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Cancelled LOT Polish Airlines flight refund: your rights and how to claim

LOT Polish Airlines is the Polish flag carrier, with its main hub in Warsaw and a network that mixes European routes with long-haul intercontinental connections. Precisely because of this variety of routes, the compensation amount and the impact of a cancellation can vary widely. The starting point is always the same: separating a refund of your ticket from EU261 compensation.

Refund vs EU261 compensation are two different things

  • Refund: the return of the price of the unused ticket. If LOT cancels your flight and you do not accept rebooking, you are entitled to a full refund, normally within 7 days.
  • EU261 compensation: a fixed sum for the disruption suffered, independent of the ticket price. It is worth €250 (up to 1,500 km), €400 (1,500–3,500 km) or €600 (over 3,500 km) — the last band relevant to long-haul flights from Warsaw.

Compensation is due only if the cancellation was notified less than 14 days in advance, the cause is LOT’s fault and there are no extraordinary circumstances such as severe weather, air traffic control strikes or emergencies outside the airline’s control.

When EU261 applies with LOT

LOT is based in Poland, an EU/EEA country. EU261 therefore applies to:

  • all flights departing from an EU/EEA airport, whatever the destination, including the long-haul routes out of Warsaw;
  • flights arriving in the EU/EEA operated by LOT (an EU carrier), from any country.

Because LOT is an EU carrier, even its long-haul flights fall under the protection, regardless of destination.

How to get a refund from LOT

  1. Keep the cancellation notice and your booking reference or boarding pass.
  2. Log in to your LOT account or the official website and open the section for refunds and changed flights.
  3. State that you want a cash refund of the unused ticket, not a voucher.
  4. If the cancellation was late and LOT’s fault, file a separate EU261 compensation claim, giving the flight number, date and route distance.
  5. If LOT does not respond or rejects a legitimate claim, escalate to the Polish civil aviation authority (ULC) or to the ECC-Net.

What FlightGuard does

FlightGuard estimates your flight’s disruption risk in advance by combining weather, carrier punctuality, air traffic control delays and other factors, so you know what to expect before you travel. The data sources are listed at /en/sources/.

Flight cancelled or delayed?Up to €600 EU261 compensation.Check your claim →

Frequently asked questions

If the route is over 3,500 km, the EU261 band is €600, but it applies only if the cancellation was notified less than 14 days in advance, is LOT's fault and there are no extraordinary circumstances.

Yes. They are two distinct rights. A refund returns the price of the unused ticket; EU261 compensation is a separate fixed sum for the disruption. Where both apply, they stack.

No. The voucher is optional. After a cancellation you are always entitled to a cash refund of the unused ticket, normally within 7 days.

You can escalate to the Polish civil aviation authority (ULC), which handles EU261 complaints, or to the ECC-Net for cross-border disputes. Always keep your documentation.

Check a LOT Polish Airlines flight