Check your flight
Free eligibility check in about two minutes
What you can claim for
Four situations covered by air passenger rights law
EU Regulation 261/2004 gives passengers a fixed cash entitlement when a flight goes wrong — separate from any refund, and unrelated to what you paid for the ticket. It applies to flights departing the EU on any airline, and to flights into the EU operated by an EU, Icelandic, Norwegian or Swiss carrier.
Flight delayed
If you reached your final destination more than three hours late, you can claim. After two hours the airline also owes you meals, refreshments and phone calls — and accommodation if you are kept overnight.
Flight cancelled
Cancellations with less than 14 days notice are claimable. If you accepted re-routing and still arrived several hours late, the payout may be reduced by 50% rather than refused.
Denied boarding
Bumped from an overbooked flight against your will? That is compensated on the same €250–€600 scale, on top of your refund or replacement flight.
Missed connection
A late first leg that makes you miss the second one counts — provided both flights were on the same booking, and you arrived over three hours behind schedule.
When the airline can say no: genuinely extraordinary circumstances — severe weather, air traffic control strikes, a security threat — remove the obligation to compensate. Technical faults, crew shortages and overbooking do not; those are the airline's own risk to carry, and remain claimable.
How much you are owed
Set by flight distance, not by ticket price
Flights of 1,500 km or less
For example: London – Paris, Bangkok – Chiang Mai
Intra-EU flights over 1,500 km, and all other flights between 1,500 and 3,500 km
For example: Madrid – Berlin, Rome – Istanbul
Flights of more than 3,500 km outside the EU
For example: London – Bangkok, Paris – New York
€450 average payout
The typical amount Compensair clients receive per successful claim.
150+ airlines
Claims successfully pursued against carriers in 60 countries, charter flights included.
Up to 6 years back
Old disruptions are often still claimable, depending on the airline and route.
How the claim works
You fill in four fields — they do the rest
Check your flight
Enter the route, what went wrong and the departure date. The eligibility check is free and takes about two minutes.
They build the case
Compensair assesses the circumstances, drafts the paperwork and files the claim with the airline on your behalf.
They handle the airline
All negotiation is theirs, including court action where it is needed — they cover those costs and risks themselves.
You get paid
The success fee only applies once compensation reaches you. No result means nothing to pay.
Worth knowing: accepting a voucher, a goodwill gesture or a rebooking from the airline does not automatically cancel your right to compensation — but signing a waiver can. Read anything the airline asks you to agree to before you sign it.
Common questions
Eligibility, timings and what it costs
How much flight compensation can I claim?
Under EU Regulation 261/2004 the amount depends on distance rather than ticket price: €250 for flights of 1,500 km or less, €400 for intra-EU flights over 1,500 km and other flights between 1,500 and 3,500 km, and €600 for flights over 3,500 km. Compensair reports an average payout of around €450 per passenger.
Which flights are covered by EU passenger rights?
The regulation applies if you departed from an airport in the EU on any airline, or if you were flying into the EU on an airline registered in the EU, Iceland, Norway or Switzerland. Turkish regulation covers a separate set of flights, where compensation runs from €100 to €600.
Do I have to be an EU citizen to claim?
No. Your nationality makes no difference to the regulation. What matters is the route you flew and which airline operated it.
How far back can I claim for a flight?
Depending on the operating airline and your route, disruptions from the last two to six years can still be claimed. It is worth checking an old flight rather than assuming it has expired.
What does it cost to make a claim?
The eligibility check and all case preparation are free. Compensair charges a success fee only after compensation has actually been paid to you, so an unsuccessful claim costs you nothing.
How long does a claim take?
Some airlines settle in two to three days, others take four to six weeks. Compensair aims for pre-court agreement within eight weeks of filing; if the case goes to court it can run to sixteen to twenty weeks.
The airline already rejected my claim. Is it worth trying again?
Yes — airlines rarely pay on a first request. A rejection is a normal stage rather than the end of the case, and Compensair can escalate it, including preparing for court where the claim justifies it.
When can the airline refuse to pay?
Compensation is not owed when the disruption came from extraordinary circumstances outside the airline’s control — severe weather, air traffic control strikes, security risks. Technical faults, crew shortages and overbooking are the airline’s own responsibility and remain claimable.
What do I need to make a claim?
Your booking or ticket number, the flight details, and a signed consent form so the claim can be filed on your behalf. You do not need to have kept boarding passes, though they help.