Southwest Airlines delayed flight compensation
If your Southwest Airlines flight arrived more than three hours late, you are owed €250, €400 or €600 per passenger under EU261 — decided by distance, not by ticket price. On flights departing the EU or EEA, yes, whatever the airline. On flights *into* the EU it does not: Southwest Airlines is not EU-licensed, and Art. 3(1)(b) only covers inbound flights operated by EU carriers.
| Distance | EU261 | UK261 |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 1,500 km | €250 | £220 |
| Over 1,500 km within the EU | €400 | £350 |
| 1,500–3,500 km | €400 | £350 |
| Over 3,500 km | €600 | £520 |
What Southwest Airlines typically does
- —Domestic only in practice; DOT refund rules are the lever, not EU261.
- —Typical time to a first reply: about 3 weeks.
If they stonewall, escalate free to the US DOT Aviation Consumer Protection.
Questions
How much compensation do I get for a delayed Southwest Airlines flight?+
€250 for flights up to 1,500 km, €400 for 1,500–3,500 km or over 1,500 km within the EU, and €600 for flights over 3,500 km — per passenger, if you arrived more than three hours late and Southwest Airlines can't prove an extraordinary circumstance. UK departures pay £220, £350 or £520.
Does EU261 apply to Southwest Airlines?+
On flights departing the EU or EEA, yes, whatever the airline. On flights *into* the EU it does not: Southwest Airlines is not EU-licensed, and Art. 3(1)(b) only covers inbound flights operated by EU carriers.
How long does Southwest Airlines take to reply?+
Typically about 3 weeks. If you've heard nothing after six, that's normal rather than a bad sign — send the follow-up letter, then escalate to the US DOT Aviation Consumer Protection.