If your checked bag is missing, start the process before you leave the airport. Check the nearby belts and oversize-baggage area, then report the bag to the airline's baggage desk and get a case or incident number. Follow that report with the airline's written baggage claim. Keep the baggage-tag receipt, boarding pass, travel records, photographs, and every receipt for replacement items.
A checked bag may be delayed rather than permanently lost. That doesn't mean you should wait 21 days to report it. On a U.S. domestic trip, federal baggage rules generally require the airline to reimburse reasonable, actual, verifiable expenses caused by a baggage delay. Lost or damaged bags may also qualify for compensation, subject to liability limits and the airline's contract. An international itinerary may instead be governed by the Montreal Convention.
These steps concern checked bags accepted by an airline. A carry-on left in a terminal should usually be reported to the airport's lost-and-found office, and possibly to the airline as well.
Identify what happened
| Situation | First step | Timing to watch |
|---|---|---|
| The bag did not arrive | Check nearby and oversize-baggage areas, then report it to the airline | Report it immediately and check the carrier's written-claim deadline |
| The bag arrived late | Keep receipts for reasonable essentials bought while waiting | On an international itinerary, written notice is generally due within 21 days after delivery |
| The bag arrived damaged | Photograph it before repairing or using it | On an international itinerary, written notice is generally due within 7 days |
| The bag is still missing | Keep the tracing case open and prepare an inventory | Under the Montreal Convention, non-delivery after 21 days generally allows a lost-baggage claim |
The 21-day period is a legal threshold used for many international journeys. It isn't a reason to delay the airport report, the expense claim, or follow-up with the airline.
At the airport
- Check the nearby carousels. A bag can end up on an adjacent belt, in an oversize-baggage area, or at the airline's service desk. Ask an agent to search the bag-tag number in the system.
- Report the problem before leaving the baggage area when possible. If the desk is closed, use the airline's official online reporting form and save the confirmation screen.
- Ask for a PIR or equivalent report. A Property Irregularity Report records the incident and starts the tracing process. Airlines don't all use the term PIR, and reference-number formats differ.
- Check every detail before submitting it. Confirm your name, phone number, email, delivery address, flight details, bag-tag number, and a useful description of the bag. Add the hotel address and checkout date if you need delivery while traveling.
- Ask how expenses are claimed. The airline may use a separate reimbursement form. Ask whether it will deliver the bag and which receipts or documents it requires.
- Save your own record. Photograph the report, bag tag, boarding pass, and written instructions. Note the date, time, agent's name, and each follow-up.
If more than one airline handled the itinerary, report the problem at the final arrival airport and ask which carrier will handle the claim. Separate tickets may be treated as separate contracts, so keep both itineraries and all baggage records.
The airport report is not always the money claim
A PIR or similar report is mainly a tracing record. It may not be the formal written claim needed for reimbursement or compensation.
Once the report is open, use the airline's official baggage-claims page or app. Include the report number and attach:
- Baggage-tag receipt and photographs
- Boarding passes and itinerary
- Flight numbers, dates, and airports
- A description of the bag, including brand, color, size, and identifying marks
- An inventory of the contents with their approximate age and value
- Receipts for essential purchases
- A repair estimate or photographs if the bag was damaged
- Your delivery address and contact information
Save the submission confirmation. Don't email a complete payment-card number or an account password.
For the contents inventory, accuracy matters more than a high total. List each item, its purchase date if known, original price, current value, and evidence such as a receipt, photograph, warranty, or order confirmation. Airlines may account for age and depreciation, so the original retail price won't necessarily be the amount paid for every item.
Keep tracing the bag
Use the airline's baggage portal or app with the reference number. Some carriers use WorldTracer or a similar tracing system, although passengers may not have direct access to the underlying record.
If updates stop, ask the baggage office:
- Where was the bag last scanned?
- Was it loaded onto a later flight?
- Has it reached the destination airport?
- Is delivery arranged?
- Does the carrier need a more detailed inventory?
A Bluetooth tracker, such as an Apple AirTag, can add useful location information. Take screenshots that show the location and time, then send them through the airline's approved channel. A tracker may show only a last known location, not live movement. It doesn't replace the airline report or establish the amount of compensation.
Don't enter a restricted baggage area or try to retrieve the bag yourself. If the tracker points to another airport or facility, give that information to the baggage office. An alert about an unknown tracker traveling with you is a separate safety matter; follow Apple's support guidance rather than treating it as a baggage claim update.
Claim reasonable expenses while the bag is delayed
Buy only what you reasonably need while you're away from home. Basic clothing, underwear, toiletries, and other necessary personal items may be appropriate. The length of the delay and the circumstances of the trip matter, so keep the purchases proportionate.
There isn't a universal U.S. allowance of $50 or $100 per day for every airline. A carrier may have a courtesy allowance or internal process, but your claim should still show the actual expenses and comply with the carrier's rules.
A simple record can look like this:
| Date | Item | Why it was needed | Amount | Receipt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 12 | Basic clothing | Bag delayed overnight | $___ | Yes |
| June 12 | Toiletries | No access to checked items | $___ | Yes |
Skip luxury purchases, duplicates, souvenirs, and items unrelated to the delay. If a medical, work, or accessibility need makes an item unusually expensive, explain the reason and keep supporting documentation.
Submit receipts as soon as the airline's process permits. Delivery of the bag doesn't automatically close the expense issue; file the reimbursement claim promptly under the applicable deadline. If the airline offers an advance payment, ask whether it is an advance reimbursement or a final settlement before accepting it.
If you paid a checked-bag fee, ask the airline whether the fee qualifies for a refund when the bag is lost or significantly delayed. The U.S. Department of Transportation's baggage guidance explains the federal rules and incidental-expense treatment.
Compensation rules for U.S. travelers
Domestic U.S. flights
For a domestic U.S. itinerary, the airline's contract of carriage and federal baggage rules govern the claim. In general:
- The airline must reimburse reasonable, actual, verifiable expenses caused by a baggage delay.
- Lost or damaged checked baggage may qualify for compensation based on the proven value of the loss.
- Domestic baggage liability is generally capped at up to $4,700 per passenger. That is a ceiling, not an automatic payment.
- The airline may question items that were improperly packed, unsuitable for checked baggage, or excluded by its contract.
- A stressful delay does not automatically create a separate payment for inconvenience or emotional distress.
Keep cash, jewelry, medication, passports, keys, valuables, and irreplaceable electronics in your carry-on. Airline contracts may limit or exclude liability for some valuable or fragile items placed in checked baggage.
International journeys
International carriage may be governed by the Montreal Convention. Under the current baggage limit, which took effect in 2024, carrier liability is capped at 1,519 Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) per passenger. The dollar or euro equivalent changes with the exchange rate.
The limit is not a guaranteed settlement. You still need evidence of what was lost or damaged and its reasonable value. If you declared a higher value and paid for additional coverage at check-in, include that paperwork.
For a journey covered by the Convention:
- A written complaint about damaged baggage generally must reach the carrier within 7 days after you receive the bag.
- A written complaint about delayed baggage generally must be made within 21 days after the bag is made available to you.
- If the bag hasn't arrived within 21 days, it is generally treated as lost for purposes of enforcing the baggage claim, unless the carrier admits the loss sooner.
The European Consumer Centres Network baggage guidance summarizes these international deadlines and limits.
EU261 flight-delay compensation is a different issue. It mainly concerns flight cancellations, long delays, and denied boarding; it doesn't replace the Montreal Convention process for lost, delayed, or damaged baggage.
Put the deadlines on your calendar
The safest sequence is to report the problem immediately, open the written claim as soon as the airline allows it, and keep proof that you submitted it.
- Missing bag: Report it on arrival. Start the written claim without waiting 21 days.
- Delayed bag on an international itinerary: Send the written expense claim within 21 days after receiving the bag.
- Damaged bag on an international itinerary: Send written notice within 7 days after receiving it.
- Domestic U.S. trip: Check the airline's contract of carriage and claim form for the applicable reporting and claim deadlines.
- Bag still missing: At or before day 21, ask the airline to convert the tracing case into a lost-baggage valuation claim if it hasn't already done so.
An airport report may not satisfy a separate written-notice requirement. Use the carrier's claim portal, email, or another written method and save the confirmation.
If the airline denies or closes the claim
Ask for the decision in writing instead of relying on a phone explanation. Request:
- The reason for the denial or the calculation of the settlement amount.
- The specific provision of the airline's contract of carriage.
- The records used to determine the bag's last location or the value of the loss.
- The deadline and process for reconsideration.
Reply in the existing claim thread with anything missing, such as receipts, photographs, baggage tags, or a fuller inventory. Keep a timeline of calls, emails, submissions, and responses.
Travel insurance and credit-card travel protection may cover baggage delay or loss. Those benefits come from a separate contract and don't replace an airline claim. Check notice deadlines, receipt requirements, deductibles, exclusions, and whether the coverage is primary or secondary. Tell the insurer about any payment from the airline; policies commonly coordinate benefits.
Don't file a credit-card billing dispute just because an airline lost your bag. A billing dispute generally concerns an incorrect or unauthorized charge. Use the card's travel-protection claim process unless there is a separate billing problem.
If the airline still doesn't resolve the matter, submit a complaint through the DOT consumer complaint form. Include the airline claim number and copies of your correspondence. A DOT complaint creates a regulatory record, but it doesn't replace the baggage claim or guarantee a payment. For a large disputed loss, review the contract's legal deadlines and consider qualified consumer or legal help.
Make the next bag easier to recover
A few small preparations can save time if a bag goes astray:
- Photograph the outside of each bag, its contents, and the baggage tag before departure.
- Remove old airline tags and check that the new tag has the correct destination.
- Use a distinctive strap or tag, with contact information inside and outside the bag.
- Pack medication, identification, keys, cash, valuables, electronics, and one change of clothes in your carry-on.
- Add a tracker and save its serial number or account details before checking the bag.
- If you gate-check a carry-on, remove valuables and photograph the gate-check tag.
- Keep the baggage receipt with your boarding pass until the trip ends.
- Follow the airline's battery rules for smart luggage and tracking devices.
- Avoid unnecessarily tight connections when possible, particularly on separate tickets.
- Keep a digital inventory of expensive items and store receipts securely.
If your bag is missing now, open the airline report before leaving the baggage area, save the reference number, and keep the first receipt for any necessary purchase.