American Airlines delay compensation
Compensation is due when you arrive at your final destination 3 hours or more after the scheduled arrival time. It is the arrival that counts, not the departure: a flight that leaves four hours late but makes up time and lands 2 hours 50 minutes late is not covered.
Which American Airlines flights are covered
American Airlines is registered in United States — outside the EU and UK — so only flights leaving Europe are covered.
- Departing a UK airport: covered by UK261.
- Departing an EU airport: covered by EU261.
- Flying into the UK or EU from United States or elsewhere: not covered by either, because American Airlines is not a UK or EU carrier.
- That means a return trip is usually half-protected: the outbound from Europe counts, the flight home does not.
Worked examples on American Airlines routes
| Route | Distance | Rules | Per passenger |
|---|---|---|---|
| London (LHR) → New York (JFK) | 5,539 km | UK261 | £520 |
| New York (JFK) → London (LHR) | 5,539 km | — | Not covered |
| Paris (CDG) → New York (JFK) | 5,833 km | EU261 | €600 |
| New York (JFK) → Paris (CDG) | 5,833 km | — | Not covered |
Notice the asymmetry: the same route pays in one direction and not the other, because American Airlines is not a UK or EU airline and only departures from Europe are protected.
What American Airlines is likely to say — and the answer
“Extraordinary circumstances” with no detail — ask which circumstance, and for the evidence.
“A technical problem” — not an extraordinary circumstance, and settled by the Court of Justice.
“The inbound aircraft arrived late” — a knock-on delay only counts if the original cause was itself extraordinary.
A disputed arrival time — ask for their recorded on-blocks time and compare it with yours.
Specific to American Airlines
Not an EU or UK carrier: Europe-to-US departures are covered, US-to-Europe returns are not.
A large share of their European flying is codeshared with British Airways and Iberia. If BA or Iberia operated the aircraft, the claim goes to them — and that also makes the return into Europe covered.
Expect an initial response framed around US Department of Transportation rules. The departure airport decides it.
Every transatlantic route is over 3,500 km, so the covered direction is £520 or €600.
Check it free, then send the letter yourself.
If your American Airlines delay appears eligible, the claim letter is £15 flat, with American Airlines’s likely objection answered in advance. You keep 100% of what they pay. If the airline rejects your claim on eligibility grounds, we refund the £15. Forward us their reply and we refund within five working days.
American Airlines delay: common questions
How much can I claim from American Airlines for a delay?
Between €250 and €600 (or £220 and £520 under UK261) per passenger, depending on distance. The worked examples on this page show the figure for some of American Airlines’s routes.
My American Airlines flight left more than three hours late but landed less than three hours late. Can I claim?
No. The test is how late you arrive at your final destination. If the flight made up time and landed under three hours late, the fixed compensation does not apply — though you may still have been owed meals and refreshments during the wait.
What reasons does American Airlines give for refusing delay claims?
The most common are: Extraordinary circumstances with no detail; A technical problem; The inbound aircraft arrived late; A disputed arrival time. Most of these do not hold up against the Regulation or the case law.
How long do I have to make a American Airlines delay claim?
It depends on where you bring the claim, usually where the flight departed or arrived. Six years in England and Wales; two to five years in most EU countries.
Other American Airlines claims
- American Airlines: delayCompensation is due when you arrive at your final destination 3 hours or more after the scheduled arrival time.
- American Airlines: cancellationCompensation is due unless you were told at least 14 days before departure, or were told later but re-routed on a flight that fell inside the timing windows set by Article 5(1)(c).
- American Airlines: denied boardingCompensation is due immediately when you are refused boarding against your will — most often because the flight was overbooked — provided you checked in on time with a confirmed reservation.
- American Airlines: missed connectionWhere all your flights were on a single booking, a delay that makes you miss a connection is measured at your final destination.