If a checked bag is missing, report it before you leave the airport if you can. The airline's Property Irregularity Report (PIR) starts the case record, while a later claim lays out what you want reimbursed.
The report isn't a promise of payment. Your route, the carrier's rules, the reporting time, and proof of the actual loss usually matter more than a bold figure in a template.
Some online forms promise a fixed $3,800 or automatic EUR 600 under EU261. Neither is a general lost-baggage entitlement. Use a template to sort the facts, then follow the airline's official process and the rules for your journey.
Which baggage record do you need?
The correct record depends on what happened after the carousel stopped. A PIR or online report can cover a bag that is missing, late, or damaged, and it normally gives you a file number.
| Problem | First record | Next step |
|---|---|---|
| Bag missing from the carousel | PIR or online missing-bag report | Submit a formal claim with the bag tag, travel details, and contents list |
| Bag delayed | Delayed baggage report and file number | Track delivery and request reimbursement for reasonable, documented necessities |
| Bag damaged | Damage report, photos, and inspection notes | Send a written complaint with repair or replacement evidence |
| International bag still missing after 21 days | Loss claim and contents schedule | Ask the airline to assess the bag as lost under the applicable international rules |
A PIR shows that you reported the incident. It doesn't decide compensation.
For U.S. travelers, the U.S. Department of Transportation baggage guidance describes airline procedures and protections for delayed, damaged, and lost baggage.
What to do before leaving the airport
Go to the baggage counter while it's open. If the counter is closed, report the problem through the carrier's official app or website and save the confirmation.
- Report the bag. Give the agent your baggage tag number, boarding pass, delivery address, and a clear description of the bag.
- Save the case details. Ask for the PIR reference, a copy of the report, and instructions for checking updates. Write down the agent's name and the time you reported the problem.
- Photograph the paperwork. Save the baggage tag, boarding pass, bag description, PIR, and any tracking screen in one folder.
- Start the contents list. Use broad categories first, then add specific items, purchase dates, and honest estimated values.
- Replace only necessities. If you need basic toiletries or clothing, keep itemized receipts and record why each purchase was necessary.
Keep the file number.
A tracking page may stay marked "tracing" for several days while airports search their storage areas. Reply when the carrier asks for useful information, even if the tracking page hasn't changed.
Deadlines depend on the route
Don't copy a deadline from a generic claim form. The journey, applicable baggage rules, and the airline's conditions of carriage determine the details.
| Trip or issue | Rule to check | Timing point |
|---|---|---|
| U.S. domestic baggage | Airline contract of carriage and DOT protections | The carrier's published reporting and claim deadlines |
| International delayed baggage | Montreal Convention may apply | Written complaint is generally due within 21 days after the bag is made available |
| International damaged baggage | Montreal Convention may apply | Written complaint is generally due within 7 days after receipt |
| International bag not delivered | Montreal Convention may apply | After 21 days, the passenger can generally treat the bag as lost |
| Flight disruption in the EU | EU261 may apply to the flight problem | Any flight-delay or cancellation payment is separate from the baggage claim |
Report the problem immediately. Don't wait for the airline to declare the bag lost.
Turns out, the practical deadline may be printed in the carrier's own conditions of carriage. Read those terms before sending the claim.
EU261 isn't a standard lost-luggage payout schedule. The Your Europe passenger rights guidance says an airline can be liable for checked baggage that is lost, damaged, or delayed, up to approximately EUR 1,300. That figure is a liability limit, not an automatic award.
Flight-disruption compensation is a separate issue.
Free lost baggage claim form template
Use the worksheet to gather the facts first. Then paste the letter into an email or document, replace every bracketed field, and attach the records that support your claim.
Claim details worksheet
| Field | Information to enter |
|---|---|
| Passenger | Full legal name, address, phone, and email |
| Trip | Date, route, flight number, and operating airline |
| Baggage | Tag number, color, brand, size, and identifying marks |
| PIR | Report number, airport, date, and time filed |
| Problem | Delayed, lost, damaged, or missing contents |
| Expenses | Date, seller, item, reason, and amount |
| Requested outcome | Bag delivery, expense reimbursement, contents value, or damage payment |
Claim letter
Subject: Baggage claim - [passenger name] - [flight number] - [PIR number]
Dear [airline baggage claims team],
I am submitting a claim for my [delayed, lost, or damaged] checked bag from
[origin] to [destination] on [date], flight [number].
Passenger name: [full name]
Baggage tag number: [tag number]
PIR reference: [report number]
Bag description: [brand, color, size, and identifying marks]
The bag was [not delivered, delivered late on date, or delivered damaged].
Please use this information to update the claim and confirm the next step
in writing.
My documented loss is:
[Item or expense] - [date] - [amount]
[Item or expense] - [date] - [amount]
[Item or expense] - [date] - [amount]
Total requested: [amount and currency]
I've attached my boarding pass, baggage tag, PIR, receipts, photographs,
contents list, and other records supporting this claim. Please confirm
receipt of this submission and provide the applicable claim deadline and
review process.
Sincerely,
[Full name]
[Phone]
[Email]
[Mailing address]Stick to facts. Don't describe something as new, expensive, or irreplaceable unless you can support it.
To be honest, a plain inventory is often enough. It doesn't need a dramatic story.
What can you claim?
Ask for the loss the baggage problem actually caused. Depending on the route and circumstances, that may include:
- Necessary expenses caused by a baggage delay, such as basic toiletries or replacement clothing.
- The documented value of contents in a bag treated as lost.
- Repair costs or the depreciated value of a damaged bag and its contents.
- Refunds or other remedies available under the airline's baggage policy.
Airlines may not pay current retail price. Age, condition, proof of purchase, excluded property, and the applicable liability limit can change the assessment.
A liability limit is a ceiling. It isn't a guaranteed payment.
Keep the contents list accurate. A shorter list with honest estimates is stronger than a long list built from guesses.
For high-value items, attach receipts, photographs, warranty records, or other proof that the item existed and was in the bag. Fragile, valuable, perishable, or improperly packed property may be subject to special rules.
United, Delta, American, and Southwest forms
United, Delta, American, and Southwest use their own baggage reporting and claims systems. Start with the carrier that operated the relevant flight segment, using its baggage desk, official app, or official website.
One report may not be the whole claim. A tracking case helps locate the bag; a claims case may handle expenses or the value of property.
Before submitting an airline-specific form, check these details:
| Check | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Correct flight and operating carrier | A codeshare ticket may involve more than one airline |
| PIR or file number | The carrier uses it to match your documents to the incident |
| Reporting deadline | Domestic carrier procedures can differ |
| Expense instructions | Some carriers require receipts in a separate claim |
| Delivery address | A wrong address can delay return of the bag |
| Attachment limits | Large photo or PDF files may fail without notice |
Don't rely on a search-result PDF as the current form. Open the carrier's official baggage page, then save a copy of what you submit.
If the airline denies or underpays the claim
Ask for the decision in writing. It should identify the missing evidence, exclusion, valuation method, or policy provision that led to the result.
Thing is, an appeal works best when it answers that stated reason instead of repeating the original demand. Attach the relevant receipt, photograph, baggage record, or explanation.
Appeal letter template
Subject: Request for review of baggage claim [claim number]
Dear [airline claims team],
I am requesting review of the decision dated [date] concerning baggage claim
[number].
The decision states: [quote or accurately summarize the reason].
The attached records address that issue:
- [document and what it proves]
- [document and what it proves]
- [document and what it proves]
Please reconsider the claim and explain the applicable policy or rule if any
part of the requested amount remains unpaid. Please also confirm the final
review process and response deadline.
Sincerely,
[Full name]
[Contact details]Keep a dated log of messages and calls if the airline stops responding. For a U.S. itinerary, review the DOT consumer complaint route and baggage guidance. A regulator may examine compliance with consumer rules, but it may not decide the full value of a disputed personal-property claim.
Travel insurance and card benefits
Airline reimbursement is separate from travel insurance. A policy may cover baggage delay or loss only after you meet its notice, documentation, deductible, or proof requirements.
Credit card baggage protection is separate, too. Read the card's guide to benefits before assuming it covers the loss. The benefit may require the entire fare to have been charged to the card, exclude certain property, or pay only after another source of reimbursement.
Tell the insurer or card administrator about any payment from the airline. You generally can't recover the same loss twice.
A card billing dispute isn't a substitute for a baggage claim. Use the issuer's dispute process only when the facts fit its billing-error rules or its separate baggage benefit.
Common questions
Is the PIR the same as a compensation claim?
No. The PIR records the baggage incident. You may still need a separate claim for expenses, lost contents, or damage.
When is a delayed bag considered lost?
For many international journeys covered by the Montreal Convention, a bag not delivered within 21 days can generally be treated as lost. Domestic U.S. claims depend more heavily on the airline's procedures and the applicable rules.
Does EU261 pay EUR 600 for lost luggage?
Not as a general rule. EU261 flight-disruption compensation and baggage liability are separate issues. Check the route, the baggage rules, and the proof of actual loss.
Should I wait before buying replacement items?
No. Buy reasonable necessities if you need them. Keep the receipts, avoid luxury or unrelated purchases, and explain the delay in your expense log.
What should I do next?
Find your PIR number and photograph the baggage tag today. Make the contents and expense list, then submit the airline's official claim before the applicable deadline.