Baggage compensation for delayed, lost or damaged bags
When an airline mishandles your checked bag, the Montreal Convention governs your claim, not EU261 flight compensation. File a report at the airport and act within strict deadlines. Check what may apply to your case.
Checked by the FlightCompensations editorial team
Last updated 1 July 2026 · Editorial & corrections policy
What does baggage compensation cover?
Key takeaways
- The Montreal Convention covers baggage, not EU261's €250–€600 flight-compensation bands.
- Airline liability stops at roughly 1,519 SDR per passenger — a figure that moves with exchange rates.
- Always file a Property Irregularity Report (PIR) at the airport before you leave the baggage area.
- The deadlines are strict: 7 days for damage, 21 days for a delayed bag, counted from the day it reaches you.
- Keep receipts: reasonable essential purchases during a delay count against the liability limit.
When must the airline pay lost luggage compensation?
May qualify for compensation
- You checked the bag in with the airline (this covers checked bags, not carry-on).
- The bag went missing, arrived late or arrived damaged on a flight with a carrier the Montreal Convention binds.
- You reported the problem to the airline — ideally via a PIR at the airport.
- You claimed in writing within the applicable deadline and can evidence your loss or expenses.
Usually excluded
- Amounts above the Montreal Convention liability cap of roughly 1,519 SDR, unless you made a special higher-value declaration and paid any fee.
- Claims filed after the deadline (commonly 7 days for damage, 21 days for delay, from delivery of the bag).
- Damage from an inherent defect of the baggage, or from fragile or perishable items packed in checked luggage.
- Certain valuables, electronics or cash that airlines commonly exclude or limit — check the conditions of carriage.
What are the Montreal Convention baggage limits on your route?
For EU/EEA airlines, EU law applies the Montreal Convention directly, making the carrier liable for delayed, lost or damaged checked baggage up to about 1,519 SDR per passenger.
This baggage liability is separate from EU261 flight-delay compensation. A PIR and the standard damage and delay deadlines apply. Reasonable essential purchases during a delay come back to you against receipts.
How much baggage compensation can you claim, and by when?
Montreal Convention baggage limit and claim deadlines
| Situation | Limit or deadline |
|---|---|
| Lost, delayed or damaged checked bagPer passenger: your proven loss or reasonable expenses, not a fixed sum | Up to about 1,519 SDR |
| Damaged bag: written claimFrom the day you receive the bag | About 7 days |
| Delayed bag: written claimFrom the day the bag is delivered | About 21 days |
| EU261 / UK261 flight compensation for baggageThe €250–€600 bands do not apply to baggage | None |
The SDR limit is set in Special Drawing Rights, so its value in euros moves with exchange rates. Check the exact deadlines for your airline and route as soon as possible.
How do you make a delayed baggage claim?
- 1Report the problem before leaving the airport and file a Property Irregularity Report (PIR).
- 2Keep the PIR reference, your bag tags and your boarding pass.
- 3For delayed bags, keep receipts for reasonable essential purchases while you wait.
- 4For damage, photograph the bag and its contents and claim within about 7 days of delivery.
- 5For delayed baggage, submit a written claim within about 21 days of the bag being returned; check your options if the bag is declared lost.
Which documents should you keep?
How do you claim?
- 1Gather your PIR reference, bag tags, boarding pass and receipts.
- 2Tell us whether the bag arrived late, went missing or came back damaged, and when you got it.
- 3We help prepare a written claim to the airline within the applicable deadline.
- 4If reimbursement is recovered, you receive the airline's payment and pay our fixed €39 fee.
Frequently asked questions
The airline lost my luggage — what can I claim?
Under the Montreal Convention, up to about 1,519 SDR per passenger for lost, damaged or delayed baggage — including reasonable essentials you had to buy while waiting. File a Property Irregularity Report (PIR) at the airport, and put the claim in writing within 7 days for damage or 21 days for delay. Keep every receipt.
How much can I claim for a lost or delayed bag?
Under the Montreal Convention, airline liability for checked baggage stops at around 1,519 SDR per passenger — an amount that varies with exchange rates. The airline repays your actual, proven loss or reasonable expenses up to that limit. There is no fixed sum.
What is a PIR and do I need one?
A Property Irregularity Report is the form you file with the airline at the airport to record delayed, lost or damaged baggage. It is important evidence, so file it before you leave the baggage area and keep the reference number.
What are the deadlines?
They are strict. For a damaged bag, claim within about 7 days of receiving it. For a delayed bag, claim within about 21 days of its delivery. Check the exact limits for your airline and route as soon as possible.
Is this the same as EU261 flight compensation?
No. EU261 and UK261 cover flight delays and cancellations with fixed €250–€600 amounts. The Montreal Convention handles baggage separately, repaying proven loss up to its liability cap. The two can apply to the same trip independently.
Sources
- UK Civil Aviation Authority — passenger rights — the UK regulator's own guidance and complaint route
Does your flight qualify?
Free in about 15 seconds. You receive the airline's compensation and pay only our fixed €39 fee after success.
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