EU261 · UK261 · US DOT · Montreal Convention
Claim your flight compensation. Keep 100%.
Free, copy-paste letters for delayed, cancelled, and overbooked flights, missed connections, refunds, and lost or delayed baggage — each with the legal citation, the amount you're owed, what to attach, and how to escalate. No claim agency taking a third of your payout.
16 letters & guides
- Compensation claims Cancelled flight compensation claim letter (EU261 / UK261) Claim compensation when your flight was cancelled with less than 14 days' notice — plus your separate right to a full refund or re-routing.
- Compensation claims Flight delay compensation claim letter (EU261 / UK261) Claim fixed compensation of up to €600 / £520 when your flight arrived 3+ hours late, with a copy-paste letter citing Regulation 261/2004 and the amount for your distance band.
- Compensation claims Denied boarding / bumping compensation letter Claim compensation when you were involuntarily denied boarding on an overbooked flight — EU261/UK261 fixed amounts, or US DOT bumping compensation up to $2,150.
- Compensation claims Missed connection compensation letter (EU261 / UK261) Claim compensation when a delayed first leg made you miss a connecting flight on the same booking and you reached your final destination 3+ hours late.
- Refunds & expenses Claim meals, hotel & transport during a long delay Recover out-of-pocket costs — meals, hotel, and transport — during a long delay or cancellation under the EU261/UK261 "right to care", which applies even in extraordinary circumstances.
- Refunds & expenses Demand a refund instead of a voucher (EU261 / UK261) When your flight is cancelled or massively delayed, demand a full cash refund to your original payment method — not a voucher — using your Article 8 right.
- Refunds & expenses US DOT automatic refund demand letter (2024 rule) Demand an automatic cash refund under the 2024 US DOT rule when a US flight is cancelled or significantly changed and you don't accept it — in your original payment, not a voucher.
- Baggage Damaged baggage claim letter (Montreal Convention) Claim repair or replacement when the airline damages your bag — under the Montreal Convention, with the strict 7-day written-complaint deadline.
- Baggage Delayed baggage claim letter (Montreal Convention) Claim your out-of-pocket costs when your checked bag is delayed — under the Montreal Convention internationally (up to ~1,519 SDR), with the strict 21-day deadline.
- Baggage Lost baggage claim letter (Montreal Convention) Claim the value of your bag and its contents when the airline declares it lost — up to ~1,519 SDR per passenger under the Montreal Convention, with an itemized inventory.
- Know your rights EU261 / UK261 compensation amounts & eligibility The exact fixed compensation by distance band under EU261 (€250/€400/€600) and UK261 (£220/£350/£520), who's covered, the 3-hour rule, and the 50% reduction.
- Know your rights Extraordinary circumstances — when the airline owes nothing (and when it still does) The honest eligibility rules for EU261/UK261 — what counts as extraordinary (weather, ATC strikes) versus what doesn't (most technical faults, own-staff strikes), so you don't overclaim or get fobbed off.
- Know your rights Montreal Convention: baggage & delay limits and deadlines The current Montreal Convention 1999 liability limits (1,519 SDR baggage, 6,303 SDR delay, raised 28 Dec 2024) and the strict 7-day / 21-day / 2-year deadlines for international flights.
- Know your rights US air passenger rights (DOT): refunds, bumping & baggage What you're actually owed on US flights — the 2024 automatic-refund rule, denied-boarding compensation up to $2,150, $4,700 baggage liability, tarmac rules — and why there's no EU-style delay payout.
- If they refuse Do it yourself & keep 100% (vs claim agencies) Why airline-claim agencies keep 25–35% of your compensation, when DIY is easy, and when paying a no-win-no-fee agency might still make sense.
- If they refuse If the airline refuses: escalate to the regulator or ADR What to do when the airline ignores or rejects your claim — escalate to the EU national enforcement body, UK CAA/ADR, or US DOT, use a chargeback, or take it to small claims.
Why this exists
The airline owes the money to you — not to a middleman.
For a qualifying EU or UK flight, compensation is a fixed amount set by law (up to €600 / £520), and the airline must pay it directly once you ask in writing and cite the regulation. Claim companies advertise "no win, no fee" but quietly keep 25–35% of your money for sending one letter. flightclaimletters.pages.dev gives you that letter — plus the verified amounts, the honest eligibility rules (so you don't waste time on an extraordinary-circumstances case), and the escalation path if the airline says no.
How it works
Check what you're owed, send the letter, escalate if needed
- Look up the amount and rule for your situation in the amounts table (EU/UK) or the US rights guide.
- Copy the right letter, fill in your flight details, and send it to the airline (keep proof).
- If they refuse, escalate to the regulator or ADR — see if they refuse.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Are these flight-claim letters free?
Yes. Every letter on flightclaimletters.pages.dev is a free, copy-paste template, with no account or paywall. Some outbound links (travel insurance, eSIM, flight trackers) may be affiliate links, which never change the price you pay. This is general information, not legal advice.
How much can I get for a delayed or cancelled flight?
Under EU261 it is a fixed €250–€600 by distance for an arrival delay of 3+ hours, a cancellation with under 14 days’ notice, or denied boarding. UK261 is £220–£520. The US has no fixed delay compensation, but the 2024 DOT rule gives an automatic refund for cancelled or significantly changed flights you don’t accept. See the amounts table for the exact figure for your flight.
Do I really need a claim company like AirHelp?
No. Claim agencies typically keep 25–35% of your payout. The airline owes the money to you directly, and a clear letter citing the regulation usually gets it paid. These templates let you keep 100%. Consider a no-win-no-fee agency only if the case has to go to court and you don’t want the hassle.
When does the airline NOT have to pay compensation?
Only for "extraordinary circumstances" outside its control — bad weather, air-traffic-control or external strikes, security risks, bird strikes. Importantly, most technical/mechanical faults and strikes by the airline’s own staff do NOT count, so compensation is still owed. Even in extraordinary circumstances you keep the right to care (meals, hotel) and a refund. See the extraordinary-circumstances guide before you claim.
It was a US domestic flight — what am I owed?
There’s no EU-style cash compensation, but you have real rights: an automatic refund (in your original payment, not a voucher) if the flight is cancelled or significantly changed and you don’t fly; denied-boarding (bumping) compensation up to $2,150; and meals/hotel under the airline’s own customer-service commitments. See the US passenger rights guide.
What about my lost, delayed, or damaged bag?
On international flights the Montreal Convention covers baggage up to about 1,519 SDR (roughly $2,100) per passenger — but you must complain in writing within 7 days for damage and 21 days for delay, and sue within 2 years. US domestic baggage liability is up to $4,700. See the baggage letters and the Montreal Convention guide.
Is this legal advice?
No. flightclaimletters.pages.dev provides general legal information and letter templates, not legal advice, and is not a law firm or government agency. Rules and amounts change — always verify current figures with the regulator (the relevant EU national enforcement body, the UK CAA, or the US DOT).