From Claim to Cash: The Exact TravelStacks Process Explained

The TravelStacks claim process runs through five stages from submission to payment. Understanding each stage helps passengers know what is happening at any given moment and what a realistic timeline looks like. The five stages are: (1) eligibility check, completed in minutes; (2) claim preparation, completed in 24 to 48 hours; (3) official filing with the DOT or EU/UK enforcement body; (4) follow-up and negotiation over weeks 1 through 8; and (5) settlement or escalation. Most passengers interact only at stages 1 and 5. Everything in between is handled by TravelStacks. See what happens after you submit a flight claim for a companion overview.

You submit the form. We handle everything else. The only action required from passengers after submission is responding to a settlement notification when the claim resolves.

When you submit a claim at /claim, TravelStacks runs an automated eligibility check against the flight data. The check covers: route (does US DOT, EU261, or UK261 apply?), delay or cancellation (was the disruption within scope?), notice period for cancellations (EU261 requires less than 14 days' notice for compensation eligibility), and airline (is the carrier covered by the applicable regulation?). The check runs in under 60 seconds. You receive an immediate on-screen confirmation of eligibility or, if the flight does not qualify, an explanation of why not. Flights that do not qualify for compensation may still qualify for a refund under a different mechanism. TravelStacks identifies all applicable recovery routes at this stage. See airline rankings for data on which airlines have the highest denial rates before filing.

After eligibility is confirmed, a TravelStacks case specialist reviews the claim details, verifies the flight data against public records (BTS for US flights, Eurocontrol for EU), and prepares the formal complaint document for the applicable regulator. For DOT claims, this is a formal complaint letter citing 14 CFR Part 259 and the 2024 refund rule. For EU261 claims, the NEB submission follows the standard form required by the relevant member state. For UK261 claims, the PACT submission follows the CAA's required format. The preparation stage also identifies whether the airline has a history of extraordinary circumstances defences on similar flights, which shapes how the claim is framed.

Claim preparation is not a template exercise. Flight data is cross-referenced against the airline's actual disruption records, and the filing is tailored to the specific facts of your case.

The prepared claim is filed with the appropriate authority. US claims go to the DOT Aviation Consumer Protection Division. EU claims go to the NEB of the departure country. UK claims go to the CAA's PACT service or the airline's approved ADR scheme. Filing creates an official regulatory record. The airline is required to respond within its statutory or regulatory window. For DOT claims, the 60-day airline response clock starts from the filing date. For NEB claims, the filing triggers the NEB's investigation window. You receive a notification when the claim is filed, including the case reference number from the regulator. See rights under US DOT regulations for the statutory framework behind DOT filings.

After filing, TravelStacks monitors the airline's response. When the airline responds, TravelStacks reviews the response and either: (a) notifies you of a settlement offer for your review, (b) rejects an invalid extraordinary circumstances defence and files a written rebuttal, or (c) escalates to the NEB or DOT for formal enforcement if the airline refuses. The follow-up stage handles most of the work passengers would otherwise need to do themselves: drafting rebuttals, responding to information requests from the regulator, and pushing back on low settlement offers. See how long does flight refund take TravelStacks for regime-by-regime timeline data.

Most EU261 airline refusals include a generic extraordinary circumstances claim. TravelStacks automatically reviews the supporting evidence the airline is required to provide, and files a rebuttal when the defence is unsupported.

Settlement occurs when the airline agrees to pay the full or an acceptable partial amount. You receive a settlement notification with the amount, TravelStacks' fee (25% for EU261/UK261 claims, or USD 19 flat for US DOT claims), and the net amount paid to you. Payment is processed via Stripe to the card or bank account you specify. Funds typically arrive within 3 to 7 business days of settlement. If the claim does not settle after standard enforcement, TravelStacks escalates: for EU claims, this means a formal NEB complaint if not already filed; for UK claims, ADR referral; for US claims, DOT complaint with supporting documentation. In cases where escalation is exhausted without resolution, TravelStacks notifies you of the outcome and does not charge a fee, in keeping with the no-win no-fee structure.

Payment is collected from the airline, and the TravelStacks fee is deducted before the net amount is sent to you. EU261 compensation amounts are fixed by the regulation: EUR 250 for short-haul flights under 1,500 km, EUR 400 for medium-haul flights 1,500 to 3,500 km, and EUR 600 for long-haul flights over 3,500 km. UK261 equivalents are GBP 220, GBP 350, and GBP 520. US DOT refunds are equal to the original ticket cost paid. After deducting the TravelStacks service fee, the remainder is paid out via Stripe to your nominated payment method. For EU/UK claims, TravelStacks deducts 25%. For US DOT claims, TravelStacks charges a USD 19 flat fee. Net amounts are confirmed in the settlement notification before payment is processed.

No payment is collected unless the claim succeeds. The USD 19 fee for US DOT claims is charged on settlement, not on submission.

Airline refusals are handled as the start of the enforcement phase, not the end of the claim. TravelStacks reviews the refusal, identifies whether the stated reason is legally valid (extraordinary circumstances must meet the CJEU standard for EU261 claims), and either rebuts the refusal directly or escalates to the regulator. For stalling tactics (airline acknowledges but does not respond within the statutory window), TravelStacks files the regulatory complaint without waiting for the airline to act. For airlines that refuse after regulatory enforcement, TravelStacks assesses whether small claims court or ADR escalation is warranted based on claim value and jurisdiction. Passengers are notified at each decision point. See can TravelStacks help if the airline already refused me for detail on the refusal escalation path.