Display omitted •La2MoO6 and La2Mo2O9 phosphors doped with Eu and Dy were synthesized by wet chemical method.•Structural and luminescence properties were conducted by XRD, PL and TL.•Optimum doping concentration was 2 mol%.•Activation energies were calculated using Peak shape method. We report a detailed structural analysis and properties of the photoluminescence (PL) and thermoluminescence (TL) spectra of Eu3+ and Dy3+ incorporated into novel La2MoO6 and La2Mo2O9 phosphors synthesized successfully through gel combustion synthesis. The formation of a tetragonal phase and a cubic structure were verified for La2MoO6 and La2Mo2O9 phosphors via X-ray diffraction (XRD) studies. Dy doped samples exhibited blue and green emissions at 480 nm (4F9/2 →6H15/2) and 572 nm (4F9/2 → 6H13/2), and also Eu doped samples showed a sharp emission peaks at 612 and 619 nm (5D0 →7F2) upon 349 nm pulse laser excitation. Peak shape (PS) technique was utilised to determine activation energy, frequency factor and order of kinetics associated with the main glow curves in undoped and Eu and Dy doped samples after X-ray irradiation. The present findings suggest that Eu and Dy incorporated La2MoO6 and La2Mo2O9 phosphors are highly auspicious candidates for applications in solid-state lighting.