AirHelp alternatives in 2026: fees compared

AirHelp charges 35% including VAT, rising to 50% if your claim needs legal action. Published fees among the main alternatives range from 20% to about 44% as a standard fee, and most rise to around 45–50% if the case goes to court. On a €400 claim that ends in court, that is the difference between keeping €320 and keeping about €200.

We're FlyClaims, so we're one of the options below. We've stuck to published prices, checked on 16 October 2026, and we don't comment on other companies' service or success rates.

Key takeaways

• AirHelp's published fee is 35% incl. VAT, or 50% with legal action. It also sells AirHelp+, an annual membership with 0% commission on claims.
• ClaimCompass is no longer a separate option. AirHelp acquired it (announced around the turn of 2024–2025), and claimcompass.eu now redirects to AirHelp.
• Among the providers below, AirAdvisor (30%) and FlyClaims (20%) have the lowest standard fees. FlyClaims is the only one here that keeps the same fee after legal action.
• Fees may vary by country and claim type. Check each company's current price list before you sign.
• You can always claim directly from the airline for free, for example with our free claim letter tool.

Fees compared (checked 16 October 2026)

Sources: each company's own fee page (airhelp.co.uk/our-fees, flightright.com/costs, bottonline.co.uk and the price lists of the others). Flightright's range depends on whether VAT applies to the solicitor surcharge. Bott & Co uses a flat fee schedule, so its percentage is approximate, and VAT is calculated here at the UK rate of 20%. Compensair doesn't say whether VAT is included. Fees change, so treat this table as a snapshot and check the source before deciding.

If the airline pays without a fight, the standard fee applies instead. On €400, that leaves €260 with AirHelp, about €272 with Flightright on its own example, €280 with AirAdvisor, €224 with Skycop and €320 with FlyClaims. You can check your own amount with the compensation calculator.

The alternatives, one by one

Flightright

Flightright is a German company that has handled claims since 2010. It quotes a fee of 20–30% excluding VAT, plus a 14% solicitor surcharge if a lawyer has to get involved. Its own example on the costs page works out at 27% plus 19% VAT, about 32% in total. It may suit you if you value a long track record and a German-based provider. We compare it in more detail on our Flightright alternative page.

Flight-Delayed / Vlucht-Vertraagd (Yource)

Yource is a Dutch company that operates as Vlucht-Vertraagd in the Netherlands and Flight-Delayed in other markets. Its published fee matches AirHelp's: 35% including VAT, and 50% with legal action. It may suit Dutch travellers who prefer a provider based in the Netherlands.

AirAdvisor

AirAdvisor charges 30% including VAT, which is one of the lower standard fees on the list. With legal action, the fee goes to 50%. It suits claims that are likely to be paid without court, where the lower standard rate does most of the work.

Skycop

Skycop is based in Lithuania. Its standard fee is 44% including VAT, which becomes 50% if legal action is needed. The gap between its standard and legal fee is small, so the total is more predictable than with providers that start lower and rise further.

Compensair

Compensair charges 35%, plus a further 10% if legal action is needed, for 45% in total. Its fee page doesn't state how VAT is treated, so ask before signing if that matters to you.

Bott & Co

Bott & Co is a UK law firm rather than a claims company. It uses a flat fee schedule that works out at roughly 42–43.5% plus VAT, and it covers court costs. Being a regulated solicitors' firm may appeal to UK passengers claiming under UK261. In 2022 it won a UK Supreme Court case against Ryanair over direct payments to passengers, which we cover in our Ryanair claims guide.

FlyClaims

That's us. We charge 20% including VAT whatever happens, with no extra fee for legal action, and we pay you within 48 hours of receiving the money from the airline. We're based in the Netherlands and work in 17 languages. The honest drawback: we launched in 2026, so we have a short track record and few reviews so far. Full details are on our pricing page, and our AirHelp alternative page compares the two directly.

AirHelp+

If you fly often, AirHelp's own membership is worth a look. AirHelp+ charges an annual fee and takes 0% commission on claims. Whether it beats a per-claim fee depends on how many disrupted flights you expect in a year, so compare the membership price with what a percentage fee would cost you on one or two claims.

How to choose

Use this checklist when comparing any two providers, including us:

• Total fee after court, including VAT. The headline fee only applies if the airline pays early. Ask what you would keep if the case goes all the way.
• Whether VAT is included. A fee quoted "plus VAT" is higher than it looks. Flightright and Bott & Co quote before VAT. AirHelp, AirAdvisor, Skycop, Yource and FlyClaims quote including VAT.
• Payout speed. Check how many days the company takes to pass your money on after the airline pays it.
• Withdrawal and cancellation terms. Look for any fee if you change your mind, or if the airline pays you directly while the company is handling the claim.
• Whether the airline will deal with agencies. Some airlines want a direct claim first. Ryanair, for example, asks passengers to claim through its own form and usually waits around 28 days before dealing with a third party.
• No win, no fee. Most providers listed here work this way, but confirm that no costs fall on you if the claim fails.

For a wider fee table that includes a few more providers, see claim companies compared or our comparison page.

When to claim yourself

EU261 and UK261 give you the right to claim directly from the airline at no cost. For a straightforward claim with a cooperative airline, this is often the cheapest route, and it is the first step Ryanair expects anyway.

You can do it in a few steps:

1. Check that your flight qualifies and what you're owed with the compensation calculator.
2. Write to the airline. Our free claim letter tool drafts a letter that cites the regulation and relevant case law.
3. If you're in the UK, the consumer sites MoneySavingExpert and Which? also offer free claim tools.
4. If the airline refuses or doesn't reply, escalate. In the UK, many airlines belong to a CAA-approved alternative dispute resolution (ADR) scheme. In the Netherlands, the Geschillencommissie (SGK) handles some disputes. Each EU country also has a national enforcement body, and the European Consumer Centres (ECC network) help with cross-border complaints.
5. As a last resort, you can take the airline to a small claims court.

A claims company earns its fee when the airline disputes the cause of the disruption or forces the case into court. If you would rather not deal with any of that, paying a fee is a reasonable choice. If the airline pays quickly, you keep everything by doing it yourself.

FAQ

Is AirHelp legit?

Yes. AirHelp is a large, established company that has handled claims for many years. In recent years it also acquired ClaimCompass. The main drawback for most passengers is the fee: 35% including VAT, or 50% if the claim goes to court.

Is AirHelp worth it?

It depends on your claim. If the airline is likely to pay without a dispute, you can claim yourself for free or use a provider with a lower fee. If you fly often, AirHelp+ may work out cheaper than paying commission per claim.

What is the cheapest claim company?

Based on the published fees above, FlyClaims has the lowest fee at 20% including VAT, and it stays at 20% after legal action. Among the others, AirAdvisor has the lowest standard fee at 30%. Claiming directly from the airline costs nothing. Fees change, so check current price lists before deciding.

Can I use two companies?

No, not for the same claim. When you sign with a company, you authorise it to act for you, and many agreements assign the claim to that company. Signing with a second one can lead to a dispute over who is owed the fee, and the airline will only pay once. If you want to switch, withdraw from the first agreement in writing according to its terms before signing a new one.

What happens if the airline pays me directly?

Tell the company handling your claim straight away. Under most agreements you still owe the agreed fee if the airline pays you after the company has started work. The UK Supreme Court's 2022 ruling in Bott & Co v Ryanair supports this for solicitors. Check your agreement for the exact terms.

What are AirHelp's fees?

AirHelp's published fee page (airhelp.co.uk/our-fees) lists 35% including VAT as the standard fee and 50% if legal action is needed. AirHelp+ members pay an annual fee instead and 0% commission.