If your checked bag hasn't arrived, report it before leaving the baggage area and get a mishandled baggage report number. In the U.S., a lost-baggage claim usually involves two separate requests:
- A refund of the checked-bag fee, when the U.S. Department of Transportation's lost or significantly delayed baggage rule applies.
- Reimbursement for reasonable delay expenses or the proven value of the lost contents, subject to the route's liability rules and the airline's contract.
A bag-fee refund isn't compensation for the suitcase or everything inside it. The rules also differ between domestic U.S. travel and international carriage.
What you can claim
| Claim | What it covers | What you need to show |
|---|---|---|
| Checked-bag fee refund | The fee paid to transport the bag | A mishandled baggage report and a qualifying delay or loss |
| Delayed-bag expenses | Necessary items bought while waiting for the bag | Itemized receipts and proof the purchases were reasonable |
| Lost-bag compensation | The bag and its contents if the airline treats them as lost | An itemized inventory and evidence of value |
| Damaged-bag claim | Repair or replacement for physical damage | A prompt damage report, photographs, and repair or replacement costs |
Checked baggage is the focus here. A carry-on lost at a gate, security checkpoint, or airport facility may involve different rules and a different responsible party.
When the airline must refund the checked-bag fee
For flights covered by U.S. DOT rules, 14 CFR section 260.5 requires an automatic refund of the checked-bag fee when the bag is lost or significantly delayed. You still need to notify the airline and file its mishandled baggage report, often called a Property Irregularity Report or PIR.
The federal significant-delay thresholds are:
- Domestic flight: The bag isn't delivered within 12 hours after the aircraft reaches the gate.
- International flight with a scheduled flight time of 12 hours or less: The bag isn't delivered within 15 hours.
- International flight with a scheduled flight time of more than 12 hours: The bag isn't delivered within 30 hours.
The refund must be at least the amount paid for the checked-bag fee. The rule generally requires the refund to be made within seven business days for a credit-card payment or within 20 calendar days for other payment methods after the refund becomes due.
Automatic doesn't mean you should do nothing. Report the bag promptly, keep the report number, and check that the refund appears on the original payment method. A travel voucher isn't the same as a refund unless you choose to accept it. The baggage-fee refund also doesn't automatically refund your airfare.
The rule contains exceptions. A fee refund may be affected if you failed to pick up and recheck the bag at the first international entry point into the U.S. when required, or if you voluntarily agreed to travel without the checked bag on the same flight under the rule's conditions.
What compensation can include
Reasonable expenses during a delay
You can ask the airline to reimburse reasonable, documented necessities purchased because your checked bag was delayed. Examples include:
- Basic toiletries
- Underwear and modest replacement clothing
- Necessary items for work or a formal event
- Reasonable costs to collect or receive the delayed bag
There is no universal federal rule that guarantees a fixed amount such as $50 per day. Buy what you need for the situation, not luxury replacements or items unrelated to the delay. Keep every itemized receipt and ask the airline whether it requires preapproval.
Some airlines provide an interim allowance or reimbursement process, but an internal daily amount doesn't replace the need to document your actual expenses. Travel insurance or a credit-card benefit may use a separate daily limit, deductible, or sublimit.
The value of a permanently lost bag
If the airline declares the bag lost, submit a separate property claim for the suitcase and its contents. Airlines usually assess the reasonable value of the property at the time of loss, which may account for age, condition, depreciation, and salvage value.
You won't automatically receive the maximum liability amount. A $900 claim supported by evidence isn't worth $4,700 simply because the applicable domestic limit is higher.
Damage to a bag or its contents
Photograph damage before repairing or discarding anything. Ask the airline whether it wants an inspection or repair estimate. A claim for broken wheels, a torn shell, or missing contents may have a different notice deadline from a delayed-bag claim.
Check the airline's contract of carriage for exclusions or limits involving cash, jewelry, fragile items, electronics, business property, documents, and other valuables placed in checked baggage.
How much can you claim?
The applicable limit depends on whether the itinerary is domestic or international.
| Itinerary | Main rule | Liability limit |
|---|---|---|
| Qualifying U.S. domestic carriage | 14 CFR Part 254 | Carriers generally cannot publish a limit below $4,700 per passenger for covered large-aircraft service |
| International carriage governed by the Montreal Convention | Montreal Convention baggage rules | 1,519 Special Drawing Rights per passenger; the U.S.-dollar value changes with the exchange rate |
| Other international journeys | Montreal, Warsaw, or another applicable regime | Check the ticket, contract of carriage, and governing convention |
The domestic amount is a liability limit, not an automatic payout. You still need to prove the loss, and the carrier may apply exclusions in its contract.
The Montreal Convention uses Special Drawing Rights, or SDRs, rather than a fixed dollar figure. A government explanation of international baggage claims notes that the applicable convention and currency conversion affect the amount. Some international carriers permit a higher declared value at check-in, but that arrangement generally must be made before the journey begins.
EU 261 and UK 261 are often mentioned in baggage searches, but they don't create a standard baggage payout for a lost suitcase. Baggage claims on many European and other international itineraries are handled under the Montreal Convention or another baggage regime. IATA guidance and WorldTracer can help with industry tracking, but they don't replace the law or determine your payout.
What to do at the airport
1. Report the missing bag immediately
Go to the airline's baggage service desk before leaving the baggage area. Ask for a PIR or mishandled baggage report and save the reference number. If the desk is closed, use the airline's online reporting tool or phone line and keep the confirmation.
A paper PIR is useful evidence, but not having one isn't necessarily the end of the claim. If you already left the airport, report the problem as soon as possible and preserve the online confirmation, emails, and call details.
2. Keep the baggage evidence
Photograph or save:
- The baggage tag and tag number
- Your boarding pass and itinerary
- The bag's brand, color, size, and identifying marks
- The baggage carousel and airport, if useful
- The report confirmation and every airline message
If your bag contains an AirTag or another tracker, share its location only through the airline's approved channel. Airlines and airports often use WorldTracer, but passenger access and update frequency vary. SITA's WorldTracer information can explain the system, while your airline's case portal remains the source for your individual claim.
3. Follow customs instructions
If you're entering the U.S. from another country, follow instructions to collect and recheck baggage at the first international entry point. Failing to do so can affect the checked-bag fee refund under the DOT rule.
4. Buy only reasonable necessities
Don't wait for a bag to be found before buying essential toiletries or basic clothing. Keep itemized receipts, avoid expensive upgrades, and write down why each purchase was necessary.
5. Give the airline a reliable delivery address
Update the airline if you change hotels or leave the destination. Keep screenshots of tracking updates and any delivery confirmation.
How to file the formal claim
Reporting the bag starts the tracing process. It may not complete the reimbursement claim.
- Check the status and the airline's claim instructions. Find out whether the airline wants a delayed-expense form, a lost-baggage form, or both.
- Request the checked-bag fee refund separately. Refer to the U.S. DOT rule if the airline hasn't processed a qualifying refund.
- Submit delay expenses as they occur. Include the date, item, price, and reason for each purchase.
- File the lost-property claim when appropriate. For international carriage, a bag not delivered within 21 days is generally treated as lost. If the airline admits the loss earlier, file then. For a domestic trip, ask the carrier when it will classify the bag as lost.
- Send an itemized inventory. List the suitcase and each item separately rather than writing "clothes" or "miscellaneous."
- Save proof of submission. Download the completed form, attachments, confirmation number, and any promised payment date.
- Follow up in writing. If the airline doesn't respond, send a short message that repeats the report number, claim date, amount requested, and missing response.
Don't sign a full settlement or release until you understand whether it covers only the baggage fee, your interim expenses, or the entire property claim.
Documents that strengthen a baggage claim
Include copies, not irreplaceable originals:
- PIR or mishandled baggage report
- Boarding pass, ticket, and itinerary
- Baggage tag or tag number
- Airline correspondence and tracking history
- Itemized list of the suitcase and contents
- Receipts, order histories, warranty records, or credit-card statements
- Photographs showing ownership, condition, or the bag's contents
- Receipts for necessary replacement items
- Repair estimate or replacement quote for damaged baggage
- Police report if theft or tampering is suspected
No receipt doesn't automatically eliminate a claim. Use photographs, purchase records, model numbers, warranty information, or other proof of ownership. Be realistic about age and condition. A new retail listing can help establish replacement cost, but it doesn't by itself prove that the missing item was in the bag.
Baggage claim deadlines
Deadlines depend on the type of problem and the route.
| Situation | Deadline or timing |
|---|---|
| U.S. checked-bag fee refund | Report the bag promptly. The significant-delay threshold is 12 hours for domestic flights, or 15 or 30 hours for qualifying international flights |
| International delayed baggage under Montreal | Submit a written complaint within 21 days after the baggage is placed at your disposal |
| International damaged baggage under Montreal | Submit a written complaint within seven days after receiving the baggage |
| International baggage treated as lost | A bag not delivered within 21 days is generally treated as lost; file the property claim immediately |
| Legal action under Montreal | A two-year limitation period can apply |
| U.S. domestic property claim | Follow the airline's contract of carriage and claim instructions; there is no universal 120-day rule for every U.S. baggage claim |
The 21-day international rule is not a reason to wait before reporting the bag. File the airport report immediately, then make the written claim when the airline's process allows it.
For a domestic itinerary, download the airline's current contract of carriage and search for "baggage," "claims," and "limits of liability." Submit the claim earlier than the stated deadline whenever possible.
What to do if the airline denies the claim
Ask for the denial in writing. The response should identify whether the airline disputes:
- Responsibility for the bag
- The timeliness of your notice
- The value of an item
- A contract exclusion
- Missing proof
- An exception under the DOT fee-refund rule
Reply point by point with the requested documents. If the issue is a qualifying U.S. checked-bag fee refund, cite 14 CFR section 260.5 and ask for the refund date and payment method.
You can also file a complaint with the U.S. DOT Aviation Consumer Protection office if you believe the airline violated a federal passenger-protection requirement. A regulator complaint may help identify a rule violation, but it isn't a guaranteed decision on the value of your personal property claim.
Notify your travel insurer or credit-card benefits administrator promptly. These policies can cover baggage delay or loss under their own limits, deductibles, exclusions, and deadlines. Tell the insurer about any airline payment, and don't seek payment twice for the same loss.
For a large disputed claim, court may be an option, but venue, contract terms, evidence, and limitation periods matter. Don't let settlement discussions cause you to miss a legal deadline, especially on an international claim.
A simple claim message
Use the airline's form when required. A clear written request can follow this pattern:
- Subject: Mishandled checked baggage claim, report [report number]
- Flight and date: [flight number and date]
- Baggage tag: [tag number]
- Report number: [PIR or MBR number]
- Bag status: [delayed, returned on date, or not delivered]
Then request:
- A refund of the checked-bag fee paid for this journey.
- Reimbursement of $[amount] for necessary delay expenses.
- Payment of $[amount] for the documented value of the suitcase and contents if the bag is being treated as lost.
Attach your itinerary, baggage report, receipts, itemized inventory, and proof of value. Ask the airline to confirm the claim status, any missing documents, and the date of its written decision.
If your bag is missing now, file the airport report first, create a receipt folder, and keep every airline reference number. That record supports both the fee refund and any separate compensation claim.