If your Iberia flight was delayed by more than 3 hours or cancelled with less than 14 days’ notice, you may be owed €250 to €600 — regardless of what the ticket cost.
Iberia is registered in the EU/EEA, so EU261 applies in both directions: to flights departing EU airports and to flights into the EU from third countries.
Country of registration: Spain. Main hubs: Madrid Barajas.
The Spanish flag carrier with a strong Latin American network. Long-haul routes over 3,500 km attract the maximum €600 band, halved to €300 when the delay is between three and four hours.
| Flight distance | Delay 3–4 hours | Delay 4+ hours or cancellation |
|---|---|---|
| up to 1,500 km | €250 | €250 |
| 1,500 – 3,500 km | €400 | €400 |
| over 3,500 km | €300 | €600 |
Paid per passenger holding a separate ticket, children included
Only “extraordinary circumstances” release a carrier: dangerous weather, air traffic control strikes, airspace closures, security requirements, bird strikes.
These do not and compensation remains due: aircraft technical faults, strikes by the airline’s own staff, scheduling problems, late crew, overbooking.
According to the AirHelp report, roughly 52% of rejections turn out to be unjustified — carriers most often cite weather where the real cause was a technical fault. Court of Justice case law on refusals.
The fee is deducted only from the compensation recovered. No payout — no fee.
The limitation period runs from 2 to 6 years depending on jurisdiction, most often 3 years.
At arrival — from the moment the aircraft door opens at the final destination (Court of Justice, C-452/13).
Yes, the amount depends only on flight distance, not on the fare.