Flights delayed and cancelled at short notice
We do our very best always to get you to your destination reliably and on time. However, air traffic disruptions can still occur, your departure gate may change, your flight might be delayed, or might even have to be cancelled.
Rapid help in the event of delay or cancellation of my flight
If this is the case, we will inform you about any flight changes via email or text message or the Lufthansa app and rebook you automatically if required. Please ensure that you have stored your current contact details in My bookings.
If you have booked your flight ticket via a tour operator or in a travel agency, you can also contact the tour operator or travel agency directly.
In the event of last-minute rebooking
Was your flight cancelled at short notice? You can use our Help Center to check if you have already been rebooked, or choose an alternative flight yourself and rebook free of charge.
Rapid help with your ticket refund
Has your flight been changed or cancelled? With our Help Center you can get your ticket refunded quickly and easily.
Alternative transport with Deutsche Bahn
If your Lufthansa flight has had to be cancelled at short notice, and we cannot offer you a suitable alternative flight, you can convert your flight ticket into a Deutsche Bahn rail ticket on certain routes free of charge.
Baggage transfer in the event of flight cancellation
If you are rebooked, we will arrange your baggage transfer. In the event of a flight cancellation at short notice and onward journey by train or bus, we will endeavour to arrange a fast baggage reclaim. Please refer to the display boards and announcements for further information.
Passenger rights
If your flight was cancelled or faces a significant delay, or if you were denied boarding on a flight for which you had a confirmed booking, as a passenger you are entitled to rights under Regulation (EC) No. 261/2004.
Compensation in the event of delayed and cancelled flights
If your flight was delayed or cancelled or your baggage arrived late, you may be entitled to compensation.
Meal voucher
You are entitled to receive a meal voucher if your flight is delayed for two hours or more, if it is cancelled, or if you are denied boarding. The voucher is then automatically linked to the QR code on the boarding pass of the affected flight.
Meeting the costs of an overnight hotel stay
If your departure is postponed to the following day, we will arrange your overnight stay in a hotel.
Up to date with the app
Stay well informed from booking to arrival: the Lufthansa app supports you at every step of your journey.
In the event of flight delays or cancellation at short notice, you will find the most important information and direct help.
Frequently asked questions and answers
Lufthansa will automatically rebook you free of charge on an alternative flight to the same destination and in the same travel class. In some cases, Lufthansa may not be able to rebook you proactively on an alternative flight. If this is the case, you can select an alternative yourself. This is also possible if an alternative booked automatically by Lufthansa does not suit your plans. Using the Lufthansa Chat Assistant, you can check if you have already been rebooked automatically or select an alternative yourself and rebook free of charge. Alternatively, you can view and manage your booking at "My bookings".
If you booked your flight ticket via a tour operator or travel agency, you may not be able to rebook directly. In this case, please contact your tour operator or travel agency.
If your Lufthansa-operated flight has been cancelled, you can have your ticket refunded. Using the Lufthansa Chat Assistant, you can check your refund amount and process the refund. Alternatively, you can request a refund of the ticket via the link below.
If you booked your flight ticket via a tour operator or travel agency, we recommend you contact them directly.
If you have already submitted your request for a refund by phone or email, please do not request the refund again, as this may cause a delay in the processing of your request.
If your ticket has not been used, the ticket price including all taxes and fees will be refunded to the original method of payment.
If you have already used one or more segments of the journey, the unused portion of the fare value, taxes, and fees will be calculated, and the ticket refunded accordingly on a pro-rata basis.
You will receive a meal voucher if your flight has been delayed by at least two hours, has been cancelled, or you have been denied boarding. You can redeem the voucher in numerous restaurants at the airport; you can find an overview of participating restaurants here:
To receive your meal voucher, you no longer need to visit the service counter in person. Please note that only the boarding pass for the affected flight is valid as a meal voucher. In addition, we will also let you know about your voucher and its value by email, text message, or push notification in your LH app.
All the information about the new meal voucher has been summarized for you in this video.
If your departure is postponed to the following day, we will arrange your overnight stay in a hotel. Please check if you have already received information about this via email or text. If you prefer, you can book a hotel yourself and submit the costs for the overnight stay, transport between the airport and hotel, and meals for reimbursement. Lufthansa will assume the costs for these, provided they are reasonable. If you pay for the hotel yourself, please send us your hotel, transport, and catering receipts as well as your boarding pass, and provide your bank details (IBAN and BIC) using our feedback form.
If, in the event of a short-notice cancellation of your flight (maximum of 48 hours before departure), no alternative can be booked, your flight ticket can be changed to a Deutsche Bahn rail ticket. This applies to Lufthansa flights within Germany and to Lufthansa flights between Germany and Basel or Salzburg.
Important advice about cancelled feeder flights: When choosing your train, please make sure you allow sufficient time to catch your connecting flight from Frankfurt or Munich.
If your flight was cancelled more than 48 hours before departure, you will be rebooked automatically onto a Lufthansa Express Rail connection with Deutsche Bahn. You can view your Lufthansa Express Rail connection under My bookings.
Please check in as usual from 24 hours before the start of your trip via our online check-in.
For transfer connections, please also check in for the train connection even if you decide to travel to Frankfurt or Munich by another means of transport.
Your query isn’t listed here?
This might also interest you
Current flight status
Get up-to-date information about your flight by entering your flight number.
Problems with baggage
You can find out where to claim compensation for damage as well as where to get information about delayed items of baggage here.
Help and contact
Do you have a query about a specific topic, or would you like to give us some feedback? Find the most frequently asked questions and how to contact us.
Flight disruptions – FAQs
The information provided here offers you assistance quickly, if you are affected by flight disruptions.
Passenger rights & Proof
Your rights to compensation under the Canadian APPRs can be found here.
On our page about your Passenger rights, you can find all the legal information available to you in the case of various flight disruptions: validity, delays, overbooking, cancellation, downgrading, arbitration board.
If you need confirmation of a flight disruption for your employer or travel insurance company, please ring the Lufthansa Service Center.
If you are prepared to wait a little longer at the airport, you are, of course, also welcome to contact one of our service counters. You can find a location map on the Frankfurt Airport website.
At Munich Airport, you can find service counters at Gates G, K, H and L, and in the Departures Hall. You can find a location map on the Munich Airport website.