Departure delay
How late your flight leaves compared with the scheduled departure time.
Airdelay Help Guide
Arrival Delay vs Departure Delay: Which One Matters?
When checking flight compensation, the most important delay is usually not how late your flight left the gate. It is how late you arrived at your final destination.
Quick answer: for many flight compensation rules, a delay is measured by the time you arrive at your final destination, not only by how late your flight departed. A flight can leave late but still arrive less than 3 hours late, or leave almost on time but arrive much later because of problems during the journey.
What is departure delay?
Departure delay is the delay at the start of your journey. It usually means your flight left later than the scheduled departure time shown on your booking, boarding pass, airline app, or airport screen.
Departure delay is still important because it can affect your right to care at the airport, such as meals, refreshments, communication, or hotel accommodation when required. But for compensation, departure delay alone is not always enough.
What is arrival delay?
Arrival delay is the delay when you reach your destination. In compensation cases, this usually means how late you arrived at your final destination compared with the scheduled arrival time.
This matters because passenger-rights rules such as EU261 and UK261 often look at the delay at the final destination. If you arrived 3 hours or more late and the airline was responsible for the disruption, you may be eligible for compensation.
Arrival delay vs departure delay
Arrival delay
How late you reach your final destination compared with the scheduled arrival time.
Flight left 4 hours late but arrived 2 hours 50 minutes late
What it means
Large departure delay, but arrival delay is under 3 hours.
Why it matters
Compensation may not apply if the final arrival delay is below the required threshold.
Flight left 1 hour late but arrived 3 hours 20 minutes late
What it means
Smaller departure delay, but arrival delay is over 3 hours.
Why it matters
This may support a compensation claim if the airline was responsible.
First flight was delayed and you missed a connection
What it means
The key question is often when you arrived at the final destination.
Why it matters
Missed connection claims can depend on final destination arrival time and whether the flights were on one booking.
Why final destination matters
Your final destination is the last airport on the journey covered by your booking. For a direct flight, this is simple: it is your arrival airport. For a connecting journey, it is usually the last airport on the same booking.
For example, if your route was Paris → Amsterdam → Istanbul on one booking, the important delay may be your arrival time in Istanbul, not only the delay at Amsterdam.
When could arrival delay lead to compensation?
You may be eligible for compensation when these points apply:
- You arrived at your final destination 3 hours or more late.
- Your flight was covered by a passenger-rights system such as EU261, UK261, or another applicable rule.
- The delay was within the airline’s responsibility.
- The delay was not caused by extraordinary circumstances such as severe weather, airport closure, or certain air traffic control restrictions.
- You have basic flight details such as route, date, airline, flight number, and booking reference.
When departure delay may not be enough
A long departure delay does not automatically mean compensation is owed. Your claim may be weaker if:
- You arrived less than 3 hours late at your final destination.
- The delay was caused by extraordinary circumstances outside the airline’s control.
- Your connecting flights were booked separately and the delay only affected a later self-arranged connection.
- You do not have enough information to show the actual arrival delay.
What should you save?
If your flight was delayed, save anything that helps show your journey and timing:
- Boarding pass or booking confirmation
- Flight number and travel date
- Airline delay notifications, emails, or app messages
- Photos of airport screens, if available
- Receipts for food, transport, or hotel costs caused by the disruption
Simple examples
Example 1
Your flight departs 3 hours 30 minutes late but lands 2 hours 55 minutes late. Compensation may not apply because the arrival delay is under 3 hours.
Example 2
Your flight departs 45 minutes late but arrives 3 hours 15 minutes late because of airline operational problems. You may have a claim.
Example 3
Your first flight delay makes you miss a connection on the same booking, and you reach your final destination 5 hours late. This may be important for eligibility.
Official resources
Passenger-rights rules can depend on route, airline, country, and the cause of the delay. These official resources can help you understand the general rules:
Not sure which delay matters for your flight?
Tell us your route, airline, travel date, and what happened. Airdelay can help you check whether your arrival delay may qualify for compensation.
FAQ: arrival delay vs departure delay
Is flight compensation based on departure delay or arrival delay?
In many cases, compensation is based on how late you arrived at your final destination, not only how late your flight departed.
What if my flight departed more than 3 hours late?
A 3-hour departure delay does not always mean compensation is owed. If the airline recovered time and you arrived less than 3 hours late, compensation may not apply.
What if I missed a connection because of a delay?
For missed connections, the final destination arrival time can be very important. It may also matter whether all flights were on one booking and whether the disruption was within the airline’s responsibility.
Can I claim if the delay was caused by bad weather?
Severe weather is often treated as an extraordinary circumstance, which may mean compensation is not owed. However, every case depends on the exact facts and how the airline handled the disruption.
How can I prove my arrival delay?
Save your booking confirmation, boarding pass, airline messages, screenshots from the airline app, airport screen photos, and any written explanation from the airline.
