Let's talk about EU261

Good morning from the Lufthansa Senator Lounge here in Frankfurt!

I’m sitting in the same exact seat I sat in a month and a half ago before leaving for Ukraine on this same trip, which is wild to think about…

While I ponder the concept of time, let’s talk about travel, shall we?

• 🇪🇺 EU261: The law that pays you $600 when your flight is delayed

• 👔 (Don’t) pack your bags if you’re heading to Japan…

• ✈️ The best way to use miles and points

🇪🇺 EU261: The law that pays you $600 when your flight is delayed

There’s a VERY IMPORTANT TRAVEL HACK that I used on this trip (and many times in the past) that you need to know about.

It’s VERY important, in case you haven’t gotten the point by now.

It’s called EU261, and it’s a law in Europe that provides rights to people traveling by air… and it can make you a lot of money.

Here’s how it works (at least the part you care about):

The law states that when a flight is delayed or canceled, a passenger is oftentimes entitled to compensation.

This applies to ANY airline based in the EU or any airline operating flights to or from the EU.

The amount of compensation depends on the length of the delay and the distance of the flight. If a flight is canceled, the compensation looks like this:

So as you can see, these are pretty hefty payouts. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been paid €600 because of a delay or cancellation because of this law…

For example, on the very trip I’m just finishing up, I had a flight from Frankfurt to Krakow on my way to Ukraine.

The flight was canceled at the last minute, so the airline rebooked me on a flight the following morning and put me in a free hotel for the night.

Since the delay was so long, I was entitled to compensation. According to the chart above, I’d receive €250 since the flight was under 1,500km.

However, that’s not what happened…

You see, just ONE hour after submitting an EU261 claim with Lufthansa, I received this email from them:

665 EUROS!!!! WTF??

Obviously, I accepted it (vigorously), and the money was in my bank account a few days later.

Keep in mind that this is in addition to the airline rebooking me on another flight AND putting me in a hotel… And this is the norm in Europe, folks.

This law is no joke, and airlines want to abide by it and not be fined by regulators.

Want to know how much I paid for the flight?

That’s right, kids. I paid about $33 USD ($44 CAD) and 7,500 points for this flight which ended up making me over $700.

As a reminder, this law applies to ANY airline if it’s flying to or from the EU, even North American ones.

Last year, I was on an Air Canada flight that got delayed by six hours (which is actually pretty solid for AC) while leaving Portugal and was offered a $1,300 Air Canada voucher, as per this same law.

Europe is by far the most popular international travel destination for Americans. It also happens to be INCREDIBLY busy this summer, and many of you are bound to run into this issue at some point.

When you do, make sure you know your rights as a passenger. You can check out the details of the law on the EU website here.

I wish you all great prosperity, friends.

👔 (Don’t) pack your bags if you’re heading to Japan…

If you hate packing, are worried about an airline losing your luggage, or you just want to participate in something very quirky and “on brand” with the loveliness that is Japan… check this out.

Japan Airlines is launching a new clothing rental service—dubbed “Any Wear, Anywhere”—for passengers on JAL-operated flights who are planning a visit to Japan.

At first read, it sounds kinda weird (or really weird), but JAL has an interesting reason for this program that they’ll be testing out through August of 2024.

The airline wants to reduce the weight of aircraft in its fleet to ultimately cut down on its carbon emissions… which is cool. But also… huh?

By foregoing excess luggage on any given flight (and therefore providing a clothing rental service to its passengers at their destination), JAL could reduce up to 7.5 kilograms of carbon emissions for every 10 kilograms of weight that is cut from luggage… which is neat. 🤓

But for those of you who are chronic over packers or are experiencing extreme anxiety as you read this just thinking about boarding a flight without any clothes… here’s how it works:

• Rentals start at ¥‎4,000 ($28) and include three tops and two bottoms

• You can select clothing by season (summer, winter, and spring/fall)

• As well as by occasion (casual, smart casual, or a blend of both)

If you’re interested in trying this out, register for their service at least a month before your travels with the necessary info, including your accommodations where the clothing will be delivered.

Honestly, the Japanese are always so trendy and well-dressed… I might try this the next time I fly there on JAL. Would you do it??

✈️ The best way to use your miles and points

Tomorrow, I’m heading back to Toronto for the first time in two months, after a trip that was only supposed to last two weeks…

Why did the trip last so much longer than it was supposed to, you ask?

I had my best friend with me. 👇

The reason my friend was able to join me on this trip was miles & points. My miles & points, to be specific.

Over the course of the five weeks he was with me, I spent around 200,000 points on him between flights and hotels.

And you know what?

It was, quite literally, the best 200,000 points I’ve ever spent on any travel.

Most people don’t realize that you can use your miles & points to book travel for ANYONE, not just yourself. When you’re booking a flight with points, you can simply book it under someone else’s name, even if you aren’t traveling with them.

Thanks to my points, my friend and I:

• Visited an active war zone in Ukraine (Slava Ukraini, btw 🇺🇦)

• Survived a magnitude six earthquake while in a skyscraper (never requesting a hotel room on a high floor again)

• Visited the famous Golden Temple of Amritsar

• Explored the great pyramids of Egypt

• Hung out in Krakow, Dubai, Jaipur, and Tenerife

So here’s what I want you to take away:

• You can use your miles and points to book travel for anyone you’d like. It’s easy to book the same way you would for yourself.

• You SHOULD use your points to book travel for other people if you can, especially those who don’t have the means to travel and don’t have the means to travel hack.

I know that for me personally, I’m going to put a higher priority on using my points and miles to bring other people along on my journeys when I can, and I hope you do, too.

That’s all for today, meine freunde.

As a light packer myself, I love the idea of a clothing rental service… I feel like at that point I could travel abroad with just a fanny pack or something.

Take care and see you tomorrow ❤️

50.0380° N, 8.5622° E