Delayed

Vueling cancellation compensation

Compensation is due unless you were told at least 14 days before departure, or were told later but re-routed on a flight that fell inside the timing windows set by Article 5(1)(c). You are also entitled to choose between a full refund and a replacement flight, whatever the notice.

Which Vueling flights are covered

Vueling is registered in Spain, so it counts as an EU carrier and its flights are covered in both directions.

  • Departing an EU airport: covered by EU261.
  • Departing a UK airport: covered by UK261.
  • Arriving in the EU from outside Europe: covered by EU261, because Vueling is an EU carrier.
  • Arriving in the UK from outside Europe: covered by UK261, which also protects arrivals on EU carriers.

Worked examples on Vueling routes

Computed by our rules engine, assuming cancelled with 3 days’ notice, not re-routed.
RouteDistanceRulesPer passenger
Barcelona (BCN) → Madrid (MAD)483 kmEU261€250
Barcelona (BCN) → Paris (ORY)826 kmEU261€250
Madrid (MAD) → Paris (ORY)1,030 kmEU261€250
Barcelona (BCN) → Paris (CDG)858 kmEU261€250

What Vueling is likely to say — and the answer

  • “You were offered an alternative flight” — only relevant if it fell inside the Article 5 windows. Check the departure and arrival times.

  • “We told you in advance” — the question is whether it was 14 days or more, counted from when you were actually informed.

  • “Operational reasons” — not a category in the Regulation.

  • A voucher offered instead of money — you are entitled to be paid in money.

Specific to Vueling

  • Vueling has a long-standing reputation for slow and unresponsive claims handling, and AESA has received a high volume of complaints about them. Document everything and escalate promptly once the 14 days pass.

  • Barcelona is their main base and their summer schedule is dense, which produces heavy knock-on delays. "The aircraft arrived late" is not an extraordinary circumstance on its own.

  • Spain’s five-year window means an old Vueling claim is very often still live, and passengers who gave up in year one can still write.

  • AESA will issue a formal opinion on the merits, which is a genuinely useful escalation with this airline in particular.

Time limit: Vueling is based in Spain, where claims run for 5 years from the date of the flight. How that works

Check it free, then send the letter yourself.

If your Vueling cancellation appears eligible, the claim letter is £15 flat, with Vueling’s likely objection answered in advance. You keep 100% of what they pay. If the airline rejects your claim on eligibility grounds, we refund the £15. Forward us their reply and we refund within five working days.

Vueling cancellation: common questions

How much can I claim from Vueling for a cancellation?

Between €250 and €600 (or £220 and £520 under UK261) per passenger, depending on distance. The worked examples on this page show the figure for some of Vueling’s routes.

Vueling cancelled my flight and put me on another one. Can I still claim?

Possibly. If you were told less than 14 days before, the airline only escapes compensation if the replacement fell inside strict windows — for example, with under 7 days’ notice, departing no more than an hour early and arriving less than two hours late. Outside those windows, compensation is due, although it can be halved if you arrived within 2, 3 or 4 hours depending on distance.

What reasons does Vueling give for refusing cancellation claims?

The most common are: You were offered an alternative flight; We told you in advance; Operational reasons; A voucher offered instead of money. Most of these do not hold up against the Regulation or the case law.

How long do I have to make a Vueling cancellation claim?

Where Vueling is based, the limit is 5 years. You can usually also claim in the country your flight departed from or arrived in, which may give you longer.

Other Vueling claims