My luggage didn't arrive. What do I do?
Sources checked . Final review by Sean Williams pending.
File a mishandled baggage report with the airline before you leave the airport and keep the file number. Under DOT rules, the airline must refund your checked bag fee if the bag arrives more than 12 hours late on a domestic flight, or 15 to 30 hours late internationally. Keep receipts for essentials you buy.
| Bag fee refund, domestic | If not delivered within 12 hours of arrival and you filed a report (DOT) |
|---|---|
| Bag fee refund, international (flight 12 hours or less) | If not delivered within 15 hours (DOT) |
| Bag fee refund, international (flight over 12 hours) | If not delivered within 30 hours (DOT) |
| Domestic liability limit | At least $4,700 per passenger (DOT, effective 2025) |
| International liability limit (Montreal Convention) | 1,519 Special Drawing Rights per passenger since December 28, 2024 (ICAO) |
What should I do if my bag doesn't show up?
- Go to the airline's baggage service office before you leave the airport.
- File a mishandled baggage report and get the file number in writing.
- Give a delivery address and phone number, and describe the bag.
- Ask what essentials the airline reimburses, and keep every receipt.
- Track the bag with the file number, and follow up in writing.
- If it is declared lost, file a written claim with values and receipts.
When do I get my bag fee back?
DOT rules require the airline to refund your checked bag fee if you filed a report and the bag was not delivered within 12 hours of a domestic flight arriving, or within 15 hours (flights of 12 hours or less) or 30 hours (longer flights) on international itineraries.
Buy essentials and claim them if the bag is delayed. File a full lost-bag claim if the airline declares it lost or it has not appeared after the airline's search period.
How much can the airline pay for a lost bag?
On domestic flights the airline's liability limit is at least $4,700 per passenger, under DOT's 2024 revision. On most international trips, the Montreal Convention sets a limit of 1,519 Special Drawing Rights per passenger. These are maximums, and you must show what the contents were worth.
How do I avoid trouble next time?
Pack documents, medications and a change of clothes in your carry-on, photograph your bag and its contents, and put a tracker inside if you like. See our cruise packing list.
Frequently asked questions
- How long does an airline have to find a lost bag?
- Airlines set their own timelines for declaring a bag lost. File your report right away and follow up in writing; the bag fee refund rules start from your arrival time.
- Will the airline pay for things I buy while my bag is delayed?
- Airlines generally reimburse reasonable expenses for essentials while a bag is delayed. Keep receipts and ask the airline for its policy when you file the report.
- How much will an airline pay for a lost bag?
- Up to the liability limit, based on the value of what you lost: at least $4,700 per passenger on domestic flights and up to 1,519 Special Drawing Rights on most international trips. You must document the value.
- My bag arrived damaged. What should I do?
- Report the damage at the airport before you leave, take photos, and file a written claim within the airline's deadline.
- What if my bag is delayed and I'm boarding a cruise?
- Give the airline the ship's name and the next port, and tell the cruise line. Pack medications and documents in your carry-on so a delayed bag does not stop you boarding.
Sources
Founder, Egretline Travel ยท Tampa, Florida
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