If a checked bag is missing or damaged, report it at the airport before you leave. Get a baggage file number, photograph the tag and any damage, and file a separate written compensation claim. Tracing and reimbursement are different steps. A Property Irregularity Report (PIR) starts the search; it doesn't always request payment.
For a flight entirely within the U.S., the airline's contract of carriage and federal baggage rules control. For qualifying international travel, the Montreal Convention usually controls the liability limit and written-notice deadlines. In both settings, the airline pays documented, eligible loss, not an automatic flat amount.
A PIR is not a complete claim. EU261 is not a lost-luggage payout schedule. The domestic $4,700 figure is a per-passenger ceiling, not a guaranteed check. The U.S. Department of Transportation's baggage guidance is a useful starting point.
Delayed, lost, or damaged
The category changes the evidence you need and the deadline that applies.
Delayed: The bag hasn't arrived, but the airline is still tracing it. Buy only reasonable essentials and keep itemized receipts. You don't have to wait for an employee to say "lost" before claiming those expenses or sending written notice.
Lost: The airline has acknowledged the loss, or an international bag has not arrived within 21 days after it should have arrived. From that point you can pursue the eligible current value of the suitcase and contents, still subject to limits and exclusions.
Damaged: The bag or its contents arrived with physical damage. Report missing contents or signs of tampering immediately, and don't discard the suitcase before photographing it or asking whether the airline wants an inspection.
What to do before leaving the airport
- Report the problem at the baggage service desk. Ask for a PIR or the airline's equivalent. Get the file or reference number.
- Photograph your evidence. Capture the baggage tag, tag receipt, damaged bag, and any visible identifying marks. Save your boarding pass and itinerary.
- Confirm delivery details. Give the airline a reliable address and phone number. Ask how it will deliver the bag and how often you should check for updates.
- Ask about necessary purchases. If the bag is delayed, stick to basic clothing and toiletries. Keep itemized receipts and skip expensive upgrades.
- Record the timeline. Note when you reported the bag, who assisted you, what the airline promised, and every later contact.
If the desk is closed or you've already left, report the bag through the airline's website or app immediately. Screenshot the confirmation and save the reference number.
Submit a written baggage claim promptly
Report the mishandling at once, then submit the compensation form as soon as the airline makes it available. Keep the confirmation email or a PDF of the completed form.
| Situation | Deadline or rule to watch |
|---|---|
| U.S.-only flight | There is no single federal seven-day deadline for every domestic baggage claim. The airline's contract and claim form control the procedure, so submit the claim immediately. |
| Damaged baggage on international carriage | The Montreal Convention generally requires written notice within seven days after you receive the bag. |
| Delayed baggage on international carriage | Written notice generally must be made within 21 days after the bag is placed at your disposal or delivered. |
| Bag not delivered on an international itinerary | After 21 days from the date the bag should have arrived, the Convention allows you to enforce your rights as a loss. Don't wait until then to report it. |
An airline's form may still ask for an earlier operational report. Follow that instruction and keep proof of when you reported the issue. On a codeshare or connecting itinerary, identify both the operating airline and the airline that issued the baggage record. If you're unsure where to file, ask both carriers in writing and keep one consistent claim number.
Build an evidence package
Airlines usually review claims item by item. A short, labeled packet is easier to process than a long narrative.
Include:
- PIR or baggage file confirmation
- Baggage tag number and photographs
- Boarding pass, ticket receipt, and complete itinerary
- A timeline of the delay, loss, or damage
- An inventory of each missing or damaged item
- Purchase receipts, bank statements, warranty records, or photographs
- Receipts for essential purchases made during a delay
- Any special valuation declaration or excess-value receipt
- Copies of emails, chat messages, and denial letters
Use an inventory like this:
| Item | Purchase date | Original price | Requested current value | Proof |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suitcase, brand and model | Month and year | $___ | $___ | Receipt or product photo |
| Jacket, size and brand | Month and year | $___ | $___ | Receipt, photograph, or bank record |
Be honest about age and condition. Carriers commonly pay the current value of used items, not new-for-old replacement cost. If you don't have a receipt, a bank or credit-card statement, a photo showing ownership, a product serial number, or a retailer listing for the same or comparable item can still help.
Don't inflate values to reach a liability cap. An unsupported inventory can weaken the whole claim.
What compensation may cover
When a bag is delayed, the airline may owe reasonable, verifiable expenses the delay actually caused: basic clothing, toiletries, and similar necessities. Keep purchases in line with the length and purpose of the trip. Missed activities, emotional distress, sentimental value, and luxury replacements are commonly disputed or excluded. Costs after you return home are also harder to justify, because the airline may argue you already had access to necessities.
Checked-bag fee refunds are a separate ask from contents reimbursement. Under DOT rules, a checked bag is generally considered significantly delayed after:
- 12 hours after the aircraft reaches the gate on a domestic flight
- 15 hours on an international flight lasting 12 hours or less
- 30 hours on an international flight lasting more than 12 hours
When that threshold is met, the airline must refund the checked-bag fee. Request that refund on its own so it isn't mixed into the value of the contents.
If the bag is later treated as lost, the claim can include the eligible current value of the suitcase and its contents, subject to the applicable liability limit and the airline's exclusions. Keep the delay-purchase receipts anyway; those expenses can remain relevant. Ask the carrier to explain how it calculated depreciation, which items it excluded and why, whether the liability limit applies to the entire passenger claim, and whether it deducted anything for recovered or salvaged property.
For physical damage, request repair costs or the reasonable current value of the damaged item. Photograph the damage from several angles, and don't repair it until the airline says whether it needs an inspection.
Liability limits and exclusions
For a flight entirely within the U.S., federal law sets a minimum baggage liability limit of $4,700 per passenger, not $4,700 for every suitcase. The rule appears in 14 CFR Part 254.
For international carriage covered by the Montreal Convention, the baggage limit is 1,519 Special Drawing Rights per passenger. The dollar value moves with the SDR exchange rate, so it's roughly in the low-$2,000 range rather than a fixed U.S. dollar amount.
Those figures are ceilings, not guaranteed payouts. You still have to prove an eligible loss, and the airline may apply depreciation or contractual exclusions. Some carriers offer excess valuation for an extra charge, but only if the service is available and you arrange it under their rules. A standard declaration at check-in doesn't automatically lift the legal cap.
Airline baggage terms may exclude or limit liability for items such as:
- Cash and financial documents
- Jewelry and other high-value items
- Certain electronics
- Fragile or perishable goods
- Business documents
- Medication or medical equipment
- Items packed contrary to the airline's instructions
Read the contract of carriage before arguing over an excluded item. If one category is barred, claim the remaining eligible items separately instead of dropping the whole file.
Travel that touched Europe still doesn't turn EU261 into a general lost-luggage payment chart. EU261 mainly covers cancellations, significant flight delays, and denied boarding. The Montreal Convention or another applicable baggage rule usually controls the value of an international baggage claim.
American Airlines, Delta, and United: check the form that matches your itinerary
American Airlines, Delta, and United use different forms and may show different deadlines for domestic, international, delayed, damaged, and lost-bag claims. A rumor that one carrier always allows seven days, or another always allows 30, can be wrong for your ticket.
Use the airline's current baggage page:
- American Airlines delayed baggage page
- Delta delayed, lost, or damaged baggage page
- United delayed baggage page
Before you submit, confirm whether the itinerary is domestic or international; whether you're filing for delay, loss, damage, or missing contents; the deadline shown for that claim type; which carrier operated the relevant flight; and whether the form requires receipts, an inventory, or a signed declaration.
Save a copy of the completed form. If the app only shows tracing status, look for a separate claim or reimbursement section. If the portal rejects a timely claim, contact customer service and document that failed attempt.
How to appeal a denied baggage claim
Answer the stated reason for denial. A general complaint is easier to ignore.
- Get the denial in writing. Ask for the exact policy clause, exclusion, or valuation method used.
- Check the math. Compare the airline's itemized offer with your inventory, current-value evidence, and receipts.
- Fix the specific gap. Add proof of ownership, clarify the timeline, or drop items the contract clearly excludes.
- State the remedy. Request a specific dollar amount, a baggage-fee refund, reimbursement of documented essentials, or an explanation of any remaining shortfall.
- Use the airline's stated appeal channel. Keep the confirmation and note the date.
- Escalate if needed. Ask for baggage resolution or customer relations review before filing an outside complaint.
Keep the appeal short. This format works:
Subject: Written appeal for baggage claim [claim number]
Facts: On [date], I traveled from [origin] to [destination] on flight [number]. My checked bag, tag [number], was not delivered or arrived damaged. I reported the issue under file [number].
Amount requested: I request $[amount] for the attached eligible losses and $[amount] for documented necessary expenses. I also request a refund of the checked-bag fee if the DOT significant-delay rule applies.
Basis: The attached inventory, receipts, photographs, and timeline support the amount claimed. Please identify the specific contract provision supporting any denied item or depreciation adjustment.
Attachments: [List the documents.]
The DOT complaint form can help if the airline ignores the claim or appears to misstate a federal requirement. A DOT complaint can prompt a response and flags the issue for regulators. It isn't a court judgment and doesn't guarantee payment.
Small claims court, insurance, and card benefits
Small claims court can make sense when the amount fits the court's limit and your evidence is strong. Bring the ticket, baggage contract, PIR, claim form, denial, photographs, receipts, inventory, and correspondence. Court limits, filing rules, venue, and airline contract terms vary by state.
For an international claim under the Montreal Convention, a lawsuit generally has a two-year limitation period. A DOT complaint or an airline appeal may not extend that deadline. For a large or complicated claim, get advice about the applicable court and deadline before filing.
Travel insurance and some credit-card benefits may cover baggage delay or loss on their own terms. Those contracts, not DOT rules, control the payout. Follow the policy's notice requirements and tell the insurer what the airline has already paid. You can't recover the same loss twice.
Frequently asked questions
Does a PIR count as a compensation claim?
Not necessarily. It usually opens the tracing file. Submit the separate written claim or reimbursement form and save that confirmation.
Do I have to wait 21 days before claiming anything?
No. Report the bag immediately and claim reasonable delay expenses as they arise. On an international itinerary, 21 days is the point at which non-delivery can generally be treated as loss under the Montreal Convention.
Can I automatically claim the full $4,700 domestic limit?
No. That figure is a maximum liability limit per passenger. The airline can pay less when your documented eligible loss is lower or an exclusion applies.
What if I don't have receipts for everything?
Use photographs, bank statements, warranty records, serial numbers, retailer listings, and a reasonable written explanation. Ask the airline which proof it will accept before dropping an otherwise valid item.
Does the airline have to pay a daily clothing allowance?
Not as a universal flat benefit. The usual standard is reasonable, verifiable, actual expenses caused by the delay, subject to applicable limits and policy terms.
Open the airline's baggage claim page now, enter the PIR or file number, submit the written claim, and calendar the next deadline. Save every confirmation until the claim is paid or finally resolved.