If your checked bag doesn't arrive, report it before leaving the baggage area, get the airline's file reference number, and submit a written claim with an itemized list of losses. Keep every receipt and message.

A baggage report starts the search. It usually isn't the compensation claim itself. What you can recover depends on the itinerary, applicable law, airline contract, proof, and exclusions or depreciation. A liability limit is a ceiling, not an automatic payout.

First, identify what happened

Airlines treat delayed, lost, and damaged baggage differently.

For a flight entirely within the United States, the airline's contract of carriage and U.S. rules control the filing deadline. Don't assume the international 7-day or 21-day periods apply to a domestic trip.

What to do at the airport

1. Check before reporting the bag missing

Wait for the carousel to stop. Check nearby carousels and ask airport staff whether bags from your flight were moved. A bag can be misrouted without being permanently lost.

2. Report the problem to the airline

Go to the airline's baggage service desk and ask for a Property Irregularity Report, or PIR, or the carrier's equivalent. Give the agent:

• Baggage tag number
• Bag color, brand, size, and identifying marks
• Flight number and date
• Delivery address and phone number
• Description of distinctive contents

Before leaving, photograph or save the report and confirm the file reference number. Ask how to submit the separate reimbursement claim and whether the airline will deliver the bag if it is located.

A PIR is useful evidence, but it may not satisfy the formal claim requirement. If you already left the airport, report the problem through the airline's website or claims department and ask for written confirmation.

3. Keep travel records together

Save your boarding pass, baggage tag, itinerary, PIR, claim confirmation, tracking messages, and airline communication. Don't send original documents unless the carrier specifically requires them.

What to do while the bag is delayed

Use the airline's tracking page or app with the file reference number. If you have an AirTag or another tracker, save screenshots showing the date and location. A tracker can help locate the bag, but it doesn't prove contents or value.

Buy only reasonable necessities. Depending on the circumstances, these may include basic clothing, underwear, toiletries, and medication that you can safely replace. Avoid luxury purchases and items you can reasonably do without. Keep itemized receipts and proof of payment.

Ask whether the airline will deliver the bag to your hotel or home, and give the correct address. When the bag arrives:

1. Photograph it before discarding packaging or damaged parts.
2. Check the contents against your inventory.
3. Report missing or damaged items promptly.
4. Submit delay expenses even if the bag was eventually delivered.

If the airline offers a fixed allowance or payment, ask in writing whether it is an advance reimbursement or a final settlement. Read any release before signing it.

File the formal baggage claim

Submit the claim through the airline's baggage portal or the claims address in its contract of carriage. Use the correct form for delayed, lost, or damaged baggage.

Include:

• PIR or file reference number
• Baggage tag number
• Flight details and travel dates
• Timeline of when you reported the problem
• Itemized inventory of contents
• Purchase dates and claimed current values
• Receipts, order histories, or credit card statements
• Photos showing the bag and, if available, contents before travel
• Receipts for reasonable necessities
• Delivery or tracking records

For each item, list the original price and a realistic current value. Airlines may reduce the value of used goods for age, wear, or depreciation. A high original price alone doesn't guarantee reimbursement.

Photos from before the trip, serial numbers, warranties, packing lists, and purchase emails can help establish ownership. Don't inflate the claim or include items you can't support. An exaggerated inventory can make a legitimate claim harder to prove.

Deadlines that matter

International flights under the Montreal Convention

The Montreal Convention generally applies to international carriage between covered countries. It may also apply to domestic segments that form part of an international itinerary, depending on how the journey was booked and documented.

Usual written-notice rules:

• Damage: notify the carrier in writing within 7 days after receiving the bag.
• Delay: notify the carrier in writing within 21 days after the bag is placed at your disposal.
• Loss: if the bag has not arrived within 21 days after it should have arrived, you can generally enforce rights as if it were lost.
• Court action: a Montreal Convention claim generally has a two-year limitation period.

Don't wait 21 days before filing. Report the bag immediately, claim reasonable delay expenses as they occur, and update the claim if the airline later classifies the bag as lost.

The French public-service baggage guidance explains that treaty compensation is stated in Special Drawing Rights, or SDRs, and converted using exchange rates. Citizens Advice's luggage guidance also recommends reporting promptly and checking the carrier's deadline.

Flights entirely within the United States

For a purely domestic U.S. itinerary, check the airline's contract of carriage for:

• Deadline for reporting delayed or damaged baggage
• Deadline for filing a written claim
• Rules on receipts and depreciation
• Exclusions for fragile, valuable, or improperly packed items
• Process for appealing a denial

File as soon as possible, even if the deadline appears longer. A prompt written record is easier to verify.

EU and UK flights

EU and UK baggage claims generally use the Montreal Convention framework rather than a separate automatic cash payment for lost luggage. Don't confuse flight-delay compensation with baggage-value claims. There isn't a universal extra 600-euro payment simply because a bag was lost.

The airline's nationality, route, ticket, and applicable treaty determine the claim framework. For a non-U.S. domestic journey, check the law and consumer authority in that country.

How much can you recover?

The usual measure is your reasonable, documented financial loss, subject to the applicable liability limit. That can include the bag, contents, and reasonable necessities during a delay. It doesn't mean the airline must pay the highest possible limit.

Purely domestic U.S. travel

For qualifying domestic U.S. transportation, the federal checked-baggage liability ceiling is commonly stated as $4,700 per passenger. Confirm the current amount and terms in the airline's contract of carriage. You still need to prove actual loss, and valid exclusions or valuation rules may reduce payment.

A checked-bag fee is separate. On qualifying U.S. flights, the fee may be refundable when a bag is lost or significantly delayed under Department of Transportation rules. Request the fee refund separately from reimbursement for necessities and lost contents.

International travel

The Montreal Convention baggage limit is 1,519 SDR per passenger under the revised limit used for international claims. Its dollar equivalent changes with the exchange rate. Older pages may quote 1,288 SDR, or about $1,700. That figure reflects the previous limit and shouldn't be treated as a fixed current dollar cap.

A higher declared value may be possible if the airline offered that option and you paid for it before travel. Otherwise, the treaty limit generally applies. The French government guidance linked above is useful for understanding SDR conversion.

Airlines commonly restrict or exclude cash, jewelry, computers, cameras, important documents, and other valuable items in checked baggage. Review carrier conditions before traveling. These restrictions don't necessarily eliminate every claim, but they can make recovery difficult.

IATA doesn't create a separate compensation entitlement. IATA is an industry association. The controlling rules come from the relevant treaty, U.S. regulations, and the airline's contract.

If the airline denies your claim

A denial isn't necessarily the end. Ask for the decision in writing. The letter should identify the evidence considered, the reason for denial, and the contract or rule relied upon.

Then:

1. Compare the denial with your inventory, receipts, and tracking records.
2. Correct missing information instead of resubmitting the same form.
3. Ask the airline to reconsider specific items or expenses.
4. Request the exact policy language for any exclusion or valuation reduction.
5. Send the appeal through customer relations or the claims department.
6. Keep proof of delivery and copies of everything submitted.

Use a factual letter. Don't claim that the airline broke a law unless you know which legal regime applies.

Demand letter template

Subject: Appeal of baggage claim [claim number] - [flight/date]

Dear [airline claims or customer relations team],

I am appealing the decision dated [date] concerning baggage file [reference number] and bag tag [number].

My bag was reported on [date] after flight [number] from [origin] to [destination]. It was [delayed / not delivered / returned damaged]. I am requesting reimbursement of $[amount] for the documented losses listed in the attached inventory.

The attached documents include:

• Baggage report and claim confirmation
• Baggage tag and itinerary
• Itemized inventory
• Receipts or other proof of value
• Receipts for reasonable necessities
• Relevant tracking and delivery records

Please identify the specific contract term or rule supporting the denial of each disputed item. I ask you to reconsider the claim and provide a written response by [date].

Sincerely,

[Name] [Address] [Email and phone]

Escalation options for U.S. consumers

If customer relations does not resolve the matter, consider:

• Department of Transportation complaint: use the Aviation Consumer Protection complaint process for apparent violations of federal baggage rules, such as a qualifying fee-refund problem or inadequate handling of a complaint. A regulatory complaint can support oversight, but it doesn't guarantee a personal damages award.
• Travel insurance or homeowners insurance: check whether the policy covers baggage loss or delay, the deductible, valuation method, exclusions, and notice deadline.
• Credit card benefits: some cards provide baggage-delay or lost-luggage coverage, but eligibility often depends on how the fare was paid and whether you first sought payment from the airline. The benefits guide controls, not an advertisement. Chase's baggage reimbursement guide describes documentation and carrier-first conditions that may apply.
• Small claims or civil court: state small-claims limits, filing fees, venue rules, and deadlines vary. Don't assume every claim under $10,000 qualifies. Check the airline contract for arbitration or forum-selection terms.
• International complaint routes: for an international itinerary, check whether the airline or destination country offers an approved dispute-resolution process. Preserve the Montreal Convention limitation period while negotiating.

Tell an insurer or card administrator what the airline has paid. You generally can't recover the same loss twice, although a policy may cover a remaining balance.

What does not strengthen a claim

Several common tactics create problems rather than leverage:

• Waiting until the bag is officially declared lost before reporting it
• Treating an AirTag location as proof of contents' value
• Claiming new-for-old prices for used items without supporting evidence
• Including luxury purchases that weren't reasonably necessary
• Sending only a phone call with no written record
• Relying on a PIR without filing the formal claim
• Assuming the maximum liability limit is a guaranteed settlement
• Missing the applicable written-notice or court deadline

Frequently asked questions

Is a PIR required to recover money?

A PIR is strong evidence and often the airline's normal starting point, but it may not be the formal claim. If you left the airport without one, notify the airline in writing immediately and ask it to confirm the report.

When is a missing bag officially considered lost?

For an international claim governed by the Montreal Convention, a bag that has not arrived within 21 days can generally be treated as lost. A carrier may classify it as lost earlier. Domestic U.S. procedures can differ.

Can I claim expenses if the bag is eventually returned?

Usually, a delayed bag can still support a claim for reasonable, documented necessities. Report any damage or missing contents promptly after delivery and meet the applicable written-notice deadline.

Does the airline have to pay the maximum baggage limit?

No. The limit is generally the most the carrier may owe under the applicable rule. Your payment is based on proven loss, reasonable expenses, exclusions, and valuation rules.

Can I use an AirTag as evidence?

Yes, as supporting evidence of location and timeline. It doesn't establish contents, ownership, value, or the amount the airline must pay.

Locate your file reference number, download the airline's claim form, and put the report, inventory, receipts, and correspondence into one dated folder before you respond to the next airline message.