How delayed does a Ryanair flight need to be to get a refund?

Delays of more than 5 hours In this instance you can, regardless of the distance, withdraw from your flight. Ryanair is obliged to either reimburse you or offer you alternative transportation to your destination.



Under the UK and EU261 regulations that Ryanair must follow in 2026, a flight must be delayed by at least 5 hours at the point of departure for you to be entitled to a full refund of your ticket if you choose not to travel. If you do choose to wait and travel on the delayed flight, the "delay" for monetary compensation is measured at the arrival time at your final destination. If you arrive more than 3 hours late, you may be eligible for compensation ranging from €250 to €600, depending on the distance of the flight, unless the delay was caused by "extraordinary circumstances" (like weather or air traffic control strikes). Additionally, for any delay over 2 hours, Ryanair is legally required to provide "duty of care," which includes food and drink vouchers and two phone calls/emails. If the delay requires an overnight stay, they must provide hotel accommodation and transport. In 2026, you can usually request these refunds or submit compensation claims directly through the "Ryanair Wallet" in their mobile app.

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A Ryanair passenger is entitled to compensation in the event of any of the following: Flight delay: If your Ryanair flight arrived at your destination more than 3 hours later than expected. Flight Cancellation: if you were not informed of the cancellation or informed less than 14 days before departure.

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On Ryanair's website, it says: Customers who wish to submit expenses for travel/transport/or refreshments or a compensation claim following a flight cancellation or delay over 3 hours on arrival can click below to access the Passenger Rights claim form.

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If your flight is delayed by 2 hours, you can recover the costs incurred as compensation from the airline. Just make sure you keep the corresponding payment receipts.

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Delayed flights: you may be able to claim compensation if your flight arrived 3 hours or more late. Canceled flights: you may be eligible for compensation if your flight was canceled less than 14 days before it was due to depart.

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Covered reasons for Trip Cancellation
  • Medical reasons (unforeseen ailment, injury or death in the family)
  • Inclement weather or natural disasters (tropical storms, hurricanes, etc.)
  • Terrorist attack (in or around where you're planning to visit)
  • Financial default (of a carrier)
  • Involuntary layoff or termination.


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Similar to flight delay compensation amounts, you are entitled to reimbursement when a EU261-covered flight is canceled of up to 600 euros ($645). If your flight is canceled, the airline will also offer you three options, which are: Rerouting you to your final destination.

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If your flight has been cancelled or delayed 3 hours or more (on arrival) and is caused by a reason within the control of Ryanair, you may be entitled to compensation, click here. Expenses claims will not be accepted for delays less than 2 hours.

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If you arrive at your domestic destination 2+ hours later than your original arrival time, international destination 4+ hours later than your original arrival time, or if the airline does not make substitute travel arrangements for you, you will be compensated for 400% of your one-way ticket price or a $1,550 maximum.

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If you are involuntarily denied boarding or if your flight is cancelled or delayed by more than 2 hours, we will offer you, free of charge: a) meals and refreshment vouchers in reasonable relation to the waiting time, as long as it will not further delay the departure of the aircraft; b) two telephone calls, telex or ...

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Ryanair is obliged to either reimburse you or offer you alternative transportation to your destination. You're eligible for a stay in a hotel, including transport to and from the airport. Contact Ryanair customer service directly and ask that confirmation of your hotel room and transfers to be provided in writing.

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If you act fast, you can make changes without having to pay any fees. Ryanair offers a 24-hour grace period² where you can change dates and times (and reverse the routing destinations if you accidentally get your airport arrivals and departures the wrong way around) free of charge.

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For the most part, it's up to individual airlines to decide how to compensate their passengers after a delay. “There's no specific policy on compensations, said Shaiy Howard, president and CEO of Travel by Shaiy, a travel agency based in South Florida. Just keep in mind that all airlines vary.

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Customers with valid claims who claim directly from Ryanair will receive 100% of their EU261 compensation entitlement without the deduction of these excessive “claims chaser” fees.

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It's not normal to have delays with Ryanair. They're actually quite punctual most of the time, and even if they have delays it is not usually their fault (it's Spanish or French air traffic control on strike, or bad weather). Ryanair operates very short turn-arounds, like other low cost carriers.

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In rare instances where Ryanair has cancelled your flight, failed to operate the flight reasonably according to schedule or you were denied boarding you may be entitled to a refund in accordance with Regulation (EC) 261/2004.

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Meals, refreshments and two telephone calls or emails are provided for: A delay of two hours or more on flights of 1,500 km (932 miles) or less. A delay of three hours or more on intra-EU flights of more than 1,500 km (932 miles) and all other flights between 1,500 km (932 miles) and 3,500 km (2,175 miles)

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If you know you can't make a scheduled flight, it's better to cancel your flight rather than be a no-show. If you cancel, you might receive a partial or whole credit for the fare purchased, to be applied to a future flight.

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You can get a full flight ticket refund only if you booked a refundable ticket. However, airline ticket refund rules vary from airline to airline. Thus, it is better to refer to the airline's website or contact it directly for possible airfare reimbursement.

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Some airline policies can be challenging to keep track of, but the federal rules that govern refunds are — relatively — straightforward. You are owed a refund for any unused portion of your ticket: If your flight is canceled, significantly delayed, or has its schedule significantly changed. No matter the reason why.

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