THE SHORT ANSWER
What am I owed if Lufthansa cancels my flight?
Two things. First, a refund or a new flight, plus meals and a hotel while you wait. That’s owed either way.
Second, cash: €250, €400 or €600 per person, by distance, when Lufthansa cancels with under 14 days’ notice. Lufthansa avoids the cash in two cases. It proves extraordinary circumstances, or it rebooks you within the regulation’s time windows.
WHICH FLIGHTS
Does EC261 cover my Lufthansa flight?
Lufthansa is German, so both directions count.
Leaving the EU: covered
Frankfurt to Chicago is covered. So is Munich to Vienna.
Into the EU from anywhere: covered
Boston to Frankfurt on Lufthansa is covered. That includes every flight from the US into the EU.
THE MONEY
How much does Lufthansa pay for a cancelled flight?
The distance sets it: €250, €400 or €600, per person. Frankfurt to New York is the €600 band. Two of you on that flight is €1,200.
RIGHT NOW
What should I do when Lufthansa cancels?
Three things, in this order.
Choose the refund or the new flight, and say which
You get the choice. Say it in writing before you accept anything.
Keep every meals and hotel receipt
Lufthansa owes you both while you wait. Photograph the departures board, too.
Ask for the reason for the cancellation in writing
Lufthansa has to prove extraordinary circumstances. A written reason shows you whether it can.
WORTH KNOWING
A strike by Lufthansa’s own staff doesn’t count
If Lufthansa blames a strike, check whose staff were striking. A strike by Lufthansa’s own staff isn’t an extraordinary circumstance, so the €250 to €600 is still owed.
IF LUFTHANSA SAYS NO
What if Lufthansa refuses to pay?
Go to söp, Germany’s dispute scheme for air travel. It’s free for you. Send it Lufthansa’s refusal, your boarding pass and your receipts.
THE CLOCK
How long do I have to claim?
Three years, counted from the end of the year the flight was due. A flight due in March 2025 can be claimed until the end of 2028.
Rather have it handled for you? We file it and chase the airline for a flat $39 per claim, charged only if the airline pays — never a percentage.
Handle my claim →COMMON QUESTIONS
Questions people ask
Does EC261 cover a Lufthansa flight from the US to Germany?
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Yes. Lufthansa is a German airline, so EC261 covers its flights into the EU from anywhere, including the US.
Lufthansa blamed a strike. Do I still get paid?
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If it was a strike by Lufthansa’s own staff, yes. That isn’t an extraordinary circumstance.
Lufthansa rebooked me. Is the cash gone?
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It can be, if Lufthansa rebooked you within the regulation’s time windows. It has to prove that.
How much do two of us get?
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The amount is per person. Two people on a €600 flight get €1,200.
What do I get besides the cash?
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A refund or a new flight, plus meals and a hotel while you wait. That’s owed either way.
Is söp free?
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Yes, for you.
General information, not legal advice. Compensation depends on the facts of each disruption and the airline’s evidence. MyAirAdvocate files claims for a flat $39, charged only if the airline pays, and never takes a percentage of what you are owed.