ClaimFlights review: Is the service worth your money?

A delayed or canceled flight could entitle you to up to €600 in compensation. But knowing you’re owed money and actually getting it are two different things. ClaimFlights promises to simplify the process by handling the claim on your behalf.

Our ClaimFlights review explores how the service works, what it costs, and the key factors to consider before signing over a claim. We’ll also show you how you can recover more of the money you’re owed with Settlemate.

What is ClaimFlights?

ClaimFlights is a flight compensation service that helps passengers pursue claims against airlines following eligible flight disruptions. Rather than handling correspondence, gathering evidence, and navigating potential legal proceedings yourself, you can let the company manage the process on your behalf. It uses your flight data and in-house legal expertise to assess and pursue your claim. 

One of ClaimFlights’ main selling points is its willingness to take on cases that may be more complicated than straightforward flight delay claims. The company says it specializes in difficult cases, including:

• Multi-leg itineraries
• Claims involving airlines operating across different jurisdictions
• Older flights
• Claims previously rejected by other providers
• Disputes involving low-cost airlines

ClaimFlights also says that every case undergoes a legal and data-driven assessment before it agrees to pursue it.

The company operates independently of airlines and claims it has no commercial relationships with them. Its role is to represent passengers and pursue their compensation rights, including taking legal action where necessary.

Is ClaimFlights legit?

ClaimFlights appears to be an established business that has been operating since 2014. It also publicly discloses its legal identity in its Terms of Service. The company is registered in Bonn, Germany, and lists Mirko Ulbrich as its managing director.

There’s independent evidence of an established customer base as well. ClaimFlights Trustpilot rating is 4.5/5 based on nearly 500 ratings. Reviews aren’t uniformly positive, but they do indicate a genuine and functional service.

ClaimFlights review: What should you consider?

To give you a clearer picture of the ClaimFlights service, we’ll assess it across five key areas:

1. Geographic coverage and claims supported
2. Claim process and ease of use
3. Data security and privacy
4. Fees and pricing transparency
5. ClaimFlights reviews

1. Geographic coverage and claims supported

ClaimFlights helps passengers pursue compensation under EU Regulation 261/2004 (EU261) for eligible flights worldwide. You don’t have to be an EU resident or citizen to use the service, because eligibility generally depends on the flight route, the airline operating the flight, and the applicable passenger rights rather than your nationality. The company highlights its experience with international routes, codeshare arrangements, and complex itineraries.

ClaimFlights supports the main categories of claims covered by EU261, including:

1. Flight delays
2. Canceled flights
3. Missed connections
4. Denied boarding

ClaimFlights says it investigates whether an airline’s stated reason for a disruption legally exempts it from paying compensation. It distinguishes compensation from a ticket refund, noting that you may be entitled to both in certain circumstances. It also claims it takes on challenging cases, including previously rejected claims and disputes involving:

• Technical defects
• Airline staff strikes
• Multi-leg journeys extending beyond the EU
• Airlines operating under different jurisdictions

Importantly, the company doesn’t automatically rule out every flight affected by bad weather or a strike. Instead, it assesses the specific cause of each disruption and whether the airline can rely on the extraordinary circumstances exemption.

2. Claim process and ease of use

Checking your eligibility and starting a claim with ClaimFlights takes about two minutes. The initial eligibility check requires only basic flight details: your flight number and travel date.

If you don't remember your flight details, you can follow these steps:

1. Enter your basic flight information: Provide your departure airport, arrival airport, and flight date.
2. Select the correct flight: ClaimFlights displays matching flights so you can choose the right one.
3. Choose what went wrong: Click on the applicable disruption from the provided list.
4. Provide additional information: Depending on the disruption, the website guides you through a brief questionnaire to determine what happened.
5. See potential payout: ClaimFlights’ online calculator estimates how much compensation you may be entitled to.
6. Sign the contract: Provide your e-signature to grant ClaimFlights power of attorney.

Once the claim is submitted, the company takes responsibility for the administrative and legal work involved. That includes:

• Contacting the airline
• Gathering additional evidence
• Preparing the legal case
• Taking the claim to court through its legal network if necessary

ClaimFlights provides status updates as the case progresses. The company emphasizes real human interaction and says its service is available in over eight European languages.

3. Data security and privacy

ClaimFlights processes personal data in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and implements appropriate technical and organizational measures designed to protect that information.

The company may collect personal information such as:

• Name
• Address
• Email address
• Telephone number

ClaimFlights may also process information required to assess and pursue your compensation claim and respond to inquiries. It says that this processing is carried out only where there is an appropriate legal basis under GDPR, such as:

• Performing a contract
• Taking steps at the customer’s request before entering into a contract
• Complying with a legal obligation
• Obtaining the customer’s consent
• Pursuing legitimate interests (analyzing, securing, and improving its services)

The company doesn’t require users to install a mobile app or grant it access to an automated inbox-scanning tool. This may appeal to privacy-conscious users who prefer to provide information directly when filing a claim.

However, there’s a trade-off. More comprehensive money-recovery platforms, such as Settlemate, can use authorized inbox access to automatically scan for relevant opportunities users might otherwise overlook.

4. Fees and pricing transparency

ClaimFlights operates on a no-win, no-fee basis, meaning you pay nothing upfront and owe no fee if the company fails to recover compensation.

Its success fee is 25% of the compensation recovered, plus VAT where applicable. According to the company’s pricing information, customers outside the EU aren’t charged VAT.

The fee covers the legal work involved in pursuing the claim, including court proceedings. This means you don’t face a separate court surcharge if the airline refuses to pay and legal action becomes necessary. This is an important distinction when comparing ClaimFlights with its competitors, who may charge additional fees if the claim proceeds to court. Here’s how the advertised fees of three major providers compare on a successful €600 compensation claim:

5. ClaimFlights reviews

As ClaimFlights Trustpilot rating suggests, user feedback is mostly positive. Many reviewers report:

• The simplicity of the claim process
• Clear communication
• Successful claims

Some reviewers also praise the company's responsiveness and its effort to keep customers informed about expected processing times.

That said, ClaimFlights has a few negative reviews, including complaints about how long claims took, communication with representatives, and the amount ultimately received:

ClaimFlights responded publicly to these concerns, explaining that the difference was caused by PayPal’s exchange rate rather than an additional fee, and said it had covered the PayPal transfer cost.

This exchange illustrates that a negative review doesn't necessarily establish that a company acted improperly, particularly when it provides a specific response or explanation.

At the same time, complaints about communication and processing delays are still relevant, especially if your claim is complex or requires legal proceedings.

The verdict: Is ClaimFlights worth the fee?

ClaimFlights is a solid option for passengers who would rather hand their flight compensation claim over to a specialist than deal with the airline themselves. 

The main drawback is that each successful claim means giving up 25% of the compensation, plus VAT where applicable. Whether that’s good value depends on how much you appreciate convenience and legal expertise versus keeping as much of the compensation as possible.

Here’s a quick overview of ClaimFlights’ pros and cons:

ClaimFlights takes a lot of work off your hands, from assessing eligibility and gathering evidence to negotiating with the airline and pursuing legal action when necessary. But it does so only under a single passenger rights regulation, and the service is limited to claims for flight disruption.

You may also be eligible for other ways to recover money, including:

• Class action settlement payouts
• Retail price adjustment refunds
• Late delivery compensation
• Other refunds and reimbursements related to flight issues

Settlemate helps you discover these additional opportunities and simplifies the claims process, with automated claim preparation and tracking.

Go beyond flight compensation with Settlemate

Settlemate is a money-recovery platform that uses your purchase and travel information to identify potential opportunities, verify eligibility, and handle claims on your behalf.

Once you connect your inbox, the app scans relevant purchase records, receipts, airline updates, and delivery notifications. Depending on the type of opportunity, Settlemate can:

1. Check eligibility against relevant passenger rights regulations (EU261, U.S. DOT, the Montreal Convention, APPR, and more), as well as retailer price adjustment rules and airline policies.
2. Prepare and submit claims, guiding you through any additional documentation required.
3. Track claim progress and notify you about important updates and deadlines.

The biggest benefit is that you don’t have to actively search for each opportunity yourself. A flight disruption might happen once every few years, but potential refunds, settlements, and price adjustments can arise throughout the year. Settlemate brings these opportunities together in one place and ensures you no longer leave money on the table simply because you didn’t know it was there.

Settlemate never takes a percentage of your payouts. It also offers a Value Guarantee to help ensure your membership delivers value. If you haven’t recovered enough to cover your subscription cost after a qualifying 12-month period, we’ll extend your membership for another 12 months at no extra cost, repeating the extension until you’ve recovered at least what you paid.

Download Settlemate from the App Store or Google Play today and start recovering the money you’re already entitled to.

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Want to compare ClaimFlights with other options? We’ve reviewed several flight compensation apps and websites: