Is AirHelp legit?

AirHelp has been claiming flight compensation since 2013, by its own account and has 245,323 Trustpilot reviews at 4.5 out of 5. It charges 35% including VAT, works on a no win, no fee basis and adds a legal action fee, with no figure, if it goes to court.

Is AirHelp legit?

AirHelp says it has claimed since 2013, it has the most Trustpilot reviews of any company in the Uncompromised Travel table and it states its fee. Its website, as read on 20 October 2026, gives the trading name AirHelp but no registered company name or address.

• Registered company: AirHelp gives no registered company name, number or address on its website.
• Founded: 2013, by its own account.
• What it is: A claims company working on commission: the customer assigns the claim to AirHelp ('transferring the ownership of the claim to us') and it keeps a fee from the compensation if it wins.
• Lawyers and regulation: Partner lawyers and in-house legal staff. It says 'teams of legal experts in over 30 different countries'; a local lawyer handles Brazilian court cases.

How much does AirHelp charge?

AirHelp publishes a fee of 35%, including VAT.

• Fee if it wins: 35% including VAT, taken from the compensation; AirHelp+ members pay no fee.
• If it goes to court: An additional legal action fee applies if it escalates through legal channels; no figure is published.
• If the claim fails: 'If we don't win, we charge nothing.'

What are AirHelp reviews like?

AirHelp has a Trustpilot rating of 4.5 out of 5 from 245,323 reviews, read 20 October 2026; each platform is shown on its own, never added together.

• Trustpilot: 4.5 out of 5 from 245,323 reviews, newest review 20 October 2026, read 20 October 2026.
• Apple App Store: 4.7 out of 5 from 379 reviews on Apple App Store, newest review 19 October 2026.
• Google Play: 4.8 out of 5 from 11461 reviews on Google Play.

How long does AirHelp take to pay out?

What AirHelp says about how and when it pays, from its own website:

• How it pays you: Paid into the customer's account, less the fee. 'Compensation arrives in your account, minus our service fee.'
• How long a claim takes: No fixed time: many claims are resolved in a matter of weeks, though some take longer, it says.
• Instant payout: Instant payment is tied to the AirHelp+ membership: 'fast cash payouts' and an AirHelp+ insurance 'payout' of $200 for delays over 3 hours, last-minute cancellations, diversions, missed connections or lost or delayed luggage.

What does AirHelp claim for?

• Rules it claims under: EC 261, UK 261, ANAC 400 (Brazil), GACA (Saudi Arabia), SHY Passenger (Turkey) and the Montreal Convention.
• Flights outside Europe: Says it claims under EC 261, UK 261, Brazil ANAC 400 (up to $1,900), Turkey SHY (up to $650 in lira), Saudi GACA (200% of ticket price) and the Montreal Convention.
• Claims the airline rejected: 'If you've been rejected, enter your flight details in our eligibility checker ... We can then investigate if you were wrongfully denied compensation. If we see that your flight qualifies, we'll pursue your claim.'
• Court action: 'Our team pursues compensation directly with the airline, even taking the case to court, if necessary.'

Is AirHelp worth it?

AirHelp is worth it if you would rather not deal with the airline and accept 35% including VAT; on a €600 claim you keep €390 before any legal action fee. AirHelp+ members pay no fee. FlyClaims, Flightright and FairPlane, below, publish lower fees.

What are the alternatives to AirHelp?

Four claims companies set beside AirHelp on the same facts:

• FlyClaims: A 20% fee, VAT included. Fee: 20%, including VAT.
• Flightright: Founded by Philipp Kadelbach and Sven Bode. Fee: 20% to 30%, plus VAT; Trustpilot 4.5 from 3,410 reviews.
• FairPlane: 24% to 35% including VAT. Fee: 24% to 35%, including VAT; Trustpilot 4.8 from 4,098 reviews.
• SkyRefund: 1,600,000+ passengers helped since 2017. Fee: 35%, including VAT; Trustpilot 4.5 from 4,194 reviews.

Richard Jasinski · Uncompromised Travel · written from Valencia · first published 3 November 2026 · updated 3 November 2026