The Council of the European Union gave its final approval on 13 July 2026 to new rules designed to simplify, clarify and strengthen EU air passenger rights.
The changes will make it easier to claim refunds and compensation, improve ticket price transparency, introduce clearer hand luggage rules and require children under 14 to be seated next to the person accompanying them at no extra cost.
The European Parliament had already approved the agreement by 646 votes to 12, with three abstentions, meaning the legislative process has now been completed.
The new rules will not apply immediately. They will enter into force 12 months and 20 days after their publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.
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› EU flight delay compensation
› Free adjacent seating for children
› Boarding pass and name correction fees
› Passenger care during long delays
Compensation for delays will still apply after three hours
One of the most important points for passengers is that the existing right to compensation for delays of more than three hours will remain in place.
Passengers will still be able to claim compensation if they arrive at their final destination more than three hours late, if their flight is cancelled less than 14 days before departure or if they are denied boarding.
The compensation amounts will also remain unchanged and will depend on the distance of the flight:
- €250 for journeys of up to 1,500 kilometres
- €400 for intra-EU flights longer than 1,500 kilometres and other flights between 1,500 and 3,500 kilometres
- €600 for other longer journeys
For the longest journeys, airlines will in certain cases be allowed to reduce compensation by 50 percent if they offer passengers rerouting to their final destination and the delay on arrival does not exceed four hours.
The right to compensation will not apply when the delay or cancellation is caused by circumstances beyond the airline’s control.
The new EU air passenger rights provide for an open list of such extraordinary circumstances, including natural disasters, war, weather conditions, disruptive passengers and strikes at airports, air traffic control services or ground handling providers.
Faster and simpler airline ticket refunds
The changes are also intended to simplify the process of exercising passenger rights after travel disruption.
Passengers who choose a refund instead of rerouting following a cancellation or another disruption should receive the refund automatically.
Passengers entitled to claim compensation should receive clear information on how to submit a claim within four days of the end of their journey. Airlines will not be allowed to require them to create a user account or install a specific app in order to access this information.
Passengers will have nine months to submit a compensation claim.
After receiving a claim, the airline will have 30 days to pay the compensation or invoke extraordinary circumstances, explain why compensation will not be paid and inform the passenger about the available complaint procedures.
What will change for hand luggage
The new rules should also bring changes related to baggage and the display of airline ticket prices.
Passengers will have the right to bring one personal item, such as a small bag or backpack, into the cabin at no additional cost.
In addition, airlines, intermediaries and online search platforms will be required to display the price of an airline ticket including an allowance for one piece of hand baggage before the booking process begins.
This should make it easier for passengers to compare fares between airlines and understand what is included in the advertised price.
However, this does not necessarily mean that every type of cabin baggage will be free. Under the agreed text, airlines will still be able to offer cheaper tickets to passengers who decide to travel without hand luggage.
The difference is that passengers should have a clearer understanding from the start of the booking process of what the price includes and how much the journey will actually cost.
Children seated with an accompanying adult at no extra cost
One of the most important changes concerns families travelling by air.
Airlines will be required to seat a child under the age of 14 next to the person accompanying them without charging an additional fee.
People with disabilities, passengers with reduced mobility and pregnant women will have the same right to an adjacent seat at no extra cost.
Passengers with disabilities and reduced mobility will also receive additional protection if they miss a flight because the airport failed to provide the assistance needed to reach the boarding gate on time.
In such cases, they will be entitled to compensation, rerouting and assistance from the airline.
The updated rules also introduce stronger and more specific rights for passengers with particular needs, including people with disabilities or reduced mobility, children, unaccompanied minors and pregnant passengers.
Fewer additional fees for boarding passes and name corrections
The new rules should also abolish some of the additional fees passengers may currently face.
Passengers will no longer be charged extra for correcting a spelling mistake in their name.
Airlines will also not be allowed to charge for a printed boarding pass if the passenger has already checked in for the flight.
After check-in, passengers will have the right to receive a digital boarding pass without being required to create a user account or install a specific app.
They will also not be denied boarding simply because they printed a digitally issued boarding pass themselves.
Return flights remain valid after a missed outbound flight
The new rules introduce another important change for passengers who purchase return tickets.
Passengers will be able to use the return flight even if they did not take the first, outbound flight in the same booking, without paying an additional fee.
Airlines will no longer be allowed to deny boarding on a return flight simply because the passenger did not use the outbound part of the booking.
This should prevent the so-called no-show practice under which failing to use one part of a journey can affect the validity of the remaining part of the ticket.
Airlines will still have to care for passengers during long waits
Regardless of whether passengers are entitled to financial compensation, airlines will still have a duty of care towards those stranded because of travel disruption.
Under the agreed rules, passengers will have to be provided with refreshments for every two hours of waiting and a meal after three hours.
If an overnight stay is required because of a prolonged disruption, passengers will also have to be provided with accommodation.
When the disruption is caused by circumstances beyond the airline’s control, the obligation to provide accommodation may be limited to a maximum of three nights.
Who do EU air passenger rights apply to?
EU air passenger rights apply to all passengers, regardless of nationality. They cover flights within the EU, flights departing from the European Union to another country, and flights arriving in the EU from non-EU countries when they are operated by an EU airline.
This means that travellers from any country may be protected, including those from the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Australia, Africa, Asia and Latin America, depending on their route and airline.
When will the new EU air passenger rights take effect?
The Council of the European Union gave its final approval to the updated air passenger rights rules on 13 July 2026, completing the legislative process.
The new rules will enter into force 12 months and 20 days after their publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.
This means that passengers should continue to rely on the existing rules until the updated framework begins to apply.
If you are travelling to or from the EU in 2026, you may also want to read EES Europe: What the New System Means at Borders and Airports in 2026.
