What must an airline refund if your bag is lost or delayed?
The short answer
DOT says you are entitled to a refund of the checked bag fee if your bag is declared lost or is significantly delayed. You must file a mishandled baggage report with the airline. Airlines must also cover reasonable, verifiable expenses for delayed bags, within liability limits.
When a bag counts as delayed or lost
- Domestic: significantly delayed if not delivered within 12 hours after the flight arrives.
- International (US to or from a foreign airport): 15 hours for flights of 12 hours or less, 30 hours for longer flights.
- Lost: most airlines declare a bag lost 5 to 14 days after the flight, but this varies.
What you can claim
File a baggage claim as soon as possible. Once the report is on file and the delay becomes significant, DOT says the bag fee refund should be issued automatically. If a bag is lost, the airline must also pay for the contents, subject to depreciation and limits.
Airlines must reimburse reasonable, verifiable and actual incidental expenses while your bag is delayed. They cannot set an arbitrary daily amount, such as a $50 cap per day.
Limits and exceptions
On domestic flights the maximum liability allowed is $4,700 per passenger. On most international flights, the Montreal Convention limit is 1,519 Special Drawing Rights, about $2,175. Lost or damaged assistive devices on domestic flights are covered up to the original purchase price.
No refund is required if you failed to re-check your bag at the first US entry point on an international trip, failed to pick up a bag that arrived on time, or agreed to travel without the bag after a late check-in or on standby. Rules change, check the official page before you travel.
Sources: DOT: Lost, Delayed, or Damaged Baggage, DOT: Refunds. Read 5 November 2026. Rules and fees change, so check the official page before you travel.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to file a report to get my bag fee back?
Yes. DOT says you must file a mishandled baggage report with the airline.
Can an airline cap my daily expenses?
No. DOT says airlines cannot set an arbitrary daily amount for interim expenses.
What is the domestic liability limit?
DOT says the maximum allowed by regulation is $4,700 per passenger.
Should I pack valuables in checked bags?
DOT lists small valuables, medicine, keys and passports as items to pack in a carry-on bag instead.