The distance from London (LHR) to New York (JFK) is about 5,540 km. United Kingdom and United States are treated differently by the rules, so the two directions can give different answers.

Both directions, four carrier cases

Each row is a flight that lands 4 hours late with no extraordinary circumstances. The carriers are examples of how the airline changes the result. They are not a statement about which airlines fly this route.

Computed results for LHR and JFK
DirectionOperating airlineResult
LHR to JFKBritish AirwaysUK261 GBP 520
LHR to JFKDeltaUK261 GBP 520
LHR to JFKAmerican AirlinesUK261 GBP 520
LHR to JFKKLMUK261 GBP 520
JFK to LHRBritish AirwaysUK261 GBP 520
JFK to LHRDeltaNothing owed under these rules
JFK to LHRAmerican AirlinesNothing owed under these rules
JFK to LHRKLMUK261 GBP 520

By length of delay, LHR to JFK

Delay length and result on British Airways
Arrival delayResult
2.5 hoursNothing owed under these rules
3 hoursUK261 GBP 260 (up to GBP 520)
3.5 hoursUK261 GBP 260 (up to GBP 520)
4 hoursUK261 GBP 520
6 hoursUK261 GBP 520

Check your flight

Where the trip started. For one booking with connections, the first airport.

Where the trip ended: the final destination.

The operating airline, not the one on the ticket. A boarding pass or the flight status page names it.

What happened

At the final destination, when the aircraft door opened.

We read this to explain the result. We never decide whether it counts as extraordinary.

Carried into the claim letter. It does not change the amount.

Results

Enter both airports and the airline to see a result.

Loading the airport list

Choose where the trip started, where it ended, the airline and what happened. The result updates as you type.

See also the rules, the claim guide and the guide on flights from the Netherlands to the Caribbean.

Questions about this route

Which rule covers a delayed flight from London to New York?
It depends on the airline. The table shows four carrier cases. The rule follows the departure airport and the license of the operating airline.
How is the distance measured?
As the great circle distance between the two airports, about 5,540 km here. The figure is approximate.

Information, not advice

Hours Late is not a law firm and not a claims company. It does not file claims for you. The results are estimates from published rules and the details you enter. They are not legal advice. Airlines and courts decide each case.

Sources