What does AirHelp charge for EU261 claims?

AirHelp charges 35% of recovered EU261 compensation. AirHelp Plus membership reduces this rate for repeat claimants.

What does TravelStacks charge for US DOT claims?

TravelStacks charges $19 flat for US DOT refund and reimbursement claims, regardless of the refund amount.

At what refund amount does the flat fee become cheaper than 35%?

At a refund above $54.29, $19 is less than 35%. So for virtually all US DOT refund claims of any significance, the flat fee wins.

Does AirHelp handle US DOT claims?

No. AirHelp does not offer a US DOT claims product. TravelStacks is one of the few services that handles both US and EU/UK claims.

What is AirHelp Plus?

AirHelp Plus is a membership subscription that reduces AirHelp's fee rate for frequent travelers. The subscription itself has an annual cost, so the math depends on how often you claim.

Can TravelStacks handle EU261 claims on the same trip as a US DOT claim?

Yes. TravelStacks handles both the US DOT portion and the EU261 portion of a disrupted international trip.

Why does TravelStacks charge 25% for EU261 rather than a flat fee?

EU261 compensation is fixed by law at 250-600 euros. A flat fee would represent a disproportionate share of smaller claims (e.g., $19 on a 250 euro claim is nearly 8%). The percentage model keeps the fee proportional.

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ComparisonMay 5, 2026•7 min read

TravelStacks $19 Flat Fee vs AirHelp 35%: Which Saves You More?

Loren Castillo

Founder, TravelStacks

For US passengers, TravelStacks' $19 flat fee almost always beats AirHelp's 35% for DOT claims. This comparison shows the math at different refund amounts and explains when each model applies.

Quick Answer: Flat Fee vs Percentage

Bottom line: For US DOT claims, TravelStacks' $19 flat fee beats AirHelp's 35% at every refund amount above $54. For EU261 claims, TravelStacks charges 25% vs AirHelp's 35%, saving you 10 percentage points on the same compensation.

The Math for US DOT Claims

AirHelp does not offer US DOT claims, so for US refunds there is no direct comparison in percentage terms. But the flat fee vs percentage model is still instructive:

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$100 refund: TravelStacks costs $19 (19%). AirHelp at 35% would cost $35.
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$300 refund: TravelStacks costs $19 (6.3%). AirHelp equivalent would cost $105.
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$500 refund: TravelStacks costs $19 (3.8%). A 35% service would cost $175.
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$1,000 refund: TravelStacks costs $19 (1.9%). A 35% service would cost $350.

The flat fee advantage grows dramatically as the refund amount increases. At a $500 refund, TravelStacks saves you $156 compared to a 35% service.

The Math for EU261 Claims

For EU261 claims, both services charge a percentage. The difference is TravelStacks at 25% vs AirHelp at 35%:

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250 euro claim: TravelStacks costs 62.50 euros; AirHelp costs 87.50 euros. You save 25 euros.
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400 euro claim: TravelStacks costs 100 euros; AirHelp costs 140 euros. You save 40 euros.
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600 euro claim: TravelStacks costs 150 euros; AirHelp costs 210 euros. You save 60 euros.

For full EU261 compensation amounts and eligibility rules, see the EU261 rights guide. For UK261 claims, the compensation amounts mirror EU261.

Why AirHelp Charges More

AirHelp is the largest flight compensation service by volume and invests heavily in legal resources for contested EU airline cases. Its 35% fee partly reflects its scale of operations and the cost of its legal teams in multiple European countries.

AirHelp also offers AirHelp Plus, a membership subscription that reduces the percentage fee for repeat claimants. For frequent EU travelers, the membership may change the math. However, the membership itself has an annual cost that needs to be factored in.

Key point: Brand recognition does not equal value. A service charging 35% on a 600 euro EU261 claim costs you 60 euros more than a 25% service for the exact same outcome.

When the Percentage Model Makes Sense

A no-win, no-fee percentage model makes sense for EU261 and UK261 claims because the compensation is fixed by regulation. You only pay if the service successfully recovers money for you, which aligns incentives.

For US DOT claims, where refund amounts vary widely (from $50 to several thousand dollars), a flat fee is almost always a better deal for anything above a very small refund amount. See best flight compensation services for US passengers for a full breakdown.

Ready to file? Start your claim with TravelStacks for $19 (US) or 25% (EU/UK261). For the full comparison of service options, see the airline rankings page.

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