BACKGROUND: Despite implementation of enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) in lung surgery, potential barriers for improvements should be identified. The aim of this single-centre, prospective ERAS cohort study was to explore reasons for delayed patient discharge after video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) lobectomy with a median length of hospital stay (LOS) of 2 days. METHODS: Consecutive patients referred for VATS lobectomy were consulted twice daily by an investigator for the primary reasons for continued hospitalization. The secondary outcomes were risk factors for delayed recovery using univariate and multivariate regression analyses. RESULTS: A total of 147 patients were included (69 with LOS more than 2 days and 78 with LOS of 2 days or less) from April 2020 to December 2020. Air leak (27.7 per cent), pneumonia (20.2 per cent), pain (15.3 per cent), urinary/renal factors (11.0 per cent), atrial fibrillation (7.0 per cent), respiratory failure (4.5 per cent), cognitive factors/delirium (4.3 per cent), gastrointestinal factors (3.8 per cent), oxygen dependency (2.7 per cent), social factors (2.0 per cent), and pleural effusion (1.4 per cent) were important factors for discharge more than 2 days after surgery. The 30-day readmission rate after discharge was 21 per cent for LOS of 2 days or less and 22 per cent for LOS more than 2 days (P = 0.856). On a multivariate regression model, age (per 5-year increase, odds ratio (OR) 1.29, 95 per cent c.i. 1.01 to 1.66, P = 0.043) and forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) per cent (per 5 per cent increase, OR 0.89, 95 per cent c.i. 0.81 to 0.98, P = 0.021) were significantly related to discharge after more than 2 days. CONCLUSION: Despite a short median LOS of 2 days, air leak, pneumonia, and pain remain the most important challenges for further improvement of the ERAS programme. Age and FEV1 per cent were statistically significant risk factors for LOS longer than 2 days.