How to get a refund from Ryanair for a cancelled or delayed flight

31 March 2026

How to get a refund from Ryanair for a cancelled or delayed flight

Ryanair is the largest airline in Europe by passenger numbers. With over 3,000 flights a day, it’s inevitable that some of them suffer delays or cancellations. If this has happened to you, know that you have specific rights guaranteed by EU regulation EC 261/2004 and that Ryanair, like any other carrier, is obliged to respect them.

In this guide we explain the exact procedure for claiming a refund or compensation from Ryanair, the response times and what to do if the airline ignores your request.

Refund or compensation? What you’re entitled to

First of all, let’s clarify the difference:

• Refund: return of the ticket price. You’re entitled to it if Ryanair cancels the flight and doesn’t offer you an acceptable alternative, or if the delay exceeds 5 hours and you decide not to travel.
• Compensation: lump-sum payment for the inconvenience. The amounts are fixed and depend on flight distance:

For most Ryanair flights, which operate on intra-European routes, the compensation is 250 or 400 euros. And importantly: you can be entitled to both — ticket refund and compensation.

When you’re entitled to compensation

You’re entitled to EU261 compensation if:

• The flight was cancelled and Ryanair notified you less than 14 days before departure
• The flight had an arrival delay of at least 3 hours
• You were denied boarding due to overbooking

When you’re NOT entitled

You’re not entitled to compensation if:

• Ryanair notified you of the cancellation more than 14 days before departure
• The cancellation or delay was due to extraordinary circumstances (extreme weather, airspace closure, health emergencies, air traffic controller strikes)
• Note: strikes by Ryanair staff are not considered extraordinary circumstances under recent European case law

Step-by-step procedure

1. Gather the necessary documents

Before starting, prepare:

• Booking confirmation (email with PNR code)
• Boarding pass (even digital)
• Ryanair communication about the delay or cancellation
• Receipts for extra expenses incurred (meals, hotel, transport) if applicable

2. Go to the Ryanair website

Visit ryanair.com and go to Customer Service > EU261 compensation request. Ryanair has a dedicated online form — use it, as it’s the official and traceable channel.

3. Complete the EU261 form

In the form you’ll need to enter:

• Booking number
• Flight details (date, number, route)
• Type of disruption (cancellation, delay, denied boarding)
• Bank details for payment

Tip: be precise and concise. Clearly state that you’re making a request under EC regulation 261/2004, articles 5 and 7. This shows you know your rights.

4. Attach documentation

Upload the booking confirmation, boarding pass and any communications received from Ryanair. The more documents you attach, the harder it will be for the airline to contest the request.

5. Wait for the response

Ryanair has 28 days to respond to your request. In practice, times can be longer during peak season. If the response is positive, payment generally arrives within 2-4 weeks.

What to do if Ryanair doesn’t respond or refuses

If after 28 days you haven’t received a response, or if the response is a refusal you believe is unjustified, you have several options:

National enforcement body

Contact the national enforcement body for air passenger rights in the country of departure. Each EU country has one, and you can find the relevant authority through the European Commission’s website.

EU ODR Platform

For flights departing from EU countries, you can use the EU ODR platform (Online Dispute Resolution). It’s free and designed precisely for consumer-business disputes within the EU.

Specialised claim services

If you don’t want to handle the process yourself, services like AirHelp, Flightright or ClaimCompass take care of everything. The model is simple: you only pay if you get the compensation, with a commission between 25% and 35% of the amount.

The advantage is that they have specialised legal teams and know how to handle complex cases. The disadvantage is that you lose a portion of the compensation. For low amounts (250 euros), it might not be worth it. For higher amounts or contested cases, it can be a good choice.

Small claims court

As a last resort, you can go to small claims court. For amounts under 5,000 euros, a lawyer isn’t mandatory in most EU countries, and costs are contained.

Practical tips

• Act promptly: you have up to 2 years from the date of the flight in most EU countries, but the sooner you act, the better
• Don’t accept vouchers if you prefer a cash refund — you have the right to choose
• Keep everything: emails, app screenshots, departure board photos, receipts for extra expenses
• Document the actual delay: the time that counts is arrival (doors opening), not departure

How much a cancelled Ryanair flight costs (Ryanair)

Many passengers give up on claiming because they think it’s too complicated. Statistics show that only 5-10% of eligible passengers actually request compensation. Don’t be part of the silent majority: the procedure is simple and your rights are clear.

For your future Ryanair flights, you can also monitor the risk of disruption in advance. Check weather conditions, active NOTAMs and route history to know what to expect.

Sources

• Ryanair Customer Service
• EU ODR Platform

Want to know if your next flight is at risk? Check the risk of your flight on FlightGuard.