit back in writing, with your new address and bank details.
- Compare the move-out and move-in reports and photos: normal wear and tear can't be charged.
- Ask for a written list of any deductions, with receipts.
France: The landlord must return the deposit within 1 month if the move-out report matches the move-in one, 2 months otherwise. Late? Add 10% of the monthly rent (without charges) for each month started late.
Germany: The deposit is usually returned within 3 to 6 months; part can be held back until the service-charge bill is settled.
United Kingdom: Your landlord must protect the deposit in a government-approved scheme within 30 days, and return it within 10 days of agreeing the amount. Not protected? A court can order the landlord to pay you up to three times the deposit.
A refund for something returned or cancelled
- Find the proof you returned it or cancelled — the tracking number, the email.
- Ask the seller in writing for the refund, with the date you returned or cancelled.
- Paid by card and still nothing? Ask your bank for a chargeback.
European Union: Cancelled within your 14-day right to withdraw? The seller must refund you within 14 days, including the standard delivery cost.
United Kingdom: Cancelled within 14 days of an online or phone purchase? The seller must refund you within 14 days.
A double charge or overcharge
- Check your bank app for both charges — some are only holds that disappear by themselves in a few days.
- Ask the company in writing to refund the extra charge.
- No answer within two weeks? Ask your bank to dispute it.
United States: Dispute a credit card billing error within 60 days of the statement it appeared on.
Unpaid wages or final pay
- Write down what you're owed, with your payslips, contract and hours.
- Ask your employer in writing, with a date to pay by.
- No payment: contact your country's labour authority or employment tribunal — often free.
France: Unpaid salary can be claimed for 3 years. The labour inspectorate and the labour court (prud'hommes) can help.
Germany: Check your contract for a short claim deadline — often just 3 months. Otherwise, 3 years from the end of the year it was due.
United Kingdom: Talk to Acas first (it's required before a tribunal). An unpaid-wages claim must usually start within 3 months less one day.
United States: The Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division takes complaints; federal wage claims have a 2-year limit (3 if the violation was wilful). Many states have their own labor office too.
Australia: The Fair Work Ombudsman (below) helps recover unpaid wages — free.
A tax refund
- Check whether you paid too much: a job that ended mid-year, two jobs, work expenses.
- File a return, or a claim, for each year you overpaid — many countries let you go back several years.
France: You can ask for a correction until 31 December of the second year after the tax was set.
Germany: A voluntary tax return can be filed up to 4 years back — ELSTER (below).
United Kingdom: You can claim back overpaid tax for up to 4 years.
United States: A refund claim must be filed within 3 years of the original return (or 2 years of paying the tax).
Canada: You can ask for refunds of overpaid tax for up to 10 previous years.
Australia: Most people can amend a tax return within 2 years.
Forgotten money — old accounts, insurance, shares
- Search the official unclaimed money site for your country (below) with every name and address you've had.
- Never pay anyone to search for you — the official searches are free.
France: Ciclade (below) lists money from dormant bank accounts and unclaimed life insurance — the search is free.
United Kingdom: My Lost Account (below) searches old bank, building society and National Savings accounts — free.
United States: Each state holds unclaimed money; MissingMoney (below) searches most states at once — free.
Canada: The Bank of Canada holds balances from accounts left untouched for 10 years — search them free (below).
Australia: ASIC's Moneysmart search (below) covers unclaimed bank accounts, shares and life insurance — there's no time limit to claim.
A cancelled holiday package or event
- Ask the seller for a refund in writing — you don't have to accept a voucher when the seller cancelled.
- Paid by card and no refund? Ask your bank for a chargeback.
European Union: A cancelled package holiday must be refunded in full within 14 days.
United Kingdom: A cancelled package holiday must be refunded within 14 days.
If they refuse
- Ask for the refusal in writing, with the exact reason.
- Write again, once, quoting the rule — the letter below does it.
- Still no: take it to the official complaints body or ombudsman for that country (below), or to a small-claims court.
- Paid by card? Your bank may be able to reverse the payment (a chargeback) — ask soon, there are time limits.