The belt has stopped, the crowd is gone, and your checked bag never came out. It's a stressful moment — but don't leave the airport yet. There are a few things you should do before you clear the baggage area, and doing them properly makes the tracking and any claim far smoother. This guide covers what to do right now at the airport. For how compensation and travel-insurance claims work afterward, see travel insurance 101.
📌 This is general guidance. Airlines, airports and the applicable rules differ — deadlines, "lost" timelines, payout limits and what you can be reimbursed for depend on your airline and the applicable regulations, so confirm the details with them.
1. Delayed vs lost vs damaged
- Delayed — the most common case. Your bag just didn't make your flight; it's usually located and delivered within a few days. File a report and start tracking.
- Lost — declared only after a bag can't be found for a while. On international trips this is often around 21 days (under the Montreal Convention, a bag not delivered within 21 days can be considered lost) — the exact rule depends on the airline and applicable law.
- Damaged or pilfered — the bag arrived but is broken, or items are missing. This is handled differently and must be reported on the spot (see section 5).
2. First step: don't leave — go to the baggage service office
Don't exit the baggage claim area. Head straight to the airline's baggage service office (often labeled Baggage Service or Lost & Found, usually right by the carousels). Sorting it out after you've left the airport is much harder and can affect your claim.
- Bring your boarding pass and your baggage claim tag (the sticker receipt you got at check-in) — it's the key to locating your bag.
- If you connected, you usually file with the last airline that flew you to your destination.
3. File the report (PIR) and get a reference
The desk will open a PIR (Property Irregularity Report) — the record used to trace your bag and back any claim. Make sure to:
- Give the baggage tag number so the system can match your bag.
- Describe the bag Brand, color, material, size, any straps or distinctive tags — the more specific the better (a photo helps; see section 6).
- Leave contact and delivery details Your phone, email, and the address where you're staying, so the bag can be couriered to you when found.
- Get the tracking reference Note the PIR file reference (most airlines use the WorldTracer system and give you a code you can check online), and keep a copy.
💡 Most airlines use a shared bag-tracing system and will deliver a found bag to the address you gave — you usually won't have to return to the airport. Keep your phone reachable and the address correct.
4. Interim essentials while you wait
If your bag is delayed and you're without clothes or toiletries, many airlines provide an overnight kit, or let you buy necessities and reimburse you (amounts and eligible items vary). In practice:
- Ask first whether they reimburse, up to how much, and which items count before you shop.
- Keep every receipt — it's what you'll need to be reimbursed or to file a claim.
- Your travel insurance or a credit card's baggage-delay benefit may also cover essentials after a set delay — details in travel insurance 101.
5. Damaged bag or missing items
- Report it on the spot, before you leave — damage and pilferage usually have a tight deadline, and it's harder once you've left.
- Photograph everything — the damage, the whole bag, and the contents.
- Don't throw the damaged bag away — it may be needed to assess the claim.
- Airline liability for baggage is capped under international rules (and adjusted periodically), so keep valuables in your carry-on or insure them separately — per the applicable rules.
6. The claim and tracking afterward
- Keep every document — the PIR reference, boarding pass, baggage tag and receipts; you'll need them to claim.
- Track with your reference — many airlines let you check WorldTracer status online; if it stalls, contact the airline.
- Filing a claim — the steps and paperwork for the airline or your insurer are in travel insurance 101.
7. How to reduce the damage next time
- Keep documents, medication, valuables and one change of clothes in your carry-on, so a delay doesn't strand you — see the carry-on packing list and carry-on vs checked.
- Photograph your bag and its contents before you fly — useful for the description and any claim.
- Tag your bag and make it identifiable (a strap or sticker) so it's easy to spot and harder to grab by mistake.
- Leave enough connection time — tight connections are a common reason bags don't keep up.
- Consider a luggage tracker so you have your own idea of where the bag is when you talk to the airline.
General information about handling delayed, lost or damaged baggage — not a recommendation or guarantee for any airline or insurer. "Lost" timelines, liability caps, reporting deadlines and reimbursable items vary by airline, airport and the applicable international rules and can change, so confirm the details and file within the deadlines with your airline.
Lost & delayed baggage FAQ
My bag didn't arrive — what's the first thing to do?
Don't leave the baggage claim area. Take your boarding pass and baggage claim tag to the airline's baggage service office and have them open a PIR (report), then get the tracking reference. Sorting it out after you've left the airport is much harder.
What is a PIR?
A Property Irregularity Report — the airline's record of your baggage problem, used to trace the bag and support any claim. When filing, give the bag tag, describe the bag, leave your contact and where you're staying, and note the tracking reference.
How long before a delayed bag is "lost"?
On international trips it's often around 21 days (under the Montreal Convention, a bag not delivered within 21 days can be treated as lost), but the exact rule and payout depend on the airline and applicable law — confirm with your carrier.
Can I be reimbursed for buying essentials while I wait?
Many airlines reimburse necessities during a delay, or give you an overnight kit; amounts and eligible items vary, so ask first and keep every receipt. Travel insurance or a credit card's baggage-delay benefit may also cover it, per the terms.
My suitcase arrived damaged — what now?
Report it at the baggage office before you leave (damage usually has a tight deadline), photograph it and keep the damaged bag. Airline liability is capped under international rules, so keep valuables in your carry-on or insure them separately.