How AirHelp works: flight compensation made easy

Flight delayed, canceled, or overbooked? You might be owed compensation of up to €600 per passenger.

AirHelp helps you claim flight compensation without the stress of doing it alone. We check if you’re eligible, submit your claim, and deal with the airline for you. You only pay a fee if we win.

In this guide, you’ll learn what AirHelp is, how AirHelp works, what it costs, and why it makes sense to use AirHelp instead of claiming on your own.

AirHelp is the world’s biggest flight compensation platform. We help air passengers claim compensation after flight disruptions, including:

• Flight delay compensation.

• Flight cancellation compensation.

• Overbooking and denied boarding compensation.

So far, AirHelp has helped over 3 million passengers worldwide get compensation since 2013.

AirHelp’s cutting-edge assessment tools analyze your claim. Their job is to check if you’re eligible for compensation. They do this by gathering all the data, such as weather conditions and flight reports. They even determine which country to pursue your claim in, because passenger laws vary across borders.

Pros

• No upfront cost. You can start a claim without paying first.

• Less work for you. We handle the back-and-forth with the airline.

• Experience helps. Our team and partners handle tough cases, including ones that need legal action.

• High success rate. AirHelp has one of the highest success rates in the industry — powered by experience and scale from handling millions of claims and negotiating with airlines every day.

Cons

• A small fee is taken from your payout.

• You have to be patient. Some complex claims take weeks or months, especially if the airline refuses to pay at first.

• DIY can be appropriate for simple cases.

Step 1 – Check eligibility and submit your claim

Enter your flight number and travel date on the AirHelp website. If your flight disruption looks eligible, you can submit your claim right away.

Most claims are linked to:

• Flight delays of 3+ hours

• Cancellations

• Overbooking and denied boarding

Some disruptions are not eligible. This can happen in cases of extraordinary circumstances.

Step 2 – AirHelp takes your case to the airline

Once you submit your details, AirHelp prepares the claim and contacts the airline on your behalf. We handle the communication and follow up if the airline delays or rejects the claim.

If the airline refuses to pay or ignores your claim, AirHelp escalates the case to its specialized network of air passenger rights lawyers. They may send formal legal notices or, if necessary, take the airline to court to pursue your compensation.

Legal proceedings can take several weeks or months, depending on the airline and court timelines. Because every case is different, exact timeframes vary — but AirHelp works to resolve each claim as efficiently as possible.

Step 3 – We secure your compensation and pay you

If your claim succeeds, the airline pays compensation (often €250–€600, depending on flight distance and the rules that apply). We transfer the money to you and deduct our small success fee only after we win.

AirHelp supports different types of disruption claims, including:

• Flight delay compensation

• Flight cancellation compensation

• Overbooking and denied boarding compensation

These services cover a wide range of common travel disruptions, whether your flight arrived hours late, was canceled at short notice, or you were denied boarding despite having a valid ticket. In many cases, compensation is fixed by law and depends on factors such as flight distance and length of delay. AirHelp assesses each situation individually, ensuring that all relevant passenger rights regulations are taken into account.

You can also check what you may be owed before you start. With just a few details about your flight, AirHelp provides a free eligibility check so you can quickly see if you have a valid claim and how much compensation you could potentially receive.

Remember, if your flight is delayed over 3 hours or canceled, check if you’re entitled to compensation. You could be owed as much as €600, and we’re here to help you get it.

AirHelp+ is a membership that helps you stay protected while you travel. It includes benefits that can make disruptions less stressful, like proactive support and travel perks. Over 12 million passengers have protected their trips with AirHelp+.

With AirHelp+, you don’t have to worry about navigating complex air passenger rights rules on your own. Members receive dedicated assistance when flights are delayed or canceled, as well as access to additional benefits designed to improve the overall travel experience. Depending on the plan, this can include instant compensation for certain disruptions, lounge access during long delays, and support with missed connections. The goal of AirHelp+ is to provide peace of mind before, during, and after your journey, so you can travel with greater confidence knowing help is always at hand.

AirHelp also offers an app that helps you stay on top of your trip.

With the AirHelp app, you can:

• Track flight status in real time.

• Check compensation eligibility faster.

• Keep your travel details in one place.

AirHelp works on a no win, no fee basis. If we don’t win, you don’t pay a service fee.

Once the airline chooses to pay — or was required to pay by the courts — we inform you straight away. We ask for your payment details and send you your compensation, minus our fee for resolving your claim.

If we win, our fee is deducted from the compensation we win for you, so you’ve got nothing to lose. Our standard fee is 35%, or 50% if your case goes to court and requires legal support.

Example payout after fees

Let’s say the airline pays €600:

• If the claim succeeds without court: you receive €390 after a 35% fee.

• If the case goes to court: you receive €300 after a 50% fee.

You can claim flight delay compensation on your own. Many people try. It can work, but it often takes time and persistence.

Here’s a simple comparison.

Claiming yourself

• Time: You do the time-consuming paperwork and follow-ups.

• Complexity: You need to know how to argue your case with the airline.

• Outcome: The airline may reject or delay your claim.

Using AirHelp

• Time: You share details once. We handle the rest.

• Complexity: Our expert team manages all communication and escalation.

• Outcome: You pay a fee only if we win.

AirHelp is a good fit if you don’t want to spend hours chasing the airline, your case is complex, or the airline has stopped responding.

AirHelp has been helping passengers since 2013 and has secured compensation for over 3 million passengers.

We’re also rated Excellent on Trustpilot with 233,000+ reviews.

If your flight disruption qualifies, AirHelp can take over the work and push the claim forward when airlines make the process difficult.

AirHelp helps you claim flight compensation after delays, cancellations, and overbookings.

You check eligibility, submit your details, and we handle the airline process. If we win, you can receive up to €600 per passenger, minus our fee.

Ready to start? Check your flight in the AirHelp Compensation Check.

Is AirHelp free to use?

Yes. Checking your eligibility is free. AirHelp works on a “no win, no fee” basis, meaning you only pay if compensation is successfully recovered. If your claim is unsuccessful, you don’t pay for the claim service.

How long does a claim take?

It depends on the airline and the complexity of the case. Some claims are resolved within weeks, while others — especially those requiring legal escalation — can take several months.

Can I claim compensation for old flights?

Often, yes. Time limits vary by country and typically range from 1 to 6 years, depending on the applicable passenger rights law. Eligibility depends on the route, airline, and local regulations.

Does AirHelp handle non-EU flights?

Yes, in many cases. Coverage depends on the route, airline, and applicable laws, such as EU Regulation 261/2004 for certain EU-related flights, as well as other national passenger protection rules.