Flight cancellations and delays are the most common problems experienced by travelers. Luckily, the European Union has EU Regulation 261, which ensures that you, as a passenger, are not left in a difficult situation and that your rights are protected. The European Union Regulation 261/2004 outlines the situations in which passengers are eligible for compensation and assistance in the event of flight disruption.
Here, you will find everything you need to know about European Union Regulation 261 and in which situations you are entitled to compensation.
Passenger Rights under EU 261/2004
Under EU Regulation 261, passengers arriving at San Francisco International Airport from EU countries or departing from San Francisco International Airport to anywhere on flights operated by airlines from the EU have certain rights. These rights include:
- Food and drinks: Airlines must provide proper meals and refreshments during the waiting period.
- Access to means of communication: Passengers should be provided two free phone calls, emails, or faxes.
- Hotel accommodation if necessary: When an overnight stay is needed, the airline is required to provide accommodation and transportation to and from the hotel.
- Ticket refund or alternative flight: Travelers may choose between a full refund of their ticket or rebooking on an alternative flight to their final destination.
- Compensation: Depending on the flight distance and length of delay, passengers could qualify for financial compensation between €250 to €600.
San Francisco International Airport Flight Delay Compensation
Passengers encountering flight delays at San Francisco International Airport might be eligible for compensation of up to 600 euros per person, especially if the delay lasts longer than three hours. The eligibility for compensation is decided by the cause of the delay and whether it follows UK and EU laws. The amount of compensation is calculated on the time of arrival at the destination rather than departure time and is influenced by the distance of the flight and the duration of the delay.
| Less than 3 hours | Between 3-4 hours | Over 4 hours | Distance |
| €0 | €250 | €250 | All flights up to 1500 km |
| €0 | €400 | €400 | All flights between 1500 km and 3500 km |
| €0 | €400 | €400 | All intra-EU flights over 3500 km |
| €0 | €300 | €600 | All non-EU flights over 3500 km |
Keep in mind that airlines are not required to provide compensation for delays due to extraordinary circumstances beyond their control.
San Francisco International Airport Flight Cancellation Compensation
In the event of a flight cancellation causing inconvenience at the San Francisco International Airport, under EU 261, travelers are eligible to receive compensation of up to €600 if the airline notifies them of the cancellation less than 14 days before departure.
Nonetheless, there are exceptions to this regulation. The airline may be exempt from compensating passengers if it provides an alternative flight that meets certain criteria, letting you arrive at your destination with the minimal delay possible:
| Advance Notice | Re-routing Requirements |
| 14 Days | None |
| 7 – 13 Days | Alternative flight departing no more than 2 hours before and arriving less than 4 hours after the original flight |
| Less than 7 Days | Alternative flight departing no more than 1 hour before and arriving less than 2 hours after the original flight |
Financial compensation may still be available even though you accept an alternative flight, provided your arrival at the final destination is significantly delayed. The compensation amount is determined by the flight distance and the duration of the delay. You can check this table to figure out the amount of compensation you are eligible for:
| Under 2 hours | 2-3 hours | 3-4 hours | Over 4 hours | Never arrived | Distance |
| €125 | €250 | €250 | €250 | €250 | All flights 1,500 km or less |
| €200 | €200 | €400 | €400 | €400 | Internal EU flights over 1,500 km |
| €200 | €200 | €400 | €400 | €400 | Non-internal EU flights 1,500 km- 3,500 km |
| €300 | €300 | €300 | €600 | €600 | Non-internal EU flights over 3,500 km |
Keep in mind that airlines usually don’t offer compensation for flight cancellations due to extraordinary circumstances outside their control, such as severe weather or strikes by air traffic controllers.
Which San Francisco International Airport Flights are Covered by EU261?
Even though San Francisco International Airport is not within the EU, European Union Regulation 261/2004 may still apply to some flights. Travelers arriving at San Francisco International Airport from EU countries or departing from San Francisco International Airport to anywhere on flights operated by airlines from the EU are covered by EU 261.
Thus, despite their geographic location outside the EU, certain flights departing from San Francisco International Airport may be subject to European regulations if they are operated by airlines from the European Union.
| Itinerary | EU Airline | Non-EU Airline |
| Departures from San Francisco International Airport to anywhere | Yes | No |
| Arrivals at San Francisco International Airport from inside the EU | Yes | No |
| Arrivals at San Francisco International Airport from outside the EU | No | No |
How to Claim Compensation from San Francisco International Airport
Flight cancellations and delays often occur due to factors such as adverse weather conditions, air traffic congestion, technical problems, or staffing issues. If you experience a flight disruption at San Francisco International Airport, you could be eligible for compensation under EU Regulation 261/2004.
To initiate your compensation claim, proceed with these steps:
- Fill in our form. You’ll need to provide details like your flight number, date, and the problem you faced.
- Let our experts help you. Once you submit the form, our team will manage the process. We are well-versed in the EU laws well and will strive to secure your compensation. You only pay us if we win your case.
Recent Flight Delays and Cancellations
Was your flight delayed or cancelled? Find your flight in the table below and use our claims checker to see if you are eligible for compensation.
Did not find your flight in our table? Fill in our compensation form, and we will check it for you.
| Date | Airline (Flight number) | Route | Status | Your compensation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
20.06.202511:25 | Alaska Airlines 1075 | San Francisco International (SFO) Seattle-Tacoma International (SEA) | cancelled | Claim Refund |
20.06.202511:25 | Air Tahiti Nui 2708 | San Francisco International (SFO) Seattle-Tacoma International (SEA) | cancelled | Claim Refund |
20.06.202511:25 | Qatar Airways 3429 | San Francisco International (SFO) Seattle-Tacoma International (SEA) | cancelled | Claim Refund |
20.06.202511:25 | Singapore Airlines 1289 | San Francisco International (SFO) Seattle-Tacoma International (SEA) | cancelled | Claim Refund |
20.06.202511:25 | Hawaiian Airlines 7026 | San Francisco International (SFO) Seattle-Tacoma International (SEA) | cancelled | Claim Refund |
20.06.202511:25 | Icelandair 7656 | San Francisco International (SFO) Seattle-Tacoma International (SEA) | cancelled | Claim Refund |
20.06.202511:25 | Condor 5001 | San Francisco International (SFO) Seattle-Tacoma International (SEA) | cancelled | Claim Refund |
20.06.202511:05 | ANA 7285 | San Francisco International (SFO) Seattle-Tacoma International (SEA) | delayed | Claim Refund |
20.06.202511:05 | Virgin Australia 8285 | San Francisco International (SFO) Seattle-Tacoma International (SEA) | delayed | Claim Refund |
20.06.202511:05 | Air New Zealand 9402 | San Francisco International (SFO) Seattle-Tacoma International (SEA) | delayed | Claim Refund |
20.06.202510:55 | United Airlines 875 | San Francisco International (SFO) Haneda Airport (TYO) | delayed | Claim Refund |
20.06.202509:11 | Virgin Atlantic 1900 | San Francisco International (SFO) Seattle-Tacoma International (SEA) | delayed | Claim Refund |
20.06.202509:11 | KLM 6481 | San Francisco International (SFO) Seattle-Tacoma International (SEA) | delayed | Claim Refund |
20.06.202509:11 | WestJet 8751 | San Francisco International (SFO) Seattle-Tacoma International (SEA) | delayed | Claim Refund |
20.06.202509:11 | Air France 2993 | San Francisco International (SFO) Seattle-Tacoma International (SEA) | delayed | Claim Refund |
20.06.202509:11 | SAS 3933 | San Francisco International (SFO) Seattle-Tacoma International (SEA) | delayed | Claim Refund |
20.06.202508:20 | Air Tahiti Nui 2706 | San Francisco International (SFO) Seattle-Tacoma International (SEA) | delayed | Claim Refund |
20.06.202508:20 | Qatar Airways 3436 | San Francisco International (SFO) Seattle-Tacoma International (SEA) | delayed | Claim Refund |
20.06.202508:20 | Hawaiian Airlines 7028 | San Francisco International (SFO) Seattle-Tacoma International (SEA) | delayed | Claim Refund |
20.06.202507:00 | Air Tahiti Nui 2705 | San Francisco International (SFO) Seattle-Tacoma International (SEA) | delayed | Claim Refund |
20.06.202507:00 | Qatar Airways 8810 | San Francisco International (SFO) Seattle-Tacoma International (SEA) | delayed | Claim Refund |
20.06.202507:00 | Hawaiian Airlines 7024 | San Francisco International (SFO) Seattle-Tacoma International (SEA) | delayed | Claim Refund |
20.06.202507:00 | Korean Air 6114 | San Francisco International (SFO) Seattle-Tacoma International (SEA) | delayed | Claim Refund |
20.06.202507:00 | American Airlines 7528 | San Francisco International (SFO) Seattle-Tacoma International (SEA) | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202523:40 | Jet Linx Aviation 5892 | San Francisco International (SFO) () | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202523:40 | Singapore Airlines 1544 | San Francisco International (SFO) () | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202523:40 | Icelandair 7834 | San Francisco International (SFO) () | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202523:40 | JetBlue Airways 134 | San Francisco International (SFO) () | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202523:40 | Hawaiian Airlines 2358 | San Francisco International (SFO) () | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202522:50 | Virgin Australia 8287 | San Francisco International (SFO) Seattle-Tacoma International (SEA) | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202522:50 | Air New Zealand 9401 | San Francisco International (SFO) Seattle-Tacoma International (SEA) | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202521:28 | Alaska Airlines 307 | San Francisco International (SFO) () | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202521:28 | Qatar Airways 3430 | San Francisco International (SFO) () | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202521:28 | Condor 5016 | San Francisco International (SFO) () | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202521:28 | Jet Linx Aviation 5448 | San Francisco International (SFO) () | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202521:28 | Qantas 3670 | San Francisco International (SFO) () | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202521:28 | American Airlines 7441 | San Francisco International (SFO) () | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202521:28 | Hawaiian Airlines 6970 | San Francisco International (SFO) () | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202521:28 | Fiji Airways 5860 | San Francisco International (SFO) () | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202521:28 | Singapore Airlines 1386 | San Francisco International (SFO) () | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202520:55 | SAS 3470 | San Francisco International (SFO) Seattle-Tacoma International (SEA) | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202520:55 | Virgin Atlantic 1906 | San Francisco International (SFO) Seattle-Tacoma International (SEA) | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202519:49 | Air Tahiti Nui 2798 | San Francisco International (SFO) Seattle-Tacoma International (SEA) | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202519:49 | Hawaiian Airlines 7031 | San Francisco International (SFO) Seattle-Tacoma International (SEA) | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202519:49 | Qantas 3669 | San Francisco International (SFO) Seattle-Tacoma International (SEA) | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202519:49 | Qatar Airways 3395 | San Francisco International (SFO) Seattle-Tacoma International (SEA) | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202519:49 | British Airways 7545 | San Francisco International (SFO) Seattle-Tacoma International (SEA) | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202519:49 | Iberia 7282 | San Francisco International (SFO) Seattle-Tacoma International (SEA) | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202519:49 | Icelandair 7714 | San Francisco International (SFO) Seattle-Tacoma International (SEA) | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202519:26 | Alaska SkyWest 3354 | San Francisco International (SFO) Bob Hope (BUR) | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202519:26 | Qatar Airways 8802 | San Francisco International (SFO) Bob Hope (BUR) | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202519:26 | Hawaiian Airlines 6974 | San Francisco International (SFO) Bob Hope (BUR) | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202519:26 | American Airlines 9308 | San Francisco International (SFO) Bob Hope (BUR) | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202518:53 | Fiji Airways 5810 | San Francisco International (SFO) Seattle-Tacoma International (SEA) | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202518:53 | American Airlines 9350 | San Francisco International (SFO) Seattle-Tacoma International (SEA) | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202518:53 | Iberia 7355 | San Francisco International (SFO) Seattle-Tacoma International (SEA) | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202518:53 | Air Tahiti Nui 2445 | San Francisco International (SFO) Seattle-Tacoma International (SEA) | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202518:53 | Qatar Airways 8804 | San Francisco International (SFO) Seattle-Tacoma International (SEA) | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202518:53 | Hawaiian Airlines 7025 | San Francisco International (SFO) Seattle-Tacoma International (SEA) | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202518:53 | Condor 5055 | San Francisco International (SFO) Seattle-Tacoma International (SEA) | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202517:05 | Emirates 226 | San Francisco International (SFO) Chelsea Twr EY Bus Station (DXB) | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202516:48 | Hawaiian Airlines 6948 | San Francisco International (SFO) Bob Hope (BUR) | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202516:48 | Alaska Horizon 2053 | San Francisco International (SFO) Bob Hope (BUR) | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202516:48 | American Airlines 9303 | San Francisco International (SFO) Bob Hope (BUR) | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202516:48 | Qatar Airways 3440 | San Francisco International (SFO) Bob Hope (BUR) | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202516:44 | Qatar Airways 4892 | San Francisco International (SFO) Seattle-Tacoma International (SEA) | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202516:44 | Alaska Airlines 591 | San Francisco International (SFO) Seattle-Tacoma International (SEA) | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202516:44 | Condor 5053 | San Francisco International (SFO) Seattle-Tacoma International (SEA) | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202516:44 | British Airways 2947 | San Francisco International (SFO) Seattle-Tacoma International (SEA) | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202516:44 | Korean Air 6096 | San Francisco International (SFO) Seattle-Tacoma International (SEA) | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202516:44 | Hawaiian Airlines 7021 | San Francisco International (SFO) Seattle-Tacoma International (SEA) | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202516:44 | Air Tahiti Nui 2701 | San Francisco International (SFO) Seattle-Tacoma International (SEA) | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202516:44 | American Airlines 7502 | San Francisco International (SFO) Seattle-Tacoma International (SEA) | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202516:44 | Fiji Airways 5812 | San Francisco International (SFO) Seattle-Tacoma International (SEA) | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202516:43 | Air New Zealand 2373 | San Francisco International (SFO) San Antonio International (SAT) | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202516:43 | Air Canada 4347 | San Francisco International (SFO) San Antonio International (SAT) | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202516:43 | United Airlines 424 | San Francisco International (SFO) San Antonio International (SAT) | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202516:43 | Emirates 6381 | San Francisco International (SFO) San Antonio International (SAT) | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202514:45 | Icelandair 7658 | San Francisco International (SFO) Seattle-Tacoma International (SEA) | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202514:45 | Singapore Airlines 1392 | San Francisco International (SFO) Seattle-Tacoma International (SEA) | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202514:45 | Cathay Pacific 7944 | San Francisco International (SFO) Seattle-Tacoma International (SEA) | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202514:45 | Hawaiian Airlines 7030 | San Francisco International (SFO) Seattle-Tacoma International (SEA) | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202514:45 | American Airlines 9399 | San Francisco International (SFO) Seattle-Tacoma International (SEA) | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202514:45 | Air Tahiti Nui 2707 | San Francisco International (SFO) Seattle-Tacoma International (SEA) | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202514:45 | Jet Linx Aviation 5429 | San Francisco International (SFO) Seattle-Tacoma International (SEA) | delayed | Claim Refund |
19.06.202508:54 | NetJets Aviation 758 | San Francisco International (SFO) Burlington International (BTV) | delayed | Claim Refund |
18.06.202521:28 | Qatar Airways 3430 | San Francisco International (SFO) () | delayed | Claim Refund |
18.06.202521:28 | Hawaiian Airlines 6970 | San Francisco International (SFO) () | delayed | Claim Refund |
18.06.202521:28 | Alaska Airlines (Oneworld Livery) 307 | San Francisco International (SFO) () | delayed | Claim Refund |
18.06.202521:28 | Jet Linx Aviation 5448 | San Francisco International (SFO) () | delayed | Claim Refund |
18.06.202521:28 | Singapore Airlines 1386 | San Francisco International (SFO) () | delayed | Claim Refund |
18.06.202521:28 | Condor 5016 | San Francisco International (SFO) () | delayed | Claim Refund |
18.06.202521:28 | Qantas 3670 | San Francisco International (SFO) () | delayed | Claim Refund |
18.06.202521:28 | American Airlines 7441 | San Francisco International (SFO) () | delayed | Claim Refund |
18.06.202521:28 | Fiji Airways 5860 | San Francisco International (SFO) () | delayed | Claim Refund |
18.06.202521:20 | Virgin Australia 8308 | San Francisco International (SFO) () | delayed | Claim Refund |
18.06.202521:20 | United Airlines 796 | San Francisco International (SFO) () | delayed | Claim Refund |
18.06.202521:20 | Air New Zealand 9012 | San Francisco International (SFO) () | delayed | Claim Refund |
18.06.202520:55 | Virgin Atlantic 1906 | San Francisco International (SFO) Seattle-Tacoma International (SEA) | delayed | Claim Refund |
18.06.202520:55 | SAS 3470 | San Francisco International (SFO) Seattle-Tacoma International (SEA) | delayed | Claim Refund |
