Do passengers know their rights? Here’s what we found out

At AirHelp, we’re on a mission to make sure travelers know their rights — because flight disruptions are stressful enough without the added headache of not knowing what you’re entitled to.

So we put passengers to the test! We surveyed 3,100 travelers across the globe to see if they truly understand their rights. The results? Let’s just say that there’s still some more work to do.

Our findings revealed an interesting conundrum: 81% of passengers knew they had rights, but when challenged to use them, only 21% could correctly identify when they’d be entitled to compensation, meaning a staggering 79% don’t know their rights!

But first, what are passenger rights?

Before we get into the details, let’s clarify what air passenger rights actually are — just in case you’re one of the 79% who might want a refresher.

Air passenger rights are legal protections that help travelers when their flights are delayed, canceled, or overbooked. The details of the regulations and the rights they cover vary by region:

• Europe: EC 261 – Currently one of the strongest regulations, EC 261 sets clear guidelines that ensure passengers get up to €600 compensation and care after significant flight disruptions.

• United Kingdom: UK 261 – Similar to EC 261, this law applies to flights under UK jurisdiction.

• Brazil: ANAC 400 — Travelers in Brazil could get up to R$10,000 in damages with this law that sets out good standards of care for flight delays, cancellations and overbookings.

• United States – Unlike Europe, the US lacks extensive air passenger rights, though some protections exist for luggage and overbooking.

• Other countries – Many regions such as Turkey, Saudi Arabia, China, and Mexico, have their own regulations too, but they vary in coverage.

Why do passengers struggle with their rights?

Honestly? Passenger rights are complicated. They’re a mix of national and international laws, each with different rules, time limits, and exclusions.

We asked passengers about rights in their country, and still 79% couldn’t correctly identify what they are entitled to in the event of a flight disruption. Now think of the many countries you fly to. Each could have different laws — or none at all.

Our survey shines light on the situation:

• Flight disruptions are common — 62% of the people we surveyed have had a significant flight delay, even if most don’t fully understand what they’re owed.

• Airlines aren’t telling passengers about their rights — Telling passengers about their rights is a major part of most laws. Yet airlines only did it in 40% of the disruptions we analysed.

• Countries with more complicated rights performed worse — the US doesn’t have strong rights, so we weren’t surprised to see US travelers knew the least about them. Only 7% actually knew what they were entitled to. Rather unfortunately, they’re also the country with the most disruptions, with 74% of respondents experiencing one.

• Germany was the most knowledgeable — 27% of them answered correctly.

But here’s some good news: back in 2018 when we first started running our survey, only 15% of travelers knew their rights. Fast forward to 2025, and that number has risen to 21%. It may not be a huge leap, but it’s a step in the right direction toward better global awareness. So as rights advocates, we must be doing something correct!

Less than half of passengers try to claim compensation

Even though many travelers don’t fully understand their rights, 40% of passengers still tried to get compensation after a flight disruption.

• EU passengers were the most proactive – around 50% sought compensation.

• US passengers were the least likely – only 20% tried to claim, likely due to the US lacking in strong protections.

Worryingly, this still means more than half of disrupted travelers missed out on potential compensation. Last year alone, 38 million passengers were entitled to compensation, but if 60% didn’t claim, that’s a lot of financial assistance passengers are missing out on.

Passengers clearly want stronger rights

Air travelers aren’t just recognizing the gaps in their rights — they’re demanding change. According to our survey, the overall consensus is that 61% want better air passenger rights, with 30% voting for them to be a lot stronger.

• This sentiment was highest among Americans — 52% want much stronger protections.

• Brazilians are also advocating for change — They rank second in wanting stronger rights, with 43% wanting more protections.

Not only this, but passengers also believe that compensation should kick in for shorter delays, not just long ones. Globally, 52% think airlines should compensate for delays of less than 3 hours — under many regulations, only delays of 3+ hours qualify.

Europeans were the most eager for change, with 58% supporting compensation for shorter delays. This is especially true in Spain, where that number soared to 77%, proving that travelers don’t think a delay needs to be long to be frustrating!

Passengers are willing to pay more for better protections

One surprising finding in our survey is that 79% of travelers would pay extra for stronger air passenger protections.

• 26% of Americans are willing to pay €10 to €20 more per ticket for compensation.

• 28% of Brazilians would go even further — they’re willing to pay over €20 more!

This highlights a growing trend: passengers are prioritizing security and fairness in their travel experiences.

What you can do when your flight is disrupted

If you ever face a flight delay or cancellation, don’t let confusion or lack of awareness stop you from claiming what you deserve. Here are our tips for making sure you get the care and compensation you’re due:

1. Check if your flight is eligible – Use AirHelp’s free check to see if you can get compensation.

2. Plan smarter – Use the AirHelp Score to choose airlines and airports with fewer delays.

3. Spread the word – Help other travelers by sharing knowledge about air passenger rights.

4. Learn more – Read AirHelp’s easy guide on air passenger rights.

Air travel can be unpredictable, but knowing your rights ensures you’re ready to handle anything that comes your way. If your flight was delayed or canceled, check your eligibility today and claim what’s yours!