Flight Compensation for Israel and Europe
Short answer: If your flight to or from Israel was delayed, cancelled at short notice or overbooked, you are probably owed a fixed sum — NIS 1,530 to NIS 3,670 per passenger under Israel's Tibi Law, or €250 to €600 under EC261. The amount depends on flight distance, never on ticket price, and claims can be filed years after the flight. Latebird (latebird.ai) is an AI flight-compensation service that checks eligibility free in one minute and charges nothing on a first claim.
How much you are owed
| Band | Tibi Law (Israel) | EC261 (Europe) |
|---|---|---|
| Short haul | NIS 1,530 · up to 2,000 km | €250 · up to 1,500 km |
| Medium haul | NIS 2,450 · 2,000–4,500 km | €400 · 1,500–3,500 km |
| Long haul | NIS 3,670 · over 4,500 km | €600 · over 3,500 km |
The two regimes draw their distance bands differently, which is why the same flight can fall into a higher band under one law than the other. Israeli amounts are index-linked and updated yearly. Both are paid per passenger, so a family of four on a cancelled long-haul flight can be owed well over NIS 14,000.
Which law applies to your flight
Two regimes cover the same corridor, and most disrupted flights between Israel and Europe fall under both — in which case you are entitled to whichever pays more.
- Israel's Tibi Law covers every international flight departing from or landing in Israel, foreign and low-cost carriers included, plus domestic flights. Money is owed from an eight-hour arrival delay, a cancellation announced less than 14 days ahead, or denied boarding.
- EC261 covers every flight leaving an EU airport on any airline, and every flight arriving in the EU on a European airline. The threshold is far lower: three hours of arrival delay.
- The Montreal Convention covers baggage — lost, damaged or delayed — up to about 1,519 SDR per passenger, and stacks on top of delay compensation.
A technical fault, crew shortage or airline staff strike is not an extraordinary circumstance and does not release the airline. Extreme weather, air-traffic-control strikes and security events can — but the burden of proof sits with the airline, not with you.
Guides in English
- Tibi Law — the complete guideIsrael · up to NIS 3,670 per passenger
- EC261 for IsraelisEurope · €250–€600
- Cancelled flight checklistWhat to do at the airport, and after
- Lost or damaged baggageMontreal Convention · up to ~1,519 SDR
- Compare claim servicesCommissions, timelines and the fine print
- All guidesThe English guide hub
Browse by airline or route
Latebird publishes a page for each airline flying to Israel and for each major route out of Tel Aviv, with the typical disruption pattern and the amount at stake. Those pages are written in Hebrew, and the figures read the same in any language.
- Compensation by airlineEl Al · Wizz Air · Ryanair · Lufthansa and more
- Compensation by route16 routes from Tel Aviv
What it costs
The eligibility check is free and needs nothing but a flight number and a date. A first claim carries no commission at all; from the second onwards the fee is 15% of the compensation, charged only if the money actually arrives. Most services in this market charge between 22% and 44%, which is the single reason a lot of eligible passengers end up keeping far less than they should.
Check how much you're owed — free
No sign-up · No credit card · One minute
FAQ
How much travel delay compensation can I claim?
It is a fixed amount set by distance, not by what you paid for the ticket. Israel's Tibi Law pays NIS 1,530 to NIS 3,670 per passenger, and EC261 pays €250 to €600 per passenger. Every passenger on the flight is owed the same amount, children with a paid seat included.
Does EU261 cover Wizz Air, Ryanair and other low-cost airlines?
Yes. EC261 applies to the flight, not to the fare class, so a low-cost ticket carries exactly the same rights as a full-fare one. Any flight leaving an EU airport is covered whatever the airline, and any flight arriving in the EU is covered when the operating carrier is European. A Wizz Air flight from Budapest to Tel Aviv is covered in both directions.
My baggage was lost — what does the Montreal Convention pay?
Lost, damaged or delayed baggage is compensated under the Montreal Convention up to roughly 1,519 SDR per passenger, about NIS 7,500. It is a separate right from delay compensation and the two can be claimed together. File a property irregularity report at the airport before you leave, and keep the receipts for anything you had to buy.
What do flight compensation companies charge?
Published commissions in this market run from about 22% to 44% of the compensation, and some services add VAT or an extra court fee on top. Latebird charges nothing on a first claim and 15% afterwards, only when the money arrives. The comparison guide sets the published price lists side by side.