Lufthansa cancellation compensation
Compensation is due unless you were told at least 14 days before departure, or were told later but re-routed on a flight that fell inside the timing windows set by Article 5(1)(c). You are also entitled to choose between a full refund and a replacement flight, whatever the notice.
Which Lufthansa flights are covered
Lufthansa is registered in Germany, so it counts as an EU carrier and its flights are covered in both directions.
- Departing an EU airport: covered by EU261.
- Departing a UK airport: covered by UK261.
- Arriving in the EU from outside Europe: covered by EU261, because Lufthansa is an EU carrier.
- Arriving in the UK from outside Europe: covered by UK261, which also protects arrivals on EU carriers.
Worked examples on Lufthansa routes
| Route | Distance | Rules | Per passenger |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frankfurt (FRA) → Munich (MUC) | 300 km | EU261 | €250 |
| Frankfurt (FRA) → Paris (CDG) | 449 km | EU261 | €250 |
| Frankfurt (FRA) → Barcelona (BCN) | 1,094 km | EU261 | €250 |
| Frankfurt (FRA) → Rome (FCO) | 959 km | EU261 | €250 |
What Lufthansa is likely to say — and the answer
“You were offered an alternative flight” — only relevant if it fell inside the Article 5 windows. Check the departure and arrival times.
“We told you in advance” — the question is whether it was 14 days or more, counted from when you were actually informed.
“Operational reasons” — not a category in the Regulation.
A voucher offered instead of money — you are entitled to be paid in money.
Specific to Lufthansa
German limitation runs to the END of the third calendar year after the flight, not three years to the day. A flight in February 2023 is claimable until 31 December 2026, which is far longer than most passengers assume.
Lufthansa is a frequent user of the air-traffic-control and weather exemptions at Frankfurt and Munich. Both hubs publish operational data, and both are busy enough that other carriers flying at the same time is a checkable counter-argument.
They have historically resisted claims from third-party claims companies more firmly than claims sent by the passenger directly. A letter in your own name avoids that argument entirely.
The Luftfahrt-Bundesamt is the German national enforcement body. Germany also has a well-used conciliation body, the Schlichtungsstelle für den öffentlichen Personenverkehr (SÖP), which is free and often faster than court.
Time limit: Lufthansa is based in Germany, where claims run for 3 years from the END of the calendar year in which the flight took place — a January 2023 flight runs until 31 December 2026. How that works
Check it free, then send the letter yourself.
If your Lufthansa cancellation appears eligible, the claim letter is £15 flat, with Lufthansa’s likely objection answered in advance. You keep 100% of what they pay. If the airline rejects your claim on eligibility grounds, we refund the £15. Forward us their reply and we refund within five working days.
Lufthansa cancellation: common questions
How much can I claim from Lufthansa for a cancellation?
Between €250 and €600 (or £220 and £520 under UK261) per passenger, depending on distance. The worked examples on this page show the figure for some of Lufthansa’s routes.
Lufthansa cancelled my flight and put me on another one. Can I still claim?
Possibly. If you were told less than 14 days before, the airline only escapes compensation if the replacement fell inside strict windows — for example, with under 7 days’ notice, departing no more than an hour early and arriving less than two hours late. Outside those windows, compensation is due, although it can be halved if you arrived within 2, 3 or 4 hours depending on distance.
What reasons does Lufthansa give for refusing cancellation claims?
The most common are: You were offered an alternative flight; We told you in advance; Operational reasons; A voucher offered instead of money. Most of these do not hold up against the Regulation or the case law.
How long do I have to make a Lufthansa cancellation claim?
Where Lufthansa is based, the limit is 3 years. You can usually also claim in the country your flight departed from or arrived in, which may give you longer.
Other Lufthansa claims
- Lufthansa: delayCompensation is due when you arrive at your final destination 3 hours or more after the scheduled arrival time.
- Lufthansa: cancellationCompensation is due unless you were told at least 14 days before departure, or were told later but re-routed on a flight that fell inside the timing windows set by Article 5(1)(c).
- Lufthansa: denied boardingCompensation is due immediately when you are refused boarding against your will — most often because the flight was overbooked — provided you checked in on time with a confirmed reservation.
- Lufthansa: missed connectionWhere all your flights were on a single booking, a delay that makes you miss a connection is measured at your final destination.