Flight delayed 1 hour: are you owed anything?
Reviewed by José Romero Lara
EU261 aviation lawyer — 5+ years as in-house legal counsel at international airlines
If your flight is running 1 hour late, the honest answer is that you're usually not owed anything yet: not the airline's assistance, which starts at 2 hours, and not cash compensation, which starts at 3, counted on arrival. But there's one situation where that seemingly small delay matters a great deal: when it makes you miss a connection. This guide explains what you can demand now, what to watch for, and when a 1-hour delay can still end up being worth up to €600.
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Check my flight1What you're owed after a 1-hour delay
Regulation (EC) 261/2004 gives no enforceable right for a 1-hour delay on its own. The airline’s assistance (food, drink, communications) starts at 2 hours on the shortest flights, and cash compensation of €250, €400 or €600 only arises if the delay on arrival at your final destination reaches 3 hours.
The honest answer
With a 1-hour delay, in the vast majority of cases you have no enforceable right yet. There is no exception to this threshold: neither the Regulation nor CJEU case law recognises compensation below 3 hours on arrival.
2The rights that do exist before 3 hours
The Regulation doesn't leave passengers unprotected while they wait. Article 9 requires the airline to give assistance once the delay passes a threshold that depends on the flight's distance: 2 hours on flights up to 1,500 km, 3 hours on flights over 1,500 km within the EU or of 1,500–3,500 km, and 4 hours on longer flights. With just 1 hour of delay, most flights haven't reached that threshold yet.
Food and drink in proportion to the waiting time, from the threshold that applies to your flight
Two free phone calls, emails or faxes
A hotel and transfers if departure is delayed until the next day
We cover these thresholds in full, with the complete table, in our guide on the 2-hour delay.
3The figure that actually matters: 3 hours on arrival
Cash compensation arises once the actual arrival at your final destination is delayed 3 hours or more compared with the scheduled time. "Actual arrival" is when the aircraft door opens, not touchdown (CJEU, Germanwings, C-452/13). So a 1-hour delay doesn't give a right to compensation on its own, but if it grows during the journey, it can.
Compensation if the delay reaches 3 hours or more
Up to 1,500 km
Madrid–Barcelona, Madrid–London
Over 1,500 km within the EU, or 1,500–3,500 km
Madrid–Tenerife, Barcelona–Athens
Over 3,500 km outside the EU
Madrid–New York, Madrid–Buenos Aires
4The one case where a 1-hour delay really matters: a missed connection
If your ticket includes a connection on a single booking, what counts for compensation isn't the delay on the first flight, but the delay on arrival at your final destination. A delay of just 1 hour on the first leg can make you miss the connection and arrive hours later than planned: in that case you're owed compensation calculated on the total distance of the trip (CJEU, Folkerts, C-11/11).
Example
Your Madrid–Frankfurt flight leaves 1 hour late. You miss the Frankfurt–New York connection and reach your final destination 5 hours late. Since the relevant distance is Madrid–New York (over 3,500 km), the compensation is €600, even though the initial delay was only 1 hour.
This only applies if both flights were part of the same booking. If you bought the tickets separately, each leg is treated independently and the first flight's delay carries no rights over to the second.
5What to do while the delay stays at 1 hour
- 1
Keep the actual time
Note down or photograph the boarding time and the flight board's information. It will help if the delay ends up growing.
- 2
Check whether your connection was on the same booking
If so, watch the arrival time at your final destination, not the first flight's.
- 3
Watch whether the delay passes 3 hours on arrival
That's the only point at which the right to cash compensation begins. Below it, there's nothing to claim under Article 7.
- 4
If it reaches 3 hours or more, claim in writing
State the flight number, the date and the actual departure and arrival times.
- 5
Or let AviFly check it for you
Enter your flight details and we'll tell you whether you're owed compensation, including through the missed-connection route. We only charge if you get your money: 15% + VAT out of court and 30% + VAT in court.
AviFly checks your flight for free
Even if the initial delay looked small, you might be owed compensation. Nothing to pay upfront.
Check my compensationFrequently asked questions
Is there cash compensation for a 1-hour delay?
No. Compensation of €250 to €600 only arises once the delay on arrival at your final destination reaches 3 hours (Regulation EC 261/2004 and the CJEU's Sturgeon ruling). There's no fixed compensation for a 1-hour delay.
Am I entitled to food or drink after a 1-hour delay?
Usually not. The right to assistance (Art. 9) starts at 2 hours on flights up to 1,500 km, at 3 hours on flights of 1,500–3,500 km and at 4 hours on longer ones.
Can I claim if a 1-hour delay made me miss my connection?
Yes, if the connecting flight was on the same booking. What counts is the delay on arrival at your final destination: if it passes 3 hours, you're owed compensation based on the total distance of the trip, even if the first leg was only 1 hour late (CJEU, Folkerts, C-11/11).
What if the delay grows from 1 to 3 hours while I wait at the airport?
As soon as the expected delay on arrival reaches 3 hours, the right to cash compensation begins. Keep the actual arrival time so you can prove it.
How long do I have to claim if the delay ends up being long?
In Spain the generally accepted time limit is 5 years from the date of the flight (Art. 1964 of the Spanish Civil Code).