EU Air Passenger Rights Reform 2026: What Changes

The reform of the air passenger rights Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 is on the home straight: on 15 June 2026, the Council and the European Parliament agreed on a joint text in the conciliation committee, and on 7 July 2026 Parliament approved it by a large majority (646 votes to 12). The headlines speak of a "fundamental strengthening" of passenger rights — but what does that actually mean, and from when? This guide separates fact from speculation: what stays, what is new, what was fought over, and what you should do for your flight today.

What stays unchanged?

The key cornerstones of EU261 remain in place — this is the central message for passengers who feel uncertain right now:

• The 3-hour threshold stays. Compensation remains due for an arrival delay of at least 3 hours at the final destination, or for a cancellation notified less than 14 days before departure.
• The amounts remain unchanged: €250 (up to 1,500 km), €400 (flights within the EU or 1,500–3,500 km) and €600 (all other flights). No inflation adjustment of the amounts is part of the agreement. One narrow exception is new: the future Article 7(2) allows the €600 band to be halved in certain rerouting scenarios on long-haul journeys.
• The scope stays the same. Covered are still all flights departing from an EU airport (regardless of the airline) as well as flights into the EU operated by an EU airline. Non-EU airlines on flights into the EU remain excluded.

What is new? (future, after entry into force)

The following points are in the adopted text but only apply once the reform enters into force — today they have no legal effect yet:

• Proactive duty to inform within 96 hours: In future, the airline must inform affected passengers electronically within 96 hours of the end of the journey about their rights and how to claim (Article 7(4)).
• 30-day deadline for the airline: In future, the airline must either pay a compensation claim within 30 days or reject it by invoking concretely substantiated "extraordinary circumstances".
• Deadline for requesting compensation: In future, the request must be submitted to the operating air carrier within 9 months of the date of departure (Article 7(9) of the joint text). This is a deadline for the claims process — on the wording adopted it does not replace national limitation periods.
• Rerouting within 3 hours: If the airline does not offer you rebooking within 3 hours (including via other airlines or modes of transport), you will in future be allowed to rebook yourself and reclaim the reasonable costs up to 400% of the ticket price — reimbursed within 14 days.
• Hand luggage rule: A personal item (max. 40 × 30 × 15 cm, fitting under the seat in front) will in future always be free of charge. The price for a cabin bag must be included in the displayed fare from the start of the booking process — but cheaper fares without a trolley remain allowed. So "hand luggage will be free across the board" is not accurate.
• Ban on the no-show clause: The return flight may no longer be cancelled or charged extra simply because the outbound flight was not taken.
• Care becomes more concrete: Refreshments after 2 hours of waiting, a meal after 3 hours, hotel accommodation where needed — the airline may cap it at three nights only where the disruption is caused by extraordinary circumstances; care costs you paid yourself must be reimbursed within 14 days. For tarmac delays: disembarkation after no more than 2 hours.
• List of extraordinary circumstances: The new text contains a non-exhaustive list (e.g. natural disasters, war, extreme weather, third-party strikes). The airline must demonstrate the direct link with the disruption — the burden of proof remains with it.
• Also free of charge in future: a seat for children under 14 next to their accompanying person, a name/typo correction (up to 48 hours before departure) and the boarding pass: no surcharge may be applied for a self-printed digital boarding pass, and once you have checked in, a printed copy at the airport is free (Article 11b).

The timeline: when will the reform apply?

The road to the reform was long — the Commission's proposal dates all the way back to 2013. This is where things stand today:

• 5 June 2025: The Council adopts its position — including the controversial increase of the thresholds to 4 and 6 hours.
• 21 January 2026: The European Parliament rejects the higher thresholds at second reading and defends the 3-hour rule.
• March–June 2026: Conciliation procedure between Council and Parliament; on 15 June 2026 the joint text is agreed.
• 7 July 2026: Parliament approves the text by 646 votes to 12.
• 13 July 2026: The Council gives its final clearance — the reform is adopted.
• After that: Publication in the EU Official Journal — and the new rules only apply 12 months later. Realistically, that means mid-2027 at the earliest. Until then, today's legal situation applies in full and unchanged.

You can find the official announcements from the Council of the EU (15 June 2026) and the European Parliament (7 July 2026).

What was the fight about?

• 3 hours or 4/6 hours? The Council wanted to raise the compensation threshold to 4 hours (short/medium haul) and 6 hours (long haul) — which would have wiped out a large share of today's claims. Parliament prevailed: it stays at 3 hours.
• Cutting the €600? The proposal to lower long-haul compensation across the board is off the table. What remains is the narrow halving option in Article 7(2).
• Pre-filled forms dropped: Parliament's demand that airlines send out pre-filled compensation forms within 48 hours did not make it into the final text.

Reactions are correspondingly mixed: the European consumer organisation BEUC welcomes the result overall but criticises that cabin hand luggage will not become free across the board — and points out that today only around 38% of eligible passengers actually exercise their rights (BEUC press release of 15 June 2026, retrieved 16 August 2026). The airline associations, by contrast, see "no winners". For you as a passenger, the main takeaway is: the level of protection is preserved, and enforcement will be regulated more clearly in future.

What does this mean for you now?

For any flight that is delayed or cancelled today, the familiar rules apply: from 3 hours of delay at your destination or for a cancellation, you can claim €250 to €600. You do not need to wait for the reform — on the contrary: claims become time-barred, after 6 years in England and Wales, 5 years in Scotland, 3 years in Germany and after only one year in some EU member states. If you have a valid claim, you should pursue it now.

Airline not responding or rejecting your claim? Unfortunately that is common — and no reason to give up. A rejection is typically followed by an escalation letter with a deadline, then the dispute resolution body. Do not let a first rejection put you off: a well-reasoned follow-up is often the decisive step.

Legal notice: This article is for general information and does not constitute legal advice. It is based on the public announcements of the Council of the EU (15 June and 13 July 2026) and the European Parliament (7 July 2026) as well as on the approved joint text PE-CONS 39/1/26 REV 1. The final regulation text as published in the Official Journal may differ in detail; as at 16 August 2026 it had not yet been published. Last updated: 16 August 2026.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Does the reform already apply to my current flight?

No. The new rules only apply 12 months after publication in the EU Official Journal — from mid-2027 at the earliest. For your flight today, the familiar EU261 rules apply unchanged.

Are the compensation amounts changing?

No. The amounts of €250, €400 and €600 remain unchanged. No inflation adjustment is planned.

Does the 3-hour rule remain in place?

Yes. The Council wanted 4 or 6 hours, but Parliament defended the 3-hour threshold. It applies today and will continue to apply after the reform.

Will hand luggage now be free?

Only partly. A personal item (max. 40 × 30 × 15 cm) will in future always be free. The cabin trolley must be included in the displayed price from the start of the booking process — but fares without a trolley remain allowed.

What is the new 30-day deadline for airlines?

Once the reform takes effect, the airline must pay a claim within 30 days or substantiate a rejection with concretely reasoned extraordinary circumstances. This deadline does not apply yet today.

Should I wait for the reform before claiming?

No. For flights taken today, today's law applies — the reform does not change that. Claims become time-barred under national law — six years in England and Wales, three in Germany, one year in some member states. The reform's nine-month deadline is a deadline for requesting compensation from the airline and does not replace those national limitation periods. The sooner you claim, the better.