Emirates 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 Emirates flights are covered
Emirates is registered in United Arab Emirates — 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 Arab Emirates or elsewhere: not covered by either, because Emirates 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 Emirates routes
| Route | Distance | Rules | Per passenger |
|---|---|---|---|
| London (LHR) → Dubai (DXB) | 5,498 km | UK261 | £520 |
| Dubai (DXB) → London (LHR) | 5,498 km | — | Not covered |
| Paris (CDG) → Dubai (DXB) | 5,239 km | EU261 | €600 |
| Dubai (DXB) → Paris (CDG) | 5,239 km | — | Not covered |
Notice the asymmetry: the same route pays in one direction and not the other, because Emirates is not a UK or EU airline and only departures from Europe are protected.
What Emirates 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 Emirates
Emirates is not an EU or UK carrier. London or Paris to Dubai is covered because it departs the UK or EU; Dubai to London or Paris is NOT covered. This asymmetry catches out more passengers than any other single point in the Regulation.
On the covered outbound, a Dubai connection onto Asia or Australia sold as one booking is measured at the final destination, which makes for large €600 and £520 claims.
They generally respond within about six weeks and in a specific rather than generic way.
For the uncovered return leg, the Montreal Convention may still give a remedy for provable financial loss — but that is damages you have to evidence, not a fixed sum.
Check it free, then send the letter yourself.
If your Emirates delay appears eligible, the claim letter is £15 flat, with Emirates’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.
Emirates delay: common questions
How much can I claim from Emirates 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 Emirates’s routes.
My Emirates 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 Emirates 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 Emirates 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 Emirates claims
- Emirates: delayCompensation is due when you arrive at your final destination 3 hours or more after the scheduled arrival time.
- Emirates: 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).
- Emirates: 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.
- Emirates: missed connectionWhere all your flights were on a single booking, a delay that makes you miss a connection is measured at your final destination.