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Flights to Bulgaria: delays, cancellations and your rights

By passengers on routes within Europe in Eurostat’s 2024 data, Bulgaria’s busiest airports were Sofia, Burgas and Varna; Burgas and Varna serve the Black Sea coast. EU261 covers every departure from Bulgaria, whatever the airline, and flights to Bulgaria 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

Check compensation or start a claim with AirHelp straight away

In short: Flying to Bulgaria from elsewhere in Europe, a delay of 3 hours or more is worth €250–€400 per passenger on typical routes (EU261, any airline); from the UK £350 under UK261. On the way home, EU261 covers every flight leaving Bulgaria.

Your rights each way

DirectionRulesCovered airlines3h+ delay / late cancellation
Another EU/EEA country or Switzerland → BulgariaEU261any airline€250–€400
Bulgaria → another EU/EEA country or SwitzerlandEU261any airline€250–€400
UK → BulgariaUK261any airline£350
Bulgaria → UKEU261any airline€400
Outside Europe → BulgariaEU261only an EU airlineby distance, up to €600

Amounts are per passenger and depend on the great-circle distance between your airports – the ranges cover the busiest routes. Whatever the cause, from 2 hours’ delay the airline must provide meals and drinks, and a hotel if you are stuck overnight – where EU261 or UK261 applies. Living in Bulgaria or flying from there? See how to claim in Bulgaria.

Check your flight to or from Bulgaria

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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%)
  • AirHelp: Trustpilot 4.5/5

Rather skip the questions? Start a claim with AirHelp straight away

Airports in Bulgaria

AirportPassengers 2024*ATFM delay per arrival 2025Main cause
Sofia (SOF)6,934,1500.01 minaerodrome capacity (100%)
Burgas (BOJ)1,223,630––
Varna (VAR)1,104,832––

* Passengers on routes reported to Eurostat (both directions).

Routes from the UK to Bulgaria

From the UK: in the CAA’s 2025 data the busiest Bulgarian destinations from UK airports were Sofia, Burgas, Plovdiv and Varna. Flights departing from Bulgaria are covered by EU261 whatever the airline; flights from the UK to Bulgaria by UK261; flights from Bulgaria to the UK by EU261.

Punctuality of the busiest routes in 2025, from UK Civil Aviation Authority data (departures from UK airports).

RouteFlightsOn time3h+ lateCancelled
London Stansted – Sofia1,79866.1%0.17%0.00%
London Luton – Sofia1,16074.9%0.00%0.09%

Busiest European routes

Why flights to Bulgaria are delayed

In 2025, air traffic flow restrictions held back arrivals at Bulgaria’s airports by 0.01 minutes per flight on average (EUROCONTROL, 1 airports). The worst month was Jan.

Causes of air traffic flow delay (2025)

  • aerodrome capacity100%

Average ATFM delay per arrival by month (min)

  1. J
  2. F
  3. M
  4. A
  5. M
  6. J
  7. J
  8. A
  9. S
  10. O
  11. N
  12. D

Weather and air traffic control restrictions are usually extraordinary circumstances – but the airline must show they caused your delay. Check what happened on your travel day.

Strikes

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

Strike calendar

Where to complain

  1. The airline first – in writing, with your booking reference. Use our complaint letter generator.
  2. National enforcement body: Directorate General Civil Aviation Administration (Ministry of Transport and Communications).
  3. Dispute resolution: The Sectoral Conciliation Commission for air transport disputes at the Consumer Protection Commission (KZP): voluntary, free for both parties, and it aims to end with a settlement proposal within 90 days.
  4. From the UK: if you flew from a UK airport or with a UK airline, you can also use UK ADR, the CAA or the small claims court.

Tips for flying to Bulgaria

  • The KZP’s conciliation commission for air transport is free, which makes it a low-risk step before court if an airline refuses your claim.
  • Sofia had almost no arrival flow-control delay in EUROCONTROL’s 2025 data.
  • Flights from Burgas and Varna are EU departures, so EU261 applies whatever the airline and wherever you are flying – including to the UK.

Frequently asked questions

Am I covered on a flight to Bulgaria?

From anywhere in the EU, the EEA or Switzerland, yes: EU261 covers every departing flight, whatever the airline – €250–€400 per passenger on typical routes if you arrive 3 hours or more late. From the UK, UK261 covers every departing flight (£350). From outside Europe you are covered only on an EU airline.

Am I covered on the flight home from Bulgaria?

Bulgaria applies EU261 to every departing flight, so you are covered with any airline (€250–€400 on typical routes).

Who enforces passenger rights in Bulgaria?

Directorate General Civil Aviation Administration (Ministry of Transport and Communications). Complain to the airline first; if it rejects you or does not answer, you can turn to this body. All national enforcement bodies.

Are strikes covered?

It depends whose staff are on strike. Air traffic control or airport strikes are usually extraordinary circumstances; strikes by the airline’s own staff are not (CJEU C-28/20). See strikes and compensation.

Data: Eurostat 2024, EUROCONTROL, UK Civil Aviation Authority 2025. Information only, not legal advice.

Sources

  1. National enforcement bodies under Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 (updated 13 October 2026) – European Commission
  2. Какви са видовете помирителни комисии – Комисия за защита на потребителите (KZP)
  3. Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 – full text (Article 3: scope; recital 15: air traffic management decisions) – EUR-Lex
  4. Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 as it applies in the UK (UK261) – Article 3, scope – legislation.gov.uk
  5. UK flight punctuality statistics 2025 (flights by destination from UK airports) – UK Civil Aviation Authority
  6. Airport arrival ATFM (flow-control) delay data, 2024–2025 – EUROCONTROL Aviation Intelligence Unit
  7. Air passenger transport by reporting airport (avia_par), 2024 – Eurostat
  8. Eurostat – air passenger transport routes between partner airports and main airports (2024) – Eurostat
  9. EUROCONTROL – airport arrival ATFM delays (open performance data) – EUROCONTROL
  10. UK flight punctuality statistics 2025 – UK Civil Aviation Authority

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