EU keeps 3 hour delay rule for passengers as new rights wait until 2027

The revised EU air passenger rights deal keeps today's compensation cap and 3-hour delay trigger, but the strengthened rerouting, refund and complaint-handling rules won't bite until 2027.

Current EU261 rules stay in force through 2026

Parliament approved the overhaul in July and the Council is set to confirm it by early August. The regulation then enters force 20 days after publication in the Official Journal, followed by a 12-month grace period for airlines and member states, pushing the new regime into the second half of 2027.

Until then, passengers flying from any EU airport or into the EU on an EU carrier, remain under the existing framework: 250 euros for trips up to 1,500 km, 400 euros for intra-EU flights over 1,500 km and 600 euros for longer journeys, triggered at a 3-hour arrival delay. Attempts to raise the delay threshold to 4 to 6 hours were rejected.

What to do now if a flight is disrupted

File the claim under current EU261 directly with the airline. The pre-filled EU claim forms, six-month filing window and 14-day airline response deadline only apply once the new rules take effect in 2027, so document delays, keep boarding passes and escalate unresolved claims to the national enforcement body in the country of departure. More jurisdiction-specific guidance sits in our country breakdowns.