Lost, delayed or damaged luggage: what airlines owe you and how to claim it
Montreal Convention limits, the 21-day rule, PIR forms and how to combine airline liability with travel insurance to recover the full value of delayed or lost baggage.
Under the Montreal Convention airlines are liable for up to roughly 1,288 SDR (about €1,500 / $1,700) per passenger for lost, delayed or damaged baggage. Bags are legally declared lost after 21 days. You must file a Property Irregularity Report before leaving the airport, and claim damage within 7 days and delay within 21 days of the bag arriving.
Do this before you leave the airport
A Property Irregularity Report (PIR) is the single document your entire claim depends on. Filing it later, from home, is grounds for rejection at most airlines.
- Go to the baggage desk before exiting customs.
- Get the PIR with its reference number, and photograph it.
- Note the bag tag number from your boarding pass stub.
- Ask what daily essentials allowance the airline pays and get that in writing.
What you can spend while you wait
Airlines must reimburse "reasonable and necessary" expenses for a delayed bag: clothing, toiletries, a phone charger, and work-critical items. In practice budget carriers reimburse $50–$100 a day and full-service airlines $150–$250 a day, but the legal test is reasonableness, not their internal cap. Keep every receipt and buy sensibly — a business suit for a conference is defensible, designer shoes are not.
Lost for good
After 21 days the bag is legally lost and the delay claim converts into a loss claim, capped at about 1,288 SDR per passenger. You will be asked for an itemised list with approximate purchase dates and values; photos of the packed bag and old purchase emails hugely increase the payout.
Excluded from airline liability almost everywhere: cash, jewellery, electronics, documents and medication. That is exactly why they belong in your carry-on.
Damaged bags
Report damage within seven days of receiving the bag. Airlines will typically repair the case, replace it with an equivalent, or pay depreciated value. Wear and tear — scuffs, a scratched shell, a broken zipper pull — is excluded, but cracked shells, torn fabric and snapped wheels are claimable.
Stack insurance on top of airline liability
Airline liability and travel insurance are separate pots. A good policy adds a delay benefit that pays out after 4–12 hours without receipts, covers the excluded electronics, and tops up the difference when the airline's cap does not cover a genuinely valuable bag. Claim from the airline first, then send the insurer the airline's settlement letter to cover the shortfall.
Give yourself better odds
- Photograph your packed bag before check-in.
- Put an AirTag or Tile inside — airlines now accept tracker data as evidence.
- Never book connections under 60 minutes for checked bags.
- Keep one change of clothes and all medication in your carry-on.
Frequently asked questions
How much can I claim for lost luggage?
Up to approximately 1,288 SDR per passenger — around €1,500 or $1,700 — under the Montreal Convention, regardless of what your bag was actually worth. Travel insurance can cover the gap above that cap.
When is my baggage officially considered lost?
After 21 days from the date it should have arrived. Until then it is legally 'delayed', and the airline must reimburse reasonable essential purchases in the meantime.
What if I did not file a report at the airport?
File in writing as soon as possible: within 7 days for damage and 21 days for delay. Claims without a Property Irregularity Report are much harder, though a written complaint inside the deadline can still succeed.
Does travel insurance cover delayed baggage?
Yes. Most policies pay a fixed allowance after a 4–12 hour delay without demanding receipts, and cover items the airline excludes such as electronics. Claim from the airline first, then the insurer for the remainder.
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