EU passenger rights reform 2026 — everything you need to know

On the 12th of June 2026, representatives of the EU Parliament and Council agreed on an update to the European Air Passenger Rights regulation, commonly known as EU261. Here is everything you need to know about the most important changes and how they will impact your flight.

The wins at a glance:

• Compensation stays put — 250–600 EUR for delays of 3 hours or more, cancellations and denied boarding (when the airline is at fault)
• A personal item and a small cabin bag now come free of charge
• No more fees to sit next to your own child — or someone you’re caring for
• Airlines can’t make you download an app just to get your boarding pass
• Fixing a typo in your name on the ticket is free
• You can take your return flight even if you skipped the outbound one
• Extra protections for passengers with reduced mobility

Important note: the new rules will most likely come into force in 2027.

As with all the other EU261 rules, they apply when either:

• flying within the EU, on flights operated by either EU or non-EU airlines
• arriving in the EU from a non-EU country on an EU airline
• departing from the EU to a non-EU country on either an EU or non-EU airline.

Flight compensation amounts stay the same

If your flight is delayed (by at least 3h) or cancelled, the EU regulations give you the right to compensation ranging between 250 and 600 EUR per person. The further you fly, the more money you can get. Keep in mind that this only applies when the disruption is the airline’s responsibility — if it’s caused by extraordinary circumstances outside their control, such as severe weather or an air traffic control strike, you won’t be entitled to a payout.

In fact, this reform almost went the other way. The EU Council — broadly aligned with the airline lobby — pushed to scale these rights back with much higher delay thresholds and lower payouts, a change estimated to strip 60–70% of passengers of their right to a payout. It was the Parliament that held the line, keeping the 3-hour threshold and the current 250–600 EUR amounts intact.

You can claim your compensation easily and quickly with Flight Delayed UK. Since 2010, we’ve been fighting for the improvement of passenger rights across Europe and have helped over a million passengers to date. We operate on a “no win, no fee” basis so there is no risk for you — we will even cover upfront the costs of a court case against the airline, if such a measure is needed to retrieve your money for you.

No more fees on carry-on baggage (kind of)

A big part of the reform was to remove the fees on carry-on baggage. Low-cost airlines like Ryanair have been known to impose exorbitant fees and incredibly strict size rules on any piece of luggage a passenger wants to bring with them. This often left passengers paying more for their bag than for the ticket itself.

The new EU baggage rules let passengers bring the following free of charge:

• one personal item, such as a handbag, backpack or laptop (maximum dimensions of 40x30x15 cm)
• one small piece of hand luggage (maximum dimensions of 100 cm and 7 kg)

While the EU allows airlines to offer a “discount” to passengers who opt out of bringing a bag, the airlines (and the platforms selling tickets) aren’t allowed to advertise “post-discount” pricing. This should make airline prices more transparent and easier to compare.

Accompanying adults will now be able to sit free of charge next to a child

Some airlines have been charging additional fees when a parent or guardian wants to sit next to the minor they are responsible for. This will now be banned.

This will also apply to accompanying guardians of persons with disabilities or reduced mobility.

Airlines can no longer force passengers to download apps to receive a boarding pass

Back in November 2025, Ryanair made it mandatory for passengers to download the airline’s app in order to use a boarding pass. This will no longer be permitted. According to the new rules, you should still receive your boarding pass via e-mail. The airline must also accept printed-out boarding passes — and cannot charge for printing a boarding pass for you if you’ve already checked in.

No more fees for correcting names

Made a spelling mistake in your first or last name when buying the ticket or checking in? The airline can no longer charge fees for this.

Take the return flight — even if you haven’t taken the inbound one

This has been quite a common rule among airlines: if you don’t take the first flight, your ticket is pretty much cancelled and you cannot use it to fly on the return flight. This has now been banned by the EU. If, for any reason, you end up getting to your destination by other means, you can still use your ticket to fly back home.

Additional rights for passengers with reduced mobility (PRMs)

Beyond being able to sit next to their companion at no extra cost, passengers with reduced mobility are set to gain a few more protections:

• Get extra compensation if the airport doesn’t give them the help they need
• Be first in line when it comes to assistance and getting rerouted
• Bring their mobility equipment and assistance dog along without paying for any extra insurance
• Have their mobility equipment replaced for free if it ends up lost or damaged

How to claim flight compensation?

Getting started with Flight Delayed UK only takes a few minutes. We’ve been standing up for passengers across Europe since 2010, and more than a million people have trusted us with their claims so far. There’s no risk on your end thanks to our “no win, no fee” approach — and if it comes to taking the airline to court, we’ll cover those costs ourselves to get your money back.

Frequently asked questions

When will the new rules come into force?

The agreement still needs final sign-off from the European Parliament before it becomes law, so nothing changes overnight. The new rules are most likely to start applying in 2027 — and until then, the current EU261 protections stay fully in place.

Do I still get compensation if my flight is delayed by 3 hours?

Yes. The compensation amounts haven’t changed — you can be entitled to between 250 and 600 EUR for delays of 3 hours or more, cancellations and denied boarding, as long as the airline is at fault.

Are carry-on baggage fees really gone?

For a personal item and one small cabin bag, yes — those now come free of charge. Airlines can still offer a discount to passengers who travel without a bag, but they can’t hide the regular price by advertising only the “post-discount” fare.

Can an airline charge me to sit next to my child?

No. Charging extra for a parent or guardian to sit next to the child they’re responsible for is now banned. The same goes for anyone accompanying a passenger with a disability or reduced mobility.

What if my flight was delayed because of bad weather?

Compensation only applies when the disruption is the airline’s fault. Extraordinary circumstances outside their control — like severe weather or an air traffic control strike — don’t qualify, even if your flight ends up delayed for hours.