Short answer: Report the problem at the airline's baggage desk before you leave the airport. Keep the baggage tag and incident reference, then send a written claim that ties each requested amount to an inventory, receipt, photo, or other record. An AirTag location or a photo of an empty carousel can support the timeline, but neither proves what was in the bag, what it was worth, or which party is legally responsible.

The rules change depending on whether the trip was domestic in the United States, international, or affected by airport security screening. This is practical consumer information, not legal advice.

Start by naming the baggage problem

Airlines usually put a claim into one of these categories:

• Delayed baggage: The bag arrives after you do. You may be able to claim reasonable, necessary purchases made during the delay. A checked-bag fee refund may also be available when federal thresholds apply.
• Lost baggage: The carrier admits the bag is lost, or a Montreal Convention-covered bag has not been delivered within 21 days.
• Damaged baggage: The bag or its contents arrive with visible or functional damage. Repair cost, age, condition, and the carrier's valuation rules can affect payment.
• Security-screening loss or damage: If the Transportation Security Administration caused the loss or damage during screening, a TSA claim may be more appropriate than an airline claim.

A missing bag can begin as delayed and later be treated as lost. Don't wait for the airline to choose the final label before reporting it and collecting evidence.

Which rules control the claim?

U.S. domestic flights

For domestic transportation, 14 CFR Part 254 generally limits an airline's liability for lost, damaged, or delayed baggage to $4,700 per passenger. That is a ceiling, not an automatic payment. You still have to prove a covered loss, and the airline may use depreciation or exclusions in its contract of carriage.

The limit is per passenger, not per bag. Checking three bags does not automatically give you three times the maximum.

International flights

The Montreal Convention usually applies to international carriage between countries that recognize it. It can also cover some itineraries with domestic segments when the whole trip was sold as one international journey.

The baggage liability limit is stated in Special Drawing Rights, or SDRs. The revised limit is 1,519 SDR per passenger, effective December 28, 2024. Its dollar equivalent changes with exchange rates, so an online conversion is not a fixed promise of payment. An airline's passenger liability notice describes these Montreal Convention limits.

A special declaration of interest made when you checked the bag can change the limit if you paid the required additional charge. Check the baggage receipt and the carrier's terms before relying on a declared value.

EU flight-disruption rules

EU261 can provide care, meals, accommodation, or other remedies for a qualifying cancellation or flight delay. It isn't a separate automatic payout schedule for the value of property inside a lost bag. Most international claims for baggage loss, damage, or delay rely on the Montreal Convention and the applicable airline terms.

The departure country, operating carrier, route, and itinerary determine whether EU passenger rules apply. European Consumer Centres Network guidance provides an EU-focused overview.

When a U.S. checked-bag fee must be refunded

A refund of the checked-bag fee is separate from compensation for the bag or its contents. Under DOT rules, a bag is generally considered significantly delayed when it has not been delivered within:

• 12 hours after gate arrival for a domestic flight;
• 15 hours for an international flight scheduled to last 12 hours or less; or
• 30 hours for a longer international flight.

If you paid a checked-bag fee and the threshold is met, the airline generally must refund that fee after receiving your mishandled-bag report. The refund is generally due within seven business days when the original payment was by credit or debit card, or within 20 calendar days for other payment methods. See the DOT's baggage guidance for current procedures.

There isn't a universal federal rule requiring every airline to put a bag on the carousel within 30 minutes. A 20-minute promise, if an airline offers one, is a company program with its own eligibility rules and filing deadline.

Keep the two deadline clocks separate

The airport report and the formal written claim are not always the same thing. A PIR, or mishandled-baggage report, shows that you reported the problem; it may not be the complete compensation claim.

Report a missing or damaged bag at the airport even if you don't yet have every receipt. If the baggage office is closed, use the airline's online or telephone reporting system as soon as possible and save the confirmation. Some carriers set shorter procedural deadlines for domestic claims.

For an international claim, the seven-day and 21-day periods matter especially. Citizens Advice's baggage guidance also recommends reporting the problem straight away and checking the airline's deadline.

Build an evidence file that matches the amount requested

Create one digital folder and keep the original documents somewhere safe. Clear filenames make the file easier to use, such as bag-tag-123456.jpg, PIR-reference.pdf, and delayed-bag-expenses.xlsx.

Travel and baggage records

Save:

• Boarding passes, itinerary, and ticket receipt
• The baggage-fee receipt, if you paid one
• The baggage tag or claim stub
• The bag-tag number, flight number, date, route, and destination
• A description of the bag, including brand, color, size, unique marks, and contents
• The PIR or mishandled-baggage reference number
• Airline tracking screenshots and delivery updates

If you lost the paper baggage stub, tell the airline rather than giving up on the claim. The bag-tag number may also appear in your booking record or the airline's app.

A contents inventory

List each item separately. A round-number demand is difficult to check; an itemized table shows how you reached the total.

A list reconstructed from memory is still worth submitting, but identify it honestly and support it where possible with retailer records, bank statements, warranty documents, product serial numbers, dated photographs, or comparable listings. Don't claim the price of a brand-new replacement for an old item without explaining the valuation.

Cash, jewelry, fragile property, electronics, and other valuables may have special restrictions when placed in checked baggage. Review the operating carrier's contract of carriage before assuming every item is covered.

Receipts for necessary purchases

For a delayed bag, keep itemized receipts for reasonable necessities such as basic clothing and toiletries. Buy what you need for the delay, not luxury upgrades. An airline may question an expensive or unrelated purchase when a lower-cost option was reasonably available.

Don't assume that an airline will reimburse every essential purchase at a flat 50 percent or 100 percent rate. The applicable law, airline policy, length of the delay, location, and reasonableness of the purchase all matter.

Write down why each purchase was necessary and whether the airline offered an amenity kit, advance, or replacement items. Keep proof of any reimbursement so you don't request payment twice.

Photos and condition records

For a damaged bag, photograph:

• The outside of the bag from several angles
• Broken wheels, handles, zippers, locks, and seams
• Damage to clothing, electronics, or other contents
• The baggage tag still attached to the bag
• Packaging or protective material, if relevant

Take the photographs before repairing, discarding, or altering the bag. Ask the airline whether it wants an inspection or a repair estimate.

Pre-trip photos of a packed bag can help show what was inside. A photo of an empty carousel is much weaker: it may support your account of the wait, but it doesn't prove that the airline lost the bag.

A dated contact log

For every call, email, chat, or airport visit, record the date, time, contact method, representative's name, reference number, and any promise made. Keep chat transcripts, text messages, claim-status pages, and delivery notifications.

After a phone call, send a short email confirming what you understood. A written record is easier to attach to an appeal than a later recollection.

How AirTag evidence helps

An AirTag or similar tracker can show that a bag was still at an airport, moved to another city, or remained near a baggage facility. Take dated screenshots showing the location and share them through the airline's official baggage channel.

Tracking evidence has limits:

• It doesn't prove what was inside the bag.
• It doesn't by itself prove which carrier caused the loss.
• It may show an approximate or outdated location.
• It doesn't authorize you to enter a restricted baggage area.

If the location suggests theft, give the information to the airline, airport police, or the relevant security agency. Don't confront someone or try to retrieve the bag from a restricted area yourself.

File the claim in this order

1. Report the problem before leaving

Go to the operating carrier's baggage desk and ask the agent to create a report. Get the reference number and a copy or screenshot. Confirm the delivery address and phone number the airline has on file.

On a codeshare itinerary, the operating carrier typically handles the physical baggage report. Notify the ticketing carrier too if its claim portal or instructions require it.

2. Ask what the airline knows

Request the bag's last scan, routing information, delivery status, and the next required step. The airline may not provide every internal record, but asking early can show where the dispute lies.

If you suspect that screening caused the loss or damage, save the TSA control number and use the TSA claims process. TSA says the Federal Tort Claims Act governs this process, and a full investigation can take time.

3. Send a separate written compensation claim

Use the airline's baggage-claim portal or written claims address. Attach copies, not irreplaceable originals. Say exactly what you want:

• A refund of an eligible checked-bag fee
• Reasonable expenses caused by a delay
• The documented value of the bag and its contents if it is lost
• Repair costs or the covered value of damaged property

Refer to the PIR number and the applicable rule without overstating the facts. For an international claim, identify it as a claim under the Montreal Convention and observe the seven-day or 21-day written-notice requirement.

4. Show your calculation

For each item, give the original price, age, condition, supporting document, depreciation or replacement calculation, and amount requested. The legal limit is not a guaranteed settlement.

Sentimental value, inconvenience, missed celebrations, and frustration generally don't establish the market value of property. Don't add an item simply to bring the total up to the liability cap.

If the airline denies or undervalues the claim

Read the denial for the specific reason. Common explanations include:

• The claim was submitted late
• The item is excluded from checked-baggage liability
• Proof of ownership or value was insufficient
• The airline considers the damage normal wear
• The request exceeds the applicable limit
• Another carrier or TSA should handle the loss
• The airline already paid or offered a settlement

Send a focused appeal instead of repeating the whole travel story. Include the claim reference, a short timeline, the rule you rely on, an itemized calculation, and the evidence you are adding.

You can ask for a response within 14 calendar days. That is a deadline you set for the appeal, not a universal legal deadline. Don't sign a release or accept an offer marked as full and final until you understand which parts of the claim it closes.

For a U.S. airline or flight, file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Transportation if the carrier doesn't follow applicable consumer-protection rules. A DOT complaint can document the dispute and may prompt a response, but it isn't a substitute for the airline claim and doesn't automatically award the value of your belongings.

For an EU-covered journey, a national enforcement body or an eligible European Consumer Centre may offer another consumer escalation route. For a Montreal claim, remember that an agency complaint doesn't extend the two-year court limitation period. Domestic court deadlines vary by state and contract.

Check insurance before choosing a final route

Travel insurance, homeowners insurance, or renters insurance may cover baggage under terms different from the airline's. Compare:

• Deductible
• Per-item and total limits
• Depreciation rules
• Electronics or jewelry sublimits
• Exclusions for unattended or checked valuables
• Whether the policy requires an airline denial first

Notify the insurer promptly and provide the same evidence. An insurer that pays may have recovery rights against the airline, and you shouldn't collect twice for the same loss.

Credit-card travel protection is also separate from a credit-card billing dispute. Paying for a flight by card doesn't automatically justify a chargeback for lost contents. Check the card's benefits guide and the issuer's claim procedure instead.

Common questions

Do I have to file a PIR within 24 hours?

There is no universal 24-hour federal rule for every baggage problem. Report the problem at the airport immediately because the carrier may require a prompt report and the record supports your claim. International written-notice deadlines are different: seven days for damage and 21 days for delay under the Montreal Convention.

Can an AirTag prove that the airline owes me money?

It can support the bag's location and timing, but it doesn't prove the contents, value, or legal responsibility. Pair the screenshots with the bag tag, airline report, inventory, receipts, and communication log.

What if I have no receipts?

Submit other evidence, such as card or bank records, retailer order histories, warranty documents, serial numbers, dated photographs, or a truthful inventory. With less documentation, the airline is more likely to question ownership, condition, or value.

When is a delayed bag legally lost?

For a Montreal Convention-covered trip, a bag not delivered within 21 days is generally treated as lost. For a U.S. domestic trip, ask the airline for its written search-period and lost-baggage procedure.

Does EU261 automatically compensate lost luggage?

Usually not. EU261 can address qualifying flight delays or cancellations, while baggage loss, damage, and delay are generally handled under the Montreal Convention and the carrier's baggage terms.

Your next step

Put the baggage tag, PIR reference, itinerary, inventory, receipts, tracking screenshots, and contact log in one folder today. Then submit the written claim before the shortest applicable deadline, even if you still need to identify a missing document. If the airline has already denied the claim, ask for the exact exclusion or calculation and answer that point with a specific record.