American Airlines delayed & lost baggage compensation: your rights and deadlines

Joanna Teljeur

By:  Joanna Teljeur

Last Updated:  April 3, 2026

Reviewed by:  Michael Higgins

It’s exasperating to have your baggage misplaced or damaged after an American Airlines flight. But fortunately, you have passenger rights that protect you in these situations, even as a passenger from the UK or Europe. In fact, you can even get money back from the airline to cover expenses or replacement items, as long as you take specific steps within certain timeframes.  

Key takeaways

1. On domestic U.S. flights, American Airlines is liable for delayed, damaged, or lost baggage up to £3,540 ($4,700) per passenger under DOT regulations.
2. On international flights, liability is capped at 1,519 SDR (roughly £1,600) under the Montreal Convention, and the burden of proof sits with the airline, not you.
3. Report delayed bags within 4 hours of arrival on domestic flights, or immediately upon arrival on international ones. Miss the deadline and you risk losing your right to claim.
4. Damage to domestic bags must be reported within 24 hours of receiving your bag; for international flights, you have 7 days.
5. Missing contents will not be covered unless your bag was already reported as delayed or damaged, and must be reported within 24 hours (domestic) or 7 days (international) of receiving it.

Who protects your baggage rights on American flights?

On domestic flightswithin the United States, the U.S. Department of Transportation protects you. They require American Airlines to compensate you for delayed, damaged, or lost baggage up to a maximum of approximately £3,540 ($4,700) per passenger. 

On international flights, your rights are protected by the Montreal Convention, an international treaty that most major airlines, including American must abide by. Based on these rules, the airline is automatically liable for baggage mishandling up to 1,519 SDR per passenger, a unit of currency set by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), worth roughly £1,600, depending on exchange rates.

American Airlines delayed baggage

Sometimes checked baggage goes missing even when American does everything right. Things like connecting flights, busy hubs, and sheer passenger volume all contribute to baggage handling mishaps. If your bag doesn’t show up on the carousel, here’s what you need to do.

First, report your delayed baggage immediately

This is the most important thing to do when you realise your bags haven’t arrived with you. So, look for the baggage help desk in the reclaim area. An agent should help you complete a Property Irregularity Report (PIR). 

You have a small window to make a delayed baggage report:

• For domestic flights: Complete your report within 4 hours of arriving at your destination.
• For domestic flights using Bags VIP Luggage Delivery: You must complete your report within 12 hours of arrival
• For international flights: upon arrival and before leaving the airport

If you don’t see an agent at the baggage help desk, look for the American Airlines QR code and scan it to file a report. You might not find a QR code at all airports, but you can still file your report online directly if your flight ends in the U.S., Puerto Rico, or the U.S. Virgin Islands.

After you submit your report, American Airlines will send you a 13-character file ID. Hold onto this because you will need it for tracking your bag and for submitting a reimbursement or compensation claim. 

What if you have an AirTag?

If your bag has an AirTag or any other similar accessory inside it, you can share the tracking link when you file your report. This can help American locate your missing luggage faster. 

To do this, open the Find My app, go to Items, select the item, tap Share Item Location, and paste the link into the delayed bag form. If you’ve already filed your report, log into the American’s bag portal, select Manage Tracking Device, and add the link from there.

Buying essentials while you wait

If your bag is delayed while you’re away from home, you can buy clothes, toiletries, or other essentials, and American Airlines will reimburse you. But, it is important that you keep your expenses reasonable. The DOT requires airlines to pay you back for verifiable expenses, but extravagant purchases won’t be covered. 

Keep your receipts, keep them organised, and make sure they are dated. Without them, your claim will not be processed.

When to file your reimbursement claim

If your bag went missing on a domestic flight, you must submit your claim within 30 days of the incident (when the bag was delayed). 

If you were on an international flight, you have to file your reimbursement claim within 21 days of the incident.

Be sure to include the following information in your claim:

• Your 13-character file ID (PIR number)
• A copy of your ticket receipt and baggage claim checks
• Original, dated, itemised receipts (not a credit card statement)

Important: If American Airlines cannot find your bag and you end up filing a lost baggage claim, any expense reimbursements already paid to you will be deducted from your final settlement amount.

When to make American Airlines baggage reports and compensation claims

This table will help you understand the deadlines for submitting reports and claims for delayed, lost, and damaged baggage. 

Airlines make a fortune in baggage feesIf they lost your checked luggage, they owe you! Get up to $4,700 in compensation.
Start your claim today!

American Airlines lost luggage

Lost luggage is treated very differently depending on your route. 

Domestic flights 

If your bag is still missing after five days, American Airlines will ask you to complete a formal online claim using your report ID. 

After you send this form back to them, they will do a thorough investigation. Then, if they still can’t find your luggage, they will make a final decision about your case based on the information you provided in the online claim form. The maximum compensation you can receive is $4,700 (~ £3,540) per passenger. 

International flights from the UK 

Your delayed baggage will be considered officially lost if it still isn’t found by the 21st day. At this point, you have up to 2 years to file a lost baggage compensation claim.

American Airlines passengers often underestimate how time-sensitive baggage claims are. The domestic reporting windows in particular, four hours for a delayed bag, 24 hours for damage are much shorter than UK passengers expect. Always make a report at the airport before you do anything else, even if you think the bag might turn up. Filing a report costs you nothing and protects your legal position. – Michael Higgins, Aviation Law Specialist at AirAdvisor

American Airlines damaged baggage

If your checked baggage or their contents are damaged when you collect them, you should make a report immediately. If you can’t make a Property Irregularity Report at the airport, or if you don’t notice the damage until you unpack, you can still make a report online, but there are very strict timelines for taking this step. If you miss these deadlines, your claim will probably be denied.

Deadlines for making a damaged baggage report

• Domestic flights: You must make a report within 24 hours of receiving your bag
• International flights: You have 7 days from the date you received your bags to file a report.

When you report the damage, American Airlines will give you a 13-character report number. Keep this because you will need it for your claim. Also, if you have to purchase any items because the ones in your bag were damaged, remember to collect all the receipts to submit with your claim.

What if your baggage was damaged by the TSA?

If your bag was inspected by the Transportation Security Administration, and damaged as a result, American Airlines is not responsible. In most cases, the TSA will put a sticker on your baggage if it was inspected, so you will know if they had a hand in the damage. You can call them directly at 866-289-9673. 

What if the contents of your baggage are missing?

If your bag was delayed or damaged and then you discover that items are missing, you must file a missing items claim within the following time frames:

• Domestic flights: within 24 hours of receiving the bag
• International flights: within 7 days of receiving the bag

American Airlines will not compensate you for missing items from a checked bag on domestic U.S. flights unless that bag was first reported as delayed or damaged.

How to file a baggage claim with American Airlines

To file a claim for delayed, lost, or damaged baggage, go to the American Airline’s site and look for the baggage mishandling or baggage help page. Then submit your claim along with all your supporting evidence including:

• Photos of damage 
• Photos of your suitcase when you were packing
• Receipts for essentials you had to buy 
• Receipts for the items in lost baggage (so you can prove their value)
• Your PIR number (File reference number)
• Any prior communication with the airline, and anything else to support your case

Baggage mishandling with an American codeshare partner

If you flew with a codeshare partner, meaning another airline operated your flight even though you purchased it through American, you will need to submit your claim with the operating airline.

Ignored and denied claims

If American ignores your claim, the outcome feels unfair, or you’re denied outright, you can escalate your case to the DOT's Aviation Consumer Protection Division. However, making a complaint to the DOT will not necessarily lead to a compensation payout.  

If you need help getting the baggage compensation you’re legally entitled to, let AirAdvisor handle your claim for you. Here’s how we helped a passenger flying with an American codeshare partner.

How AirAdvisor secured baggage compensation on an American codeshare flight

Tristan's bags didn't arrive after his flight, but what made his situation more frustrating was the fact that he had a connecting flight with a codeshare partner. The first leg was operated by American Airlines, but the final flight was with Iberia.

The codeshare trap

Most passengers in Tristan's position would have gone straight to American, because it’s the airline they booked their ticket with. But in baggage claims, legal responsibility typically falls to the final operating carrier, which in this case was Iberia.

Submitting to the wrong airline can give them grounds to reject the claim entirely.

How AirAdvisor resolved it

AirAdvisor identified the correct carrier, structured the claim using Tristan's PIR, travel documents, and delay details, and submitted it to Iberia directly. The case was resolved successfully, with Tristan receiving £351 in compensation.

Dealing with a delayed, damaged, or lost bag is frustrating enough without having to navigate airline portals, chase receipts, and wait weeks for a response. AirAdvisor's legal team specialises in passenger rights claims and can take the process off your hands entirely.  Our legal team makes sure you get the maximum amount you are entitled to without the hassle.

Has American Airlines mishandled your baggage?Enter your flight details to start your claim.Start your claim

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Author:

Joanna Teljeur

Job/Position: Senior Editor & Content Lead

Joanna Teljeur is a senior editor and writer with 15+ years of experience in editorial leadership, journalism, and content development, specialising in consumer rights, aviation law, and public-interest reporting. Her work focuses on transforming complex regulatory and legal topics into clear, accurate, and accessible content for international audiences.

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