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Southampton to Belfast: flight delays and compensation

1,666 flights between Southampton and Belfast (United Kingdom) in 2025, according to the UK Civil Aviation Authority. Here is how punctual they were, which airlines fly the route, and what you can claim if yours was delayed or cancelled.

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

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In short: The route is 508 km long, so a 3-hour-plus delay or a late cancellation is worth £220 per passenger from Southampton (UK261). In 2025, 0.71% of flights on the route were at least 3 hours late and 2.34% were cancelled.

How punctual is the route?

Flights operated
1,666

2025, at UK airports

On time (≤ 15 min late)
79.9%

close to the UK average (72.7%)

3 hours or more late
0.71%

1 in 141 flights · worse than the UK average

Cancelled
2.34%

40 flights · worse than the UK average

Average delay
10.8 min

UK average 15.1 min

Source: UK Civil Aviation Authority punctuality statistics 2025 – departures and arrivals combined, measured against the schedule at the UK airport. How we use this data

Airlines on this route

AirlineFlightsOn time3 h+ lateCancelledAvg delay
Aer Lingus1,66679.9%0.71%2.34%11 min

What you can claim

DirectionRules3 h+ delay or late cancellation
Southampton → BelfastUK261 – departure from a UK airport, any airline£220

Compensation is fixed by distance, not by the ticket price, and is paid per passenger, children included. It is not due if the airline proves extraordinary circumstances. Whatever the cause, from 2 hours’ delay you are entitled to care (meals, drinks, a hotel if needed) and, after a cancellation, to a refund or re-routing.

Check your Southampton–Belfast flight

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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

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Frequently asked questions

How much compensation for a delayed Southampton to Belfast flight?

The great-circle distance is 508 km (316 miles). On the flight from Southampton UK261 applies: £220 per passenger for an arrival delay of 3 hours or more.

How often are flights between Southampton and Belfast delayed or cancelled?

In 2025 the CAA recorded 1,666 flights on this route (both directions, measured at Southampton). 79.9% were on time or less than 15 minutes late, 0.71% were 3 hours or more late (about 1 in 141), and 2.34% were cancelled. The average delay was 10.8 minutes.

Does the airline have to pay if the delay was caused by weather or a strike?

Not if the airline proves extraordinary circumstances – for example severe weather or an air traffic control strike – and that it took all reasonable measures. Technical faults and strikes by the airline’s own staff do not normally count. What counts as extraordinary.

Sources

  1. UK flight punctuality statistics 2025 – UK Civil Aviation Authority
  2. The Air Passenger Rights and Air Travel Organisers’ Licensing (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 – legislation.gov.uk
  3. Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 – EUR-Lex

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