If an airline loses your checked bag, report it right away and get a file reference. Then put the claim in writing. There is no automatic flat payout.
Payment usually depends on documented loss and reasonable expenses caused by the delay or loss. Your route sets the rules. The airline's logo doesn't.
Find the rule before you file
These are the main frameworks for U.S. travelers:
| Itinerary | Main rule | What may be covered | Deadline to track |
|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. domestic trip | DOT rules, including 14 CFR Part 254, plus the airline's tariff | Documented baggage loss and reasonable, actual, verifiable expenses caused by delay, subject to the $4,700 per-passenger limit | Report promptly and follow the carrier's published claim deadline |
| International itinerary, where Montreal applies | Montreal Convention | Documented baggage loss, damage, or delay, subject to 1,519 SDR per passenger | Written delay complaint within 21 days after the bag is made available; damage complaint within 7 days; court action generally within 2 years |
| Flight covered by EU passenger rules | Montreal for baggage; EU261 for qualifying flight disruption | A baggage claim, plus separate flight compensation only when EU261 conditions are met | Use the baggage deadlines for the bag claim |
The Montreal figure of 1,519 Special Drawing Rights is about $2,175 at the conversion shown in DOT guidance. The dollar value changes. The limit applies per passenger, not per suitcase.
EU261 causes a lot of confusion here. It covers qualifying cancellations, denied boarding, and flight delays, but it doesn't create a flat payment for a lost or delayed bag.
The Your Europe passenger-rights guidance treats baggage responsibility separately and describes liability of approximately EUR 1,300. That is an approximate treaty conversion, not an EU261 payment.
For U.S. rules and basic claim information, check the U.S. Department of Transportation baggage guidance.
Work out whether the bag is delayed, lost, or damaged
A missing bag can start as a delay and become a loss claim later.
While delivery is still expected, ask for reimbursement of reasonable necessities caused by the delay. Basic toiletries, clothing, and medication may fit. Buy carefully, and keep every dated, itemized receipt.
On an international itinerary, baggage not delivered within 21 days after it should have arrived may be treated as lost under Montreal. The airline can declare it lost sooner. A domestic trip follows the carrier's tariff and published claim rules, so don't automatically borrow the international deadline.
Thing is, damage has a separate notice rule. Photograph visible damage before leaving the airport when possible. For international travel, send the written damage complaint within 7 days after receiving the bag; domestic reporting deadlines vary by carrier.
For an international delay, send the written complaint within 21 days after the bag is made available to you. Report the problem sooner.
Open the report and protect the paper trail
The arrival airport is usually the easiest place to start. If the baggage desk is closed or no agent is available, use the airline's official website or app and save the confirmation.
- Open the file. Ask for a Property Irregularity Report, usually called a PIR, or the airline's equivalent file reference. Before leaving, check the bag-tag number, route, and contact details.
- Save the travel records. Keep the boarding pass, itinerary, bag-tag receipt, flight details, and tracking screenshots. Photograph the bag and tag if you still have them.
- Buy only essentials. Keep replacement purchases reasonable. Save each original, dated, itemized receipt for toiletries, clothing, medication, or another necessity caused by the delay.
- Send a written claim. Use the carrier's claim portal or official email address. State the amount requested, separating delayed-bag expenses from the value of missing contents.
- Ask about permanent loss. If the bag remains missing after 21 days, or the airline declares it lost earlier, request written confirmation and the form or process for the lost-bag claim.
- Mark the deadlines. For international baggage, track 7 days for damage, 21 days for a delayed-bag complaint, and generally 2 years for court action under Montreal. For a domestic trip, use the airline's published deadline.
A PIR starts the investigation. It isn't a settlement.
Give the airline evidence it can price
To be honest, "clothes and electronics" tells the airline very little. A list showing each item's age, purchase date, and estimated current value gives it something to assess.
Attach copies of:
- The PIR or file reference, bag-tag number, boarding pass, ticket, and itinerary
- Photos of the bag, tag, and visible damage, along with tracking screenshots
- An itemized contents list with purchase dates, age, and estimated current value
- Dated receipts for emergency purchases and proof of value for expensive items
- Emails, chat transcripts, denial letters, and notes showing when you contacted the airline
Keep the originals. The airline may ask how you calculated value, and it may consider age, condition, tariff exclusions, or a declared-value arrangement.
Understand what the compensation limit does
Turns out, a liability cap is a ceiling, not a price tag.
For a U.S. domestic trip, baggage liability generally tops out at $4,700 per passenger. For an international claim governed by Montreal, the limit is 1,519 SDR per passenger. Older articles may show a different dollar amount because the SDR conversion changes.
Claims usually turn on documented financial loss. Frustration and inconvenience alone don't create a guaranteed payment.
Imagine a bag is delayed for three days and you spend $90 on basic necessities. You can request that documented expense. If the bag is later declared lost and the supported value of its contents is $1,200, the claim may include that loss too, subject to the applicable limit, exclusions, and any amount already paid.
Keep a checked-bag fee request separate from a claim for the contents. Ask the airline whether its fee-refund rules apply.
If you paid for a higher declared value before travel, include that paperwork. Do the same with travel insurance documents. Separate coverage has its own terms, deductibles, proof requirements, and deadlines.
Watch for the usual complications
Bad weather or a crowded airport doesn't remove the need to report a missing bag. Neither one, by itself, promises a daily clothing allowance. If the airline cites "weather" or "policy," ask it to identify the rule or expense limit in writing.
A codeshare can split customer service from the operating carrier. Start with the airline that accepted your report, keep the ticketing airline informed when needed, and use the same file reference in every message. Don't open duplicate claims unless an airline tells you to.
Valuables, cash, fragile items, and poorly packed goods may face special limits or exclusions under the carrier's tariff. Carry-on baggage can follow different rules from checked baggage.
The tracking app helps with updates. It does not replace a written claim, receipts, or a deadline.
Respond if the airline denies or ignores the claim
An unexplained denial leaves you guessing. Ask the airline which item, expense, or rule it rejected, and request the relevant tariff or policy section.
Send one focused evidence packet: the file number, a short timeline, the amount requested, receipts, and proof of value. Ask for reconsideration. A long emotional account usually adds less than a clear record.
The DOT page on lost, delayed, or damaged baggage explains federal rules and complaint options. A DOT complaint can flag possible noncompliance, but it generally won't act as your lawyer or guarantee payment.
Check other possible coverage before filing. Travel insurance, a credit-card travel benefit, or homeowners or renters insurance may help, but each can have exclusions, deductibles, proof requirements, and notice deadlines.
Consider court only after checking the applicable deadline. For an international Montreal claim, the treaty generally allows 2 years to bring an action. That isn't a universal deadline for every U.S. domestic claim, where filing limits, venue rules, and the airline contract may differ.
Small claims court may fit a modest, well-documented dispute. Filing fees and travel costs can still outweigh the amount involved. This is general consumer information, not legal advice.
If the bag arrives later
Tell the airline as soon as the bag turns up. The claim then becomes a delayed-baggage claim rather than a permanent-loss claim.
Inspect the bag before using it. Photograph new damage, keep receipts for delay-related necessities, and follow the written-notice deadline. For international travel, that generally means sending a damage complaint within 7 days after receipt.
Already home? Report the delivery or damage through the carrier's official online channel. Find the PIR or file reference, gather the receipts, submit the written claim, and save the confirmation.
If the bag is still missing, put the file reference, receipts, and next deadline into one message and send it now.