Yes, you can claim compensation for a delayed flight in Dubai in some cases, but not in the way many travellers expect. UAE rules do not pay a fixed sum for every late flight. They give you care while you wait, and a right to claim your proven losses if the airline cannot show it did everything reasonably possible to avoid the delay.
The care duties come from the General Civil Aviation Authority’s Passenger Welfare Program regulation. Dubai’s own Aviation Consumer Welfare Directive, published in April 2026, adds a complaint route and a list of events that airlines treat as outside their control.
Quick Answer
You may claim compensation for a delayed flight in Dubai if the delay caused financial losses you can prove. Airlines must also provide passenger care based on the length of the delay, including information, refreshments, meals, communication, and accommodation where applicable.
For international flights, the Montreal Convention generally limits delay liability to 6,303 Special Drawing Rights per passenger, subject to its conditions. Dubai’s directive provides a 60-day initial complaint period and a 14-day authority appeal period. Preserve your booking, delay notices, receipts, and written correspondence.
What The Airline Must Give You While You Wait
The duties grow with the length of the delay, measured from the scheduled departure time. The table follows the GCAA regulation, which has applied since 1 January 2025.
| Delay | What The Airline Must Provide | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 3 hours | Up to date information on flight status. | PWP.B.003 |
| 3 to 8 hours | Flight information, meals and refreshments, and a way to communicate. A hotel too, if you missed a connection and your next likely connection is more than 8 hours away. | PWP.B.003 |
| More than 8 hours | Hotel accommodation suited to your travel distance and the time of day, meals, communication, and transport between the airport and the hotel. | PWP.B.003 |
| Cancellation within 48 hours of departure | Care as appropriate, plus a place on another flight, or a return flight or rerouting. | PWP.A.005, B.006 |
The regulation covers airlines flying from and to UAE airports. A disruption at an airport outside the UAE follows that country’s rules. Passengers on tickets issued at no charge, or on reduced fares not offered to the public, are outside it.
Under the Dubai directive, when a flight is delayed or cancelled the airline must also offer a choice:
- a place on its next available flight;
- rerouting on another carrier where practicable;
- or a full refund or voucher for the unused ticket (Article 6.2).
Delayed At Dubai Airport And Unsure About Your Passenger Rights?
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Can I Claim Compensation For A Delayed Flight Dubai?
The care rules above pay no money. A claim for cash is a separate route, and it rests on proving loss.
Under the UAE Commercial Transactions Law, an air carrier is liable for damage caused by the delayed arrival of passengers (Article 357). For international flights, the 1999 Montreal Convention also applies. The UAE has been a party since 2003.
Article 19 of the Convention makes the airline liable for damage caused by delay. The airline escapes only if it proves that it took all measures reasonably required to avoid the damage, or that taking them was impossible. The limit for delay is 6,303 Special Drawing Rights per passenger, about US$8,400 when ICAO announced the figure in 2024.
That limit falls away if the damage came from an act done with intent, or recklessly and with knowledge that damage would probably result (Article 22). Punitive damages are not available (Article 29). So keep your claim to losses you can document, such as:
- a hotel night;
- a prepaid tour you missed;
- or extra transport.
If an airline has refused a delay claim, you can send the file to our lawyers on WhatsApp or through the Contact Us page.
When The Airline Can Say The Delay Was Outside Its Control
Dubai’s directive lists events it treats as force majeure. They include:
- weather;
- airport closures;
- air traffic restrictions;
- armed conflict;
- safety and security issues;
- strikes;
- and technical defects (Article 2.1).
For these, it says the airline owes no compensation, and its care duties are limited to 72 hours unless the Authority extends them (Article 6.3).
The directive also says that a treaty or federal law prevails if they conflict with it (Article 5.3). The Montreal Convention test is whether the airline proved it took all reasonable measures. A delay blamed on a technical fault is therefore not closed automatically, but the airline will rely on the directive’s list.
Has An Airline Refused To Compensate Your Flight Delay Losses?
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The Deadlines That Decide A Claim
Claims often fail on time. The first deadline comes quickly.
| Deadline | What It Applies To | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 60 days from the incident | Complain in writing to the airline or licensed travel agent. The airline has no duty to deal with a later complaint. | Dubai directive, Art 9.1 |
| 5 business days | The airline or agent must acknowledge your complaint. | Art 9.2 |
| 60 days from receipt | The airline or agent must answer. It can add 15 days if it explains why in writing. | Art 9.2 |
| 14 days | Appeal to the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, counted from the airline’s decision or from the end of its response period, whichever is earlier. | Art 9.3.1 |
| 21 days | Complaint in writing if your bags arrive late on an international flight, counted from the day they were placed at your disposal. | Montreal Convention, Art 31 |
| 2 years | The right to damages ends if no action is brought, counted from arrival, or from the date the aircraft should have arrived. | Montreal Convention, Art 35 |
The Dubai authority only mediates. It cannot issue a binding decision or set the amount of compensation, and it does not take complaints about force majeure events or matters already in court (Articles 8.2 and 8.3). An appeal to it does not stop the two-year limit from running (Article 9.3.4).
Which Rules Cover Your Flight
The Dubai directive covers Dubai’s national airlines and their code-share partners on flights to or from Dubai airports, foreign airlines operating from Dubai, and licensed travel agents. If you booked through an agent, the agent is a proper first recipient of your complaint.
If the delay happened at an airport abroad, that country’s rules govern the care you get there. The Montreal Convention can still apply to the international journey. Flights to or from the EU or the UK may fall under those regions’ own passenger rules, which this guide does not cover.
Where A Court Claim Is Brought
For international carriage, the Convention lets you sue:
- where the airline is based;
- where it has the place of business that made your contract;
- or at your destination (Article 33).
On a journey with several airlines, you sue the airline that flew the leg on which the delay happened, unless the first airline took responsibility for the whole journey (Article 36).
Need Help With An Airline Complaint Or Missed Claim Deadline?
Contact Leaders Advocates for guidance on written airline complaints, Dubai Civil Aviation Authority procedures, evidence preparation, applicable filing deadlines, and court claims involving international flight delays.
Keep This Evidence
Gather the paper trail while the delay is fresh.
- Your ticket, booking and boarding pass.
- Screenshots of delay notices, with the scheduled and actual times.
- Receipts for anything you paid for during the delay.
- Proof of any loss the delay caused, such as a missed prepaid booking.
- Your written complaint, the proof you sent it, and every reply.
Frequently Asked Questions
Relevant Legal Services
To discuss a claim against an airline, speak to our lawyers on WhatsApp or use the Contact Us page. See our civil lawyers, commercial litigation lawyers and debt recovery lawyers.
Related Legal Guidance
Further Legal Publications And Professional Profiles
Explore professional legal publications and firm information through Leaders Advocates on Mondaq, the firm’s Lexology contributor profile, and its Legal 500 lawyer profiles.
Final Takeaway
You can claim compensation for a delayed flight in Dubai when the delay causes recoverable losses and the airline cannot establish the applicable defense. Passenger care obligations are separate from cash compensation. Keep your boarding pass, delay notifications, receipts, and proof of loss, and make your complaint within the required time limits. The applicable rules depend on your route, airline, circumstances, and governing law.
Need Legal Help Claiming Compensation For A Delayed Flight In Dubai?
Speak with Leaders Advocates about flight delay compensation, refused airline claims, missed connections, additional travel expenses, passenger welfare obligations, and dispute procedures under UAE law and the Montreal Convention.
