7 ways to get a refund from an airline that work

Your flight got cancelled, delayed for hours, or downgraded, and the airline's app just shows a grey "we're sorry" banner. There is more than one road to your money, and you don't have to pick the slowest one. Here are seven ways to get a refund or compensation from an airline, ranked roughly from fastest to last resort, with the trade-offs of each so you can choose the right one.

1. Claim directly under UK261

This is the default route and the one airlines owe you by law. UK261 (the retained version of EC Regulation 261/2004) gives you cash compensation of £220, £350, or £520 per passenger for cancellations and delays of 3+ hours that are the airline's fault, plus a refund or rerouting on top.

• Best for: Delays and cancellations inside the airline's control (crew, scheduling, technical faults).
• Watch out for: The "extraordinary circumstances" brush-off. Weather and air traffic control strikes can be genuine exemptions; "operational reasons" usually aren't.
• Cost: Free.

Work out exactly what you're owed first with our flight compensation calculator - it's distance that matters, not what you paid.

2. Chargeback through your debit or credit card

If you paid by card and the airline simply isn't refunding money it agreed to return, your bank can claw it back via the chargeback scheme. This is separate from compensation - it's about getting back money you already handed over.

• Best for: A promised refund that never arrives, or a service you paid for and didn't receive.
• Watch out for: Time limits (usually 120 days from the transaction or the date you expected the service).
• Cost: Free.

Our chargeback guide walks through how to start one without your bank fobbing you off.

3. Section 75 (credit card purchases over £100)

If your flight cost more than £100 and you paid even a penny of it on a credit card, Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act makes your card provider jointly liable with the airline. That's stronger than chargeback because it's a legal right, not a scheme rule.

• Best for: Higher-value bookings, package elements, or airlines that have gone bust.
• Watch out for: It only applies to credit cards, not debit, and the headline price must be over £100.
• Cost: Free.

Check whether your purchase qualifies with the Section 75 checker.

4. Travel insurance

If you bought cover, your policy may pay out for cancellation, missed departures, or extra costs the airline won't touch (an unplanned hotel night, a missed connection on a separate booking).

• Best for: Knock-on costs that fall outside UK261.
• Watch out for: Excess fees and the "claim from the airline first" clause most policies include.
• Cost: Already paid for, but excesses apply.

5. Free dispute resolution (CEDR / AviationADR)

When the airline rejects you or goes quiet, you don't go straight to court. Most UK airlines belong to a free, independent ADR scheme - CEDR or AviationADR - whose decisions are binding on the airline if you accept them.

• Best for: A flat rejection you believe is wrong.
• Watch out for: You usually need the airline's "final response" or 8 weeks of silence first.
• Cost: Free.

Find the right scheme for your airline with the ombudsman finder, and use the response deadline tool to track when you can escalate.

6. Money Claim Online (small claims)

A genuinely powerful and underused route. You can issue a small claim against the airline yourself for a few pounds in court fees. Most airlines settle the moment they're served rather than send a lawyer to argue over £350.

• Best for: Clear-cut cases where the airline is stalling on money it plainly owes.
• Watch out for: You should normally exhaust ADR or send a Letter Before Action first.
• Cost: Court fees from around £35, refundable if you win.

7. A claims management company (the paid shortcut)

Firms like AirHelp and others will handle the claim for you and take a cut - typically 25% to 35% plus VAT of whatever they recover. They're a legitimate option if you genuinely can't face the admin.

• Best for: People who'd otherwise never claim at all.
• Watch out for: You're handing over a third of your money for something you can do yourself for free.
• Cost: A percentage of your payout.

NoReply exists precisely so you don't need to give up a third of your compensation. Everything in routes 1 to 6 you can do yourself, and our tools are free.

Which one should you use?

Start with route 1 (claim what you're legally owed), and reach for chargeback or Section 75 if it's specifically a refund that's gone missing. If the airline says no, escalate through free ADR (route 5) before court (route 6). Keep the claims company as a last resort, not a first move.

Not sure which checker applies to your problem? See our round-up of free tools to check what a company owes you.

FAQs

Can I use more than one route at once?

Not for the same money. You can't be paid twice for the same loss, but you can claim compensation under UK261 and a separate refund - those are different things.

The airline blamed weather. Is that the end of it?

Not automatically. Ask for the specific evidence. "Bad weather at the time" isn't enough if other flights departed; the airline has to show the disruption genuinely couldn't be avoided.

How long do I have to claim?

Six years in England and Wales, five in Scotland. There's no rush, but don't let it drift.

Does it matter which airline it was?

The legal routes are the same, but tactics differ. See our British Airways, Wizz Air, and Jet2 Holidays pages for airline-specific escalation steps.

The slow grey banner in the app is the airline hoping you'll forget about it. Pick a route and start today.