Under EU261 (EC 261/2004), passengers have several rights when their flight is canceled or significantly delayed. One of these rights is the right to rerouting.

The “right to rereouting” allows you to be offered an alternative flight to reach your intended destination under similar conditions to the original booking. Understanding how rerouting works is important because it affects your travel plans, compensation eligibility, and overall travel experience.

What Does “Right to Rerouting” Mean?

The right to rerouting means that if your flight is canceled, the airline must provide you with another way to reach your final destination. This can be:

• A seat on the next available flight to the same destination with the same airline
• A seat on another airline, if necessary, at no extra cost to you
• An alternative route that may include connections, as long as it gets you to your final destination

If the flight falls under the EU261 or UK261, you are entitled to rerouting at your earliest convenience, or at a later date if you prefer.

Airlines cannot force you to accept a significantly worse flight if it doesn’t meet your needs. You can say no to bad offers.

The right to rerouting exists alongside other passenger rights, such as the right to reimbursement (a full refund for flight cancellation) or the right to care (meals, accommodation, and communication during long delays).

How Rerouting Works in Practice?

When your flight is canceled, and it falls under the EU261, the airline must offer you a rerouting option to your final destination.

To put it simply, they must give you a new flight.

How this works in real life can vary depending on the situation:

Next Available Flight

The most common solution is getting a seat on the next available flight to your destination.

This may be later the same day or the following day, depending on availability.

Alternative Airline or Route

If no seats are available on the same airline, the airline must book you on another carrier or offer a route with one or more connections, at no extra cost to you.

You are not required to accept a significantly inconvenient option if it doesn’t reasonably match your original booking.

Timing Choices

You can choose rerouting at the earliest opportunity, or request a later rerouting if it suits your schedule better.

How to Request Rerouting?

Step by step:

1. Contact the airline immediately. Reach out to the airline as soon as you learn your flight is canceled. You can do this at the airport, via the airline’s website, mobile app, or customer service hotline.
2. Specify your preference. Clearly request a rerouted flight to your final destination. You can ask for the earliest available flight or a later flight that better suits your schedule.
3. Keep all flight information. Save your original booking, cancellation notice, and any boarding passes or confirmations for both the canceled and rerouted flights. This documentation is important if you later claim compensation.
4. Confirm rerouting conditions. Make sure the rerouted flight is under similar conditions to your original booking (same class, reasonable schedule). You are not required to accept a significantly inconvenient option.
5. Ask about the right to care. While waiting for your rerouted flight, remind the airline that you are entitled to meals, refreshments, accommodation, and communication if the delay is long.

Remember this: The airline may offer a rerouting on a partner carrier or with extra connections. They can do so, as long as you can reach your final destination under reasonable conditions. Take the offer, ask for another, or choose a full refund and find a solution yourself.

Getting a New Flight (Rerouting) VS Refund

Right to rerouting is separate from the refund.

You can’t get both.

You can choose a new flight OR a flight cancellation refund.

While waiting for rerouting (the new flight), you are also entitled to the right to care, which includes meals, refreshments, and accommodation if necessary.

Getting a New Flight (Rerouting) VS Flight Cancellation Compensation

Many passengers assume that if they are rerouted onto a new flight, they lose the right to flight cancellation compensation. That’s not true. Under EU261, you can often get both.

• Rerouting. The airline provides a new flight to your final destination at no extra cost. This satisfies your right to rerouting.
• Flight cancellation compensation. If your original flight was canceled less than 2 weeks before the day and time of departure, you may also be entitled to financial compensation. As long as you are going to arrive later than originally planned.

For example, if your original flight was canceled and the rerouted flight arrives more than 3 hours later than planned, you could claim up to €600 in compensation (depending on the flight distance). The rerouting ensures you reach your destination, while compensation covers the disruption caused.

In short, rerouting doesn’t cancel your entitlement to compensation — it’s a separate right designed to minimize travel disruption while still protecting passengers financially.

Featured photo by Tiago Alvar