Lufthansa is a German airline, so EU261 covers your flight whenever it leaves an EU airport, and also when Lufthansa flies you into the EU from elsewhere, for example from New York to Frankfurt. On flights from the UK, UK261 applies. This page explains Lufthansa compensation in plain terms: when it is owed, how strikes and connections are treated, how to use Lufthansa's own claim form, and what to do if the answer is no.
01When EU261 or UK261 covers a Lufthansa flight
- Flights from any EU airport, for example Munich to Lisbon or Frankfurt to Chicago, are covered by EU261. The same EU rules also apply to flights to and from Iceland, Norway and Switzerland.
- Flights into the EU from outside, for example New York to Frankfurt, are covered by EU261 because Lufthansa is an EU airline, unless you already received compensation and assistance under local rules in the country you left.
- Flights from the UK, for example Heathrow to Frankfurt, are covered by UK261. EU261 can cover the same flight too, because it lands in the EU on an EU airline, but you can only be compensated once.
- Flights from the EU to the UK, for example Frankfurt to Manchester, are covered by EU261 because they depart from the EU.
02Group airlines and codeshares
Lufthansa also sells flights that another airline operates. The regulation places the duty on the operating airline, so a flight operated by Lufthansa City Airlines, Discover Airlines or Eurowings is claimed from that airline, even if you booked it through Lufthansa. The same logic works against you on some codeshares: a Lufthansa-numbered flight from Newark to Frankfurt that is operated by United Airlines, a US carrier, is not covered, because EU261 only covers flights into the EU when an EU airline operates them. In the other direction, Frankfurt to Newark, it is covered, because the flight leaves the EU.
03Lufthansa delay compensation
You can claim when you reach your final destination three hours or more after the scheduled arrival time, unless Lufthansa shows the delay was caused by extraordinary circumstances. The amount is fixed per passenger and depends on the distance: up to 1,500 km, 1,500 to 3,500 km, or over 3,500 km.
- EU261 (flights from the EU, or into the EU on an EU airline): €250, €400 or €600 per passenger, by flight distance.
- UK261 (flights from the UK, or into the UK on a UK or EU airline): £220, £350 or £520 per passenger, by flight distance.
04Connections through Frankfurt and Munich
If your Lufthansa trip involved a change of plane, the EU Court of Justice has settled how that works:
- Delay at the final destination is what counts. In Air France v Folkerts (C-11/11), the court ruled that a passenger who arrives at the final destination three hours or more late can claim, even if the first flight's delay was small.
- Distance is measured end to end, in a straight line from the first departure airport to the final destination, not by adding up the flights (Bossen, C-559/16).
- One booking is needed. Flights bought separately are separate contracts, so a missed self-made connection is not covered.
- Journeys that only change planes in the EU are not covered. In Airhelp v Austrian Airlines (C-451/20), the court ruled that a single booking starting and ending outside the EU, with only a stopover in an EU country, falls outside the regulation, even when an EU airline flies both legs. A trip from New York to Singapore with a change in Frankfurt would be an example.
05Lufthansa cancellations
When Lufthansa cancels, you can choose between a full refund (paid within seven days) and a replacement flight, and you're entitled to meals, refreshments and, if needed, a hotel while you wait. Compensation is due on top of that unless you were told at least 14 days in advance, or you were offered a replacement close to your original times (for notice of 7 to 14 days, leaving no more than two hours earlier and arriving less than four hours later; for under 7 days, no more than one hour earlier and less than two hours later), or the cause was an extraordinary circumstance.
06Strikes at Lufthansa: whose strike was it?
When a strike is behind a Lufthansa delay or cancellation, the answer depends on who walked out.
- Lufthansa's own pilots, cabin crew or ground staff. In Airhelp v SAS (C-28/20), the EU Court of Justice ruled that a strike called by a union of the airline's own employees is not an extraordinary circumstance. Compensation can therefore be due, subject to the notice rules above.
- Staff who don't work for Lufthansa, such as airport operators, security companies, ground handlers or air traffic control. The UK Civil Aviation Authority lists strikes unrelated to the airline as likely extraordinary circumstances, which means no compensation, although your rights to care and to a refund or re-routing remain.
Technical faults are a separate point: the EU Court of Justice ruled in Wallentin-Hermann (C-549/07) that problems arising from normal aircraft operation and maintenance are not extraordinary.
07How to claim Lufthansa compensation directly
You can claim yourself, free of charge.
- Open Lufthansa's flight disruption compensation and reimbursement application.
- Enter the booking details of the affected flight, then the passengers and what happened.
- Keep receipts for meals, transport and hotels, which can be reimbursed separately from compensation.
Award tickets booked with miles count too: the regulation expressly includes tickets issued under frequent flyer programmes. Compensation should be paid as money, and vouchers are allowed only with your signed agreement.
08If Lufthansa says no
- Conciliation: Lufthansa's passenger rights page tells private travellers they can turn to Schlichtung Reise & Verkehr e.V. (formerly known as söp), the independent conciliation body for travel and transport in Germany. It is free for consumers, and Deutsche Lufthansa AG is on its member list. The UK Civil Aviation Authority's dispute resolution page also lists Lufthansa among the airlines signed up to this body.
- National enforcement bodies: under the EU complaint procedure, if the airline hasn't replied within six weeks or you disagree with its answer, you can send the complaint to the enforcement body in the country where the problem happened.
- Court: the time limit depends on the country whose courts hear the claim (EU Court of Justice, Moré, C-139/11). In Germany the general limit is three years, starting at the end of the year in which the claim arose (sections 195 and 199 of the German Civil Code). In England and Wales it is six years, and in Scotland five.
A revised EU regulation (2026/2202) applies from 23 October 2027 and asks passengers to submit compensation requests within nine months of the flight. Until then, the current rules described here apply.
09Where Lufthansa claims tend to get stuck
The common sticking points are structural rather than personal: the flight was operated by a different group airline or a partner, the journey was a connection that only touched the EU, the strike was described as extraordinary without saying whose it was, or the German time limit was closer than the passenger realised. Each of these is worth checking before you give up on a claim.
10How StopDelay can help with your Lufthansa claim
If you'd rather not handle it, or Lufthansa has already refused, we can take the claim on. We check your flight and connection against arrival data and the cause given, identify the operating airline, send the claim, answer objections, use the conciliation body where it helps and go to court where it makes sense. You sign an authority so we can act for you.
If the claim doesn't succeed, you pay nothing. If it does, our success fee applies; it's shown below and again before you sign. Our FAQ covers the basics.
11Questions
How do I claim Lufthansa compensation?
Use Lufthansa’s online flight disruption compensation and reimbursement application on lufthansa.com. You start by entering the booking details of the affected flight. Claiming directly is free.
Does Lufthansa pay compensation when a strike cancels my flight?
It depends on who was on strike. A strike by Lufthansa’s own employees is generally not an extraordinary circumstance, so compensation can be due. A strike by airport, security or air traffic control staff who don’t work for Lufthansa usually is.
My Lufthansa connection in Frankfurt or Munich was missed. Am I covered?
If both flights were on one booking and the journey started in the EU, or ended in the EU, what counts is your delay at the final destination. A delay of three hours or more there can qualify, even if each flight was only slightly late.
My trip only changed planes in Germany, between two non-EU countries. Can I claim?
Usually not. The EU Court of Justice ruled in 2022 that a single booking starting and ending outside the EU, with only a stopover in the EU, is not covered, even on an EU airline.
Is my Lufthansa flight from New York to Frankfurt covered?
Yes. Lufthansa is an EU airline, so EU261 covers its flights into the EU, unless you already received compensation and assistance under local rules in the country you left.
What if my flight was operated by Eurowings, Discover or another group airline?
The claim goes to the airline that operated the flight. The rules are the same, but each of these is a separate airline with its own claims process.
Is there an independent body if Lufthansa rejects my claim?
Yes. For private travellers, Lufthansa refers disputes to Schlichtung Reise & Verkehr, the German conciliation body for travel and transport, which is free for consumers. The UK CAA also lists Lufthansa as signed up to it.
How long do I have to claim from Lufthansa?
It depends on the country whose courts hear the claim. In Germany the general limit is three years, counted from the end of the year of the flight. In England and Wales it is six years and in Scotland five.
Our fee: 30% incl. VAT, only if you get paid (+15% only if court action is needed).
