Lufthansa delay compensation: what you're owed

Lufthansa is a German airline, which means EU rules follow it almost everywhere it flies. Most UK passengers meet it on a short hop to Frankfurt or Munich, often as the first leg of a much longer trip. This guide covers what you can claim, how connections are counted, and what happens if Lufthansa says no.

Can I claim compensation from Lufthansa?

Yes, if three things are true.

• The flight is covered. Every Lufthansa flight that leaves a UK or EU airport is covered. Because Lufthansa is an EU airline, its flights into the EU from anywhere else are covered too: New York to Frankfurt, for example.
• Something went wrong enough. You arrived at your final destination three hours or more late, or the flight was cancelled less than 14 days before departure, or you were denied boarding.
• The cause was within Lufthansa's control. A technical fault, a crew shortage, a late aircraft from an earlier Lufthansa problem. Not a genuine thunderstorm over the airport or an air traffic control restriction.

Lufthansa has its own place in this area of law. In Nelson v Lufthansa (2012), the EU Court of Justice confirmed the Sturgeon rule that a delay of three hours or more on arrival gives the same right to compensation as a cancellation. That ruling came before Brexit, so it is part of UK law too.

How much does Lufthansa have to pay?

The amount is set by distance, not by the ticket price or the cabin.

Flights between two EU airports over 1,500 km are always €400, however far they go.

Some Lufthansa examples, measured airport to airport:

• Heathrow to Frankfurt, about 655 km: £220.
• Heathrow to Munich, about 940 km: £220.
• Frankfurt to Athens, about 1,815 km: €400.
• Frankfurt to New York JFK, about 6,190 km: €600.

Every passenger on the booking is owed the full amount, including children with their own seat.

The long-haul half-rate rule

On flights over 3,500 km (other than flights inside the EU), if you arrived between three and four hours late, the airline may pay half: £260 or €300. Four hours or more and the full amount is due.

How do connections through Frankfurt or Munich work?

This is where many Lufthansa claims come from. A 40-minute delay on a short flight out of Birmingham or Edinburgh can mean a missed connection and a long wait for the next long-haul departure.

If both flights were on one booking, what counts is the delay at your final destination. The EU Court of Justice set that out in Folkerts v Air France (2013). The amount is based on the straight-line distance from your first airport to your last, not the two flights added up.

An example. You book Birmingham to New York via Frankfurt on one Lufthansa ticket. The Birmingham flight leaves an hour late because of a crew problem, you miss the connection, and you land in New York five hours late. Birmingham to New York JFK is about 5,425 km, so the claim is £520 per passenger under UK rules, because the journey started in the UK.

If you booked the two flights separately, each one is judged on its own. More in our guide to missed connecting flights.

My ticket says Lufthansa but another airline flew the plane. Who pays?

The operating airline pays: the one whose crew and aircraft flew the flight. Lufthansa sells seats on flights run by other airlines in its group and by partners, and some flights with a Lufthansa number are flown by a regional or leisure operator. Check the "operated by" line on your booking.

If the operator is a UK or EU airline, or the flight left the UK or EU, the rules apply in the usual way. If it was a non-European partner flying into Europe, they may not. We work out the operating airline from the flight before the claim goes out.

How do I claim from Lufthansa?

You can claim from Lufthansa yourself, for free. If you'd rather someone else did it, we send the claim to Lufthansa from day one, with your booking details and a signed authority to act. You don't file anything or chase anyone.

We'll need:

• the booking reference and the names of everyone on it;
• a boarding pass or e-ticket;
• photo ID, so the airline can match you to the booking.

How long does Lufthansa take to reply?

We allow Lufthansa 28 days to respond. If there's no answer, we chase. If it refuses and we disagree, we reply in writing with the law and the evidence and set a deadline. See how long flight compensation takes for honest ranges at each stage.

What if Lufthansa refuses?

"Extraordinary circumstances." This is the only real defence, and it is narrow. The EU Court of Justice said in Wallentin-Hermann v Alitalia (2008) that a technical problem arising in the normal running of an airline is not extraordinary. Severe weather that actually stopped your flight, or an air traffic control restriction, can be. See extraordinary circumstances explained.

"Industrial action." Lufthansa has faced strikes by its own pilots and cabin crew, and by airport staff in Germany. An airline's own staff striking is not extraordinary under EU law (Airhelp v SAS, 2023). Airport or air traffic staff striking usually is. Our guide to airline strikes explains the difference.

If Lufthansa still won't pay, there are independent routes. For flights connected to Germany, Lufthansa takes part in söp, the German conciliation body for transport. Its recommendations are not binding on the airline. Complaints can also go to the enforcement body of the country the flight left from. For UK departures, we check which body can take the complaint before escalating. Court remains the final step.

How long do I have to claim?

For flights from the UK, six years in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and five years in Scotland. For flights from Germany or elsewhere in the EU, the limit depends on the country where the claim is brought. See claiming for an old delay.

You can see how we handle Lufthansa claims on our Lufthansa airline page.

Frequently asked questions

Does Lufthansa pay compensation for flights from the US?

Yes, when Lufthansa itself operated the flight into the EU. As an EU airline, its flights into Europe are covered by EC261.

I missed my connection in Frankfurt. Can I claim?

If both flights were on one booking and you reached your final destination three hours or more late for a reason within the airline's control, yes. The amount is based on the distance from your first airport to your last.

Does business class get more compensation?

No. The amount is fixed by distance. Every passenger on the same flight is owed the same sum, whatever they paid.

Lufthansa offered me a voucher. Should I take it?

Only if you want it. A voucher replaces compensation only if you agree in writing to take it instead. You are entitled to the money.