I know the feeling all too well. You’ve just landed at the airport and are patiently waiting at the baggage belt as all the other travelers from your flight collect their luggage and leave. Eventually, the belt stops spinning, and reality hits: Your bag is lost or delayed.
Or perhaps your bag does arrive, but it has a large gash in the side or is otherwise damaged beyond normal wear and tear. Either way, here’s what you should know if an airline damages, loses or temporarily delays your checked bag, including some things you should do before leaving the airport.
Delayed, missing or lost luggage: Do this at the airport
If your checked baggage doesn’t arrive at your destination airport, visit the airline’s luggage office or counter right away.
Although some airlines may let you file a report within a set period after your arrival, I highly recommend doing so before leaving the airport.
When filing the report, you’ll usually need to provide contact information (including a local phone number and lodging details), the baggage tags (take a photo before handing them over if the airline wants to keep them), and details about your luggage, such as its color, type and contents. If you’re switching hotels or traveling onward to another destination within a few days, be sure to include this on the report.
Related: How to track your luggage with Apple AirTags
Before leaving the airport, ask the airline agent whether the airline will reimburse you for essentials until it reunites you with your luggage. (You may also find this information on the airline’s website.) Then, perhaps on the way to your hotel, check whether the credit card you used to book your flight offers travel protections that would reimburse you for delayed or lost baggage. Check the per-day maximums and excluded items so you don’t have issues with reimbursement if you need to use it to purchase essentials.
Even if you don’t think the airline or your credit card will offer reimbursement, keep receipts for any items you buy. After all, a mishandled bag could turn into a lost bag (which usually happens if the airline can’t locate the bag within a set amount of time); this situation may unlock reimbursement options unavailable for a bag that is simply delayed.
Sadly, I’ve never had good experiences working with airlines on a mishandled bag. So, although this won’t help if you’re currently dealing with a similar situation, I highly recommend buying a Blue Ribbon Bags plan for future trips. This service has proved invaluable the last few times airlines have mishandled my luggage, as it has worked with the airlines and their baggage tracking systems to quickly reunite me with my bag.
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Related: What to do when an airline loses your luggage
Damaged luggage
Suppose your luggage became damaged beyond normal wear and tear in the time between checking it at your origin airport and retrieving it at your destination. In that case, it’s time to visit the airline’s luggage office or counter. You’ll usually need to file a claim within 24 hours of arrival, so it’s best to do so before leaving the airport. That way, you also avoid any possible claim that the damage occurred after it was already back in your possession.
The airline agent helping you with the report will likely assess the damage and fill out a claim for you. In my experience, airlines in the U.S. will usually repair or replace the luggage. In the case of replacement, the airline may have a collection of bags at the airport you could choose, but you usually also have the option to buy a new bag and submit for reimbursement up to a set amount that’s often based on how much you paid for your current bag. Because of that, it might be a good idea to keep your receipts for any luggage that you do purchase and plan to check.
When my hard-sided suitcase became severely dented in one corner on a domestic flight, the airline offered to replace my checked bag by giving me one from their collection or reimburse me $150 toward a new suitcase. I bought a new bag, submitted the receipt to the airline and got $150 back. If the airline won’t cover the repairs or replacement, check whether the card you used to pay for your flight offers any reimbursement for damaged luggage.
Related: Take the fast lane through baggage claim with these 7 tips
Best credit cards for mishandled bags
Especially since I have Blue Ribbon Bags to help track down delayed baggage, I’m not too bothered when airlines mishandle my checked luggage. After all, I pay for almost all of my flights with my Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card (see rates and fees), which offers baggage delay protection. So, I know I can buy what I need (up to a daily maximum) while my bag is delayed and then claim reimbursement from the airline or my card’s insurance.
Check out our guide on which credit cards cover baggage delays for a full analysis, but here’s a quick overview of the delayed and lost baggage protections you can get when paying for flights with select consumer travel rewards cards.
Here’s a snapshot of some travel credit cards that provide baggage protection when you travel, and their specific benefits.
| Card | Delayed baggage protection | Protection for checked luggage |
|---|---|---|
| Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see rates and fees) and Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (see rates and fees) | Up to $100 a day for up to five days when your baggage is delayed over six hours | Up to $3,000 per traveler for the cost to repair or replace baggage that is lost, damaged or stolen |
| United℠ Explorer Card (see rates and fees), United Quest℠ Card (see rates and fees) and United Club℠ Card (see rates and fees) | Up to $100 a day for up to three days when your baggage is delayed over six hours | Up to $3,000 per traveler for the cost to repair or replace baggage that is lost, damaged or stolen |
| The Platinum Card® from American Express | None | Up to $2,000 per traveler (up to $1,000 for high-risk items) per trip for lost, damaged or stolen baggage |
| Capital One Visa Infinite and Visa Signature cards | None | Up to $3,000 per trip for luggage lost due to theft or misdirection |
| Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® (see rates and fees) | None | Up to $3,000 per traveler for baggage that is lost, stolen or damaged |
| Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card, Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card and Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card | None | Up to $500 per traveler (up to $250 for high-risk items) per trip for lost, damaged or stolen baggage |
The details of the protection provided when you use these cards to pay for common carrier travel are nuanced. So, check your guide to benefits for the full details and exclusions before assuming you and your luggage will be covered.
Related: 10 best credit cards with travel insurance
Bottom line
It’s not fun when your checked luggage doesn’t arrive on time or in the same condition you checked it. The best course of action is to spend a little time filing a claim before leaving the airport and keep any and all records, including receipts for any replacement items you have to purchase.
Then, depending on the card you used to book your flights and whether you have independent travel insurance, you may have other means for reimbursement if the airline doesn’t provide coverage (or doesn’t provide enough coverage). So, keep all your receipts and documentation in case you need them to seek reimbursement once you’re back home.
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