What to Do If the Airline Loses Your Luggage
You arrive at your destination, ready to finally unwind on your long-awaited vacation, only to find that your suitcase hasn’t come with you on your trip. While it’s not the end of the world, it’s not all that fun to be in that situation either. Before you panic, be aware that you have US Department of Transportation (DOT) backed flying rights , one of which is compensation. for delayed, damaged or lost baggage.
What to do if your luggage is lost
DOT reports that most airlines do not consider a bag lost five or 14 days after a flight, although this may vary from one airline to another. But that doesn’t mean there’s nothing you can do until then. In this state of uncertainty, your bag is considered “delayed”, which means you are responsible for compensation.
The first step after realizing that your luggage is not at your destination is to take a deep breath. Second, check with the airline to see if your luggage will arrive on the next plane in your current region. Again, it’s okay to be upset, but don’t take it out on the agent helping you – they didn’t lose your bag.
Next, report the missing luggage. You need to do this immediately, and if you had a connecting flight, be sure to inform the airline you used on the first leg of your trip.
Be sure to provide a detailed description of the size, color, and material of the bag, including all identifying tags and features. If you have a photograph of your luggage ( and you should ), please provide that as well. You must also ensure that your address and contact information is included in the claim. Save the phone number of the lost baggage desk and a reference or claim number for your case.
Ask the airline to reimburse you.
You are entitled to compensation for “reasonable, verifiable and actual incidental expenses that may occur while [your] baggage is delayed”, meaning if you have a suit you need for a wedding or work event, you can buy it, to keep for yourself. receipt and be reimbursed by the airline for up to $3,800 per passenger on US domestic flights. The same limit applies to lost or damaged baggage. Be sure to keep receipts for everything you buy. If and when the airline believes that your baggage is lost, they are responsible for compensating for everything you had in the bag, as well as for refunding any baggage fees.
Don’t let the airline intimidate you. The DOT states that airlines are not allowed to set an arbitrary daily amount of temporary spending. So if Delta says they’ll refund you as little as $50 for each day your luggage is delayed , you’re telling them they’re violating DOT rules .
Here are some airline reimbursement rules:
- Alaska Airlines : Reimbursement for travel essentials
- American Airlines : Reimbursement for items you need immediately while you’re away from home without a bag.
- Delta Air Lines : Reasonable reimbursement, typically $50 per day for the first five days.
- United Airlines : Reimbursement based on acceptable claim evidence.
- Southwest Airlines : Reimbursements for reasonable expenses you may have incurred.
Use credit card insurance
After the initial airline reimbursement, you will also be able to use your credit card or airline travel insurance to purchase any other necessary clothing and other items.
For complete details, you should review your card’s Benefits Guide. For example, Chase Sapphire Preferred will cover up to $3,000 for lost or damaged luggage for the cardholder and immediate family members, even if you weren’t traveling together. In the event of a delay of more than six hours, they cover the cost of the passenger carrier’s toiletries and clothing up to $100 per day for five days. Again, be sure to keep your receipts.
According to the latest DOT report , in April 2023, airlines had 219,795 “mishandled bags” (lost, damaged, delayed or stolen). The American Airlines network had the highest number of mishandled bags per 100.