Lost Luggage Compensation: How Much You Can Claim and How to Get It

Arriving without your suitcase is stressful enough. Discovering that the airline’s compensation process is full of deadlines, forms and fine print makes it worse. The good news: if an airline loses your bag, you have real rights. Here’s how lost luggage compensation works, what you can claim and how to give yourself the best chance of getting paid.

The short answer

On most international flights, the Montreal Convention makes airlines liable for lost, damaged or delayed checked baggage up to 1,519 Special Drawing Rights (SDR) per passenger — roughly US$2,000 — following an increase that took effect on 28 December 2024. You need to report the problem at the airport, file a written claim within the deadlines, and prove what you lost with receipts or other evidence. Airlines typically apply depreciation, so you rarely get the full replacement cost of older items.

Which rules apply?

Flight	Rules usually applying
International flights between Montreal Convention countries	Montreal Convention (limit 1,519 SDR)
Flights within the EU, UK and many other regions	Montreal Convention principles apply to baggage
US domestic flights	US Department of Transportation rules, with a separate liability limit adjusted periodically
Some older or unusual routes	Warsaw Convention (lower limits)

EU261 — the European flight delay regulation — covers delays and cancellations, but not baggage. Baggage claims fall under the Montreal Convention.

When is a bag “lost” rather than delayed?

Most “lost” bags are actually delayed and turn up within a day or two — SITA’s 2025 baggage report found that of 33.4 million mishandled bags in 2024, the majority were resolved within 48 hours. Under the Montreal Convention, you can treat a bag as lost if it hasn’t arrived 21 days after it should have. Many airlines declare bags lost earlier.

Our guide to the first 24 hours after your bag goes missing covers what to do right away.

The deadlines that matter

Situation	What to do	Deadline
Bag missing on arrival	File a Property Irregularity Report (PIR) at the airline desk	Before leaving the airport
Delayed bag (arrives later)	Written claim for expenses	Within 21 days of receiving the bag
Damaged bag or contents	Written damage claim	Within 7 days of receiving the bag
Lost bag	Claim for full loss once declared lost	As soon as possible after it’s declared lost

Always keep a copy of your PIR reference number, and submit claims in writing (the airline’s online form or email) so you have a record.

What you can claim

• Lost bag: the value of the bag and its contents, usually with depreciation for age and wear.
• Delayed bag: reasonable interim expenses — toiletries, a change of clothes, essential items — with receipts.
• Damaged bag: repair costs, or replacement value if it can’t be repaired.
• Checked bag fees: in some jurisdictions, including under US rules introduced in 2024, airlines must refund bag fees when checked bags are significantly delayed or lost.

How to prove what was in your bag

This is where many claims fall down. Before you travel:

1. Photograph your packed bag and the key items inside.
2. Keep receipts for valuable items, or photos of them.
3. Don’t pack valuables — electronics, jewellery, medicines, documents — in checked luggage. Many airlines exclude them.
4. Consider a declaration of higher value at check-in for expensive items (airlines may charge a fee).

Step-by-step: filing your claim

1. At the airport, report the missing bag and get a PIR reference.
2. Give a clear description of the bag: colour, brand, size, distinguishing marks, tags.
3. Track the claim using the reference. Many airlines use SITA’s WorldTracer system.
4. Buy only essentials while you wait, and keep every receipt.
5. Submit a written claim within the deadlines.
6. Escalate if needed — to the airline’s customer relations team, then a national enforcement body or alternative dispute resolution scheme, or your travel insurer.

Help your bag find you

Compensation is the fallback. Getting the bag back is better. A visible identification tag — with a way for airline staff or anyone who finds it to reach you — helps, and so does a tracker you can share with the airline. QR tags vs AirTags compares the two approaches, and never lose your luggage covers the full prevention checklist.

The bottom line

If an airline loses your bag, you’re usually entitled to compensation up to 1,519 SDR on international flights under the Montreal Convention. Report it at the airport, meet the 7- and 21-day deadlines, keep receipts, and document your belongings before you travel. And make it as easy as possible for your bag to find its way back.

That’s where TagTrek helps: attach a printed QR tag to your suitcase, switch it to Lost mode the moment it goes missing, and anyone who scans it — airline staff or a stranger — can reach you instantly without an app, while your personal details stay private.

This article is general information, not legal advice. Rules and limits vary by route and airline.