United Flight Delay and Cancellation Compensation
Your refund, denied-boarding and compensation rights on United flights under US, EU, UK and Canadian rules, with official links and the claim steps.
What you are owed after a United delay or cancellation depends on the cause, the length of the disruption and where you were flying. Under US rules the core right is a refund; cash compensation for a delay isn't required, though United has made service commitments to the US Department of Transportation.
Short answer
A United delay does not automatically entitle you to cash compensation. If United cancels your flight or changes it significantly and you don't travel, you are generally owed a refund under US DOT rules. Departures from the EU, UK or Canada can bring EU261, UK261 or APPR compensation.
A note on United's own policy pages
United's pages use technology that our automated checks couldn't read, so this page summarises the US DOT rules (which we verified) and the DOT's record of United's commitments, and links to United's own pages. Always confirm the current wording on United's site before relying on it.
Which rules apply to a United flight?
| Regime | What it may give you | Official source |
|---|---|---|
| United States (US DOT)Flights to, from or within the US | Cancelled flights and flights changed or delayed 3+ hours (domestic) or 6+ hours (international) must be refunded automatically if you don't take the alternative: within 7 business days for cards, 20 calendar days for other payment methods. Involuntary denied boarding: 200% of the one-way fare up to $1,075, or 400% up to $2,150. US law does not require cash compensation for ordinary delays or cancellations. | DOT refund rule · Denied boarding · Fly Rights |
| EU Regulation 261/2004Departures from an EU airport on any airline; arrivals in the EU on EU airlines | Fixed compensation of €250 (up to 1,500 km), €400 (1,500–3,500 km, or intra-EU over 1,500 km) or €600 (longer) for a cancellation on short notice or arrival 3+ hours late, unless the airline shows extraordinary circumstances. Care (meals, hotel if needed) after 2–4 hours depending on distance; refund option at 5+ hours. | Your Europe: air passenger rights |
| UK261UK-law equivalent of EU261, in pounds | £220 (under 1,500 km), £350 (1,500–3,500 km) or £520 (over 3,500 km; £260 if 3–4 hours late) for arrival 3+ hours late or a short-notice cancellation, unless the cause is outside the airline's responsibility. Claim from the airline first; the CAA lists which flights are covered. | UK CAA: delays · cancellations |
| Canada (APPR)Flights to, from and within Canada | For disruptions within the airline's control (not safety-related) notified 14 days or less before departure: CAD 400 (3 to under 6 hours late), CAD 700 (6 to under 9) or CAD 1,000 (9+) for large airlines. Denied boarding: CAD 900 / 1,800 / 2,400. Written claim within 1 year. | Canadian Transportation Agency |
Delay and cancellation scenarios on United
| Scenario | What to expect | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Cancellation, or a significant change you don't accept | A refund of the fare, taxes and ancillary fees to the original form of payment, without needing to ask: 7 business days for card payments, 20 calendar days for other methods. 'Significant' means a change or delay of 3+ hours domestically or 6+ hours internationally, an airport change, an added connection or a downgrade. | US DOT |
| Delay or cancellation within United's control | The DOT's airline commitments dashboard lists United as committing to meals or vouchers for waits of 3+ hours, hotel rooms for overnight disruptions, ground transport and rebooking on another airline at no cost. That entry comes from DOT's 2022 dashboard; confirm the current wording on United's own customer commitment page. | DOT dashboard · United customer commitment |
| Denied boarding (oversold) | Involuntary denied boarding from a US airport: 200% of the one-way fare up to $1,075 for a 1–2 hour arrival delay (1–4 hours international), or 400% up to $2,150 beyond that or if no alternative is arranged. | US DOT |
| Ordinary delay | US federal law doesn't require compensation for domestic delays and cancellations. The DOT states that airlines are not required to pay for meals or phone calls, which is why airline commitments matter. | US DOT Fly Rights |
| Flight departing the EU or UK | EU261 or UK261 fixed compensation may apply for 3+ hour arrival delays or short-notice cancellations unless extraordinary circumstances. | Your Europe · UK CAA |
| Flight to, from or within Canada | APPR compensation may apply for disruptions within the airline's control: CAD 400 / 700 / 1,000. | CTA |
Does your United flight qualify?
- Find your flight details. Note the airline, flight number, date, booking reference, and your scheduled and actual arrival times (from your boarding pass, email confirmation or the airline app).
- Measure the delay at arrival. EU261, UK261 and Canada's rules count the delay at your final destination, not departure. Under US DOT rules, a refund is triggered by a change or delay of 3+ hours (domestic) or 6+ hours (international).
- Work out which rules cover the flight. Look at where it departed and landed and who operated it: a departure from an EU or UK airport brings EU261 or UK261, flights touching Canada fall under APPR, and flights to, from or within the US fall under the US DOT rules.
- Find the cause. Compensation regimes generally exclude extraordinary circumstances such as severe weather, air traffic control restrictions or security risks. Ordinary technical faults are treated differently in different places, so ask the airline to state the cause in writing.
- Check the notice you were given. For cancellations, the amount of notice (for example under 14 days) can decide whether compensation applies.
How to claim from United
- Start with United. Use the refund and rebooking options on United's missed, delayed or canceled flights page and its Customer Care contact options. We couldn't load United's own pages in our automated check, so confirm the current steps and any forms there.
- Keep records. Save your booking confirmation, boarding pass, the airline's messages about the disruption and receipts for meals, hotels and transport.
- For a refund you haven't received within the DOT deadlines (7 business days for cards, 20 calendar days otherwise), complain to United first, then file with the DOT aviation consumer complaint form including any complaint already sent to the airline.
- For EU or UK departures, claim compensation from the airline in writing first; if unresolved, use the national enforcement or ADR route described on the CAA page (UK) or your country's enforcement body (EU).
- For Canada flights, claim in writing within one year and escalate to the Canadian Transportation Agency if needed.
EU261 reform: what has changed and what hasn't
Today's rules are still Regulation 261/2004
The EU adopted a regulation amending EU261 in 2026 (Regulation (EU) 2026/2202). According to the Council, it keeps the 3-hour threshold and broadly similar compensation amounts, adds a defined list of extraordinary circumstances and stricter duties on airlines. EUR-Lex shows it entering into force on 22 October 2026, but law-firm commentary says most provisions apply only from October 2027. Until the new rules apply, the current rules above are what govern a claim. The reform does not apply in the UK, where UK261 remains in force. Check the Council announcement and EUR-Lex for the current position.
Official resources
- United customer commitment (not machine-readable for our check)
- United: missed, delayed or canceled flights (not machine-readable for our check)
- United Contract of Carriage (not machine-readable for our check)
- US DOT: automatic refund rule
- US DOT: denied boarding
- US DOT: Fly Rights
- US DOT: airline commitments dashboard
- US DOT: file a complaint
All pages were opened and checked on 21 October 2026. Where a page could not be read, we say so above.
Travelling? Keep your claim and booking details private
Claim forms and booking pages ask for names, booking references and contact details. Airport and hotel Wi-Fi are shared networks, so avoid filing claims or opening booking emails on them unprotected. A VPN encrypts your traffic between your device and the VPN server, which helps protect it on shared networks; it does not change what compensation you are owed. See how a VPN works.
This page is general information, not legal advice. Whether you are owed compensation depends on your flight, the cause of the disruption, the notice you were given and the rules that apply. Airlines and regulators update their rules; confirm the current terms on the official pages linked here. KeenVPN is not an airline, a claims company or a law firm and does not file claims on your behalf.