Lost or Delayed Luggage: What Airlines Owe You and How to Claim

Arriving without your suitcase is stressful, but airlines have clear legal obligations. In the U.S. they can owe you up to $4,700 for a lost bag on a domestic flight, and up to 1,519 Special Drawing Rights (about $2,175) on international trips. This guide shows what to do at the airport, what you can claim and the deadlines you must not miss.

Delayed, lost or damaged: know the difference

Liability limits: how much airlines must pay

These are maximums, not automatic payouts. You must prove what was in the bag and its value, and airlines usually pay depreciated value, not the price of brand-new items. Airlines may also exclude fragile and valuable items such as electronics, jewelry and cash, which is why those belong in your carry-on.

Checked bag fee refunds for significant delays

Under DOT rules, you are owed a refund of your checked bag fee when the bag is significantly delayed:

• Domestic flights: not delivered within 12 hours of arrival.
• International flights of 12 hours or less: not delivered within 15 hours.
• International flights over 12 hours: not delivered within 30 hours.

You must file a mishandled baggage report; after that, the refund should be automatic.

What to do at the airport (step by step)

1. Don’t leave the baggage area. Go to the airline’s baggage service office first.
2. File a Property Irregularity Report (PIR) and keep the file reference number.
3. Describe the bag precisely: brand, color, size, distinctive tags. A photo on your phone helps.
4. Give a delivery address and phone number.
5. Ask about interim expenses: what the airline will reimburse while you wait. DOT rules say airlines cannot impose an arbitrary daily cap such as $50 per day; they must reimburse reasonable, verifiable expenses.
6. Track the bag online with the file number. If you used an AirTag or similar tracker, share its location with the airline.

What counts as “reasonable” expenses

• Toiletries and basic hygiene products.
• A change of clothes and underwear.
• Phone charger and essential medication.
• Renting equipment you need for the trip’s purpose (for example, ski gear or a business suit).

Keep every receipt. Luxury purchases or full new wardrobes are usually refused.

Claim deadlines you must meet

Lawsuits under the Montreal Convention must generally be filed within 2 years.

How to maximize your payout

• Make a detailed list of contents with approximate purchase dates and prices.
• Attach receipts or bank statements; photos of you using the items also help.
• Claim the bag itself too, not just the contents.
• Check your credit card benefits: many cards add baggage delay coverage (for example, a daily amount for essentials) and lost luggage coverage on top of what the airline pays.
• Your travel insurance or homeowners/renters policy may pay what the airline doesn’t. See is travel insurance worth it?
• For high-value items, consider declaring excess valuation at check-in (some airlines sell extra coverage).

How to avoid the problem next time

1. Travel carry-on only when possible — see our carry-on packing checklist.
2. Put a tracker in your checked bag.
3. Avoid tight connections, especially with airline changes.
4. Keep medicine, electronics, documents and one change of clothes in your carry-on.
5. Photograph your bag and its contents before check-in.

Bottom line: file a report before leaving the airport, keep every receipt and claim quickly. Airlines owe up to $4,700 domestically and about $2,175 internationally, plus a bag fee refund when your suitcase is significantly delayed. For flight delays and cancellations, see your rights when a flight is delayed or canceled.

Limits and deadlines can change and vary by airline. Check transportation.gov and your airline’s contract of carriage.