Claim It Yourself vs Using a Firm
Claims firms take 25–35% of your payout. For a straightforward delay you can usually claim yourself and keep all of it — here's exactly how, and the honest list of situations where a firm is genuinely worth the cut (a stubborn airline, a complex multi-leg trip, or one heading to court).
The honest answer
Here's the honest math: a no-win-no-fee firm typically takes 25–35% of your payout — so on a €600 claim you'd hand over €150–210 for work you could often do with one good letter. For a clear-cut delay where the airline's fault isn't in dispute, claiming yourself keeps every euro. Firms genuinely earn their fee when the case is hard: a flat refusal, a disputed “extraordinary circumstance”, a multi-leg or codeshare tangle, or a claim that needs litigation. We'd rather tell you that than push you into a contract you don't need — and yes, if you do choose a firm through our link, we may earn a referral commission, which never changes this advice.
Side by side
| Do it yourself | Use a firm | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free — you keep 100% of the payout | 25–35% of the payout (no win, no fee) |
| Effort | One good letter + some follow-up emails | They do the paperwork and chase the airline |
| Best for | Clear-cut delays the airline can’t easily dispute | Refused claims, disputed causes, multi-leg trips, litigation |
| Risk | Your time, if the airline drags it out | Nothing up front — you pay only if they win |
| Speed | As fast as you push it | Often weeks to months; they absorb the wait |
How to claim it yourself (free)
- 1 Run your flight through the checker to confirm you're likely owed money.
- 2 For a simple case, use the claim-letter generator and send it yourself for free.
- 3 Give the airline a deadline; if refused wrongly, escalate to the regulator.
- 4 If it's complex, the airline won't budge, or it's heading to court — that's when a firm earns its cut.
If you'd rather use a firm
All work no-win-no-fee, so you risk only a percentage of a successful payout. Here's how the main options compare.
AirHelp
~35% of payout (no win, no fee)
The biggest claims firm, no-win-no-fee. They handle everything; their fee is ~35% of the payout if they win.
AirAdvisor
~30% of payout (no win, no fee)
No-win-no-fee at a lower 30% fee. Upload your boarding pass and they do the rest, with a 60-day window to start.
Frequently asked questions
Is it hard to claim flight compensation myself?
For a simple delay, no. You email the airline's customer-relations team a letter citing the regulation, stating your flight details and the amount owed, and you wait. Our generator writes that letter for you. The main work is being persistent and escalating to the regulator if the airline refuses without good reason.
When is a claims firm actually worth the 25–35% fee?
When the case is genuinely difficult: the airline has refused and won't reconsider, the cause is disputed (they're claiming “extraordinary circumstances” you doubt), the trip involves multiple legs or codeshares, or it needs to go to court. A firm absorbs the hassle and the litigation risk, and you pay nothing if they lose. For an open-and-shut delay, you'll keep more by claiming yourself.
How do the main claims firms compare?
AirHelp is the largest and most established (fee around 35%); AirAdvisor charges a lower ~30% and offers a longer window to start; Compensair sits near the bottom of the range at ~25%. All work no-win-no-fee, so you risk nothing but the percentage of a successful payout. We may earn a commission if you start a claim through our links — it never affects what we tell you here.