Check the status of your flight

How to check the status of your flight

It is important to always check your flight status before flying. Check out the list below and see if your delayed or cancelled flight is on the list! If it is, then you might be eligible for compensation.

If your flight is not yet there, you can submit it and our claim experts will analyse aviation and weather data to figure out why your flight was disrupted. If your flight disruption could have been avoided by the airline, it is likely that you are eligible for flight compensation!

Is your flight not on the list above? We still recommend to check the status of your flight using one of the websites below. These include airport, airline, and flight tracking websites.

• Airport websites — both your departure and arrival airports provide information of the departure and arrival times of your flight directly on their websites. Just enter your departure or arrival information, and you will have all the information you need to check the status of your flight.
  
• Airlines websites — all airlines also provide flight status information. You can check the status of your flight by going to your airline website and entering the details of your flights, and you will know in a second if your flight is on-time, delayed or cancelled. This is also especially helpful in situations where your flight could have been disrupted by something like a staff strike!
  
• Flight tracking apps and websites — FlightAware, Flightstats, and Flight Radar all track the departure and arrival of most commercial flights and are especially helpful if you are trying to find additional details about your flight like route, altitude, and more!

Is there any way of knowing if my flight will be delayed or cancelled?

Flights are often delayed or cancelled at the last minute. However, by checking the status of your flight before leaving for the airport you should have a solid hint on whether your flight is delayed or cancelled.

Here are a few situations, however, that could indicate that your flight will be delayed or cancelled:

• Check the status of flights departing from or arriving at the airport — Are many other flights coming in or out of those airports delayed or cancelled? There are big chances that yours will be too. 
  

• Check the weather at your departure AND arrival airports — If you are anxious to find your flight status because you've just seen the news about a storm rolling in, the chances are high that this will affect your flight.

• Check the situation at the airport — Is there an airline or airport staff strike? Is the airport really busy with security or check-in? Your flight might be delayed.

Flight status: delayed or cancelled  — what to do?

If the status of your flight is delayed, be sure to first ask an employee of the airline why your flight was disrupted. Depending on the answer, you might be able to get flight compensation up to £520 as both the British and EU laws state!

To be eligible, your flight needs to meet the following criteria:

• Your flight must be leaving from the UK/EU, or be operated by a European airline
• If your flight is delayed, it must be more than 3 hours late at arrival
• If your flight is cancelled, your flight must have been cancelled less than 14 days before departure
• The airline must be at fault for the delay

Cancelled flight — When can I get a refund?

It is good to know that if your flight got cancelled last minute, you should think twice about accepting vouchers or alternative flights! You could be giving up the chance to a full refund on top of your flight compensation. In order to qualify for both, the following need to apply:
a) The airline did not offer you an alternative flight.
b) The airline did offer you an alternative flight, but you decided not to take it.

How much compensation can I get?

The amount of the compensation depends on the distance of your flight:

=> More information on air passenger rights and how to claim flight compensation

FAQ

How do I check if my flight is delayed or cancelled?

The quickest way is to visit your airline's website and enter your flight number. You can also check your departure or arrival airport's website, or use a live flight tracker such as FlightAware or Flightradar24 for real-time updates.

My flight was delayed. Am I entitled to compensation?

You may be. Under UK261, passengers whose flight arrived more than 3 hours late at the final destination may be entitled to between £220 and £520 per person, provided the delay was within the airline's control. This means it cannot have been caused by extraordinary circumstances, such as bad weather, security screening delays, or ATC strikes.

What counts as an extraordinary circumstance?

Extraordinary circumstances are events outside the airline's control, such as severe weather, air traffic control strikes, or security threats. If the airline can demonstrate the disruption was caused by one of these, they are generally not required to pay compensation. Flight Delayed UK can help assess whether this applies to your flight.

Can I claim if the airline rerouted me on another flight?

Possibly. Being offered a replacement flight does not automatically disqualify you. If you arrived at your final destination more than 3 hours later than originally scheduled, you may still have a valid claim.

Can I still claim if I accepted a voucher?

Accepting a voucher does not necessarily waive your right to compensation. If your flight met the eligibility criteria, you may still be able to pursue a cash compensation claim. Check your eligibility with Flight Delayed UK to find out.

How far back can I claim flight compensation?

The time limit varies depending on the country of departure and the country in which the airline is based. In the UK, you generally have up to 6 years to make a claim, however in some EU countries the limit is shorter, often between 2 and 3 years.