Time limit to claim for a delayed or cancelled flight

Regulation (EC) 261/2004 does not set a deadline for claiming compensation: the time limit is set by the law of the country where you bring your claim, as the EU Court of Justice made clear in case C-139/11. That is why the time you have varies from country to country. You can often still claim for a flight from some time ago, but it pays to act early: here is why and how.

Why there is no single European time limit

The Regulation sets out your rights (€250, €400 or €600 compensation, a refund, care) but does not say how long you have to claim them. In case C-139/11 the Court of Justice ruled that, without a European rule, the limitation period under national law of the country where the claim is brought applies.

The Court also ruled out using the time limits of the Montreal Convention, which deals with other kinds of damage such as baggage. In practice, the same flight can have different deadlines depending on where you claim. In the UK, claims for flights covered by the UK version of the rules follow UK limitation rules.

Which time limit applies to what

Baggage follows different rules: see our guide to lost luggage.

Why it pays to claim straight away

Even if the legal time limit is generous, waiting does not help you:

• evidence gets lost: boarding passes, emails and receipts disappear from your inbox or phone;
• memories fade: arrival time, gate announcements, the reason the airline gave;
• some airlines push back on late claims, even when the legal limit has not passed, and make you chase them for longer;
• you get paid sooner: the earlier you start, the earlier the airline pays.

How to claim for a past flight, step by step

1. Find your booking: booking reference, flight number and date, passenger names.
2. Piece together what happened: actual arrival time, how much notice of the cancellation you got, the reason given.
3. Gather evidence: boarding passes, emails and texts from the airline, receipts for expenses.
4. Check whether you are owed compensation and how much, based on distance.
5. Send a written claim to the airline and keep proof of sending: if it does not pay, you will need it for the next steps.

Let us check the time limits for you

Working out which law applies and whether you are still in time can be tricky. With DelayFlight24 you can check for free in 2 minutes whether your delayed flight or cancellation still qualifies for compensation: we check the limits for the right country and handle the claim, the reminders and, if needed, court action. You pay nothing upfront and our fee is 25% + VAT only if you get compensated. If your ticket was already refunded, see our guide to refunds and compensation.

Frequently asked questions about time limits for flight claims

My flight was a while ago: can I still claim?

Quite possibly: the time limit depends on the law of the country where you claim and is often generous. Check now, because the clock is running.

The airline says my claim is too late: is it right?

Not necessarily. The time limit is not set by the airline's terms but by the applicable national law, as case C-139/11 established.

Is the time limit for compensation the same as for baggage?

No. Baggage falls under the Montreal Convention, with much shorter deadlines for reporting the problem.

When does the clock start?

Usually from the day of the flight, but the exact calculation depends on national law. That is why it is best not to wait.

I have already written to the airline and heard nothing: what now?

You can chase it, go to the national authority or pass the claim to us: we handle the reminders and, if needed, court action.

Find out more

• Air passenger rights
• Delayed flight: when you can claim compensation
• Cancelled flight: refund and compensation
• Overbooking: what you are owed
• What our service costs

Article updated on 22/10/2026 by the DelayFlight24 editorial team.