Airlines usually assess a lost-bag claim from the loss you can prove, not the biggest number in the rulebook. On a U.S. domestic flight, the general liability ceiling is $4,700 per passenger. Many international commercial itineraries fall under the Montreal Convention, whose baggage limit is 1,519 SDR per passenger.
Neither figure is an automatic payout. SDR values change with exchange rates.
What you can ask for depends on what happened. A claim might cover permanently lost contents, reasonable necessities bought during a delay, or damage to the suitcase and its contents. A qualifying checked-bag fee refund is a separate request. EU261 can provide compensation for a qualifying flight delay or cancellation, but it doesn't create a set payment for lost luggage.
Report the problem before you leave the airport, if you can. Get a baggage file number, keep the bag tag, and send a written claim afterward.
Which rule controls the claim?
The itinerary usually matters more than the carrier's logo. Delta, Ryanair, United, and other carriers may send you to their own portals, but the route normally determines which rules apply.
| Trip or problem | Main rule | What it generally covers |
|---|---|---|
| U.S. domestic flight | U.S. Department of Transportation rules and the airline's contract | Proven baggage loss, damage, or delay, generally up to $4,700 per passenger |
| Most international itineraries | Montreal Convention | Proven baggage loss, damage, or delay, up to 1,519 SDR per passenger |
| EU261-covered flight disruption | EU261 for the flight problem; Montreal Convention for baggage | Possible separate flight-disruption compensation plus a baggage claim |
| Airline tracing system | Airline and IATA procedures | Locating and tracking the bag, not a separate compensation scheme |
The U.S. Department of Transportation's baggage guidance sets out the main U.S. framework. For routes covered by EU passenger rights, Your Europe air passenger rights guidance treats luggage liability separately from flight-delay rights.
IATA isn't a government regulator. Its tracing tools may help find a bag, but IATA membership doesn't promise compensation.
Delayed, damaged, and lost bags follow different deadlines
International baggage claims run on different clocks. If a bag still hasn't arrived after 21 days, it can generally be treated as lost, although an airline may declare it lost earlier.
| Problem | Important deadline | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Damaged baggage on an international trip | 7 days after receiving the bag | Send a written damage complaint and photographs |
| Delayed baggage on an international trip | 21 days after the bag is made available | Send a written complaint with receipts for reasonable expenses |
| Bag not delivered | After 21 days, or sooner if the airline declares it lost | Convert the delayed-bag file into a permanent-loss claim |
| U.S. domestic baggage problem | The airline's contract and claim process apply | Report it immediately and follow the carrier's stated notice period |
| Court action under Montreal | Generally within 2 years | Do not assume an airline appeal extends this period |
An airport report is usually called a Property Irregularity Report, or PIR. It documents the incident, but it may not satisfy every formal written-claim requirement.
That extra submission is easy to miss. Send the airline's online or written claim too.
U.S. domestic claims don't have one universal federal seven-day or 21-day filing period. The carrier's contract may set a different notice rule, so report the issue right away.
What the airline may owe you
Airlines generally assess actual, documented loss. A missing suitcase doesn't trigger a standard check.
| Type of claim | Possible recovery | Useful proof |
|---|---|---|
| Checked-bag fee | A refund in qualifying U.S. cases involving a lost or significantly delayed bag | Baggage receipt, ticket record, and baggage file |
| Emergency purchases during a delay | Reasonable necessities caused by the delay | Itemized receipts and dates |
| Permanently lost contents | Proven value, subject to the applicable liability limit and exclusions | Inventory, purchase records, photos, and payment records |
| Damaged luggage or contents | Reasonable repair cost or proven loss, subject to the applicable limit | Damage photos, repair estimate, and purchase evidence |
Ask the airline to address the fee request separately from the contents claim. One submission doesn't always make both requests clear.
Don't assume there's a universal $75 or $100 daily allowance for essentials. The usual question is whether each expense was reasonable and tied to the delay.
Age, condition, and proof can affect value. A five-year-old item isn't automatically worth its original retail price. To be honest, a careful inventory is more persuasive than an inflated one.
File the claim in this order
Use this sequence while the details are still fresh:
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Report the problem at the airport. Visit the baggage service desk before leaving, if possible. Ask for the PIR or file number, then photograph the bag tag, boarding pass, and baggage receipt.
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Submit a written claim. Use the airline's baggage portal or another written channel. A phone call alone may not show what you requested or when you made the request.
-
Describe the contents carefully. List each item, its approximate purchase date, condition, and value. Add receipts, card records, photographs, or other evidence when available.
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Keep delay-purchase records. Buy only reasonable clothing, toiletries, or similar necessities while the bag is missing. Save every receipt and note why the purchase was needed.
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Request the fee refund. Include the checked-bag receipt and ask the airline to review the fee separately from the contents claim.
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Track the deadline. For an international delayed-bag claim, send the written complaint within 21 days after the bag is returned or made available. For damage, use the seven-day period.
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Update the claim if the bag is lost. Add the full contents inventory and ask the airline to confirm that it is handling the matter as permanent loss.
Turns out, the airport report is only the opening move. Save the confirmation email, claim number, and copies of every upload.
Evidence that makes a claim easier to assess
Good evidence connects three points: the airline had the bag, the baggage problem caused the loss, and the amount requested is credible. Those links make the file easier to assess.
Save the itinerary, boarding pass, bag tag, baggage receipt, delivery messages, and tracking history. For the contents, a bank statement can help when a receipt is missing, while an older photo can show that an item existed and what condition it was in.
Write a dated timeline. Include the airport report, airline contacts, replacement purchases, and the date the bag arrived or was declared lost. The file can get messy: a suitcase turns up with a broken wheel, a receipt has disappeared, the portal says the case is closed, and you're rebuilding the packing list from a phone photo. Write it down anyway. Dates help.
Leave out luxury values or items you can't reasonably connect to the trip. Speculation can distract from the valid parts of the claim.
Understanding the liability limits
Both figures are ceilings, not promised payments. If your proven loss is $900, the airline generally doesn't owe $4,700.
If your documented loss exceeds the applicable ceiling, recovery may stop at that limit unless a special declaration or another legal exception applies. The international limit is expressed in SDR, not a fixed dollar or euro amount.
Its exchange equivalent can move. The same general Montreal limit may cover baggage loss, damage, and delay-related baggage losses.
Read the conditions of carriage for fragile property, valuables, improper packing, and other exclusions. Unusual or high-value items deserve particular attention.
Travel insurance may provide another route. Notify the insurer promptly, provide the airline file, and tell both providers about the other claim. You generally can't collect twice for the same expense, and a payment described as a full settlement may release the rest of the claim.
What to do after a denial
Ask the airline to reconsider in writing. Include the claim number, identify the reason for the denial, state the amount you believe is due, and attach evidence that answers that particular reason.
Respond to the stated problem. If the airline says an item wasn't proven, send the card statement or photograph. If it calls a purchase unnecessary, explain the length of the delay and why you needed it. If it used the wrong liability limit, identify the itinerary and ask it to review the governing rule.
Thing is, a short record of dates, documents, and amounts usually works better than a broad complaint about poor service.
For a U.S. trip, you can complain to DOT if the airline appears to have ignored a federal baggage or fee-refund requirement. That complaint can document a compliance issue, but it may not calculate or collect your private loss.
For an international claim, an airline appeal doesn't necessarily extend the Montreal Convention's two-year court deadline. A high-value or disputed claim may justify local legal advice before that deadline gets close.
Airline policies, connections, and codeshares
Delta, Ryanair, and other airlines use different forms, tracking tools, and customer-service procedures. Those differences affect how you submit a claim, but they don't necessarily change the legal limit that applies to the itinerary.
Connections can complicate responsibility. Report the problem to the operating carrier's baggage desk, and notify the ticketing carrier if the flight was sold as a codeshare. The ticket, operating carriers, and route may all matter.
This information concerns checked baggage on commercial airline trips. Cabin baggage, cargo shipments, private charters, and cruise transfers may follow different contracts.
Common questions
Do I receive $4,700 automatically if my U.S. bag is lost?
No. The figure is a maximum liability limit, not a standard payment. You still have to prove the loss, and the airline may consider age, condition, exclusions, and the evidence you provide.
Should I wait 21 days before contacting the airline?
No. Report the bag immediately. On many international claims, 21 days is when an undelivered bag may be treated as lost; it is also the written-complaint period for a delayed bag after delivery.
Does EU261 pay a fixed amount for lost luggage?
Usually not. EU261 addresses flight disruptions such as qualifying delays, cancellations, and denied boarding. A baggage claim generally follows the Montreal Convention and depends on documented loss.
Is the PIR enough to preserve my claim?
Not always. Get the PIR or file number at the airport, then submit the airline's formal written claim and save proof that the airline received it.
Can I claim from the airline and travel insurer?
You can notify both, but you generally can't recover twice for the same expense. Tell each provider about the other claim and follow the policy's coordination rules.
Start with the written claim
Put the bag tag, file number, receipts, inventory, and airline response in one folder. Then send the written claim today, even if the airline is still tracing the bag.