Flight Delayed? Here's How to Claim Your Expenses Back
After a two-month wait, Air France refunded every cent I spent when their delay stranded me in Paris for three days—covering hotel stays, meals, transport to and from the airport, and essential items. I handled the claim myself directly on their website, super straightforward, no need for third-party services that just take a cut.
Here's exactly what I did:
- Snapped photos or scanned all receipts (in Euros) and my credit card statements converted to my home currency (like USD, CAD, or VND).
- Photographed my boarding passes.
- Saved the airline's delay notification emails and snapped pics of the airport delay boards.
- Used just one credit card for all expenses to keep things simple.
- Stuck all Uber Eats, deliveries, and rides on that same card.
Once home, I sorted everything into categories, tallied up the amounts for each (with a grand total), and uploaded it all to the airline's portal. Done and dusted!
Beyond the airline refund, you might also claim EU261/2004 compensation depending on the delay reason—though they can knock it back sometimes.
Plus, if your flight ticket was bought with a credit card that includes travel insurance, hit up your card's insurer for extra coverage. Many cap it at around USD 500 per booking (US cards), even for a group of four on the same ticket. Premium cards might offer more, so check yours out.
Hope these tips ease the panic if you're ever stuck—next time, I'll be cheekier and stretch it to five days with those free hotel nights!
Cre: Van Rachel Nguyen
