Are Airlines Still Losing Luggage? | Facts, Fixes, Tips

Lost luggage stories sting, and they still happen. The good news: mishandling rates are trending down after the post‑pandemic spike. With a few smart choices, you can shrink the risk and move faster if a bag goes missing.

Are Airlines Still Losing Bags In 2025?

Short answer: yes. Big systems move millions of bags every day and a small slice still goes astray. In the United States, the Department of Transportation reported a 2024 mishandled baggage rate of 0.55% for reporting carriers (full‑year ATCR). Globally, SITA’s industry study shows 6.3 mishandled bags per 1,000 passengers in 2024, better than 6.9 the year before and far below 2007 levels. Those numbers tell two stories at once: missteps happen, yet the trend line points the right way.

What The Rates Actually Mean

Percentages and per‑thousand figures sound abstract. Read them as odds. On a typical itinerary the chance of a bag issue is low, not zero. Add a tight connection, a peak travel day, or severe weather and the odds climb. Remove those stressors and they drop.

Why Airlines Still Lose Baggage Today

Bag systems depend on tags getting scanned at each hand‑off. Most trips work flawlessly; the misses cluster around a few patterns.

Busy Hubs And Tight Connections

Short layovers leave little time for a bag to move from belt to cart to aircraft. Missed connections for people are visible; bags miss quietly, then catch up on a later flight.

Short Check‑In Cutoffs And Late Bags

Arriving close to cut‑off squeezes the path from drop to load. Late drop‑offs get routed, but they sit behind earlier waves and may not make your flight.

Tag Scans And Transfer Slip‑Ups

Damaged tags, double tags, or unreadable barcodes confuse routing. Manual fixes work, yet a small share still ends up in the exceptions stream.

Weather And Irregular Operations

Thunderstorms, snow, and ground stops ripple across networks. Crews get shifted, belts pause, and carts wait for lightning holds. Every pause adds chances for a bag to miss a segment.

How To Cut Your Risk Without Stress

You don’t need perfect habits. A few steady moves produce outsized gains.

Pick Smarter Itineraries

• Favour longer connections at big hubs, especially on the last leg of the day.
• Choose nonstop when it fits. One takeoff, one landing, one transfer for your bag: simple beats complex.
• Avoid the final flight on routes with frequent delays. If that flight cancels, your bag sits overnight.

Pack For Resilience

• Keep medication, keys, one outfit, chargers, and documents in your carry‑on.
• Use a boldly coloured strap or tag and add a paper card inside with your name, email, and phone.
• Snap photos of the bag and its contents before you leave home. That speeds claims.

Make Your Bag Easy To Find

Smart tags help you and the airline narrow the search. Apple AirTag and similar Bluetooth trackers point you to the last seen location. Airlines and airports are adding real‑time tracking through RFID and mobile updates, a trend confirmed by industry reports. The more eyes on a bag, the faster it comes back.

Use Photos And Receipts

Pictures, serial numbers, and receipts turn guesswork into proof. Save digital copies to a cloud folder so they’re handy if you need them.

What To Do If Your Bag Doesn’t Show

Don’t leave the arrivals hall yet. A few steps at the counter put you in the system and unlock expenses while you wait.

File A PIR Before You Leave The Airport

Ask the baggage service desk to create a Property Irregularity Report (PIR) and give you the file reference. Share a delivery address, a description of the bag, and any tracker location. Keep the claim stub and the report number.

Know The Timelines

On most international trips covered by the Montreal Convention, damage must be reported in writing within 7 days, and delay within 21 days of receiving the bag. Bags unreturned after 21 days are treated as lost. For U.S. domestic trips, airlines set the paperwork rules; file promptly and keep records.

Daily Follow‑Up That Works

• Check your file online and set text or email updates.
• Call the local baggage office with your file number if the status stalls.
• Share tracker pings when they show a clear location.

Claim What You’re Owed

U.S. carriers must pay up to the domestic liability limit for provable losses when a checked bag is lost, damaged, or delayed. On most international itineraries, limits are set in Special Drawing Rights under the Montreal Convention. Keep receipts for interim purchases like toiletries and basic clothing; reasonable expenses are typically reimbursed while the bag is missing.

AirTags, RFID, And Airline Tech: Do They Help?

Yes. Industry data points to steady gains as airports and airlines expand digital tracking. Global mishandling fell in 2024 while passenger totals hit records. RFID bag tags, better messaging between systems, and mobile alerts move errors upstream, where fixes are fast. Pair that with your own tracker and clear labeling and you get two layers of visibility.

Do Carry‑On Only Trips Reduce Problems?

They can. No checked bag means no hand‑offs, and your bag stays with you. That said, crowded bins lead to gate‑checks. If gate‑checked, treat the bag like any other checked item: remove batteries and valuables, keep the claim stub, and watch your tracking app.

Do Airlines Still Lose Luggage On Connections?

Connections are the classic pressure point. To hedge, book longer layovers at major hubs, aim for earlier flights on weather‑prone routes, and avoid tight legal minimums when you can. If a delay eats into your cushion, ask an agent to rebook the final leg before you land so your bag gets retagged as well.

Smart Packing Checklist

• Carry‑on kit: meds, eyewear, wallet, travel docs, chargers, small power bank (not in checked bags), and one spare outfit.
• Inside the suitcase: an ID card and a second copy of your itinerary.
• Outside: a tough tag plus a strap that stands out on the carousel.
• Tech: a Bluetooth tracker tucked into a pocket near the edge for stronger reads.

When To Ask For More

Airlines can pay above the legal limits, and some do when receipts show higher losses. Several carriers sell optional declared value coverage on international tickets; this raises the ceiling when you carry pricey gear. Travel insurance can fill gaps too. Read the fine print before you fly so you know how to claim.

Trusted Links

Learn the U.S. rules on lost, delayed, or damaged bags straight from the DOT. For international trips, see the Montreal liability limits now set at 1,519 SDR for baggage. And for tech progress, SITA’s baggage insights explain how tracking and automation reduce errors.

Step‑By‑Step Claim Template

Once a PIR exists, send a short note to the airline’s baggage team so you have a written trail. Keep it simple, stick to facts, and attach receipts as you incur them.

Use This Outline

• Subject: “Baggage file [reference] — expenses and delivery address”
• First line: flight number, travel date, and file reference.
• One paragraph: describe the bag (brand, colour, size, strap, tag) and contents you need urgently.
• Delivery: confirm the address and a time window.
• Expenses: list items bought while waiting (toiletries, socks, shirt), with totals and receipts attached.
• Close: thank the agent and ask for tracking updates and courier details when assigned.

Common Myths That Waste Time

“A Tracker Replaces The Airline Report”

A Bluetooth tracker helps you locate a bag, but it doesn’t create a claim. The airline still needs a PIR to enter the recovery workflow and to pay expenses.

“A Bag Is Lost After 24 Hours”

Most delayed bags arrive within a day or two. Under the Montreal rules a bag is treated as lost after 21 days, not one.

“Every Airline Pays The Same Way”

Rules on receipts and daily allowances differ by carrier and route. Save proof, ask the agent what they require, and send clean scans with your file number in the subject line.

Special Items: Mobility Devices, Strollers, Sports Gear

Wheelchairs and scooters require extra care. At check‑in, ask for gate‑side checks and handling tags that keep the device upright. Photograph the condition before hand‑off. If damage occurs, report it at the arrival desk right away so repairs or loaners can be arranged. For strollers and child seats, protect latches with covers and remove loose parts. For skis, boards, and clubs, use a hard case and place an ID card inside.

Airline Fees And Carry‑On Strategy

Checked bag fees push more bags into overhead bins. When bins fill, late boarders get gate‑checks. To keep control, board early when your fare or status allows, and follow size rules so staff don’t need to pull bags at the door.

What Airlines See Behind The Scenes

Bag paths run through conveyors, sorters, and tugs. Behind each step sits a scan: at drop, at security, into the tug, onto the aircraft, off the aircraft, and into the claim hall. When a scan fails, the system flags a search. Airports are rolling out RFID tags that scan more reliably than barcodes, while apps surface events to staff and passengers. Cleaner scans mean fewer blind spots and quicker fixes.

International Tips That Save Claims

• Keep boarding passes and all bag tags until the bag is back in your hands.
• Write the PIR number on every receipt you submit.
• If an airline asks for bank details, send them through the secure form they provide, not by plain email.
• When language is a hurdle, use simple sentences and attach photos with labels in English.

Gear And Valuables: What Not To Check

Laptops, cameras, passports, cash, watches, and medication belong in hand baggage. Lithium batteries must not go into checked bags. Put spare batteries in protective sleeves and keep them with you. If you must check a high‑value item, ask the airline about declared value coverage on that ticket and get confirmation in writing.

Final Packing Tweaks That Pay Off

• Split family clothing across two bags so one delay doesn’t derail the trip.
• Use packing cubes as a simple inventory; note colours so you can list contents fast.
• Place a unique sticker under a handle where thieves won’t spot it; agents can verify ownership if tags fall off.
• Seal toiletries in a double pouch to protect clothing and inspection tables.