You could be owed £350 if you've flown with Jet2, Ryanair or EasyJet

Going on holiday is supposed to be a way to relieve stress but sometimes the airport experience can do more harm than good.

If you're from the UK and you're not lucky enough to own your private jet or earn millions, then there's a pretty good chance you've had to count down the hours waiting for your plane to set off, or had the dreaded email to let you know that the flight has been cancelled altogether.

This can throw a real spanner in the works when it comes to your holidays, and considering the price of an airport pint these days, there's not always a lot you can do about it when you're told your flight won't be setting off on the time you've had in your head for the past few months.

Unless you're got Martin Lewis on speed dial, it's not always easy to understand how to best receive compensation when your flight is cancelled, as airlines will often make things as difficult as possible to ensure that they don't part ways with any money, while there's sure to be some legal loopholes or workarounds even if you miss out on hours of holiday time.

We've all been delayed in the airport at one point or another (Getty Stock)

But now the Civil Aviation Authority has claimed that passengers who flew in or out of a UK airport in recent years and experienced delays, could be due compensation of up to £350. And there's a quick way to check if you're eligible.

In a video on its website, the UK Civil Aviation Authority explains: "If you're flying from a UK airport or coming back on a UK airline and are significantly delayed, your airline must look after you with food, drink, a way to communicate, such as access to a phone or email, and if you're delayed overnight, a hotel and transport.

"This applies after two hours for short flights, three hours for medium distances, and four hours for long haul. If you can't get help, remember to keep those receipts for any reasonable costs and claim them back later.

"If your flight arrives at the gate more than three hours late, you might get compensation from £220 for short flights up to £520 for long haul."

Flight delays might suddenly not seem so bad (Getty Stock)

This should cover all of the popular airlines including Ryanair, Jet2 and Easyjet, meaning you can blast some Jess Glynne as you celebrate a decent boost to your bank balance after the stress of the holiday delays are long forgotten.

If your journey is up to 1,500km, and you were delayed over three hours, you'll be eligible to receive £220 per passenger, while flights spanning 1,500-3,500km could see you receive £350.

Meanwhile, if your flight was an especially long one, passengers can receive £260 each for delays of three to four hours, but this extends to an eye-catching £520 each if the delay goes past four hours.

I must burst your bubble slightly by reminding you that this sadly doesn't extend to circumstances out of the airline's control, which does include weather conditions.

So, the next time you go to the airport, remember to take a book and remember that for every hour you are delayed, the holiday might start paying for itself.