Lost or delayed baggage: what you can claim
Report it at the airport before you leave and keep the reference. Airlines are liable up to roughly £1,000 per passenger, and you can claim the cost of essentials bought while you wait.
Report it before you leave the airport
Go to the baggage desk in the arrivals hall and file a Property Irregularity Report. You will be given a reference. Without it, a later claim is much harder to prove.
If you have already left, contact the airline the same day and in writing. The deadline for a written complaint is 7 days for damaged baggage and 21 days for delayed baggage, counted from when you received it.
What you can buy while you wait
You can claim reasonable costs for essentials you had to replace: clothing, toiletries, a phone charger. Keep every receipt.
"Reasonable" means what you needed, not what you fancied. A change of clothes for a three-day trip is reasonable; replacing your wardrobe is not.
Some airlines pay a fixed daily allowance instead. You can accept it, but you are not obliged to if your actual costs were higher and you can evidence them.
When a bag counts as lost
After 21 days, a delayed bag is treated as lost and you can claim for its contents.
Under the Montreal Convention the limit is 1,288 Special Drawing Rights per passenger, which is roughly £1,300 and moves with exchange rates. That is the ceiling for the bag, its contents and any costs you incurred because of the delay, combined.
Your travel insurance may also cover this, and often pays faster. Claiming from both for the same loss is not allowed.
Common questions
How long does an airline have to find my bag?
After 21 days a delayed bag is formally treated as lost, and you can claim for its contents rather than just for the delay.
How much can I claim for lost luggage?
Up to 1,288 Special Drawing Rights per passenger under the Montreal Convention, roughly £1,300. That ceiling covers the bag, its contents and the costs caused by the delay together.
What if I did not report it at the airport?
Contact the airline in writing as soon as you can. The deadlines are 7 days for damage and 21 days for delay, from the date you got the bag back.
Check your own flight
AirHelp will tell you whether a specific flight qualifies and handle the claim with the airline. TravelTrauma earns a commission if a claim succeeds, at no cost to you.
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Last reviewed 2026-10-07. This explains the rules and is not legal advice; the circumstances of your flight may change what applies.