If your flight was delayed by 3+ hours, cancelled, or you were denied boarding, you could be entitled to up to €600 in compensation under EU Regulation 261/2004. But filing the claim yourself can take hours of paperwork and months of back-and-forth with the airline.
Flight compensation services handle the entire process for you — for a percentage of your payout. But not all services are equal. Some charge up to 50% of your compensation, while others charge as little as 20%.
Here's an honest, feature-by-feature comparison of the top services in 2026 so you can choose the one that's right for you.
Was your flight delayed or cancelled?
👉 Check Your Flight Now — Takes 2 minutes, free, no obligation.Disclaimer: Commission rates and features are based on publicly available information at time of writing (July 2026). Always verify current pricing on each provider's website before filing a claim.
| Service | Commission | No Win, No Fee | EU261 | UK261 | Online Tracking | Languages |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ClaimPlane | 20% | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | EN, DE, FR + |
| AirHelp | ~35% (+15% legal) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | 30+ |
| Flightright | ~30% | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ | EN, DE + |
| AirAdvisor | ~35% | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | 10+ |
| ClaimCompass | ~30% | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ | EN, DE + |
| EUclaim | ~25-30% | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ | EN, DE, NL + |
| Skycop | ~25-30% | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | EN, LT + |
| Compensair | ~25% | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | EN, RU + |
| Service | Commission | You keep (out of €600) |
|---|---|---|
| ClaimPlane | 20% | €480 |
| Compensair | ~25% | ~€450 |
| EUclaim | ~27.5% | ~€435 |
| Skycop | ~27.5% | ~€435 |
| Flightright | ~30% | ~€420 |
| ClaimCompass | ~30% | ~€420 |
| AirAdvisor | ~35% | ~€390 |
| AirHelp | ~35% (up to 50% with legal) | €390–€300 |
The difference between the lowest and highest commission on a €600 claim is €180 — that's a significant amount of money to leave on the table.
ClaimPlane charges a flat 20% commission (including taxes and VAT) on successful claims — the lowest among major services. There are no upfront fees, no hidden costs, and no additional legal action surcharges.
Best for: Passengers who want to keep the most of their compensation while still getting a fully managed service.
Strengths: Lowest commission rate, multilingual support (EN, DE, FR +), 5-minute filing process with real-time flight eligibility check, secure encrypted document handling.
Limitations: Newer service — smaller track record than established players.
See how ClaimPlane compares to AirHelp →
AirHelp is the biggest name in flight compensation, having helped over 16 million passengers since 2013. They support 30+ languages and have a massive online presence.
Best for: Passengers who want the biggest, most established brand and don't mind paying a higher commission for a fully hands-off service.
Strengths: Largest service by volume, 30+ languages, AirHelp Plus membership (€19.99/year for 0% commission on future claims), strong brand recognition.
Limitations: ~35% standard commission (up to 50% if legal action is required), which means you keep significantly less of your payout.
Flightright is a German flight compensation service known for taking cases to court when airlines refuse to pay. They're particularly strong in the DACH region (Germany, Austria, Switzerland).
Best for: Passengers in the DACH region who want a Germany-based provider with a litigation-forward reputation.
Strengths: Strong legal expertise, Germany-based, good DACH market coverage.
Limitations: ~30% commission, no UK261 coverage, fewer languages than AirHelp.
See full Flightright comparison →
AirAdvisor is an online flight compensation service with coverage in 10+ languages. They offer a straightforward online claim process.
Best for: Passengers who prefer their specific online workflow and are comfortable with a higher commission.
Strengths: Good multi-language coverage, straightforward online process.
Limitations: ~35% commission — among the highest in the industry.
See full AirAdvisor comparison →
ClaimCompass is notable for covering US Department of Transportation rules alongside EU261, making it an option for passengers with flights involving both US and EU jurisdictions.
Best for: Passengers who need US DOT rule coverage for a domestic US flight incident alongside an EU261 claim.
Strengths: US DOT coverage, EU261 coverage, online tracking.
Limitations: ~30% commission, no UK261 coverage.
See full ClaimCompass comparison →
EUclaim is one of the older flight compensation services, based in the Netherlands. They have a unique flight database that helps verify delay circumstances.
Best for: Passengers who value an established service with a proprietary flight verification database.
Strengths: Proprietary flight database, established reputation, Netherlands-based.
Limitations: ~25-30% commission, fewer languages than AirHelp.
Skycop is a Lithuania-based service with growing presence in the EU compensation market.
Best for: Passengers looking for an alternative to the major players with competitive pricing.
Strengths: EU261 and UK261 coverage, online tracking, competitive pricing.
Limitations: ~25-30% commission, fewer languages, smaller brand recognition.
Compensair offers one of the lower commission rates among established services.
Best for: Passengers looking for a lower-cost option with standard EU261 coverage.
Strengths: ~25% commission, EU261 + UK261 coverage, online tracking.
Limitations: Smaller service, limited language coverage, less brand recognition.
ClaimPlane charges 20% commission (including taxes and VAT) — the lowest among major flight compensation services. On a €600 claim, you keep €480. The next cheapest is Compensair at ~25%, where you'd keep ~€450.
If your flight was delayed 3+ hours, cancelled, or you were denied boarding on an EU flight, you could be entitled to up to €600. Filing yourself is possible but takes hours of paperwork and the airline may stonewall you. A compensation service handles everything for a percentage of your payout — for most passengers, the time saved is worth the commission.
Most flight compensation services take 6-14 weeks on average, depending on the airline's response time and whether legal action is needed. Simple cases where the airline pays quickly can be resolved in 4-6 weeks.
Yes. Depending on the country, you can claim for flights that occurred 2-6 years ago. The limitation period varies by EU member state — Germany allows 3 years, the UK allows 6 years, France allows 5 years. Check the specific time limit for the country of departure or arrival.
Airlines often incorrectly classify technical issues as extraordinary circumstances to avoid paying. Weather, air traffic control strikes, and security threats are generally considered extraordinary. Technical faults, staff shortages, and operational issues are not. If your claim is denied on extraordinary circumstances grounds, a compensation service will challenge it.
No. If your flight was cancelled and you chose not to take an alternative, you can still claim compensation for the cancellation. However, you must have had a confirmed booking and checked in on time.
You have the right to cash compensation under EU261. Vouchers are optional — you can decline them and insist on cash. Never accept a voucher without understanding that it may waive your right to cash compensation.
Yes. If your connecting flight was delayed or cancelled, causing you to arrive at your final destination 3+ hours late, you can claim compensation based on the total distance of the journey. This applies even if the delayed flight was operated by a partner airline.
This comparison is based on publicly available information at time of writing (July 2026). Commission rates and features may change — always verify current pricing on each provider's website. ClaimPlane is included in this comparison as the service we operate, but we've aimed to be honest about competitors' strengths and our own limitations.