Delayed Overnight — Your Hotel & Care Rights
When a delay forces an overnight wait, the airline has a legal duty to look after you — a hotel, transport to and from it, and meals — quite separately from any compensation. Crucially, this “right to care” applies even when the delay was caused by something genuinely beyond the airline’s control. If the airline fails to arrange it, you can usually pay yourself and reclaim the reasonable cost.
This guide explains the care thresholds, what the airline must provide, and how to reclaim. For cash compensation, use the compensation calculator.
What the Airline Must Provide
The Right to Care
Once your delay passes the threshold, the airline must give you:
- Food and drink appropriate to the wait (usually vouchers)
- A means to communicate (phone calls or emails)
- Hotel accommodation if you’re delayed overnight
- Transport between the airport and the hotel
When Care Kicks In
The thresholds depend on flight distance:
- 2 hours — short-haul, up to 1,500 km
- 3 hours — medium-haul, 1,500 to 3,500 km
- 4 hours — long-haul, over 3,500 km
- Care applies even in extraordinary circumstances like bad weather
If the Airline Doesn’t Provide It
Pay and Reclaim
When the airline fails to arrange care:
- Book reasonable accommodation and keep all receipts
- Keep meal and transport receipts too
- Claim the reasonable costs back from the airline
- “Reasonable” means sensible, not luxury — a standard hotel, not a five-star suite
Common Questions About Overnight Delays
The delay was caused by weather, so the airline says it owes me nothing. Is that right?
No — that’s a common misunderstanding. Cash compensation may not be payable in genuine extraordinary circumstances like severe weather, but the right to care is separate and applies regardless of cause. The airline must still provide (or reimburse) your hotel, transport and meals during an overnight weather delay.
The airline gave me nothing, so I booked my own hotel. Will they pay?
Usually yes, if the cost was reasonable. Where the airline fails to provide care, you can arrange your own and reclaim the reasonable expense — a standard hotel near the airport, sensible meals, and transport. Keep every receipt. Extravagant spending may not be fully reimbursed, so keep it proportionate.
Is the hotel instead of compensation, or as well as?
As well as. The right to care (hotel, meals, transport) is entirely separate from cash compensation. If your delay also qualifies for the £220–£520 compensation, you can claim both — the care covers your immediate needs, the compensation addresses the disruption itself.
How nice a hotel am I entitled to?
A reasonable one — the duty is to provide suitable accommodation, not luxury. In practice that means a standard nearby hotel. If you have to book your own because the airline didn’t, choose something sensible and keep the receipt; reclaiming the cost of a modest hotel is straightforward, but a premium suite may only be reimbursed up to a reasonable level.
Related Guides
Flight Delayed 5+ Hours — Refund?
Bad Weather Flight Delay Compensation
Flight Delay Compensation Calculator
Am I Eligible for Flight Delay Compensation?
Extraordinary Circumstances Explained
How to Claim Flight Delay Compensation
Check If You Could Claim Compensation For Your Delayed Flight
If your flight was delayed by 3 hours or more, you may be entitled to compensation. Start a free flight delay claim check in minutes — no upfront cost. No win, no fee if your claim is accepted.
