How much compensation do you get for a cancelled flight?
Israel's Aviation Services Law sets a fixed compensation for a cancelled flight based only on the flight distance, not on the ticket price: ₪1,530 for flights of 2,000 km or less, ₪2,450 for 2,000 to 4,500 km, and ₪3,670 for flights over 4,500 km, for each eligible passenger, subject to the conditions and exceptions in the law. The compensation comes in addition to the refund or alternative ticket. If you took an alternative flight that arrived within the time window set in the law, the amount is 50%: ₪765, ₪1,225, ₪1,835.
₪0 upfront · a fee only if you receive compensation · 30 seconds
Full information on compensation for a cancelled flight: the amounts, the conditions and the check against the Ben Gurion board.
The full table of amounts (2026)
| Flight distance | Full compensation | Reduced (50%) |
|---|---|---|
| 2,000 km or less | ₪1,530 | ₪765 |
| 2,000-4,500 km | ₪2,450 | ₪1,225 |
| Over 4,500 km | ₪3,670 | ₪1,835 |
Source: the First Schedule to Israel's Aviation Services Law (Compensation and Assistance for Flight Cancellation or Change of Conditions), 2012, and the official 2026 amounts-update notice.
Why some websites show lower amounts
The amounts in the Aviation Services Law are linked to the consumer price index, and they are updated by an official notice published by the government. The amounts originally written in the law were lower, and websites that were never updated still show them. The gap is not small: in the top distance band it is hundreds of shekels per passenger, and for a family the difference between the old amount and the updated one can pass a thousand shekels.
Before you send a demand, on your own or through any service, check that the amount you ask for is the updated one. The airline will not correct you upwards, and if it pays the lower amount and you sign a settlement waiver, the difference is lost. At FlyBack the amounts come from one source in our system, the same source that produces the demand letters, so this page and the letter sent to the airline cannot show two different numbers.
How much for a flight cancelled in 2022, 2023, 2024 or 2025?
The amount depends on the year the flight was cancelled, not on the year you send the demand. For a flight cancelled in 2023, the amount in the first band is ₪1,390, not ₪1,530. The amounts are index-linked and updated by an official notice. You can claim 4 years back, so most demands that can be sent today rely on the amounts of an earlier year, not the current one.
| Year of the flight | 2,000 km or less | 2,000-4,500 km | Over 4,500 km | Exemplary damages cap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | ₪1,530 | ₪2,450 | ₪3,670 | ₪12,240 |
| 2025 | ₪1,490 | ₪2,390 | ₪3,580 | ₪11,940 |
| 2024 | ₪1,440 | ₪2,310 | ₪3,460 | ₪11,540 |
| 2023 | ₪1,390 | ₪2,220 | ₪3,340 | ₪11,120 |
| 2022 | ₪1,320 | ₪2,120 | ₪3,180 | ₪10,590 |
Each row is based on the amounts-update notice published in the official government gazette (Yalkut HaPirsumim) for that year, and we keep the file it was taken from. The same source feeds the demand letter sent to the airline.
Where did you fly? Examples by destination
| Distance band | Per passenger | Example destinations |
|---|---|---|
| 2,000 km or less | ₪1,530 | Larnaca, Athens, Istanbul, Cairo, Amman, Rhodes |
| 2,000-4,500 km | ₪2,450 | Berlin, Paris, London, Rome, Amsterdam, Dubai, Moscow |
| Over 4,500 km | ₪3,670 | New York, Bangkok, Tokyo, Miami, Los Angeles |
Distance is measured as the shortest line over the earth's surface (great circle) from Ben Gurion to the destination.
What you get on top of the compensation
- A ticket refund (or an alternative ticket, your choice), including fees, levies and taxes, within 21 days of a written demand.
- Assistance: food and drink, phone calls, and a hotel plus transport if the flight was moved to the next day.
Documented costs may also be recoverable where the airline failed to provide the required assistance, or under another legal basis. This is not an automatic refund of every loss caused by the cancellation.
Important: the fixed compensation and the refund are two separate rights. Taking a ticket refund does not waive the compensation, and the other way round.
When the amount is smaller, and when it is zero
- Reduced compensation (50%): you took an alternative flight that arrived late by no more than 2, 3 or 4 hours (by distance band): ₪765 / ₪1,225 / ₪1,835.
- No fixed compensation: notice was given 14 days or more in advance; or shorter notice with an alternative flight inside the time limits in the law; or "special circumstances" that the airline has proved; or another exemption in the law, such as a lawful strike. The burden of proving the exception is on the airline, and a general reference to a security situation does not by itself prove it.
- Even when there is no compensation, the refund and the assistance generally remain. In a declared special situation, the Minister may limit some assistance rights by order.
Frequently asked questions
How much compensation for a cancelled flight to Europe?
Most European destinations (Berlin, Paris, London, Rome, Amsterdam) are in the 2,000-4,500 km band: ₪2,450 per passenger. Nearby destinations such as Athens, Larnaca and Istanbul are in the first band: ₪1,530 per passenger.
Does the compensation depend on the ticket price?
No. The law fixes the compensation by flight distance only. A ₪300 low-cost ticket to Berlin carries the same compensation as a ₪2,000 ticket, and it is added to the refund or alternative ticket, not instead of it.
When is the compensation cut by half?
When the airline offered an alternative flight, you took it, and it reached the destination only slightly late: within 2 hours (band 1), 3 hours (band 2) or 4 hours (band 3). The compensation is then ₪765 / ₪1,225 / ₪1,835 respectively. A larger arrival delay may qualify for the full amount.
How much for a family of 4?
Each passenger with a paid ticket is assessed separately, including a child with a paid ticket. A family of 4 on a cancelled flight to Berlin: 4 × ₪2,450 = ₪9,800, on top of the ticket refund, subject to the conditions and exceptions in the law.
Can I get more than the fixed amount?
In some cases, yes. If the court finds that the airline knowingly breached the duties listed in the law, it may, at its discretion, award exemplary damages of no more than ₪12,240 in 2026. Not answering a demand does not by itself mean the court will award them. If the airline did not provide the required assistance (hotel, food, transport), reasonable documented costs for it may be recoverable, so keep receipts.
How long does the airline have to pay?
After a written demand: the ticket refund within 21 days, and the compensation within 45 days. You can claim 4 years back from the flight date.
How do I know which distance band my flight is in?
By the straight-line (great circle) distance from Ben Gurion to the destination, not by the actual flight time. The 2,000 km or less band includes destinations such as Athens, Larnaca and Istanbul; 2,000-4,500 km covers most of Europe, for example Berlin, Paris and Rome; over 4,500 km includes destinations such as New York, Bangkok and Tokyo. A flight with a connection needs a separate check of the ticket, the airline that operated each leg, and the final destination.
Is a baby or child on the booking also covered?
Each passenger with a paid ticket is assessed separately and in full, including a child with a paid ticket and their own seat, at the same amount as an adult. A baby flying on a parent's lap, without a paid ticket and without a separate seat, is a different case that needs an individual check of the booking terms, and it should not be assumed in advance that the same amount applies.
This is general information, not legal advice. Actual entitlement depends on the circumstances of the flight and the evidence.
Check the fixed amount in the law for your specific flight
₪0 upfront · a fee only if you receive compensation · 30 seconds
Full information on compensation for a cancelled flight: the amounts, the conditions and the check against the Ben Gurion board.
Last reviewed: · Amounts follow the official 2026 amounts-update notice. General information, not legal advice.