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Flight compensation in Iceland: delays, cancellations and how to claim

By passengers on routes within Europe in Eurostat’s 2024 data, Keflavík – the hub of Icelandair – was by far Iceland’s busiest airport (PLAY, also Icelandic, stopped flying on 29 September 2025). Iceland is not in the EU but applies EU261 through the EEA Agreement: it covers every departure from Iceland, whatever the airline, and flights to Iceland from outside the EU, Norway, Iceland and Switzerland when an airline licensed in one of those countries operates them.

By the EU261 Flight Delay editorial team Last reviewed: How we write our guides

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In short: Every flight departing from Iceland is covered by EU261, whatever the airline: €250–€600 per passenger for a delay of 3 hours or more at arrival, a cancellation with less than 14 days’ notice or denied boarding – unless the airline proves extraordinary circumstances. Flights into Iceland from outside the EU are covered only on EU airlines. Complain to the airline first, then to Icelandic Transport Authority (Samgöngustofa) or an ADR body, and if needed go to court.

Which flights are covered

Your flightRulesWhich airlines
From Iceland to anywhereEU261Any airline
From another EU/EEA country or Switzerland to IcelandEU261Any airline
From the UK to IcelandUK261 (EU261 too on an EU airline)Any airline
From outside Europe to IcelandEU261EU airlines only

Whatever the cause, from 2 hours’ delay the airline must also provide meals and drinks, and a hotel if you are stuck overnight; after a cancellation or a 5-hour delay you can choose a refund. Care and refunds.

Check your flight from Iceland

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What happened?Step 1 of 4

What happened to your flight?
Where did you fly from and to?

With a connection, enter your first departure and your final destination – compensation is based on the total distance.

How late did you arrive at your final destination?

What counts is when the aircraft doors opened at your destination – not the departure delay.

When were you told about the cancellation?
When did you arrive on the replacement flight?
Which airline operated the flight?
When was the flight?

How many passengers were on the booking?

1 passenger

Every passenger gets their own compensation, children too. Infants under 2 without their own seat do not count.

  • Free, no sign-up
  • Fee only if successful (35%)
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How much: example routes from Iceland

Compensation per passenger for a 3-hour-plus delay or a late cancellation on the busiest international routes (Eurostat 2024):

RouteDistanceOutboundReturn
Reykjavík Keflavík – Copenhagen2,144 km€400€400
Reykjavík Keflavík – Amsterdam Schiphol2,038 km€400€400
Reykjavík Keflavík – Paris Charles de Gaulle2,242 km€400€400
Reykjavík Keflavík – Oslo Gardermoen1,781 km€400€400
Reykjavík Keflavík – Frankfurt2,401 km€400€400
Reykjavík Keflavík – Helsinki2,444 km€400€400
Reykjavík Keflavík – Dublin1,497 km€250€250
Reykjavík Keflavík – Milan Malpensa2,809 km€400€400
Reykjavík Keflavík – Stockholm Arlanda2,143 km€400€400
Reykjavík Keflavík – Berlin2,432 km€400€400

How to claim in Iceland

  1. Claim from the airline in writing – its online form or a letter (complaint letter generator). Keep your booking, boarding pass and receipts.
  2. National enforcement body: Icelandic Transport Authority (Samgöngustofa) – Online complaint form in Icelandic and English. It deals with flights departing from Iceland, and flights arriving there from outside the EU.
  3. Alternative dispute resolution: Samgöngustofa settles disputes between passengers and airlines with a formal ruling (úrskurður). The ruling cannot be appealed to another authority, but either party can still go to court.
  4. Court: the local court for the departure or arrival airport, or – for cross-border cases – the European Small Claims Procedure.

Prefer not to do it yourself? A claims company does the work for a share of the compensation – see claim companies compared.

Airlines from Iceland

Airports in Iceland

Delay causes, busiest routes and seasonal patterns: flights to Iceland · European delay statistics.

Strikes in Iceland

No strikes affecting flights in Iceland are announced in our strike calendar at the moment.

Strike days at Iceland’s airports since 2024

EUROCONTROL recorded no arrival flow restrictions due to industrial action at Iceland’s airports between January 2024 and the latest data. Strikes by air traffic controllers elsewhere and by airline staff are not included. Check a specific day.

Good to know

  • Samgöngustofa’s rulings are formal decisions, not just opinions, which makes it a strong first step if an airline refuses to pay for a flight from Keflavík.
  • Samgöngustofa’s online complaint form is available in English as well as Icelandic.
  • Because Iceland applies EU261 through the EEA Agreement, an Icelandic airline counts like an EU airline: its flights into the EU from outside are covered.

Frequently asked questions

How much compensation can I get for a delayed flight in Iceland?

Under EU261, €250 for flights up to 1,500 km, €400 for 1,500–3,500 km (and for every flight within the EU over 1,500 km) and €600 for longer flights (€300 if a long-haul flight arrives 3–4 hours late), per passenger, if you arrive 3 hours or more late and the airline cannot prove extraordinary circumstances. It does not matter where you live – only where you flew from, where to, and with which airline.

Where do I complain in Iceland if the airline refuses to pay?

To Icelandic Transport Authority (Samgöngustofa), the national enforcement body for Iceland (Online complaint form in Icelandic and English). It handles complaints about flights departing from Iceland and flights arriving there from outside the EU. Alternative dispute resolution: Samgöngustofa settles disputes between passengers and airlines with a formal ruling (úrskurður). The ruling cannot be appealed to another authority, but either party can still go to court.

How long do I have to claim in Iceland?

The time limit depends on which country’s courts hear the claim, and we have not found an authoritative statement of the period for Iceland. Claim as soon as you can, and check with Icelandic Transport Authority (Samgöngustofa) or the European Consumer Centre. See time limits by country.

I live in Iceland but my flight left from another country. Where can I claim?

Your rights depend on the flight, not on where you live. For a flight between two EU countries you can sue in the courts for the place of departure or the place of arrival (CJEU C-204/08 Rehder); for cross-border cases the European Small Claims Procedure works by post and online. The enforcement body to complain to is the one in the country where the incident happened.

Information only, not legal advice. Enforcement bodies and dispute schemes as listed by the European Commission, checked November 2026.

Sources

  1. National enforcement bodies under Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 (updated 13 October 2026) – European Commission
  2. Réttindi flugfarþega – Samgöngustofa
  3. Ákvarðanir, dómar og úrskurðir – Samgöngustofa
  4. EEA Joint Committee Decision No 171/2004 incorporating Regulation 261/2004 – EUR-Lex
  5. Air passenger rights (scope incl. airlines based in the EU, Switzerland, Norway or Iceland) – Federal Office of Civil Aviation FOCA
  6. Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 – full text (Article 3: scope; recital 15: air traffic management decisions) – EUR-Lex
  7. Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 as it applies in the UK (UK261) – Article 3, scope – legislation.gov.uk
  8. UK flight punctuality statistics 2025 (flights by destination from UK airports) – UK Civil Aviation Authority
  9. Air passenger transport by reporting airport (avia_par), 2024 – Eurostat
  10. Eurostat – air passenger transport routes between partner airports and main airports (2024) – Eurostat
  11. EUROCONTROL – airport arrival ATFM delays (open performance data) – EUROCONTROL
  12. C-204/08 Rehder v Air Baltic (jurisdiction: place of departure or arrival) – EUR-Lex

We check every rule against the sources above. Spotted an error? Tell us – see our editorial policy.