Airline compensation
The airline owes you. Karen will collect.
Airlines count on you giving up after the second canned email. Hire a human to work out what you’re owed under EU261, UK261 or the US refund rule, file the claim, reject the voucher and keep going until the money lands.
What counts as a win
You name the number. The bonus rides on it.
EU261 / UK261 compensation paid
€250, €400 or €600 (or £220, £350, £520) per passenger, depending on distance, in cash rather than miles.
Cash refund, not a voucher
Cancelled or significantly changed flight you didn’t take? The fare back to your card.
Expenses reimbursed
The hotel, meals and taxi you paid for while the airline left you waiting.
Bag fees refunded
Checked-bag fees back when the bag was significantly delayed.
Know where you stand
What you’re owed, by route
These rules differ a lot. The airline, where you departed and how late you arrived decide which one applies.
Checked against the sources on October 6, 2026
EU261: €250 to €600 for a 3-hour delay
For flights departing the EU on any airline, or arriving in the EU on an EU airline, you can claim €250 (up to 1,500 km), €400 (1,500–3,500 km) or €600 (longer) when you reach your final destination 3 or more hours late, unless the airline proves extraordinary circumstances such as weather or air traffic control decisions. If the airline rerouted you, the amount can be cut by 50%. A reform was published in October 2026 and will apply from late 2027; it keeps the 3-hour threshold and the amounts. Until then today’s rules apply.
Source:Your Europe: air passenger rightsEuropean Parliament: 2013/0072(COD)
UK261: £220 to £520
Flights from the UK, or to the UK on a UK or EU airline, follow UK rules: £220 under 1,500 km, £350 for 1,500–3,500 km, and for longer flights £260 if you’re 3–4 hours late or £520 beyond that.
Source:UK CAA: delays
US flights: a refund, not compensation
US law doesn’t require cash compensation for delays; DOT withdrew its proposal in November 2025. What you do get is a cash refund if your flight is cancelled or significantly changed (arriving 3+ hours late domestic, 6+ hours international) and you don’t accept the alternative. It’s due within 7 business days for card payments and 20 days otherwise, and a voucher only counts if you agree to it.
Meals and hotels in the US are airline promises
Large US airlines publish commitments to cover meals, hotels and rebooking when a delay is within their control. They’re voluntary, and from October 19, 2026, DOT no longer counts causes like unscheduled maintenance or cyberattacks as the airline’s fault. Check the airline’s customer service plan before you count on it.
Some airlines want claims filed by the passenger, and a few won’t pay a third party without a signed authorization. Your Karen drafts everything and tells you when you need to click submit. A Karen isn’t a lawyer and doesn’t take claims to court.
How it works
You vent once. Karen does the hold music.
- 01
Send the booking
Booking reference, the flights as booked, what actually happened and when you finally arrived. Photos of the departures board help.
- 02
Karen works out what applies
EU261, UK261, the US refund rule or the airline’s own commitments, based on the route, the airline and the delay at arrival.
- 03
Claim, rebuttal, escalation
Your Karen drafts the claim and the replies, pushes back on “extraordinary circumstances” with evidence, and prepares the escalation to the national enforcement body if the airline stalls.
- 04
Paid when you’re paid
The bonus is for money in your account. You approve it with the airline’s payment confirmation.
The money, itemised
What this costs, worked out.
Your Paris–New York flight lands 5 hours late and the airline blames “operational reasons.” Your Karen spends 1h15 filing the EU261 claim, rejecting the voucher offer and answering the airline’s second refusal. €600 lands in your account.
You choose the hourly rate, the cap and each bonus. You fund that worst case up front, plus a 18% platform fee, and it sits in RentAHuman escrow. You approve the hours and each win; everything you don’t approve comes back with its share of the fee. Example numbers; your case sets its own.
Example · 2h cap at $25/h
- Time, up to the cap$25/h × 2h
- $50
- Bonus: €600 compensation paid to mepaid only if you approve the proof
- $100
- Platform fee (18%)
- $27
Karen logs 1h 15m and wins 1 of 1.
Paid to your Karen · 1h 15m + bonus$131.25
Platform fee on that$23.63
You pay in total$154.88
Back to your wallet$22.12
Before you file
Bring receipts. Literally.
- Booking reference and e-ticket, for every passenger in the claim
- Boarding passes, and the actual arrival time at your final destination
- What the airline told you, in writing or as screenshots
- Receipts for meals, hotels and transport you paid for
- Any voucher or refund offer the airline already made (don’t accept it yet)
FAQ
Things people ask before going full Karen
How much compensation can I get for a delayed flight?
Under EU261 it’s €250, €400 or €600 per passenger depending on distance, when you arrive 3+ hours late and the delay wasn’t caused by extraordinary circumstances. Under UK261 it’s £220, £350 or up to £520. US flights don’t come with delay compensation, but you can be owed a cash refund.
Is this cheaper than a flight compensation company?
Usually. Claim companies typically keep a percentage of the payout, often around a third, more if they go to court. A Karen bills by the hour up to your cap plus a flat bonus you choose, so on a €600 claim you know the maximum before you start.
Does EU261 apply to US airlines?
Only when the flight departs from the EU. A US airline flying New York to Paris isn’t covered; the same airline flying Paris to New York is.
How far back can I claim?
Time limits for EU261 claims are set by national law in each country and vary widely. Send the booking and your Karen checks the deadline before spending your hours.
The airline offered me a voucher. Should I take it?
Not before you know what you’re owed. Under the US rule a voucher only replaces a cash refund if you agree to it, and EU261 compensation is owed in money unless you agree in writing to something else.
Also on the list
More things a Karen handles
Five minutes to file