Compensation Claim Deadlines (2026)

EU261 and UK261 do not set a single claim deadline. The time you have depends on which country's law governs your claim — and the difference can be years. Here is the full breakdown.

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In this guide

1. What Are Compensation Claim Deadlines?
2. EU261 Deadlines by Country
3. UK261 Deadlines by Country
4. Factors Affecting Deadlines
5. How to Avoid Missing Your Claim
6. Tips for Filing Late Claims
7. Real Examples
8. FAQ

What Are Compensation Claim Deadlines?

EU Regulation 261/2004 and its UK equivalent (UK261) give you the right to compensation when your flight is delayed, cancelled, or overbooked. But neither regulation specifies how long you have to make your claim.

Instead, the deadline is set by the national law of the country where you bring your claim. This means the same delayed flight could have a 1-year deadline in one country and a 6-year deadline in another — depending on where you file.

The European Court of Justice confirmed in Moré v KLM (C-139/11, 2012) and Sousa Rodríguez v Air France (C-83/10, 2011) that national procedural rules, including limitation periods, apply to EU261 claims — as long as they do not make it “practically impossible or excessively difficult” to exercise your rights.

Key takeaway

You may have anywhere from 1 year to 10 years to claim, depending on the country. Even if you think it is too late, check — you might still be within the deadline. But the earlier you file, the stronger your position.

EU261 Deadlines by Country

The table below shows the limitation period for each EU/EEA country. The deadline is measured from the date of the disrupted flight unless otherwise noted.

Country	Deadline	Clock Starts	Notes
🇵🇱 Poland	1 year	Date of flight	Shortest in the EU. Act immediately.
🇧🇪 Belgium	1 year	Date of flight	Very short window. File without delay.
🇮🇹 Italy (domestic)	1 year	Date of flight	Domestic flights only (Codice Civile Art. 1495).
🇮🇹 Italy (international)	2 years	Date of flight	International flights confirmed by ENAC.
🇳🇱 Netherlands	2 years	Date of flight	BW art. 3:307. Schiphol departures — act fast.
🇭🇺 Hungary	2 years	Date of flight	Disputed — some sources cite 5 years under general civil law. 2 years is the safer assumption.
🇨🇭 Switzerland	2 years	Date of flight	Not EU, but follows EC261 for departing flights.
🇮🇸 Iceland	2 years	Date of flight	EEA member, EC261 applies.
🇭🇷 Croatia	2 years	Date of flight
🇲🇹 Malta	2 years	Date of flight
🇸🇰 Slovakia	2 years	Date of flight
🇸🇮 Slovenia	2 years	Date of flight
🇩🇪 Germany	3 years	End of calendar year	§195 BGB. Clock starts 31 Dec of the year the flight took place.
🇦🇹 Austria	3 years	Date of flight
🇩🇰 Denmark	3 years	Date of flight
🇫🇮 Finland	3 years	Date of flight
🇵🇹 Portugal	3 years	Date of flight	Art. 498 Portuguese Civil Code. Confirmed by ANAC.
🇳🇴 Norway	3 years	Date of flight	EEA member, EC261 applies.
🇪🇪 Estonia	3 years	Date of flight
🇱🇻 Latvia	3 years	Date of flight	Must submit complaint to airline within 6 months (Aviation Law §110). 3-year period per Commercial Law Art. 406.
🇱🇹 Lithuania	3 years	Date of flight
🇷🇴 Romania	3 years	Date of flight
🇧🇬 Bulgaria	3 years	Date of flight	Art. 111(2) OCA. Confirmed by Supreme Court of Cassation (Case No. 1799/2014).
🇱🇺 Luxembourg	10 years	Date of flight	Art. 189 Code de Commerce. Longest in the EU.
🇨🇿 Czech Republic	3 years	Date of flight	Must notify airline within 6 months to preserve the 3-year period.
🇫🇷 France	5 years	Date of flight	French Civil Code. Generous window.
🇪🇸 Spain	5 years	Date of flight	Spanish Civil Code.
🇬🇷 Greece	5 years	Date of flight	Greek Civil Code Art. 250. Some sources cite 2 years — 5 years is the safer assumption.
🇨🇾 Cyprus	6 years	Date of flight
🇮🇪 Ireland	6 years	Date of flight	Statute of Limitations.
🇸🇪 Sweden	Up to 10 years	Date of flight	3 years by default. Must notify airline within 2 months to extend to 10 years (Preskriptionslag 1981:130).

Shortest deadlines — act immediately

Poland, Belgium, and domestic flights in Italy give you only 1 year. If your flight departed from Warsaw, Krakow, Brussels, or was a domestic Italian flight, do not wait. Sending a complaint to the airline does not stop the clock in these countries.

Limitation periods are based on current national law and court practice as of 2026. Always verify with a legal professional for your specific situation. Sources: ENAC (Italy), LBA (Germany), DGAC (France), ILT (Netherlands), ULC (Poland), national civil codes.

UK261 Deadlines by Country

After Brexit, the UK retained EU261 as UK261. The compensation amounts and eligibility rules are the same. The limitation periods follow UK domestic law.

Jurisdiction	Deadline	Legal Basis
England & Wales	6 years	Limitation Act 1980
Scotland	5 years	Prescription and Limitation (Scotland) Act 1973
Northern Ireland	6 years	Limitation (NI) Order 1989

Dawson v Thomson Airways (2014)

Airlines sometimes argue that the Montreal Convention's 2-year limit applies to UK261 claims. The Court of Appeal rejected this in Dawson v Thomson Airways, ruling that EU261/UK261 compensation claims are governed by domestic limitation periods — giving UK passengers 6 years (5 in Scotland), not 2.

This means if you had a delayed flight from a UK airport on 1 January 2021, you have until 1 January 2027 to file a claim in England or Wales. The same flight filed in Scotland would need to be submitted by 1 January 2026.

Factors Affecting Deadlines

Several factors determine which deadline applies to your claim — and whether you can still file.

Departure Airport Country

The most important factor. If your flight departed from Germany, German law typically applies — giving you 3 years. If it departed from France, you get 5 years. The departure country usually determines jurisdiction.

Arrival Airport Country

For flights arriving in the EU on an EU carrier, you may be able to file in the destination country instead. This can be useful if the destination country has a longer limitation period than the departure country.

Airline Registration Country

In some cases, you can bring a claim in the country where the airline has its principal place of business. This is not always straightforward, but it can open up a more favourable deadline.

Type of Disruption

The deadline is the same whether your flight was delayed, cancelled, or you were denied boarding. The type of disruption does not change the limitation period.

Passenger Age

In some jurisdictions, the limitation clock may not start for minors until they reach the age of majority. This varies by country and is not universally applied. If the passenger was under 18 at the time of the flight, consult a local lawyer.

How to Avoid Missing Your Claim

Missing the deadline means losing your right to compensation entirely. Here is how to make sure that does not happen.

Save Your Boarding Pass and Booking Confirmation

These are the two documents you need to prove you were on the flight. Take a photo of your boarding pass as soon as you board. Save your booking confirmation email. If you have lost them, check your email inbox, Apple Wallet, Google Pay, or your airline account — many keep records for years.

Record the Actual Arrival Time

Compensation is based on when you arrived, not when you departed. Screenshot the airport arrival board or save any airline delay notifications. The difference between a 2h 55m delay and a 3h 05m delay is the difference between €0 and €600 on a long-haul flight.

File Early — Do Not Wait for the Airline to Respond

Sending a complaint to the airline does not stop the limitation clock in most countries. The clock keeps running while you wait for a response. File your formal claim as soon as possible, and if the deadline is approaching, consider filing with a court or ADR scheme to preserve your rights.

Know Which Country's Deadline Applies

If your flight departed from a country with a short deadline (Poland: 1 year, Netherlands: 2 years), act immediately. If it departed from a country with a long deadline (UK: 6 years, France: 5 years), you have more time — but do not use that as an excuse to delay.

Use a Claim Package to Reduce Errors

Our claim packages include airline-specific letter templates, the correct legal citations, and step-by-step instructions. Using a structured package reduces the chance of mistakes that could delay or weaken your claim.

Common reasons passengers miss the deadline

Assuming the airline will contact them with an offer (they will not)
Waiting for a response to an informal complaint before filing formally
Not realising the deadline varies by country
Thinking the Montreal Convention's 2-year limit applies (it does not for EU261/UK261 claims)
Losing boarding passes and assuming they cannot claim without them

Tips for Filing Late Claims

If your flight was years ago, you might still be able to claim — depending on the country. Here is what to know.

Check the deadline for the departure country

A flight from London in 2021 is still within the 6-year UK deadline in 2026. A flight from Paris in 2022 is within the 5-year French deadline. A flight from Amsterdam in 2023 is within the 2-year Dutch deadline. Always check the specific country.

Consider filing in a different jurisdiction

If your flight departed from a country with a short deadline, you may be able to file in a country with a longer one. For example, a flight from Amsterdam to London could potentially be claimed in a UK court (6 years) rather than a Dutch court (2 years). This depends on the specific circumstances and airline — it is not guaranteed, but it is worth exploring.

Gather evidence quickly for older flights

The older the flight, the harder it is to find evidence. Check your email for booking confirmations, look in FlightAware or Flightradar24 for historical delay data, and check your frequent flyer account for travel history. Airlines are required to keep records, but they are not always forthcoming with them.

Do not take the airline's word that it is too late

Airlines frequently tell passengers their claim is time-barred when it is not. The deadline is set by national law, not airline policy. If an airline says you have missed the deadline, verify independently — especially if you flew from a country with a long limitation period like the UK or France.

What if the deadline has genuinely passed?

In most cases, an expired limitation period means the claim is lost. There are very limited exceptions: if the airline deliberately misled you about your rights, or if you were a minor at the time of the flight, some jurisdictions may allow an extension. These cases are rare and require legal advice specific to your situation.

Real Examples

These examples show how the departure country determines the deadline — and how much money is at stake.

Route	Delay	Departure Country	Deadline	Compensation
London → Berlin	3h 45m	UK	6 years	€250
Paris → Madrid	4h 10m	France	5 years	€250
Frankfurt → Athens	5h 20m	Germany	3 years	€400
Amsterdam → Tenerife	3h 30m	Netherlands	2 years	€400
Warsaw → London	6h	Poland	1 year	€250
Rome → New York	4h 15m	Italy	2 years	€600

Same delay, different deadlines. A 4-hour delay from Warsaw gives you only 1 year to claim. The same delay from London gives you 6 years. The compensation amount is the same — the only difference is how long you have to claim it.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long do I have to claim EU261 compensation?

It depends on the country where you file your claim. EU261 itself does not set a single deadline — each member state applies its own statute of limitations. The shortest is 1 year (Poland, Belgium, domestic flights in Italy). The longest is up to 10 years in Sweden (3 years by default, but extends to 10 years if you notify the airline within 2 months). Most countries fall between 2 and 6 years. The country whose courts hear your claim determines which deadline applies.

How long do I have to claim UK261 compensation?

In England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, you have 6 years from the date of the flight (Limitation Act 1980 / Limitation (NI) Order 1989). In Scotland, you have 5 years (Prescription and Limitation (Scotland) Act 1973). This was confirmed by the Dawson v Thomson Airways ruling in 2014, which established that EU261/UK261 claims follow domestic limitation periods, not the 2-year Montreal Convention period.

Can I claim if my flight was cancelled years ago?

Possibly — it depends on which country's law applies. If you flew from a UK airport, you have 6 years (5 in Scotland). If you flew from France or Spain, you have 5 years. If you flew from Poland, you only have 1 year. The key question is which country's courts have jurisdiction, which is usually determined by where the flight departed from. Check the deadline tables above for your specific situation.

Do different airlines have different deadlines?

No. The deadline is set by national law, not by the airline. A Ryanair flight from Berlin and a Lufthansa flight from Berlin both follow the same 3-year German limitation period. Airlines sometimes tell passengers the deadline has passed when it has not — the actual deadline is a matter of law, not airline policy.

What happens if I miss the deadline?

In most cases, your claim is extinguished. Once the statutory limitation period expires, courts will not hear your case, and the airline has no legal obligation to pay. There are very limited exceptions — for example, if the airline deliberately misled you about your rights, or if you were a minor at the time of the flight. These exceptions are rare and vary by jurisdiction. The safest approach is to file well before the deadline.

Can connecting flights extend my claim period?

No. Connecting flights do not extend the limitation period. The clock starts from the date of the disrupted flight. However, if your connecting flights were booked as a single ticket and you arrived late at your final destination, you may have the option to file in the country of your final destination — which could have a longer limitation period than the country of departure. This is a jurisdictional strategy, not an extension.

Does sending a complaint to the airline stop the clock?

In most countries, no. Emailing the airline, filling out their online complaint form, or waiting for their response does not stop the limitation clock. What may stop or suspend it: filing a claim with a court, submitting to an approved ADR scheme (in some countries), or formal legal notice served by a lawyer (in some jurisdictions). Check the rules for your specific country.

Which country's deadline applies to my flight?

Generally, the country of departure determines jurisdiction. If your flight departed from Berlin, German law applies (3 years). If it departed from Paris, French law applies (5 years). For flights arriving in the EU on an EU carrier, you may also be able to claim in the destination country. And in some cases, you can claim in the country where the airline is registered. This matters because different countries have different deadlines — choosing the right jurisdiction can give you more time.

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Disclaimer

This guide is provided for informational purposes only. FlightClaimGuide does not provide legal advice and recommends seeking independent professional advice for complex legal matters.