Rules / APPR
SOR/2019-150 · checked 2026-10-20
Canada's APPR compensation
Canada's Air Passenger Protection Regulations pay $400, $700 or $1,000 with a large airline ($125, $250 or $500 with a small one) when you arrive 3, 6 or 9+ hours late for a reason within the airline's control.
- 1Cash from 3 h late
- 2Law SOR/2019-150
- 3Notice cut-off 14 days
- 4Claim within 1 year
Who APPR covers
- Flights to, from and within Canada, including connecting flights (Canada Transportation Act, s. 86.11(1)).
- Compensation is owed only when the delay or cancellation is within the airline's control and not required for safety (ss. 10–12), and you were told 14 days or less before departure (s. 12(2)(d), 12(3)(d)).
Of the 53 routes on this site, 9 can fall under APPR: 9 whatever the airline in at least one direction. A connecting itinerary through Canada counts too.
APPR amounts by hours late
| Arrival at the destination on your ticket | Large airline | Small airline | Denied boarding |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 to under 6 hours late | $400 | $125 | $900 |
| 6 to under 9 hours late | $700 | $250 | $1,800 |
| 9+ hours late | $1,000 | $500 | $2,400 |
A large airline is one that carried 2,000,000 or more passengers worldwide in each of the two previous calendar years (s. 1(2)); every other airline is small. The Canadian Transportation Agency names the large Canadian airlines as Air Canada (including Jazz and Rouge), WestJet, Sunwing Airlines, Air Transat, Porter and Flair Airlines. Foreign airlines are sorted by the same passenger test, and each airline's tariff states its size. Denied-boarding compensation is the same for large and small airlines: $900 if you arrive less than 6 hours late, $1,800 at 6 to 9 hours and $2,400 beyond, paid within 48 hours (s. 20).
Worked examples
| Hours late | Large airline | Small airline | If bumped |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 h 30 min | $0 | $0 | $900 |
| 4 hours | $400 | $125 | $900 |
| 7 hours | $700 | $250 | $1,800 |
| 10 hours | $1,000 | $500 | $2,400 |
Arrived 2 h 30 min late: compensation starts at 3 hours late at the destination on the ticket (s. 19(1)). 4 hours late with a large airline: $400 (s. 19(1)(a)). Claim within 1 year. 7 hours late with a large airline: $700 (s. 19(1)(a)). Claim within 1 year. 10 hours late with a large airline: $1,000 (s. 19(1)(a)). Claim within 1 year.
When nothing is owed
The regulations sort every disruption into three kinds. Outside the airline's control (s. 10) — weather, air traffic control, security, a medical emergency — means rebooking or a refund but no compensation. Within its control but required for safety (s. 11) — a mechanical fault found in an inspection, for example — adds meals and a hotel but still no compensation. Only a disruption within its control and not required for safety (s. 12) pays the amounts above, and only if you were told 14 days or less before departure.
Extraordinary circumstances and other exceptions
The airline decides which of the three categories applies and must tell you the reason. If you disagree — a "safety" label on what looks like a crew shortage, say — the complaint goes to the Canadian Transportation Agency, which can look at the airline's records.
How to claim APPR for free
1. File a written compensation request with the airline before the first anniversary of the delay or cancellation (s. 19(3)). The airline has 30 days to pay or explain why nothing is owed (s. 19(4)).
2. If the airline refuses or does not answer, file a complaint with the Canadian Transportation Agency.
Deadline: One year: the request must reach the airline before the first anniversary of the flight (s. 19(3)). (Air Passenger Protection Regulations, SOR/2019-150 (Justice Laws))
Give the airline the booking reference, the flight number and date, the scheduled and actual arrival times and the names of everyone on the booking. Ask for compensation under section 19 (or 20 if you were bumped), in money. Keep receipts. A claim company can do the same, for a share of the payout; their published fees are in the comparison guide.
What the text says
"$400, if the arrival of the passenger at the destination that is indicated on the original ticket is delayed by three hours or more, but less than six hours"
"A person shall not receive compensation from a carrier under regulations made under subsection (1) if that person has already received compensation for the same event under a different passenger rights regime"
Routes under APPR
LHR–YYZ · CDG–YUL · MUC–YYZ · YYZ–YVR · YUL–YYZ · YYZ–JFK · YVR–LAX · YYZ–CUN · YYC–YVR
By distance band: Up to 1,500 km (3), 1,500 to 3,500 km (3), Over 3,500 km (3).
Sources: Air Passenger Protection Regulations, SOR/2019-150 (Justice Laws); Canada Transportation Act, s. 86.11 (Justice Laws); Canadian Transportation Agency: Flight delays, cancellations, rebooking, refunds and compensation. Checked 2026-10-20. General information, not legal advice.