How long do you have to claim flight compensation?

A flight lands in Warsaw four hours late. If a Polish court would hear the claim, you have one year to bring it. Once that passes, the airline can refuse to pay on that ground alone. That is why the country matters so much.

Regulation 261/2004 gives you the right to compensation but says nothing about how long it lasts. In Cuadrench Moré v KLM, the Court of Justice left that to each country's own limitation rules. So the deadline turns on which court could hear your claim.

Those national limits vary widely. Poland allows one year. The Netherlands and Italy allow two years, and Italian courts read this as about 26 months. Germany, Austria and Portugal allow three years. France, Spain and Greece allow five. Ireland and England and Wales allow six, while Scotland allows five.

Work from the shortest limit that might apply, and write to the airline early. A reform will change the picture later. The European Parliament approved it on 7 July 2026, and it should apply from the second half of 2027. It swaps the national limits for one EU-wide 9-month claim deadline. Until it applies, the current national limits stand.

An old flight is not lost by default. EU261 has no expiry date of its own. In Cuadrench Moré v KLM, the Court of Justice ruled that national limitation rules decide how old a claim can be. What matters is which country's limit applies to your flight.

Germany counts in its own way. Under the German Civil Code, its three-year period starts at the end of the year of the flight. A flight delayed in December 2023 can therefore reach a German court until 31 December 2026. Poland sits at the other end, with only one year.

Gather what still exists: the booking confirmation, any emails from the airline and the bank statement for the ticket. Then write to the airline that operated the flight. Give the flight number and date, and name the country whose limit you rely on.

One change is on the way. The European Parliament voted through an EU261 reform on 7 July 2026, due to apply from the second half of 2027. A single EU-wide 9-month claim deadline will then replace the national limits. Until it applies, those national limits stand.

A London to Faro flight arrives five hours late in October 2021. The distance falls between 1,500 and 3,500 km, so the UK amount is £350 per passenger. A couple on board could claim £700. In England, that claim can go to court until October 2027.

The six years come from domestic law, not from UK261 itself. Since Brexit, UK261 keeps the shape of the EU rule inside UK law, but it sets no deadline. Section 5 of the Limitation Act 1980 fills the gap with six years in England and Wales. Scotland applies a five-year period.

Do not leave it to the last month. Write first to the airline that operated the flight and keep a copy. If it refuses or goes silent, the UK Civil Aviation Authority publishes passenger guidance on delays and cancellations. Court stays a last option inside the six years.

Being in time only means you may ask. The airline can still refuse if it proves extraordinary circumstances.

For instance, a Frankfurt to Lisbon flight lands four hours late in March 2024. It covers about 1,900 km inside the EU, so the airline owes €400 per passenger. The German clock starts on 31 December 2024 and stops on 31 December 2027.

EU261 sets no deadline, so German law decides when a claim heard in Germany runs out. The Court of Justice confirmed this approach in Cuadrench Moré v KLM. The German Civil Code allows three years and starts counting at the end of the calendar year.

Write to the airline that operated the flight well before the end date, and keep proof you sent it. A letter alone may not stop the clock. Court action has to begin before the period runs out. Allow months, not days, for the airline to answer and for you to file.

The rules will change later. On 7 July 2026 the European Parliament approved an EU261 reform, which should apply from the second half of 2027. It brings one EU-wide 9-month claim deadline in place of the national limits. Until then, the current national limits stand.

A Warsaw to Barcelona flight lands three and a half hours late in May 2026. It covers about 1,860 km inside the EU, so the airline owes €400 per passenger. Under Polish law, that claim runs out in May 2027.

The short limit is national, because EU261 sets no deadline of its own. The Court of Justice confirmed this in Cuadrench Moré v KLM. Poland's Supreme Court then placed these claims under the one-year rule for carriage contracts in article 778 of the Civil Code.

Some websites quote longer periods for Polish flights. Treat one year as the safe working figure whenever a Polish court could hear the case. Another country on the same route may allow longer, but check before you rely on that.

Write to the airline that operated the flight straight away, and set a short reply date. A single 9-month EU deadline is coming, under the reform the European Parliament approved on 7 July 2026. It should apply from the second half of 2027. Until it applies, Poland's one year stands.

EU261 sets no deadline, and in Cuadrench Moré v KLM the Court of Justice left the question to national law. For claims from air carriage, the Dutch Civil Code allows two years. Italian law also uses two years, which Italian courts read as about 26 months.

Put it in numbers: an Amsterdam to Rome flight lands three hours and twenty minutes late in November 2025. It covers about 1,300 km, so the airline owes €250 per passenger. A family of four could claim €1,000. Under Dutch law, the claim runs out in November 2027.

Airlines sometimes argue for an even shorter period. Answer in writing and name the national rule that applies. Start your claim early, so a long exchange of letters does not use up the window.

Both limits are due to go. A reform of EU261, approved by the European Parliament on 7 July 2026, should apply from the second half of 2027. It replaces the national limits with one EU-wide 9-month claim deadline. Until it applies, the current national limits stand.

Websites disagree on some of these figures, so check before you rely on one. A Paris to Madrid flight that landed four hours late in June 2022 shows how they work. It covers about 1,050 km, so the airline owes €250 per passenger. Under French law, that claim can go to court until June 2027.

The figures come from national law. EU261 does not say how long a claim lasts, and the Court of Justice in Cuadrench Moré v KLM left that to each country. Spain and France apply their general five-year civil limits. Ireland applies the six-year limit in its Statute of Limitations 1957.

A long limit does not make an old claim easy. Evidence fades, and airlines take time to reply. Write now to the airline that operated the flight, with your booking reference and flight details.

These long windows are set to shrink. The European Parliament approved an EU261 reform on 7 July 2026, expected to apply from the second half of 2027. One EU-wide 9-month claim deadline will then replace the national limits. Until it applies, the current national limits stand.

Two steps answer this. First, find which courts could hear your case. Second, read that country's limit. Regulation 261/2004 sets the amounts but not the deadline. The Court of Justice ruled in Cuadrench Moré v KLM that national limitation rules apply.

Courts usually look at where the flight left or landed, and sometimes at where the airline has its base. Imagine an Amsterdam to Paris flight that arrives three hours late. The Netherlands allows two years and France allows five. If both courts can hear the claim, the French limit gives you more time.

Still, check the shortest limit that might apply before you relax. A consumer advice centre in either country can tell you which courts fit your route. Whichever court you may end up in, write early to the airline that operated the flight.

Most of this question will go away once the EU261 reform applies. The European Parliament approved it on 7 July 2026, and it should apply from the second half of 2027. It sets one EU-wide 9-month claim deadline in place of the national limits. Until it applies, the current national limits stand.

Today's Regulation 261/2004 sets no deadline at all. Under Cuadrench Moré v KLM, national law decides, so the window depends on the country. The reform approved by the European Parliament on 7 July 2026 swaps that patchwork for a single 9-month deadline.

The gap can be large. A passenger whose claim goes to a Spanish court has five years under today's rules. Under the reform, the same passenger would have nine months. For a Polish claim, nine months is also shorter than today's one year.

Two other changes come with it. The airline gets a 30-day deadline to pay or give a specific reason for refusing. It also takes on a 96-hour duty to tell passengers their rights. All of this should apply from the second half of 2027.

Until the reform applies, the current national limits stand. If you have an older claim, do not assume you can wait. Write to the airline that operated the flight now.

A worked case: a Rome to Brussels flight lands three and a half hours late in October 2026. It covers about 1,170 km, so under today's rules the airline owes €250 per passenger. The deadline for the claim comes from national law, not from the reform.

Every flight today still falls under the current regulation. In Sturgeon and Nelson, the Court of Justice held that an arrival delay of three hours or more can trigger fixed compensation. The airline can still refuse if it proves extraordinary circumstances.

Once the reform applies, three changes matter to you. The airline will have 30 days to pay or give a specific reason. It will have a 96-hour duty to tell passengers their rights. And a single EU-wide 9-month claim deadline will replace the national limits.

So claim under the current rules now, rather than holding back for the reform. The national deadline for your flight keeps running in the meantime. In Poland it is only one year.

Imagine a family of four on a Manchester to Tenerife flight that lands four hours late. The distance falls between 1,500 and 3,500 km, so under UK261 the airline owes £350 each, or £1,400 in total. One booking confirmation that lists all four names supports all four claims.

Article 3(2) of Regulation 261/2004 sets two conditions for a delay claim. You need a confirmed reservation, and you must present yourself for check-in on time. A cancellation claim drops the check-in condition altogether.

A boarding pass proves this well, but other papers can do the same job. Your booking confirmation shows the reservation. Airline emails about the delay show the airline knew you were travelling. A bank or card statement ties you to the ticket.

You can also request that the airline confirm your check-in from its own records. Keep screenshots of the airline app or any check-in email. Then send the claim with every piece of proof you still have.

Your papers should show the two things Article 3(2) of Regulation 261/2004 asks for: a confirmed reservation and timely check-in. A booking confirmation proves the reservation. A boarding pass, check-in email or app screenshot shows you turned up.

A couple flies Berlin to Athens and lands three hours and forty minutes late. The route covers about 1,800 km inside the EU, so the airline owes €400 each, or €800 together. Their receipt for an airport dinner supports a separate claim for care costs under Article 9.

Missed a connection? Include the single booking that covers both flights. Under Air France v Folkerts, the delay counts at your final destination on a single reservation. Note the time you got off the aircraft, since arrival means when a door opens.

Send copies, not originals, and keep a full set yourself. Put the booking reference in the subject line so the airline can match the papers.

Check the confirmation email, the airline app or the e-ticket receipt first. Booked through a travel agent? The agent may show its own reference. Get the airline's reference from the agent too, because the airline cannot search the agent's system.

The airline uses that code to find your reservation. It also helps prove the confirmed reservation that Article 3(2) of Regulation 261/2004 requires. Without it, the airline may ask for more proof before it looks at your claim.

One reference can also show that two flights formed a single booking. For instance, you might fly Dublin to Singapore via Frankfurt on one reference. Under Wegener and the Commission's 2024 guidelines, the delay can count at Singapore. That journey covers over 3,500 km, so the airline owes up to €600 per passenger.

Lost the code? Search your inbox for the airline's name and the travel date. The airline can also find the booking from your name, flight number and date.

Send it to the airline that operated the flight, not one that only sold the ticket. If it has an online claim form, use it and attach the same facts. Put the booking reference and flight details in the subject line.

Two or three sentences are enough to describe what happened. Give the scheduled arrival time and the time a door opened at your final destination. Then cite Article 7 of Regulation 261/2004 for compensation, and Article 9 for care costs.

Put it in numbers: a Brussels to Lisbon flight on 3 May 2026 arrives 3 hours 40 minutes late. It covers about 1,700 km inside the EU, so the airline owes €400 per passenger. A letter for two passengers would ask for €800, plus any meal receipts.

Keep a copy and proof that you sent it. The claim costs nothing to make, so do not pay anyone to send this letter. If no answer comes by your date, send one reminder before you escalate.

Regulation 261/2004 puts the duty to pay on the operating air carrier. You can reach it yourself, through its online form or by letter. Nothing in the regulation requires a lawyer or any other go-between.

A Stockholm to Rome flight is cancelled three days before departure. The airline offers no rerouting that leaves within one hour of the original time and arrives within two hours. The route covers about 1,980 km inside the EU, so the airline owes €400 per passenger. You claim that full amount from the airline.

Set out the facts in writing and attach your booking confirmation. Name Article 5 for the cancellation and Article 7 for the amount. Give a reply date and keep copies of everything you send.

A refusal does not end it. Many countries run free complaint routes through a national enforcement body or a dispute scheme. Court is the final step, and it may carry a fee.

Regulation 261/2004 fixes the amounts but not how fast the airline must answer a compensation claim. A ticket refund works differently. When you choose reimbursement after a cancellation, Articles 7(3) and 8 require payment within seven days.

For compensation, build your own timetable. Imagine you send a claim on 1 June for a three-hour delay on a 1,200 km flight. The airline owes €250 per passenger if no extraordinary circumstances apply. You ask for a reply by 29 June. If you hear nothing, you remind the airline and then escalate in July.

Diary the reply date. A reminder should quote your first message and set a final date. Watch the national limit while you wait, because a slow reply does not stop the clock in every country.

A fixed reply time is on its way. The reform will add a 30-day deadline for the airline to pay or give a specific reason. Until it applies, the current rules stand.

Silence is not a refusal, but it eats into your time. Log every message with its date. In the reminder, quote your booking reference, your first claim and the amount under Article 7 of Regulation 261/2004.

Keep an eye on the calendar. If a Polish court could hear your claim, the limit is one year. An airline that ignores you for six months leaves you six months to start court action. In England and Wales the limit is six years, but evidence still fades.

When the reminder fails, take it outside the airline. Some airlines take part in out-of-court dispute schemes. Each EU country also has a body that enforces air passenger rights. In the UK, the Civil Aviation Authority publishes guidance on what to do next.

Court is the final step. Cuadrench Moré v KLM leaves the deadline to national law, so file before your country's limit ends. Bring your letters as proof that you tried to settle first.

Two passengers on an Edinburgh to Rome flight land four hours late. The distance falls between 1,500 and 3,500 km, so the airline owes £350 each, or £700. In Scotland the court deadline is five years; in England and Wales it is six. The airline can still refuse if it proves extraordinary circumstances.

Their rights come from UK261, the UK's retained version of Regulation 261/2004. It keeps compensation, care, refund and rerouting rights, with amounts in pounds. The CAA sets out those rights in its passenger guidance on delays and cancellations.

The first claim goes to the airline that operated the flight. Include the booking reference, flight details and the amount. Keep its reply, because any later complaint will need it.

If the airline refuses, check whether it belongs to a dispute-resolution scheme, which reviews the case outside court. If it does not, the CAA's guidance explains how to raise the complaint instead. Either way, send your claim, the airline's answer and your booking confirmation.

Every EU country has a public body that checks airlines follow Regulation 261/2004. Use the one in the country where the problem happened, which is usually where the flight left. Its website explains how to file and what to attach.

For instance, a Madrid to Frankfurt flight lands three and a half hours late. It covers about 1,420 km, so the airline owes €250 per passenger. If the airline refuses, the Spanish enforcement body is the natural place to complain. Meanwhile, Spain's five-year limit keeps running.

Send the complete file: your claim, the airline's reply, the booking confirmation and any receipts. Keep the complaint short and name Article 7 for compensation. A consumer advice centre can help with cross-border cases.

Airlines will face a firmer timetable later. Under the reform approved on 7 July 2026, they get a 30-day deadline to pay or give a specific reason. It should apply from the second half of 2027. Until it applies, the current rules stand.

Three passengers on a Manchester to Málaga flight land five hours late. The distance falls between 1,500 and 3,500 km, so under UK261 the airline owes £350 each, or £1,050. In England, that claim can go to court for six years after the flight.

Article 7 of Regulation 261/2004 fixes the amount, so the court does not need to value your loss. It only decides whether the rules apply and whether the airline has a defence. If the airline relies on extraordinary circumstances, it must prove them.

Before you file, check which court can hear the case. Courts usually look at where the flight left or landed, and sometimes at where the airline has its base. Under Cuadrench Moré v KLM, each court brings its own deadline.

Bring your letters, the booking confirmation and the airline's refusal. Courts expect you to have tried to settle first. Court fees vary by country, so check them before you start.