How to claim Iberia delay compensation: amounts, steps and what to do if you’re rejected
Reviewed by José Romero Lara
EU261 aviation lawyer — 5+ years as in-house legal counsel at international airlines
If your Iberia flight reached its final destination 3 or more hours late, Regulation (EC) 261/2004 entitles you to €250, €400 or €600 per passenger, unless Iberia can prove extraordinary circumstances. The amount depends on distance, not on what you paid for the ticket. This guide explains how to claim from Iberia, which documents you need and what to do if your claim is rejected for “operational reasons”.
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Check my flight1When EU261 applies to an Iberia flight
Iberia is a Spanish airline, so an EU carrier. The Regulation covers:
Every Iberia flight departing an airport in the EU, Iceland, Norway or Switzerland, including domestic flights.
Iberia flights arriving in the EU from outside it, such as Bogotá–Madrid or New York–Madrid.
Connections on a single booking: what counts is the delay on arrival at your final destination.
Flights with an Iberia number operated by another airline (codeshare): you claim from the operating airline, and if it isn’t an EU carrier you’re only covered on departures from the EU.
Delays caused by extraordinary circumstances Iberia can prove, such as a storm or an air traffic control decision that affected your flight.
2How much Iberia pays for a delay
EU261 compensation per passenger
Up to 1,500 km
Madrid–Barcelona, Madrid–Lisbon, Madrid–London
Over 1,500 km within the EU, or 1,500–3,500 km
Madrid–Tenerife, Madrid–Gran Canaria, Madrid–Athens
Over 3,500 km outside the EU
Madrid–New York, Madrid–Bogotá, Madrid–Buenos Aires
On flights over 3,500 km outside the EU, if you arrive between 3 and 4 hours late the compensation is halved to €300. Distance is measured in a straight line between the departure airport and your final destination.
Check how much I’m owed3How to claim from Iberia, step by step
- 1
Keep your documents
Boarding pass, booking confirmation with your booking reference, and Iberia’s notices about the delay. If you paid for food or a hotel while waiting, keep the receipts: Iberia has to refund them.
- 2
Check the actual arrival time
What counts is when the aircraft door opened at your destination, not the landing time (CJEU, C-452/13). On iberia.com, under “Reclamaciones y justificantes” (claims and certificates), you can request a delay certificate.
- 3
Submit your claim on iberia.com
Use the claims form in that same section. Give your booking reference, flight number and date, the hours of delay on arrival and the amount you’re claiming. Ask to be paid by bank transfer and keep the case number.
- 4
Give it a month
If Iberia hasn’t replied within a month, or rejects the claim, you can complain free of charge to AESA (Spain’s enforcement body) when the flight departed Spain or arrived in Spain from outside the EU.
- 5
Escalate: AESA, court or AviFly
You can pursue it with AESA, sue yourself (no lawyer or court agent needed up to €2,000) or let AviFly handle the claim with nothing to pay upfront.
4Why Iberia rejects claims and what the law says
To avoid paying, Iberia has to prove an extraordinary circumstance that affected your flight and that it couldn’t have avoided with reasonable measures. These replies are common:
"The delay was due to operational reasons"
“Operational reasons” are not an extraordinary circumstance — they are the airline’s normal business. Ask in writing for the specific cause and the evidence. Without it, compensation is owed.
"There was a technical problem with the aircraft"
A fault arising from maintenance or the normal operation of the aircraft doesn’t exempt the airline (CJEU, Wallentin-Hermann C-549/07 and van der Lans C-257/14). Only a hidden manufacturing defect or another event outside normal activity could.
"There was a strike"
A strike by the airline’s own staff is not an extraordinary circumstance (CJEU, C-28/20). One by air traffic controllers or airport staff can be, if Iberia proves it affected your flight.
"The aircraft arrived late from its previous flight"
A knock-on delay alone doesn’t exempt the airline. It only counts if the aircraft’s previous flight was hit by an extraordinary circumstance, there is a direct link to your delay and Iberia took reasonable measures (CJEU, C-74/19).
5What to do if Iberia rejects your claim
If the reply doesn’t convince you, you have three options:
AESA
A free online complaint to Spain’s State Aviation Safety Agency. Attach your claim to Iberia and its reply, or proof that a month passed without an answer.
Going to court
In Spain you can sue without a lawyer or court agent for claims up to €2,000. The generally accepted time limit is 5 years from the flight (Art. 1964 of the Spanish Civil Code).
AviFly
We handle the claim, the negotiation with Iberia and, if needed, the lawsuit. We only charge if you get your money: 15% + VAT out of court and 30% + VAT if it goes to court.
AviFly claims from Iberia for you
Nothing upfront. We only charge if you recover your compensation.
Claim from IberiaFrequently asked questions about claiming from Iberia
How much does Iberia pay for a delay of more than 3 hours?
Per passenger: €250 on flights up to 1,500 km, €400 on flights within the EU over 1,500 km or of 1,500–3,500 km, and €600 on flights over 3,500 km outside the EU. On those long flights, a delay of 3 to 4 hours gives €300.
What if the delay was 2 hours?
With less than 3 hours’ delay on arrival there is no cash compensation. You are entitled to food and drink while you wait: from 2 hours on flights up to 1,500 km, 3 hours on flights of 1,500–3,500 km and 4 hours on longer ones (Art. 6 of the Regulation).
Iberia rejected my claim for “operational reasons”. Can I take it further?
Yes. “Operational reasons” are not an extraordinary circumstance. Ask Iberia for the specific cause and its evidence; if it doesn’t provide them or they don’t convince you, complain to AESA or go to court, or let AviFly handle the claim.
How long does Iberia take to pay a claim?
There is no fixed legal deadline for the airline to pay. If it hasn’t answered your claim within a month, you can go to AESA. Once a claim is accepted, payment is usually made by bank transfer.
Who do I claim from if the flight was operated by Iberia Express, Air Nostrum or another airline?
From the airline that operated the flight, even if you bought the ticket from Iberia (Art. 3(5) of the Regulation). Iberia Express and Iberia Regional Air Nostrum are Spanish airlines, so EU261 applies in the same way.
How long do I have to claim an Iberia delay?
In Spain the generally accepted time limit is 5 years from the flight (Art. 1964 of the Spanish Civil Code). You can claim for a flight from 2 or 3 years ago if you still have the booking or can recover its details.