Can I claim for a flight delay from years ago?

Many people only find out about flight compensation long after the trip. The good news is that the time limits in the UK are long. A delay from a holiday several summers ago may well still be claimable.

How far back can I claim flight delay compensation?

It depends on where the claim would be brought.

So, writing in October 2026, a claim brought in England for a flight from the UK could go back to flights in roughly October 2020. In Scotland, roughly October 2021.

These are the outer limits. The sooner a claim is made, the easier it is to find the paperwork and the less the airline can argue about what happened.

Where do these time limits come from?

The compensation rules themselves (UK261 and EC261) don't set a deadline. The EU Court of Justice ruled in Cuadrench Moré v KLM (2012) that the time limit is set by the national law of the country where the claim is brought.

In England and Wales, a claim for flight compensation is treated like an ordinary claim for money owed, and the general limit is six years. Airlines once argued that a much shorter two-year limit applied, borrowed from the Montreal Convention on international air travel. The Court of Appeal rejected that in Dawson v Thomson Airways (2014). Six years it is.

In Scotland, the equivalent rule gives five years.

Which time limit applies to my flight?

For most people in the UK flying from UK airports, the claim would be brought in a UK court, so the six-year (or five-year in Scotland) limit applies.

Where it gets more complicated:

• You live in Scotland, or the flight left from a Scottish airport. The claim may be brought in Scotland, where five years applies. If there's a choice of court, the limit can depend on which is used.
• The flight departed from an EU airport. The claim is under EC261 and is usually brought in the courts of a country connected to the flight, which can mean that country's time limit.
• The airline is based in the EU. It may be possible to bring a claim in the airline's home country instead, with a different time limit.

If your flight is close to a limit, tell us as soon as possible and we'll work out which one applies.

What are the time limits in EU countries?

They vary a lot. Some common examples:

• Ireland: six years.
• France: five years.
• Spain: five years.
• Germany: three years, counted from the end of the year in which the flight took place.
• Italy: often treated as two years, though this has been argued.
• Belgium and Poland: one year.

These limits can change and can depend on how a claim is framed, so treat this list as a guide rather than the last word. For a flight from an EU airport more than a year ago, it's worth checking quickly.

Does writing to the airline stop the clock?

Generally no. In England and Wales, the six-year clock stops only when a claim is issued at court. Sending a letter or filling in an airline's form doesn't pause it, even if the airline takes months to reply.

That's why old claims need to move faster. If a flight is more than five years old, a claim that the airline ignores or refuses may need to go to court before the sixth anniversary of the flight. We watch those dates for every claim and tell you in good time if a court claim is needed.

What about flights before Brexit?

Flights before the end of 2020 were covered by the EU regulation, EC261, which applied in the UK at the time. The rights were the same: three hours' delay, cancellation within 14 days, denied boarding. If the flight is still within the time limit, it can still be claimed.

What do I need to claim for an old flight?

Less than you might think.

• The flight number and date. If you've lost these, a booking confirmation email, a bank or card statement showing the airline, or a holiday company booking will usually help us find them.
• The booking reference. It's in the confirmation email. For package holidays, the holiday booking number usually works.
• The names of everyone on the booking.
• Photo ID, so the airline can match you to the booking.

You don't need to remember exactly how late you were. We check the flight's actual arrival time ourselves.

You don't need your boarding pass, though it helps if you have one.

Will the airline still pay for an old flight?

The law is the same for an old flight as for one last week. If it qualified then, it qualifies now, as long as it's within the time limit.

In practice, airlines are sometimes slower with older claims, and more likely to ask for proof that you were on the flight. Some may still give a reason for the delay that turns out to be wrong. The usual excuses are covered in our guide to extraordinary circumstances.

Can I claim if I already complained at the time?

Yes. A complaint at the time about the service, or a request for a refund, doesn't stop you claiming compensation later, unless you signed something accepting a payment or voucher in place of your compensation.

If the airline refused you back then, you can still claim, as long as you're within the time limit. Many refusals cite reasons that don't stand up in law.

Which airlines have old claims worth checking?

Any airline can have them. If you flew often with one airline, it's worth looking back through your bookings. Our guides to easyJet, Ryanair and British Airways explain how claims against each work.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a time limit for flight delay compensation in the UK?

Yes: six years from the flight in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and five years in Scotland.

Can I claim for a flight from 2021?

In England, Wales or Northern Ireland, yes, as long as six years haven't passed since the flight date. In Scotland, flights more than five years old are out of time.

Do I need my boarding pass for an old claim?

No. A booking confirmation, the booking reference and the names of the passengers are usually enough. The boarding pass helps but isn't essential.

Does the airline's two-year limit apply?

No. Some airlines point to a two-year limit from the Montreal Convention. The Court of Appeal ruled in Dawson v Thomson Airways (2014) that it doesn't apply to these compensation claims.

I was refused years ago. Can I try again?

Yes, if you're still within the time limit and didn't sign anything accepting a settlement. A refusal isn't the end of a claim.