Israeli compensation and EU261 compared: what the law sets and what you keep
For a cancelled flight from Israel, Israel's Aviation Services Law sets higher amounts than the European regulation (EU261) on many common routes, but not on all of them, because the two laws use different distance bands. And for a flight from Ben Gurion on an Israeli airline, EU261 does not apply at all. The table below shows, by destination, the amount each law sets and what the passenger keeps after the fee.
₪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 amount and the fee, side by side
The amount: ₪1,530, ₪2,450 or ₪3,670 per passenger under the Israeli law, by distance. Under EU261: €250, €400 or €600. The bands are different (Israel: 2,000 and 4,500 km; EU261: 1,500 and 3,500 km), so the Israeli amount is higher on many routes, but not on every route and at every exchange rate.
The fee: 26% plus VAT at FlyBack. One price, even if the case goes on to court. For a comparison with other services, including the assumptions used, see our pricing page.
Where the Israeli amount is larger, these two lines add up. For a cancelled flight to Rome, where both laws can apply, the difference in what you keep in the example below is ₪658 per passenger. On a flight from Ben Gurion with an Israeli airline, EU261 itself gives no claim route, so a service limited strictly to EU261 could not pursue compensation under that regulation.
What you keep, by destination
A cancelled flight, 1 passenger, from Ben Gurion. Distances are great-circle distances, and the amounts come from the same engine that produces our demand letters.
| Destination | km | Israeli law | EU261 | You keep with us | You keep at 35% on EU261 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Larnaca | 340 | ₪1,530 | €250 (₪1,000) | ₪1,061 | ₪650 |
| Athens | 1,194 | ₪1,530 | €250 (₪1,000) | ₪1,061 | ₪650 |
| Bucharest | 1,591 | ₪1,530 | €400 (₪1,600) | ₪1,061 | ₪1,040 |
| Istanbul | 1,166 | ₪1,530 | Does not apply | ₪1,061 | No route |
| Rome | 2,278 | ₪2,450 | €400 (₪1,600) | ₪1,698 | ₪1,040 |
| Barcelona | 3,082 | ₪2,450 | €400 (₪1,600) | ₪1,698 | ₪1,040 |
| Paris | 3,284 | ₪2,450 | €400 (₪1,600) | ₪1,698 | ₪1,040 |
| Madrid | 3,544 | ₪2,450 | €600 (₪2,400) | ₪1,698 | ₪1,560 |
| New York | 9,117 | ₪3,670 | Does not apply | ₪2,544 | No route |
| Bangkok | 6,945 | ₪3,670 | Does not apply | ₪2,544 | No route |
Bucharest is a route where EU261 sets the higher amount, because it falls in the second EU261 band but still in the first Israeli band. On Madrid the two amounts are close, and the result changes with the exchange rate.
How the numbers were calculated, with every assumption
- "You keep with us" is the amount set by the Israeli law minus 30.68% (a 26% fee plus 18% VAT).
- The 35% column is calculated without VAT, because that is how the payment policy we took the rate from is worded. So the comparison shows our full fee and theirs without VAT, which works against us, and the gap still holds.
- The examples use an illustrative rate of ₪4 to the euro. Real comparisons change with the route and the exchange rate.
- "Does not apply" means EU261 does not cover that flight. It covers a departure from an airport in the EU, the EEA or Switzerland, or a flight into that area operated by an EU/EEA/Swiss airline. The EU261 column for flights from Israel assumes such an airline. Turkey is not covered, and New York and Bangkok are not flights to or from that area. For a return flight from an EU destination the picture is different, and both laws may apply at the same time.
- The amounts are the fixed statutory amounts for a cancellation. Actual entitlement depends on the circumstances, the advance notice and whether special circumstances existed, and is decided case by case.
When the European route is actually better
There is such a case, and it would not be fair to hide it. EU261 gives cash compensation from a 3 hour delay on arrival at the destination. Under the Israeli law, fixed cash compensation applies to a cancellation, or to a departure delay of 8 hours or more. So a 4 or 5 hour delay on a flight that departed from an EU airport is exactly the case where the European route is worth money and the Israeli route is not.
Our eligibility check may point out when EU261 could also be relevant. Where both laws apply, each type of benefit is checked separately, and the same type of compensation cannot be received twice. When both laws apply at the same time.
The check is free, even when the answer is that nothing is due. There is no opening fee and no charge for the check.
Frequently asked questions
How much of the compensation do I actually keep?
The amount set by law, minus the success fee. At FlyBack the fee is 26% plus VAT, which is 30.68% of the compensation. For a cancelled flight to Rome, ₪2,450 per passenger, you keep ₪1,698. There is no opening fee, and the evidence file is included in the fee. If a small claims file is needed after the warning letter, we prepare it at no extra charge.
Does the Israeli law pay more than EU261?
On many common routes from Israel, yes, but not on all of them. The Israeli amounts are ₪1,530, ₪2,450 and ₪3,670 per passenger, against €250, €400 and €600 under EU261, and the two laws use different distance bands. On a route of 1,500 to 2,000 km, such as Bucharest, EU261 gives more. On a route of 3,500 to 4,500 km, such as Madrid, the result depends on the exchange rate.
I flew from Ben Gurion with Arkia or Israir. Does EU261 help me?
No. EU261 applies to a flight that departed from an airport in the European Union, or to a flight into the EU operated by a European airline. A flight from Ben Gurion on an Israeli airline fits neither. In that case EU261 itself gives no claim route, so a service limited strictly to EU261 could not pursue compensation under that regulation.
So when is the European route the better one?
When the problem is a late arrival, not a cancellation. EU261 gives cash compensation from a 3 hour delay on arrival. Under the Israeli law, fixed cash compensation applies to a cancellation or to a departure delay of 8 hours or more. A 4 or 5 hour delay on a flight that departed from Europe is exactly the case where the European route is worth money and the Israeli one is not, and we say so openly.
Can I get both?
You cannot get the same type of compensation twice for the same disruption. Where both laws apply, each type of benefit is checked separately, and anything you already received under one law is deducted before claiming the same type of benefit under the other.
How far back can I claim?
In Israel the limitation period is 4 years from the flight date, so a flight cancelled 3 years ago can still be claimed.
This is general information, not legal advice. Actual entitlement depends on the circumstances of the flight and the evidence.
Check the amount set by law, and how much you would keep
₪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.