If your checked bag doesn't show up, report it before leaving the airport. Ask for the PIR, or Property Irregularity Report, and keep its reference number.
That report starts the tracing process. It may not be the written compensation claim, so ask where the airline wants the separate claim filed.
Do you get a fixed payout for each missing suitcase? No. Covered U.S. domestic baggage claims have a maximum liability of $4,700 per passenger, while baggage claims covered by the Montreal Convention use a ceiling of 1,519 SDR per passenger. You still have to prove the loss, and exclusions, valuation, and notice deadlines can matter.
Turns out, many baggage charts borrow figures from flight-delay claims. Those are different claims.
EU261 may support a separate claim for a qualifying cancellation, denied boarding, or flight delay. It doesn't create a weight-based payout schedule for a lost suitcase; baggage loss, damage, and delay are usually handled under the Montreal Convention.
Which rule controls the claim?
The itinerary matters more than the airline logo. A codeshare can involve several carriers, so check the ticket and each operating flight segment.
| Trip or coverage | Main rule | What it can mean |
|---|---|---|
| Covered U.S. domestic air transportation | U.S. Department of Transportation rules, including 14 CFR Part 254 | A maximum liability limit of $4,700 per passenger for covered baggage claims, subject to proof and applicable exclusions |
| International or intra-EU air travel covered by the Montreal Convention | Montreal Convention | A maximum of 1,519 SDR per passenger for baggage loss, damage, or delay; the dollar or euro equivalent changes with exchange rates |
| Flight cancellation, denied boarding, or qualifying flight delay in Europe | EU261 | A possible separate flight-disruption claim; it does not replace a baggage-value claim |
| Travel insurance or card benefits | Your policy or card agreement | Possible extra reimbursement, subject to deductibles, waiting periods, exclusions, and per-item limits |
For a U.S. itinerary, compare your situation with the Department of Transportation's baggage guidance. On a European route, the Your Europe air passenger rights page separates baggage rights from flight-disruption rights.
The number on the page is a ceiling
The Montreal Convention's current baggage limit is 1,519 Special Drawing Rights, or SDRs, per passenger. That figure has applied since 28 December 2024.
An SDR is an IMF unit of account, not a fixed dollar amount. At a rough rate of $1.34 per SDR, 1,519 SDR works out to about $2,000, but the conversion moves.
Thing is, the ceiling isn't an automatic payment. If your documented loss is $1,200, the airline doesn't owe $2,000. If the loss is $3,000, the treaty limit may restrict recovery unless you made a special declaration of value and paid the required supplementary charge.
Two missing bags don't automatically create two treaty limits. The usual ceiling is per passenger.
The airline may ask when you bought an item, what condition it was in, and whether you owned it. Depreciation may affect the valuation. A claim generally seeks the financial value of the loss, not a premium replacement simply because the original is unavailable.
Do this before leaving the airport
The baggage desk is your best first stop. Don't rely on a verbal report alone.
- Go to the airline's baggage service desk and report the missing bag. Request a Property Irregularity Report, commonly called a PIR, and keep its reference number.
- Photograph the baggage tag, boarding pass, itinerary, and any visible damage. Keep the original documents.
- Give the airline a reliable delivery address and phone number. Ask how it will send updates.
- Ask where to submit the formal written claim. The PIR opens a tracing file, but it may not say how much compensation you are seeking.
- If you need necessities, buy reasonable replacements and keep itemized receipts. Save screenshots from the airline's tracking system, including WorldTracer if the carrier uses it.
If the desk is closed, use the airline's official website, app, or phone channel. Photograph the closed desk and save the online confirmation or call details.
Deadlines that can quietly damage a claim
The often-repeated 24-hour rule doesn't apply to every airline or itinerary. Waiting is still a bad gamble.
| Problem | Deadline or action |
|---|---|
| Bag missing at arrival | Report it immediately, preferably before leaving the airport. Follow any shorter reporting requirement in the airline's conditions. |
| Bag damaged | Send a written complaint within 7 days after receiving the bag on a Montreal Convention journey. |
| Bag delayed and later delivered | Send a written complaint within 21 days after the bag is placed at your disposal. |
| Bag still missing | Submit the inventory and claim now. A bag missing for 21 days is generally treated as lost, although an airline may declare it lost sooner. |
| Court action under the Montreal Convention | The usual limitation period is 2 years from arrival, scheduled arrival, or the date carriage stopped, depending on the claim. |
The PIR is a tracing record, not necessarily the compensation claim. File the separate form or letter if the airline requires one.
The Montreal Convention requires written notice for delayed and damaged baggage. The European Consumer Centres Network guidance also explains the short complaint windows.
What to include in your written claim
Make the claim easy to check. Include:
- Your PIR number, baggage tag number, boarding passes, itinerary, and flight details.
- A complete inventory with each item's description, brand, model, purchase date, and estimated value.
- Receipts, pre-trip photos, warranty records, product listings, or account statements supporting ownership and value.
- Receipts for necessary purchases during the delay, with the date and reason for each expense.
- The amount requested, separated into bag value, contents, reasonable delay expenses, and any baggage-fee refund.
Add a short timeline. State when you reported the bag, when the airline last updated you, and whether the bag has arrived.
Don't inflate the inventory. An unsupported luxury valuation can weaken the whole claim. Modest figures with documents are easier to review.
Delayed, damaged, and lost bags need different requests
The category changes both the evidence and the deadline.
Delayed baggage. Ask for reasonable, necessary expenses caused by the delay. Basic clothing and toiletries may qualify, but a fixed daily allowance isn't a universal legal entitlement. Once the bag arrives, inspect it and send the written complaint within the applicable 21-day period.
Damaged baggage. Photograph the outside and contents before using or repairing anything. Report visible damage at the airport if possible, then send written notice within 7 days. Normal wear, poor packing, or an exclusion in the carrier's conditions can affect the result.
Lost baggage. Complete the airline's property inventory form carefully. If the bag arrives after the airline has treated it as lost, update the claim and separate delay expenses from the value of items that are still missing.
Sports equipment, musical instruments, fragile goods, and pet carriers may receive special treatment under airline conditions. Check those terms before travel, and keep proof of any declared value or special-handling charge.
U.S. baggage-fee refunds are separate from contents claims
The checked-bag charge and the value of the contents are separate issues. For a flight covered by U.S. DOT rules, the fee generally must be refunded when the bag is lost or significantly delayed, but you still need to file the required mishandled-baggage report.
DOT's significant-delay thresholds are:
| Flight type | Significant baggage delay threshold |
|---|---|
| Domestic | 12 hours after the aircraft arrives at the gate |
| International, 12 hours or less | 15 hours after arrival at the gate |
| International, longer than 12 hours | 30 hours after arrival at the gate |
That refund concerns the baggage fee only. It doesn't automatically pay for clothing, electronics, or other contents.
The DOT guidance on lost, delayed, or damaged baggage also addresses reasonable, actual, and verifiable incidental expenses. There is no general federal promise of same-day payment or a universal $50, $600, or $750 allowance.
Connecting flights are not automatically the first carrier's problem
Report the problem where you discover it, usually at the operating carrier's baggage office. Notify the airline that issued the ticket too, especially when the itinerary includes a codeshare.
The shortcut saying the first carrier always pays is unreliable. With one ticket, the connecting-carriage rules and the location of the loss can matter. Separate tickets may create separate contracts and separate claim procedures.
Put every flight segment in the claim. Include the ticket number, operating carrier, baggage tag, and final destination. Keep each airline's response, even if one carrier sends you back to another.
Airline policies cannot replace the legal rules
Ryanair, easyJet, Delta, United, and American may use different claim portals, packing rules, deadlines, and voluntary allowances. Their procedures don't create one universal payout.
There is no general legal rule saying Ryanair owes exactly EUR 650, Delta owes exactly $600, or United owes $750 per day. A figure like that may describe a policy, an advance, or an example from one claim.
Ask what an offer means before accepting it. The payment could be an advance, a goodwill amount, or a full settlement. Get the answer in writing and check whether acceptance releases the rest of your claim.
Insurance and credit-card benefits may fill the gap
Travel insurance can sometimes cover baggage loss, delay expenses, or the part of a claim the airline doesn't pay. Credit-card benefits vary widely. Some require you to have paid for the fare with that card, and many impose waiting periods, per-item limits, deductibles, or exclusions.
To be honest, insurance often brings another round of paperwork. The insurer may request the PIR, receipts, inventory, and the airline's final offer or denial.
Check whether the coverage is primary or excess. Don't accept duplicate reimbursement for the same loss, and disclose any airline payment when filing with an insurer.
If the airline denies or stops responding
Ask for a written explanation. The airline should identify the exclusion, valuation method, missing document, or deadline it is relying on.
Reply with focused evidence instead of sending the same complaint repeatedly. A short timeline and a clear inventory usually help more than a long argument.
U.S. passengers can use the DOT's consumer complaint route after giving the airline a fair opportunity to respond. A DOT complaint may support regulatory oversight, but it isn't a guaranteed personal award or a substitute for a court claim.
For a cross-border European dispute, the European Consumer Centres Network may offer guidance. A national enforcement body may also help with EU261 flight rights, but a dispute about the value of lost baggage usually remains a Montreal Convention or contract claim.
Another passenger's lawsuit doesn't guarantee the same result. The ticket, evidence, forum, carrier terms, and limitation period all matter. For a Montreal Convention claim, remember the 2-year court deadline.
Common questions
Is EU261 the law that pays for a lost suitcase?
Usually, no. EU261 covers flight cancellations, denied boarding, and qualifying flight delays. Baggage loss, damage, and delay are generally handled under the Montreal Convention.
How long before an airline treats baggage as lost?
A bag missing for 21 days is generally treated as lost. The airline may declare it lost earlier, so start the inventory and claim process immediately.
Do I need to report the bag within 24 hours?
Report it as soon as possible. No single 24-hour rule controls every airline and itinerary, and damaged and delayed international baggage have separate written complaint deadlines.
Does the airline owe a daily clothing allowance?
Not automatically. You can seek reasonable, necessary, documented expenses caused by the delay. An airline may offer a daily allowance, but its policy and the facts still matter.
Is the baggage limit per suitcase?
Usually not under the Montreal Convention. The 1,519 SDR limit is per passenger, and a higher amount may be available if you made a valid special declaration and paid the required charge.
Find the PIR number first. Then send the itemized claim through the airline's official channel, save the confirmation, and calendar the 7-day or 21-day deadline that fits your case.