AirHelp vs Doing It Yourself: Is It Worth Paying 35%?

AirHelp is a flight compensation claims service. You submit your flight details, AirHelp checks whether you have a valid claim (primarily under EU261), files the claim with the airline on your behalf, follows up if the airline ignores it, and takes the case to legal proceedings if necessary.

AirHelp does not manufacture compensation. Everything they pursue, you could pursue yourself. The value they provide is time, expertise in navigating airline bureaucracies, and willingness to escalate to enforcement bodies and litigation if needed.

AirHelp's success rate is high because they are selective. They only take claims they believe have a strong chance of success. Cases they decline are not necessarily impossible to win yourself.

AirHelp charges 35% of whatever you recover, plus legal fees in some markets. On a standard EU261 transatlantic claim worth €600, that means you keep €390 and AirHelp keeps €210.

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  Standard EU261 claim (€250): AirHelp keeps €87.50, you keep €162.50

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  Medium-distance EU261 claim (€400): AirHelp keeps €140, you keep €260

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  Long-haul EU261 claim (€600): AirHelp keeps €210, you keep €390

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  US DOT refund claim: AirHelp is less active here; many US refund claims are better handled directly or through a flat-fee service

AirHelp also has a paid membership product (AirHelp Plus) that offers additional coverage. The membership fee is separate from the claims fee and is worth evaluating independently of whether you need a claims service right now.

Doing it yourself makes sense in these situations:

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  US DOT refund claims: For canceled or significantly delayed US flights, the claim process is relatively direct. File online at the airline's refund portal, cite the DOT final rule, and escalate to transportation.gov/airconsumer if denied. A 35% fee service adds little value here.

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  Clear-cut EU261 cases where the airline already concedes: If the airline acknowledges the delay and offers compensation, no intermediary is needed.

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  Small amounts (€250 claims): Paying 35% on a €250 claim leaves you €162.50. If the claim takes you 30 minutes to file, that is worthwhile.

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  Airlines with fast EU261 processing: Some airlines (particularly Lufthansa and British Airways) process straightforward EU261 claims within 4 to 6 weeks without escalation.

Paying a claims service fee makes more sense when:

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  The airline denies and you need legal escalation. Taking a case to a National Enforcement Body or court requires time and knowledge. AirHelp and similar services do this routinely. Few passengers do it successfully on their own.

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  You have a large claim and limited time. A €600 claim where the airline is likely to deny is worth a 35% fee if the alternative is spending hours on escalation or losing the claim entirely.

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  The airline is known for denial rates. Ryanair denies a disproportionate share of EU261 claims on the first attempt, then pays on appeal. Having a service that routinely handles Ryanair escalations is valuable.

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  The claim is complex. Connecting flights, codeshares, and multi-jurisdiction itineraries introduce complexity that trips up many self-filers.

TravelStacks handles both US DOT claims and EU261 claims but with a different pricing model than AirHelp.

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  US refund and reimbursement claims: $19 flat fee. AirHelp does not typically handle these; most US-focused claims are handled directly.

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  Denied boarding (IDB): 25% of recovery. AirHelp charges 35%.

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  EU261 and UK261 claims: 25% of recovery. AirHelp charges 35%.

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  No win, no fee: Both services operate on no-win-no-fee for contingency claims.

On a €600 EU261 claim: AirHelp takes €210 (35%), you keep €390. TravelStacks takes €150 (25%), you keep €450. The difference is €60 on a single claim.

AirHelp has a larger legal network and handles claims in more jurisdictions. For straightforward US domestic refund claims, the $19 flat fee model is more efficient than any percentage-based service.

Beyond AirHelp and TravelStacks, several other services operate in this space. Our comparison pages cover Flightright, Skycop, AirAdvisor, and DoNotPay with their specific fee structures and strengths.

For EU261 claims specifically, it is also worth filing directly with the relevant National Enforcement Body if the airline has already rejected your claim. NEBs are free, have enforcement authority, and handle a significant percentage of EU261 disputes without requiring any commercial intermediary.

Q: Is AirHelp worth it for a €250 EU261 claim?

It depends on your time and the airline. For a straightforward case against an airline that generally pays without escalation, filing yourself is more profitable (you keep the full €250 vs €162.50 after AirHelp's fee). For a case against Ryanair or another high-denial carrier where escalation is likely, the service may be worth it.

Q: Does AirHelp handle US DOT refund claims?

AirHelp's primary focus is EU261 claims. For US DOT refund and reimbursement claims (refunds, expense reimbursement, and IDB on US-departing flights), a flat-fee service or direct filing is typically more appropriate and cost-efficient.

Q: What happens if AirHelp takes my case and then can't win it?

AirHelp operates on a no-win, no-fee basis. If they accept your case and do not recover compensation, you owe them nothing. The risk is that they may decline cases they do not believe they can win, which is not the same as those cases being unwinnable.

Q: Can I switch from AirHelp to a different service or DIY if they are taking too long?

If you have assigned your case to AirHelp through their claims agreement, you typically cannot simultaneously pursue the same claim through another channel. Review your agreement carefully. If AirHelp has not made progress within a reasonable time, contact them about the status before trying to switch.

Q: AirHelp says my claim is invalid. Should I try anyway?

AirHelp declines cases that fall outside their profitable parameters, not just cases that are legally invalid. If AirHelp declines, the claim may still be viable through direct filing with the airline or with the National Enforcement Body. A decline from AirHelp is not a legal determination.

Q: Are there free options for EU261 claims?

Yes. The National Enforcement Body of the departure country handles EU261 disputes for free. In the UK, the Civil Aviation Authority and CEDR (Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution) provide free dispute resolution. These take longer than commercial services but cost nothing.