Lufthansa flight compensation: delayed or cancelled
When can a delayed or cancelled Lufthansa flight qualify for compensation, and how do you check your case?
By Airlate
At a glance
If your Lufthansa flight was delayed or cancelled, you could be entitled to compensation of up to €600 per passenger. We explain your passenger rights and make it easy to check your eligibility and submit your claim.
With Airlate, it's free to check whether your Lufthansa flight may qualify for compensation.
Compensation for a delay can come into question from 3 hours on arrival, but not in extraordinary circumstances.
Delay, cancellation, denied boarding or a missed connection
Did you experience a disruption on your flight with Lufthansa? Select the relevant section below to learn about your rights in the event of a delay, cancellation, denied boarding, or missed connection.
Lufthansa counts as an EU/EEA airline, so these rules can apply both to flights departing the EU/EEA and to flights into the EU/EEA that Lufthansa operates. The route and the actual operating carrier always decide a specific case.
How EU261 applies to Lufthansa
As an EU/EEA air carrier, Lufthansa's flights are normally covered by Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 both when departing from the EU/EEA and when arriving in the EU/EEA from a third country, provided that Lufthansa is the operating air carrier on the flight concerned. The route and the carrier actually operating the flight decide the question in each individual case. A flight marketed by Lufthansa may be operated by another company, and the claim is then directed at the operating air carrier.
Who operates the flight
A flight marketed by Lufthansa may be operated by a company other than Lufthansa, and in a claim under Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 it is the carrier actually operating the flight that is the counterparty.
More about Lufthansa
Lufthansa's 2025 annual report describes Lufthansa Airlines as Germany's largest airline, with hubs at Frankfurt and Munich. The regional carriers Lufthansa CityLine, Lufthansa City Airlines and Air Dolomiti are part of Lufthansa Airlines, and Discover Airlines is described as the group's holiday airline. The group's other network airlines, SWISS, Austrian Airlines and Brussels Airlines, have hubs in Zurich, Vienna and Brussels, so the operating carrier may differ from the brand on your ticket. Germany's aviation authority, the Luftfahrt-Bundesamt, says passengers should first submit a complaint to the company concerned and that it cannot enforce individual passengers' civil-law claims against the airline. It mentions conciliation, which is in principle free of charge for consumers, and a three-year limitation period in Germany (German rules; the time limit in your case may differ).
Want to know more about how Airlate works?
We explain the whole process step by step, from check to payout, and how we pursue your claim on your behalf.
What does it cost?
The fee is 25% incl. VAT of the compensation, and only if you receive compensation.
It's free to check whether your Lufthansa flight may qualify for compensation.
Sources
- Imprint | Lufthansa · Deutsche Lufthansa AG · Airline (official) · retrieved 2026-07-03
- Compensation | Lufthansa · Deutsche Lufthansa AG · Airline (official) · retrieved 2026-07-03
- Book your flight now - travel with Lufthansa to over 200 destinations | Lufthansa · Deutsche Lufthansa AG · Airline (official) · retrieved 2026-07-03
- Lufthansa Airlines (Annual Report 2025) · Deutsche Lufthansa AG · Airline (official) · retrieved 2026-10-16
- Business activities and Group structure (Annual Report 2025) · Deutsche Lufthansa AG · Airline (official) · retrieved 2026-10-16
- Complaint Procedure · Luftfahrt-Bundesamt · Authority · retrieved 2026-10-16