How long after a flight can you claim compensation?
An older flight is not automatically too late, but the first airline complaint step can be much shorter than broad limitation-period summaries suggest.
There is no single global deadline
Passengers often hear that claims can be made for flights from the last three years. That is a useful rule of thumb in many contexts, but it is not universal.
Airline complaints, regulator complaints, and court limitation periods can be different steps with different timelines. Applicable law, route, airline, and jurisdiction all matter.
For Serbia-related handling, act early
For claims handled under Serbian passenger-rights practice, the first complaint to the airline is commonly described as a 90-day step from the date of the flight or the date it should have operated.
The airline response window is commonly described as 60 days. That makes early intake important even if a later legal route may still need separate review.
What makes review easier
Flight number, date, route, and booking evidence make older cases easier to review. The older the flight, the more useful written proof becomes.
If not every document is available, a preliminary check can still begin with the core flight details.
Do not wait unnecessarily
Even if a deadline may be longer, early action is better. Messages, boarding documents, receipts, and details are easier to collect soon after the disruption.
A timely intake reduces the risk of losing useful evidence.