Can You Claim for a Flight From 3 Years Ago? Yes — Here's How

Here's something most air passengers don't know: you don't have to claim flight compensation immediately. If you experienced a flight delay, cancellation, or denied boarding months or even years ago, you may still be entitled to up to €600 under EU Regulation 261/2004.

Millions of euros in retroactive flight compensation goes unclaimed every year, simply because passengers assume it's "too late." It usually isn't. This guide explains exactly how far back you can claim, the time limits that apply, and how to file an old flight claim successfully.

Why Retroactive Flight Compensation Exists

EU261 doesn't set a single EU-wide deadline for filing claims. Instead, the statute of limitations — the time limit within which you must take action — is determined by the national law of the country where you file your claim.

This is a crucial detail. The European Court of Justice confirmed in the Moré v KLM case (C-139/11) that time limits for EU261 claims follow national prescription rules. This means:

• The time limit varies by country
• You can sometimes choose which country's laws to apply
• Many countries give you 3 years or more to file

The result? A flight you took in 2023, 2024, or even earlier may still be eligible for compensation today in 2026.

Time Limits by Country: How Far Back Can You Claim?

Here's a comprehensive breakdown of the statute of limitations for EU261 flight compensation claims across major European jurisdictions:

6 years

• United Kingdom — among the most generous. Flights from 2020 onward are still claimable in 2026
• Ireland — same 6-year limitation

5 years

• France — flights from 2021 onward are eligible in 2026

3 years

• Germany — calculated from the end of the year in which the flight occurred. So a flight on January 15, 2023 is claimable until December 31, 2026
• Austria — 3 years from the flight date
• Switzerland — 3 years (though not EU, Swiss courts apply EU261 for flights from EU airports)

2 years

• Netherlands — relatively short, under general transport law
• Belgium — 1 year under some interpretations, though contested

1 year

• Poland — one of the shortest in the EU
• Czech Republic — 3 years under general civil law, but 1 year arguments have been made

10 years

• Luxembourg — the most generous in Europe

Important: These time limits can change based on legal interpretations and court rulings. When in doubt, check your eligibility — better to discover you're too late than never to have tried.

Which Country's Time Limit Applies to Your Claim?

This is where retroactive flight compensation gets strategically interesting. You generally have a choice of jurisdiction:

Option 1: Country of departure

The courts of the country where your flight departed from have jurisdiction.

Option 2: Country of arrival

The courts of the destination country also have jurisdiction.

Option 3: Airline's home country

You can often file in the country where the airline is domiciled.

Option 4: Your home country

Under some circumstances, you can file in your country of residence.

Strategic example: You flew Lufthansa from Munich to Dublin in February 2023. It's now February 2026 — exactly 3 years later. Under German law (3 years from end of 2023 = December 2026), you're still in time. Under Irish law (6 years), you have until 2029. Under German rules specifically, the claim runs until the end of 2026, so you're fine either way.

The ability to choose jurisdictions is one reason working with a claims specialist like FlightOwed is valuable — we know which jurisdiction maximises your chances.

How to File a Retroactive Flight Compensation Claim

Step 1: Find Your Old Flight Details

You need basic information about your disrupted flight:

• Flight number (e.g., LH400, BA117, AF1234)
• Date of travel
• Route (departure and arrival airports)
• Nature of disruption (delay, cancellation, denied boarding)

Where to find old flight details:

• Email archives — search for "booking confirmation," "e-ticket," or "itinerary"
• Airline apps — most retain booking history for years
• Bank/credit card statements — search for the airline name to identify dates
• Frequent flyer accounts — booking history is typically retained
• Google account — if you use Google Trips or Gmail, flight details are often automatically extracted

Step 2: Verify the Delay

For a retroactive claim, you need to confirm that your flight was actually delayed by 3+ hours (or cancelled/denied boarding). Sources include:

• Flight tracking databases — services like FlightRadar24 retain historical flight data
• Airport records — some airports publish historical delay data
• FlightOwed's database — we can verify delays using official aviation data sources

You don't need to have personally documented the delay at the time. Historical flight data exists independently and can prove your claim.

Step 3: Determine Your Time Limit

Based on the guidance above, identify which country's statute of limitations applies and confirm you're within the window.

Step 4: File Your Claim

You have two options:

Direct with the airline: You can contact the airline's customer service. Be aware that airlines are even more likely to reject old claims — they may argue (incorrectly) that you're "too late" or that records aren't available.

Through FlightOwed: Submit your flight details and we'll handle everything. We specialise in retroactive claims and know exactly how to navigate airline pushback on older disruptions.

Common Challenges with Old Flight Claims

"We have no record of a delay"

Airlines sometimes claim they can't verify old disruptions. This is almost never true — flight data is retained by Eurocontrol, airport authorities, and independent tracking services. FlightOwed uses multiple data sources to verify historical delays.

"The time limit has expired"

Airlines frequently misstate the applicable time limit. They may cite a shorter limitation period than actually applies, or argue that the deadline has passed when it hasn't. Don't take the airline's word for it — verify independently.

"Extraordinary circumstances applied"

Airlines use this defence for old claims just as they do for new ones. The same rules apply: technical faults, crew issues, and operational problems are not extraordinary circumstances, regardless of when the flight occurred.

Missing documentation

You might worry that you don't have boarding passes or booking confirmations from years ago. In practice:

• Airlines retain booking records for several years
• Credit card statements prove you were booked
• Historical flight data proves the delay
• Courts generally don't require the passenger to prove every detail — the burden shifts to the airline

Real-World Examples of Successful Retroactive Claims

Example 1: 2023 Summer Chaos

A family of four flew from London Heathrow to Malaga in July 2023. Their flight was delayed by 4 hours due to "operational reasons." They never claimed at the time because they didn't know they could. In 2026, they filed through FlightOwed and received €250 × 4 = €1,000 — the UK's 6-year limit meant they had plenty of time.

Example 2: Lufthansa Technical Delay

A business traveller flew Frankfurt to Chicago in March 2024. A mechanical issue caused a 5-hour delay. He assumed the airline would contact him about compensation — they didn't. Filing in 2026 under Germany's 3-year rule (expiry: end of 2027), he received €600.

Example 3: COVID-Era Cancellation

A couple had their Air France flight from Paris to New York cancelled in September 2022 with 3 days' notice. They were rebooked but arrived 6 hours late. Under France's 5-year limit, they claimed in 2026 and received €600 each = €1,200 total.

The Financial Impact: Why Retroactive Claims Matter

Consider how much unclaimed compensation might be sitting in your travel history:

• One qualifying long-haul flight: €600
• Family of four on one flight: €2,400
• Multiple qualifying flights over 3 years: potentially thousands of euros

A frequent traveller with just two or three qualifying disruptions per year could have €3,000–€5,000 in unclaimed compensation. For business travellers, the amounts can be even higher.

COVID-19 Era Flights: A Special Case

The pandemic period (2020–2022) saw unprecedented flight disruptions. Many passengers assumed that COVID cancellations weren't covered by EU261. The reality is nuanced:

• Airline-initiated cancellations where no government ban was in place → likely covered
• Government travel bans that forced cancellations → may qualify as extraordinary circumstances
• Schedule changes and consolidations by the airline → often covered

Given that many EU countries offer 3–6 year time limits, 2020–2022 flights are still potentially claimable in 2026. If you had flights disrupted during COVID, it's worth checking.

Don't Wait Any Longer: Time Limits Are Real

While this guide is encouraging about the availability of retroactive claims, there's an important caveat: time limits are real, and they do expire. Every day you wait is a day closer to losing your right to claim.

The best time to claim was right after your flight. The second-best time is now.

Check Your Old Flights Today

Think back over the last few years. Any delayed flights? Cancellations? Missed connections? Each one could be worth €250–€600 per person.

Check your old flights now →

Enter your flight details — even approximate dates work — and FlightOwed will verify whether you have a valid claim. It takes 3 minutes and costs nothing to check.

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Related reading:

• EU Flight Compensation Statistics
• Airline Voucher vs Cash: Know Your Rights
• Business Travel Compensation Guide
• Lufthansa Compensation Guide
• British Airways Compensation Guide