Short answer: If your flight is covered by the EU's air passenger rules (EU261), you can file the claim yourself for free and keep 100% of the money. AirHelp will do it for you, but it keeps 35% of a successful payout, or 50% if the case goes to court. The German Flugärger app is free, but it's built for German users, it's in German, and we couldn't find it in the US App Store. The big limitation for US travelers: none of these options can get you cash for a delay on a purely domestic US flight, because no federal law requires airlines to pay delay compensation.

What "Flugärger App or AirHelp" actually means

The German question "Flugärger-App oder AirHelp – was bleibt?" asks one thing: should you file a delay claim yourself with a free consumer tool, or hand it to a paid claims company, and how much money do you keep in each case?

  • Flugärger is a free self-help app from the consumer protection agency Verbraucherzentrale NRW in Germany. It checks whether you're owed €250–€600 for a delay, cancellation or overbooking, mainly under the EU passenger rights regulation. It then writes a claim letter addressed to the right airline, and you send it yourself (Verbraucherzentrale). Any personal details you enter for the letter are stored only on your phone (Verbraucherzentrale NRW press release).
  • AirHelp is a commercial claims company. It works on a "no win, no fee" basis: it files and chases the claim for you and takes a share of the payout if it wins (AirHelp fees).

Either way, what you "keep" depends on whether your flight is covered by a passenger-rights law in the first place. In the US, that's usually the deciding question.

The rules that decide whether you get anything (US scope)

US domestic flights: refunds, but no delay compensation

  • No federal cash compensation for delays. In December 2024, the Department of Transportation (DOT) proposed paying passengers for delays the airline could control. The proposal would have paid $200–$300 for delays of three hours or more and up to $775 for nine hours or more. DOT formally withdrew it in November 2025, so it never took effect (Federal Register withdrawal notice 2025-20042; NBC News).
  • Automatic refunds still apply. Since October 28, 2024, airlines must refund you if your flight is canceled or "significantly delayed" and you choose not to travel. That means more than 3 hours on a domestic flight or 6 hours on an international one. Refunds are due within 7 business days for credit card purchases and 20 calendar days for other payment methods (Federal Register, 2024 refund rule; Checkbook).
  • Recent change: DOT is not enforcing the refund requirement for flights that only changed their flight number. This applies when you were rebooked on the renumbered flight and it ran without a significant change or delay. The pause was extended on July 7, 2026, for about one year, while a new rule ("Refund III") that could narrow what counts as a cancellation is still at the proposal stage (Federal Register, July 7, 2026).

A refund gives you your own money back. It isn't compensation, and you don't need an app or a claims company to get it.

When EU261 covers US travelers

According to the EU's official guide, EU261 covers you (Your Europe, last checked September 21, 2026):

  • on any airline departing from the EU (for example, Paris to New York on Delta or Air France)
  • on flights into the EU from outside, but only if an EU airline operates the flight (for example, Chicago to Frankfurt on Lufthansa counts, the same route on United does not)
  • unless you already received benefits for that journey under a non-EU country's law

Compensation if you arrive at least 3 hours late:

Distance Amount
Up to 1,500 km €250
1,500–3,500 km (or over 1,500 km within the EU) €400
Over 3,500 km, 3 to under 4 hours late €300
Over 3,500 km, 4+ hours late €600

Airlines don't have to pay when the delay was caused by "extraordinary circumstances" such as bad weather or air traffic control decisions. Most technical faults and strikes by the airline's own staff don't count as extraordinary (Your Europe).

The 2026 EU reform: what changes and when

The European Parliament approved the EU261 reform on July 7, 2026. The final deal keeps compensation starting at 3 hours and drops earlier proposals to raise the threshold to 4–6 hours. It also sets a nine-month deadline for filing claims (Cyprus Mail; LexisNexis). Reports expect the new rules to apply after a transition period of about a year, probably in the second half of 2027. Until then, the current EU261 rules still apply. We couldn't confirm the exact date the new rules will take effect.

What this means for you: under the reform, filing a claim quickly will matter more, but your basic choice between DIY and AirHelp stays the same.

How we compared

  • Research date and market: October 3, 2026, for travelers based in the United States.
  • Criteria: how much of the payout you keep, total cost over 12 months, which flights are covered, platform and language, documented features, and privacy.
  • Sources: first-party developer pages (AirHelp, Verbraucherzentrale), the US Federal Register, the EU's official Your Europe portal, and news coverage only where official texts weren't available.
  • What this is not: a hands-on test. Nothing here comes from installing or using the apps.
  • Exclusions: other claims companies, because the topic is Flugärger vs. AirHelp. Travel insurance is mentioned only where it's bundled into AirHelp+. The "free DIY claim" row in the matrix stands in for what Flugärger does in Germany, since Flugärger itself isn't a practical option in the US.

Price and feature matrix (as of 2026-10-03)

Flugärger (Germany) AirHelp (standard, per claim) AirHelp+ US (membership) DIY claim directly with the airline
Cost Free 35% of payout; +15% if legal action is needed (up to 50%), VAT included Protect 6 trips: $179.99/yr; Protect 9 trips: $249.99/yr Free
Share of compensation you keep 100% 65% (50% after legal action) 100% on eligible claims 100%
Who does the work You send the letter the app writes AirHelp AirHelp You
Covers US domestic delays (cash compensation)? No No federal law to claim under Insurance payouts only ($200 per event type) No
Availability in US Apple link points to the German store; not found in the US App Store; Android availability in the US not publicly documented Free app for iOS and Android Sold to US-based travelers Available everywhere
Language German English English Depends on the airline
Court action included Not included (Germany: arbitration referrals) Yes, AirHelp pays legal costs Yes, no legal fee You'd handle it yourself

Sources: Verbraucherzentrale, AirHelp fees, AirHelp+ plans, AirHelp app help page. The AirHelp+ Single Trip price isn't listed on the US plan page. It's sold only in the app.

The options up close

Flugärger app

Documented: It's free. It calculates €250–€600 claims and also covers care costs (meals, hotel), refunds of taxes and fees, and baggage problems. It writes a claim letter ready to send (Verbraucherzentrale). It also includes a deadline reminder and a history of your claims (Verbraucherzentrale NRW).

Our analysis: For most US readers, this is not a realistic option. The official Apple link goes to the German App Store, and the same app ID returned "not found" in the US store when we checked. The app and its follow-up steps (German arbitration bodies) are designed for consumers in Germany.

Pros

  • No fees, so you keep the full payout
  • Personal data for the claim letter stays on your phone

Cons

  • German-language and aimed at the German market
  • Not found in the US App Store
  • You still have to deal with the airline yourself

AirHelp (pay per claim)

Documented: Checking whether you're eligible is free. AirHelp takes 35% of a successful payout, plus 15% if a lawsuit is needed. AirHelp says that happens in about 3% of cases, and it pays court and legal costs itself (AirHelp fees). Claims under European rules are paid in euros, and your bank may charge currency-exchange fees. The free app syncs flights from your calendar or Gmail, sends live updates, alerts you about possible compensation, and lets you track claims (AirHelp app).

Pros

  • No upfront cost and nothing to pay if the claim fails
  • Handles airline pushback and court cases for you
  • English-language app on iOS and Android

Cons

  • You give up 35–50% of your compensation
  • The money is never guaranteed, and US domestic delays generally don't qualify
  • A separate $29.99 fee applies to "goodwill" claims (voluntary airline gestures). It's waived for amounts under $30 and for AirHelp+ members (AirHelp fees)

AirHelp+ US (membership)

Documented: Two US plans: $179.99/year (6 trips) and $249.99/year (9 trips). Both include:

  • help with airline compensation of up to $650 per eligible disruption, with no service fee. This applies only to flights covered by laws such as EC 261.
  • $200 insurance payouts each for delays over 3 hours, missed connections, and lost or delayed luggage
  • lounge access during delays of 1 hour or more

On US domestic flights, you get the insurance payouts only. Some benefits require you to add your flights at least 48 hours before departure (AirHelp+).

Pros

  • No 35%/50% fee on eligible claims
  • Pays something even on domestic US delays (insurance payouts)

Cons

  • You pay every year, even if nothing goes wrong
  • You have to set it up in advance and register your trips
  • The trip limit (6 or 9) and exact policy terms matter, so read them first

DIY claim directly with the airline

This isn't an app, but it does what Flugärger does in Germany. Using the EU261 amounts above, you file through the airline's own claim form or by email. You pay nothing and keep everything. In exchange, you put in the time, and you have to deal with any rejection yourself.

Hypothetical savings scenario

This is an illustrative example, not a guaranteed result. The payout amounts come from the EU table above. Fees come from AirHelp's published rates as of October 3, 2026.

Assumptions: A family of four flies Paris to Chicago, which is more than 3,500 km. They arrive 5 hours late for a reason the airline controls. Each passenger is owed €600, so the total is €2,400. This is their only disruption this year.

Option (12 months) Fees You keep
DIY claim €0 €2,400
AirHelp standard (35%) €840 €1,560
AirHelp with legal action (50%) €1,200 €1,200
AirHelp+ US, 6 trips $179.99 membership €2,400 minus $179.99

Break-even for AirHelp+ vs. paying per claim: The membership pays off once 35% of your compensation would be more than $179.99. That happens when total compensation is above about $514 ($179.99 ÷ 0.35), converted at the exchange rate on the day you're paid. Even one €600 claim (a €210 fee) is above that line at any exchange rate where €1 is worth at least about $0.86. A single €250 claim (an €87.50 fee) is not.

Same family, domestic flight instead: New York to Denver, 5 hours late. There's no federal compensation, so DIY and standard AirHelp both get $0. If they decide not to fly, they're owed a refund for the delay itself. AirHelp+ would pay its $200 insurance benefit only if the trip was registered and met the policy terms.

Who each option suits

  • Free DIY claim: Best if you're comfortable writing a firm email and following up, and you want every euro. Not a good fit if the airline keeps rejecting you and you don't want to escalate.
  • AirHelp per claim: Best if you'd rather give up 35% than spend time on it, or the airline is stonewalling you. Not worth it for simple, clear-cut claims where the airline pays quickly.
  • AirHelp+ US: Best for frequent flyers who often fly to or from Europe and want some protection on domestic trips too. Not worth it if you fly once a year, or only within the US and don't value the insurance payouts.
  • Flugärger: Only useful for German-speaking travelers who can get it from the German store. For most US households, it's not a practical option.

Conclusion

When your flight is delayed, what you keep depends far more on the route than on the app. If EU261 covers you, a free DIY claim leaves you 100% of the payout, AirHelp leaves you 65% (or 50% after a lawsuit), and AirHelp+ only pays off if you fly enough to justify the annual fee. Flugärger's free approach works well in Germany, but it isn't really available to US users. On US domestic flights, there's currently no legal compensation for any app or company to claim, only refunds you can get yourself.

References