Best Airline Compensation Services for US Passengers (2026)

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  TravelStacks: $19 flat fee for US DOT claims, 25% for EU261 and UK261 - the only service with a flat fee for US domestic and DOT-covered claims

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  AirHelp: 25-35% of EU261 and UK261 payouts, no US DOT claims offered

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  Flightright: ~27% of EU261 payouts, Germany-headquartered, primarily EU-origin flights

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  ClaimFlights: ~25% of EU261 payouts, EU-focused, limited US presence

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  DIY: Free, best when the airline is cooperative and the case is simple

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  For US passengers on domestic flights: TravelStacks is the only dedicated service that handles DOT refund claims at a flat fee

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  For US passengers with EU261 rights: All services above handle EU261, but TravelStacks also covers your potential US-leg DOT claim in the same filing

The EU261 market is large and well-established because the regulation sets fixed compensation amounts (250-600 EUR per passenger) that make the percentage-fee model straightforward. Most claim services were built specifically for this market and do not have the regulatory relationships, complaint infrastructure, or expertise to handle US DOT refund and reimbursement claims.

US passengers have two separate sets of rights: DOT rules for flights to, from, or within the US, and EU261 for flights departing the EU (or arriving on an EU carrier). A passenger flying New York to Frankfurt and back has rights under both frameworks, potentially on the same trip. Most services only handle one side.

The gap TravelStacks fills: US-based passengers often have valid DOT claims (canceled domestic connection, missed international return) plus EU261 claims (the transatlantic leg). TravelStacks handles both jurisdictions at once.

TravelStacks is the only airline claim service that combines a flat $19 fee for US DOT refund and reimbursement claims with a 25% success fee for EU261 and UK261 claims. US-based passengers get a single service that covers both their domestic rights and their international rights.

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  US DOT claims: $19 flat fee. Handles DOT complaint filing, documentation, and airline follow-up.

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  EU261 claims: 25% success fee. Covers flights departing the EU on any airline and flights arriving in the EU on an EU carrier.

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  UK261 claims: 25% success fee. Covers UK-regulated flights post-Brexit.

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  No upfront payment for EU261/UK261: The fee is deducted from the compensation only if the claim succeeds.

To file a claim, start at the TravelStacks claim page. The filing process takes about five minutes. For context on what rights apply to your specific flight, see the US DOT rights guide or the EU261 guide.

AirHelp is one of the largest EU261 claim services by volume and has legal teams in multiple EU countries. Their enforcement network is strong for claims that go to court or ADR bodies. The fee is higher (25-35%) and they do not handle US DOT claims.

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  Fee: 25-35% of EU261 and UK261 compensation, depending on case complexity and whether legal action is required

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  US DOT claims: Not offered

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  Best for: Passengers who need strong legal enforcement in multiple EU jurisdictions

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  Note: The higher end of the fee range (35%) applies when the service must pursue the case through court

For a detailed comparison, see the AirHelp vs TravelStacks comparison page.

Flightright is a Germany-based EU261 claim service with a strong presence in German-speaking markets (Germany, Austria, Switzerland) and EU-origin flights. Their fee is approximately 27% and they primarily handle EU261 claims on EU-departing routes.

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  Fee: ~27% of EU261 compensation recovered

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  US DOT claims: Not offered

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  Best for: German-speaking passengers, EU-origin routes, flights within and from Germany

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  US passenger note: Flightright may handle your EU261 claim if your flight departed the EU, but they are not set up for US DOT claims on the US leg

See the Flightright vs TravelStacks comparison for a side-by-side breakdown.

The right service depends on the nature of your claim and your location:

1. 1

   US domestic disruption (canceled flight, significant delay, no refund): TravelStacks at $19 flat. No other dedicated service handles this at a fixed cost.

2. 2

   Transatlantic flight disruption with both DOT and EU261 exposure: TravelStacks covers both in one filing.

3. 3

   EU261 claim on a flight that already departed from the EU: Any of the services above, with TravelStacks at 25% being the lowest-fee option.

4. 4

   EU261 claim heavily contested by the airline: AirHelp's legal network may have an edge on enforcement in specific EU markets, at the cost of a higher fee.

5. 5

   German-speaking traveler on EU flights: Flightright has a German-language interface and EU-focused experience.

Before submitting to any service, confirm these basics:

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  Your flight qualifies: for EU261, the flight must have departed from an EU airport or arrived on an EU-carrier. For US DOT, the flight must be to, from, or within the US.

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  The disruption was not your fault: voluntary rebooking, missed connections due to your own delay, and travel insurance claims are separate.

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  You have the basic documentation: booking confirmation, boarding pass or denial record, and any airline communication about the disruption.

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  The statute of limitations has not passed: EU261 limits vary by country (1-6 years). DOT complaints have no hard time limit, but credit card chargebacks typically must be filed within 120 days.

Check the airline rankings page to see disruption rates for specific airlines before filing to understand how likely your claim is to be paid without escalation.