Lufthansa delay or cancellation compensation: claim it yourself
If your Lufthansa flight arrived 3 hours or more late, was cancelled at short notice or you were denied boarding, you may be owed €250–€600 (or £220–£520 under UK261). Airlines must pay this directly to you. You don't need a claims company that keeps part of it.
How much?
| Flight distance | EU261 | UK261 |
|---|---|---|
| up to 1,500 km | €250 | £220 |
| 1,500–3,500 km (and all intra-EU flights over 1,500 km) | €400 | £350 |
| over 3,500 km | €600 | £520 |
The airline may cut these amounts by 50% if it re-routed you and you arrived only a little late (Art. 7(2)). If extraordinary circumstances caused the problem, nothing is owed (Art. 5(3)).
Which Lufthansa flights are covered?
- Deutsche Lufthansa AG holds a licence in Germany, an EU/EEA country. EU261 covers its flights departing from the EU and its flights arriving in the EU.
Where to claim with Lufthansa
Send your claim through Lufthansa's official channel: https://www.lufthansa.com/de/en/fast-compensation
If Lufthansa refuses or doesn't answer
For UK261 claims, Lufthansa uses this approved ADR scheme: Schlichtungsstelle Reise & Verkehr e.V. (formerly söp).
For EU claims, Lufthansa refers disputes to: Schlichtungsstelle Reise & Verkehr e.V. (formerly söp).
You can complain to the national enforcement body or an ADR body in the country of departure. Our sources page lists them.
Time limit
Time limits come from national law. In Germany, Lufthansa's home country: 3 years from the end of the year in which the claim arose (§§ 195, 199 BGB).
Check your Lufthansa flight for free
Enter your flight and what happened: you get the amount, the legal reasons and the time limit, free.
Honest comparison
You can write the claim letter yourself. EU consumer centres offer free templates. FlatClaim's free checker saves you the research: amount calculation, legal reasons and official links. We never take a percentage of your compensation.
Questions and answers
How much compensation can I get from Lufthansa?
up to 1,500 km: EU261 €250, UK261 £220; 1,500–3,500 km (and all intra-EU flights over 1,500 km): EU261 €400, UK261 £350; over 3,500 km: EU261 €600, UK261 £520. The airline may cut these amounts by 50% if it re-routed you and you arrived only a little late (Art. 7(2)). If extraordinary circumstances caused the problem, nothing is owed (Art. 5(3)).
Which Lufthansa flights are covered?
Deutsche Lufthansa AG holds a licence in Germany, an EU/EEA country. EU261 covers its flights departing from the EU and its flights arriving in the EU.
Where do I send my claim to Lufthansa?
Send your claim through Lufthansa's official channel: https://www.lufthansa.com/de/en/fast-compensation
What can I do if Lufthansa refuses or doesn't answer?
For UK261 claims, Lufthansa uses this approved ADR scheme: Schlichtungsstelle Reise & Verkehr e.V. (formerly söp). For EU claims, Lufthansa refers disputes to: Schlichtungsstelle Reise & Verkehr e.V. (formerly söp). You can complain to the national enforcement body or an ADR body in the country of departure. Our sources page lists them.
How long do I have to claim from Lufthansa?
Time limits come from national law. In Germany, Lufthansa's home country: 3 years from the end of the year in which the claim arose (§§ 195, 199 BGB).
Do I need a claims company to claim from Lufthansa?
You can write the claim letter yourself. EU consumer centres offer free templates. FlatClaim's free checker saves you the research: amount calculation, legal reasons and official links. We never take a percentage of your compensation.
Information checked on 2026-11-14. Airlines change their forms often, so if a link is broken, tell us.
FlatClaim is a document generator, not a law firm, and this is not legal advice. We don't contact the airline for you.