Claim Your KLM Flight Delay Compensation
Was your KLM flight delayed? SkyRefund can help you understand your rights and claim up to €600 in compensation if your KLM flight was delayed, cancelled, or overbooked within the last 3 years.
Our mission at SkyRefund is to empower air passengers and provide them with a simple, quick and easy way of upholding their rights. Check if you are eligible with our free compensation calculator. Simply enter your flight details (booking number, flight dates, etc.) to get a quick claim assessment.
We’ll do the rest! SkyRefund’s team of excellent lawyers and determined claim specialists can help you receive the compensation that is owed to you.
We work on a “No Win, No Fee” basis.
As our mission is to support you in enforcing your air passenger rights, we get paid only if we succeed in securing your compensation. Our standard fee is 35% (VAT included) from the total compensation amount. And we will not charge it unless we are successful in claiming what is rightfully owed to you.
Did you have a delayed, cancelled or overbooked flight in the last 3 years?
Check your flight compensation for free!
KLM flight delay: Claim compensation
When are you entitled to KLM flight delay compensation?
European Regulation 261 is among the most comprehensive laws protecting passenger rights worldwide.
Under EC 261, there are two important conditions you have to meet in order to apply for KLM flight delay compensation:
- your KLM flight was delayed and arrived at its final destination more than 3 hours after the originally scheduled arrival time;
- your flight departed from or arrived at an EU country.
EU 261 applies to all countries from the European Common Aviation Area (ECAA), i.e. all EU Member States plus about 20 additional European countries.
As KLM is based in the EU, EC261 applies to all its flights to and from Europe.
Extraordinary circumstances - No compensation owed
Airlines are exempt from the obligation to pay flight compensation only in the case of extraordinary circumstances.
These are events that are out of the control of KLM.
Extraordinary circumstances include:
- Inclement weather conditions
- Union and airport personnel strikes
- Bird strikes
- Political or civil unrest
- Security risks
To learn more read our article on extraordinary circumstances.
How much compensation can I get for my delayed KLM flight?
If your KLM flight arrived at your final destination with a delay of more than 3 hours and the delay was not caused by extraordinary circumstances, you are entitled to:
Delayed between 3 - 4 hours |
Delayed by more than 4 hours |
Distance |
€ 250 |
€ 250 |
1,500 km or less |
€ 400 |
€ 400 |
EU flights of more than 1,500 km and all others between 1,500 and 3,500 km |
€ 300 |
€ 600 |
All other flights of more than 3,500 km |
Note the following:
- If you experience a delay on an internal EU flight, your compensation is capped at €400, even if the flight distance is over 3500 km.
- If the flight distance is over 3500 km but the delay is between 3 and 4 hours, the compensation amount could be cut in half (meaning you will get €300 instead of €600).
Additional rights in case of a long KLM delay
Right to reimbursement or rerouting
If your delay exceeds 5 hours, apart from compensation for the time you’ve lost, you are entitled to a full or partial refund of your original ticket cost, plus a return flight to your point of departure, if this is necessary.
Right to Care
If a KLM flight was cancelled or delayed, according to EC 261/2004, the airline is responsible for covering all necessary expenses for the period of the passengers’ wait for departure. If a flight was delayed or cancelled, passengers can receive care until their alternative flight departs. This includes food and drinks, as well as accommodation and transport when necessary.
If you do not receive a voucher or you exceed its amount, you could get a refund for all your extra expenses. Remember to keep your receipts - they are the only proof of purchase that KLM would accept before they reimburse you.
Up and downgrading
If you are offered an upgrade on the alternative flight, you will not be charged extra. However, if you get downgraded, you can receive a 30-75% reimbursement of the original ticket fare.
Other cases for KLM flight compensation
Apart from a flight delay, you can also claim compensation for a KLM flight if:
- Your KLM flight was cancelled
- You missed your connecting flight as a result of a prior KLM flight delay or cancellation.
Your KLM flight was overbooked and you were denied boarding against your will.
About KLM
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines is the world’s oldest air carrier in operation as it was founded more than a 100 years ago - back in 1919. By 1994, KLM was already serving more than 10 million passengers each year. After a successful merge with Air France in 2003 the company formed the Air France-KLM group.
Today, KLM’s main hub is at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS). The Dutch air carrier serves over 170 destinations worldwide. In 2022 it carried almost 26 million passengers, marking an 84% increase in comparison with 2021.
KLM Rankings
Air carrier review website Skytrax has given KLM a 4-Star rating. The ranking reflects the company’s commitment to providing a comfortable in-flight passenger experience. It also takes into account the quality of the KLM customer service and the value for money tradeoff.
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines are known for their punctuality.
Aviation analytics firm Cirium ranked the Dutch airline as the most punctual one in the world in February 2023.
However, if you happen to experience a KLM flight delay, you might be entitled to KLM flight cancellation or delay compensation. Submit your claim and let the SkyRefund team handle everything for you!
Did you have a delayed, cancelled or overbooked flight in the last 3 years?
Check your flight compensation for free!