Home / Claim deadline
How far back can you claim?
UK261 and EU261 don't set a time limit themselves; the national limitation period of the country where you bring the claim applies. That means you can often claim for flights from years ago.
| Where the claim is brought | Limit | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| England & Wales | 6 years | Limitation Act 1980 (confirmed for flight delay claims in Dawson v Thomson Airways, Court of Appeal 2014) |
| Northern Ireland | 6 years | Limitation (NI) Order 1989 |
| Scotland | 5 years | Prescription and Limitation (Scotland) Act 1973 |
| Ireland | 6 years | Statute of Limitations 1957 |
| Spain | 5 years | Spanish Civil Code, art. 1964 |
Which courts you can use depends on where your flight departed or arrived and where the airline is based. Don't leave it too late: evidence (boarding passes, emails) gets harder to find.
Claiming yourself (free)
Write to the airline with your booking reference, flight number, date and what happened, and ask for the fixed compensation under UK261 or EU261. If they refuse or don't reply within 8 weeks, escalate: UK airlines usually belong to an ADR scheme (e.g. AviationADR or CEDR); otherwise the UK CAA can help. For flights departing Spain (including the Canaries) you can complain to AESA, and in Ireland to the Aviation Regulator.
Using a claims company
If you don't want the hassle, a company like AirHelp handles it on a no-win, no-fee basis. You get less money (they keep a fee), but they deal with the airline and, if needed, the courts.
Last reviewed 20 October 2026. General information, not legal advice.