Your checked bag was late. Get the bag fee back

What counts as significantly delayed

• Domestic flight: the bag isn't delivered within 12 hours of your arrival at the gate.
• International flight of 12 hours or less: within 15 hours.
• International flight over 12 hours: within 30 hours.
• A lost bag also qualifies.

How to get the fee back

• File a mishandled baggage report with the airline (at the airport or online) as soon as you can. The refund depends on it.
• Keep the report number and your bag fee receipt.
• If the fee isn't refunded automatically, ask in writing, quoting 14 CFR 260.5. Refunds are due within 7 business days if you paid by credit card, or within 20 calendar days for other payment methods.

Your other costs

Reasonable costs caused by a delayed bag (toiletries, essential clothes) are a separate baggage claim. On domestic trips, the airline's liability for lost, damaged or delayed baggage is at least $4,700 per passenger; international trips fall under the Montreal Convention.

Questions

How late does my bag have to be for a bag fee refund?

12 hours after arrival for domestic flights; 15 hours for international flights of 12 hours or less; 30 hours for longer international flights.

Do I have to file a report?

Yes. The bag fee refund depends on filing a mishandled baggage report with the airline.

Is this the same as a baggage claim?

No. The bag fee refund is one thing; reimbursement of costs caused by the delay is a separate claim with its own limits.