If your checked bag doesn't arrive, report it to the airline's baggage-services desk before leaving the airport, get a claim reference, and keep receipts for necessary purchases. If the desk is closed, use the airline's online reporting tool or phone line and save proof of when you reported the problem.

Don't wait 21 days to start. That period mainly affects international claims under the Montreal Convention, not every U.S. flight. The amount you may recover depends on the route, whether the bag was delayed, lost, or damaged, the value you can prove, your expenses, and the airline's baggage contract. A checked-bag fee refund is separate from payment for the bag's contents or emergency purchases.

What to do when your luggage is missing

1. Check the carousel and baggage area. Confirm that the belt has stopped and compare the baggage tag on your claim stub with the bag's description. Don't take a similar-looking suitcase by mistake.
2. Report the problem before leaving. Go to the airline's baggage-services desk, not only the airport's general lost-and-found office. If no representative is available, report it through the carrier's online tool or phone line.
3. Get a written file number. The report may be called a Property Irregularity Report (PIR) or a mishandled-baggage report (MBR). Keep the reference, baggage-tag number, flight details, and the name of the carrier handling your arrival segment. A tracing report isn't always the same as a final compensation claim.
4. Describe the bag precisely. Include its brand, color, size, material, identifying marks, stickers, contents, and any tracker information. Give the airline a reliable delivery address and phone number.
5. Ask about essential purchases. Find out what the airline considers reasonable necessities and whether it expects approval before you buy them. Keep itemized receipts and choose practical replacements rather than expensive upgrades.
6. Save every document. Keep boarding passes, baggage tags, receipts, photos, emails, chat transcripts, and screenshots of the airline's tracking page.
7. Follow up in writing. Use the airline's claim portal or email so you have a record. Update the delivery address if your trip continues.

An AirTag or Tile can help show a last known location, but it doesn't replace the airline report. Share the location with the carrier or police, and don't enter private property to retrieve the bag yourself.

Is the bag delayed, lost, or damaged?

For international carriage covered by the Montreal Convention, baggage that hasn't arrived after 21 days is generally treated as lost for claim purposes. An airline may declare a bag lost earlier. There isn't one 21-day rule that automatically governs every purely domestic U.S. itinerary; the carrier's contract and applicable federal rules control.

For an international claim, written notice of physical damage is generally due within seven days after you receive the bag. Written notice of delay is generally due within 21 days after the bag is made available. Submit the notice as soon as possible instead of relying on the final day. French government guidance on delayed and damaged baggage also describes these Montreal Convention periods.

How to file a lost-baggage claim

A tracing report starts the search. A compensation claim asks the airline to pay. Treat them as related but separate steps.

1. Confirm the correct carrier

With connecting flights on one booking, report the problem at the final airport where you expected to receive the bag. Include every flight number and baggage-tag detail, and ask the airline to identify which carrier is handling the claim.

Separate tickets may be treated as separate contracts. Report the loss to each potentially responsible carrier, explaining where the bag was last accepted and where it failed to arrive. Preserve both tickets and all baggage receipts.

2. File the airline's claim form

Use the airline's baggage-claim portal or written claims address. Include:

• Your PIR or baggage file number
• Passenger name and contact details
• Flight dates, route, ticket number, and baggage-tag number
• A detailed description of the suitcase
• A list of missing contents
• Purchase dates, original prices, current values, and proof of ownership
• Receipts for necessary purchases caused by the delay
• Photos of the bag, contents, and damage
• Tracker screenshots, if relevant
• The amount requested and how you calculated it

A credit-card statement, product photograph, warranty record, or bank statement may help establish ownership when an original receipt isn't available. Explain why the receipt is missing; don't guess or create documentation.

3. Submit delayed-expense receipts promptly

Don't wait for the 21-day point before submitting expenses. Airlines often set separate deadlines for delayed-baggage reimbursement. Claim necessities incurred while you were without the bag, and explain why each purchase was needed.

Clothing, toiletries, and other basic items are commonly considered. Policies differ on amounts, timing, and whether the airline expects you to return or keep purchased items. Keep purchases moderate and receipts legible.

4. Submit a full lost-bag inventory

If the bag is declared lost, list each item separately. Include its age, condition, brand, model, purchase price, and estimated current value. A liability limit is a ceiling, not an automatic payment. The airline normally evaluates the proven value of the actual loss and may account for age and condition.

Ask the airline to explain any deduction, exclusion, or settlement offer in writing. Don't sign a release until you understand whether it resolves only the baggage claim or also related expenses.

U.S. baggage compensation and checked-bag fee refunds

For covered U.S. domestic transportation, 14 CFR Part 254 prohibits a carrier from limiting baggage liability to less than $4,700 per passenger. That figure isn't a guaranteed payout. You still have to prove the value and circumstances of the loss, damage, or delay, and the airline's contract may contain exclusions and special limits.

You may be able to claim:

• The proven value of a lost bag and its contents
• Reasonable, necessary, documented expenses caused by a delay
• Repair costs or the value of damaged property
• A refund of a paid checked-bag fee when the Department of Transportation's significant-delay or lost-bag conditions are met

Baggage contracts commonly impose special limits or exclusions for cash, jewelry, fragile goods, documents, perishables, and some electronics. The language varies by carrier. Keep valuables, medication, identification, and irreplaceable items in your carry-on whenever possible. If the airline offers excess valuation, arrange it when the bag is accepted and check which items it covers.

Refund of a checked-bag fee

A checked-bag fee refund is different from compensation for your belongings. Under 14 CFR section 260.5, a qualifying refund must be at least the fee you paid to transport that checked bag.

For a significantly delayed bag, the DOT rule generally uses these thresholds, measured after the aircraft reaches the gate:

• Domestic flight: 12 hours
• International flight of 12 hours or less: 15 hours
• International flight longer than 12 hours: 30 hours

Once the required mishandled-baggage report is received and the other conditions are met, the refund is generally automatic. The rule generally requires payment within seven business days for a credit-card purchase or within 20 calendar days for another payment method. If the money doesn't appear, request the refund separately and identify the baggage file number. It doesn't replace a claim for the bag's contents or reasonable delay expenses.

Exceptions apply. A passenger who fails to collect and recheck a bag at the first international entry point into the United States when required by Customs and Border Protection may not qualify. A passenger who voluntarily agrees to travel without the checked bag on the same flight can also fall outside the automatic-refund requirement.

International baggage claims under the Montreal Convention

For international carriage covered by the Montreal Convention, the current baggage-liability limit is 1,519 Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) per passenger. The dollar or euro value changes with exchange rates, so an old article quoting a fixed amount such as EUR 1,800 may be inaccurate.

The cap applies to proven baggage loss, damage, or delay. It doesn't mean every passenger receives the full limit; you still need to show the nature and value of the loss. The Air France carrier-liability notice reflects the treaty's updated liability framework effective December 28, 2024.

If your documented loss could exceed the treaty cap, ask before departure whether the airline accepts a special declaration of interest and an additional charge. The declaration generally must be made when the bag is handed over, and it may not cover every excluded item.

The Montreal Convention also generally gives a passenger two years to bring a court action. An airline's internal investigation or complaint process may not extend that period. If a significant amount is at stake, keep the court deadline in view while negotiations continue.

What EU rules do and don't cover

EU261 is mainly associated with flight cancellations, long delays, and denied boarding. It doesn't create a separate flat payment for every delayed or lost suitcase. Baggage claims on many EU-related international itineraries are handled under the Montreal Convention, subject to the route and carrier.

A passenger therefore shouldn't assume an automatic EUR 1,800 baggage award. The claim is ordinarily based on documented loss, necessary expenses, and the applicable liability limit.

Connecting flights and the first U.S. entry point

On a single itinerary, report missing baggage at the final airport where you expected to receive it and provide every flight and carrier detail. The first airline isn't automatically responsible in every connection case. The ticket, baggage tag, operating carriers, and applicable convention or contract determine which carrier must handle the claim.

If you arrive in the United States from another country, you'll usually have to collect checked baggage at the first U.S. customs entry point and recheck it for the next flight. Keep proof that you completed that step. Failing to do so can affect the checked-bag fee refund under the DOT rule.

Separate tickets are different. A carrier may argue that its responsibility ended when the first ticket ended, so report the problem to the airline connected to the segment where the bag disappeared and preserve both tickets and baggage receipts.

Oversized bags, fragile items, pets, and partial loss

Oversized sports equipment: Keep proof of its make, model, purchase price, and condition. Airline rules may treat skis, golf clubs, bicycles, and other oversized items differently from ordinary luggage.

Fragile property: Photograph the item and its packaging before travel. Airlines may limit responsibility for items that were improperly packed or accepted under special conditions. Report damage before discarding the packaging.

Partial loss: If the suitcase arrives but contents are missing, report the missing items immediately. Provide an itemized list, photos taken before travel if available, and proof of ownership. Don't describe the entire bag as lost if only some contents are missing.

Pets: A missing or escaped pet requires urgent action, regardless of the normal baggage-claim timetable. Contact the airline's live-animal or airport operations desk, the destination airport, and local animal-control or police services if theft or escape is possible. Pet transport terms are separate from ordinary suitcase procedures, and an AirTag is only a location aid.

Travel insurance and credit-card coverage

Travel insurance may cover delayed-baggage essentials, lost belongings, or amounts not recovered from the airline. Whether it pays first or acts as excess coverage depends on the policy. Check the limit per person and per item, deductible, depreciation rules, excluded valuables, and claim deadline.

A credit card's baggage benefit is a separate contract. It may require that the entire fare was paid with the card, that you filed with the carrier first, or that you provide a PIR and written settlement decision. Read the card's benefits guide instead of assuming every travel card provides the same protection.

File with the airline even if you have insurance. The insurer may need the airline's claim number, payment decision, or written denial.

If the airline denies or ignores your claim

Use this escalation sequence:

1. Ask for the decision in writing. Request the specific contract clause or rule used to deny or reduce the claim.
2. Appeal with a focused evidence packet. Include the original file number, a timeline, an itemized calculation, receipts, photos, and any missing documents.
3. Separate the issues. Ask for the checked-bag fee refund, delayed necessities, and lost-property value as separate lines.
4. Contact the U.S. Department of Transportation. A DOT complaint can raise a potential regulatory violation, but it doesn't guarantee a private reimbursement award or replace the airline claim.
5. Watch the legal deadline. For an international Montreal claim, the general court-action limit is two years. Domestic litigation deadlines and airline claim deadlines can differ, so check the carrier's contract and local rules.

A concise written request is usually easier to evaluate than a series of calls:

Subject: Baggage claim [file number] - reimbursement request

• Flight and route:
• Date:
• Baggage-tag number:
• What happened:
• Amount requested:
• Checked-bag fee refund requested:
• Documents attached:
• Requested response date:

Ask the airline to confirm receipt and identify any additional document it needs.

Lost baggage FAQ

Do I have to report missing luggage within 48 hours?

There isn't one 48-hour deadline for every route and airline. Report the problem before leaving the airport if possible, then check the carrier's contract for the applicable claim deadline. International damage and delay notices have separate Montreal Convention deadlines.

When is a bag officially lost?

For international carriage covered by Montreal, a bag not delivered after 21 days is generally treated as lost for claim purposes. U.S. domestic airlines may use different definitions, and some will declare a bag lost sooner.

Can I get money for clothes and toiletries?

You can usually request reasonable, necessary expenses caused by a delayed bag, but approval depends on the airline's policy and the facts. Keep receipts and avoid luxury or duplicate purchases.

Does an AirTag prove that the airline owes me compensation?

No. A tracker can support the timeline and help locate the bag, but the airline's baggage report, tag records, and claim process still control the compensation decision.

Who is responsible when baggage disappears during a connection?

Report the loss at the final destination on a single booking and provide every flight and carrier detail. Responsibility is determined by the ticket, baggage records, operating carriers, and applicable law, not automatically by the first airline.

Can I claim both a baggage-fee refund and lost-bag compensation?

Yes, potentially. A qualifying refund of a paid checked-bag fee is separate from a claim for documented baggage value and reasonable delay expenses. Request each item clearly.

Before leaving the airport, make the baggage report and save the file number. That record, together with your tags, receipts, and written claim, gives you the strongest starting point.