Refunds, Reimbursement, and Compensation: Lufthansa

Important information

A 48-hour pilots' strike organised by the Vereinigung Cockpit union will disrupt departures by Lufthansa Passenger Airlines, Lufthansa Cargo and Lufthansa CityLine from German airports between 00:01 on 12 March and 23:59 on 13 March 2026. This action follows the breakdown of wage negotiations at Lufthansa CityLine and a dispute over company pensions for Lufthansa and Lufthansa Cargo pilots. Flights from Germany to certain destinations in the Middle East are excluded, including Egypt, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Iraq, Israel, Yemen, Jordan, Qatar, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

If you think you might be owed Lufthansa delay compensation or Lufthansa cancellation compensation, you've come to the right place. We can explain your rights as an airline passenger and have the resources to help you claim up to £520 compensation per person.

According to our data on recent Lufthansa flights, there were 9225 departures within 24 hours and 22.70% were on time.

How many Lufthansa flights were delayed today?

• Our data indicates that there were 21 Lufthansa flights delayed by more than 3 hours over a 24-hour period.

• 0.15% of domestic flights and 0.25% of international flights were delayed more than 3 hours.

• Passengers who arrive at their destination more than 3 hours late may be entitled to compensation. Check here.

• To find out more about Lufthansa punctuality

Compensation for delayed Lufthansa flight

Although airlines like Lufthansa aim to maintain their scheduled times, flights may still arrive late. Fortunately, as a traveller, you are covered by airline passenger rights when Lufthansa flights are delayed.

As Lufthansa is headquartered in the EU, nearly all of its flights are protected by EC 261, one of the most comprehensive laws protecting air passenger rights globally.

EC Regulation 261 gives passengers the right to claim compensation when they have faced delayed, cancelled, or overbooked flights that are not their fault.

There are some extraordinary circumstances that may exempt airlines from paying compensation, such as bad weather or problems at the airport. Nevertheless, if the delay is caused by technical issues or a strike by airline staff, you will likely be eligible for compensation under Regulation (EC) No. 261/2004.

Moreover, you generally have up to 3 years to make a Lufthansa flight delay compensation claim. Simply enter your flight details and our user-friendly flight delay compensation calculator will tell you if you qualify for monetary compensation, and our team of professionals will be available to assist you in obtaining it.

How many Lufthansa flights were cancelled today?

• Recent data indicates that Lufthansa has cleared 6490 within 24 hours.

• 74.14% of domestic flights and 69.32% of international flights have been cancelled.

• Are you entitled to compensation if your flight is cancelled with less than 14 days notice from the scheduled departure date? You may be entitled to compensation up to £520. Check here.

• To learn more about Lufthansa punctuality

Flight Cancellation Compensation Lufthansa

In the event of a Lufthansa flight cancellation, European laws on air passenger rights are clear: Lufthansa must offer you alternative transportation to get to your destination or, if you prefer, a refund.

Furthermore, if you received a notice regarding cancellation less than 14 days before departure, you may also be eligible to claim compensation of up to £520 per person.

When Lufthansa cancels flights, it will usually attempt to rebook passengers on another flight at no extra cost. If this does not work for you, you may request other changes or choose to no longer take the trip.

If Lufthansa books you a new flight that arrives at a similar time to your original flight, it is not required to pay compensation. This is because your plans will have minimal disruption. However, in many cases, passengers whose flights are cancelled at the last minute have the right to file a claim for compensation against Lufthansa.

These rights do not apply if the flight cancellation was caused by an event beyond Lufthansa's control, such as severe weather conditions or an accident at the airport. Such events are referred to as exceptional circumstances.

Find out more about your right to compensation for a cancelled flight here.

Because Lufthansa is based within the EU, almost all the flights they offer are protected by EC 261, one of the world's most comprehensive laws for air passenger rights.

The EC 261 Regulation grants passengers the right to claim compensation when they have experienced delayed, cancelled or overbooked flights, through no fault of their own. Passengers can also claim previous flights. Often you can still claim flights from the past 3 years.

Which Lufthansa flights are covered by EC Regulation 261?

The table displays values in € as specified in EC Regulation 261.

As with any law, there are exceptions and special circumstances that may impact any specific claim, including the amount due for compensation. AirHelp makes it easy to check compensation here.

Flight Statistics: Delays and Cancellations of Lufthansa

Punctuality of Lufthansa (24 hours):

Total Flights: 9225
On-Time Flights: 2094
Punctuality Rate: approximately 22.70% of all flights were on time
Long Delays (greater than 3 hours): 21
Flight Cancellations: 6490

The number of flights displayed is an estimate based on internal and third-party databases.

Deutsche Lufthansa AG, commonly known as Lufthansa, is the largest German airline and, when combined with its subsidiaries, also the largest airline in Europe both in terms of fleet size and passengers carried during 2017.