Baggage did not arrive: how to get a payment of up to 1,519 SDR

Your suitcase never appeared on the belt, and you're standing by an empty carousel in a foreign airport. At that moment, few people know that the carrier is obligated to do more than just hand you a toothbrush.

The Montreal Convention sets uniform rules for international carriage and limits airline liability for baggage. The limit is 1,519 SDR, or about 2,000 US dollars (as of 12/2024, ICAO press release). What is reimbursed is not the value of the suitcase itself, but the expenses you incurred due to delay, damage, or loss.

Below we break down when the convention protects your baggage, what counts as a loss, what deadlines apply for filing a complaint, and what to do if your claim is denied.

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What the Montreal Convention is

💡 In short:

• The convention protects baggage on international flights between participating countries.
• Delay, damage, and loss are covered by a single limit of 1,519 SDR per passenger.
• A complaint must be filed in writing: 7 days for damage, 21 days for delay.
• Limits and deadlines: verified on 15.09.2026 against the ICAO notice and data from Canada's transport authority

The Montreal treaty unifies the rules for international carriage of passengers, baggage, and cargo by air. It was signed in 1999, entered into force in 2003, and replaced the 1929 Warsaw Convention (as of 10/2024, ICAO).

Today around 140 states and the European Union are parties to the convention (as of 10/2024, ICAO list of parties). The European Union and all of its member states are also parties to the treaty, so the same rules apply to flights from Germany and Austria (as of 2024, EU Council document).

The document sets uniform limits on carrier liability. In the event of a passenger's death or injury, the limit reaches 151,880 SDR, about 202,500 US dollars (as of 12/2024, ICAO press release). For cargo, the airline is liable up to 26 SDR per kilogram. But most often the convention is invoked because of an ordinary suitcase.

© congresmtl.com · CC BY-SAPhoto: congresmtl.com, CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0), Wikimedia Commons

The limits are reviewed every five years with an adjustment for inflation. The latest increase took effect on December 28, 2024, and this is the fourth revision since 2003 (as of 10/2024, notice on limit revision).

That means figures from 2019 articles are already outdated. If an airline cites a limit of 1,288 SDR, it is quoting the old amount.

When the convention protects your baggage

The convention looks at two points on the route: where you began your journey and where you ended it. That determines whether the treaty applies or not. There are four typical scenarios, and the answer is different in each one.

Between two participating countries. You fly from a country that signed the treaty to another participating country. The convention applies here. A Berlin-New York flight falls under it: Germany and the US signed the treaty. The same goes for a Frankfurt-Montreal flight.

Within one country without stops. The entire journey takes place within a participating country, and there is no scheduled stop abroad. The convention does not apply. Example: a Munich-Berlin flight. Baggage rights here derive from national law and the carrier's conditions.

Within a participating country with a stop in a treaty country. The departure and arrival points are in the same country, but you have a scheduled stop in another participating country. The convention applies. Example: Paris-Lyon with a planned overnight stay in Geneva.

What matters is the scheduled stop itself, not its length. Even a short connection changes the picture.

Within a participating country with a stop outside the treaty. Departure and arrival are in a participating country, while the stop is in a country that has not signed the convention. The treaty still applies. What matters is the countries of departure and arrival, not the transfer point.

Look at the flight map, not the airline brand. A budget low-cost carrier is liable under the same rules as a major carrier.

If you fly from Berlin to Vienna, formally this is also an international flight: Germany and Austria are different participating countries. The convention applies.

Damaged, delayed, or lost baggage

If your suitcase was destroyed, lost, or damaged while it was in the airline's possession, you have the right to claim compensation. One condition: the damage must not have been caused by the poor quality of the baggage itself. A cardboard box instead of a suitcase weakens your position.

Carry-on baggage also falls under the rule. In practice, it is rarely lost. Exception: at the gate you were forced to check your bag, and it did not arrive.

If checked baggage is not returned within 21 days after the arrival date, it is considered lost (as of 09/2026, Transport Canada). From that point on, you claim compensation for the loss, not just for temporary expenses.

A separate case is when baggage is simply delayed. Article 19 of the convention makes the carrier liable for damage caused by delay. But there is a caveat: the airline is not liable for delay caused by reasons beyond its control.

Such reasons include bad weather, strikes, civil unrest, and bird strikes. Arguing about these definitions is difficult, but the fact of delay itself is easy to prove.

If you checked a suitcase at the departure airport and it was not delivered at the arrival airport, you have a baggage delay. That is enough.

Next, two things matter: which expenses count as a loss and how much the airline is required to pay.

Which expenses count as a loss

Losses are money you spent only because your baggage did not arrive on time. The wording is simple: you bought something that was already in your suitcase and that you needed at your destination.

Classic example. Your toothbrush and toiletries were in your checked suitcase. You buy new ones locally. That is a loss caused by the delay.

Second example. You are flying to a beach destination, and your swimsuit is in the lost suitcase. A new swimsuit, which you would not have needed without the delay, also counts as a loss.

The third case relates to work. If your suitcase contained a business suit and you are flying to negotiations, you can claim the cost of a replacement. The key is that the purchase looks reasonable.

The word "reasonable" is key here. A winter coat bought after arriving in the Maldives will not be recognized as a reasonable expense. But sunscreen, a swimsuit, and a sun hat at a beach resort look logical.

For a ski trip, proving expensive gear is difficult. However, renting equipment while you wait is reimbursed more readily. That way you cover the need without inflating the amount.

To get your money, keep your receipts. You need actual receipts and invoices, not just card slips. They will be attached to the written claim along with the carrier's form.

You must justify all expenses. The airline reviews every purchase and may ask why the item was necessary. Have your answer ready in advance.

How much they pay: the 1,519 SDR limit

Article 22 of the convention sets the liability limit for baggage. It is expressed in special drawing rights (SDR), the unit of account of the International Monetary Fund (as of 09/2026, IMF).

The SDR basket includes five currencies: the US dollar, the euro, the yuan, the yen, and the pound sterling. The rate is recalculated every day, so the amount in euros changes (as of 09/2026, IMF).

The baggage limit is 1,519 SDR per passenger, about 2,000 US dollars (as of 12/2024, ICAO final communication). This is the upper bound of your claim, not an automatic payout.

The distinction matters. The airline reimburses proven losses, but no more than the limit. If you have receipts for 300 euros, the discussion will be about 300 euros, not the full amount.

You can exceed the limit only in two cases. First: when checking baggage, you made a special declaration of its value under Article 22. Second: the damage resulted from the carrier's intent.

During the initial contact, an employee may say that only essential items are compensated. That phrase does not match the convention. The limit covers any reasonable expenses.

A typical case: the suitcase did not arrive on the connecting flight

Let's look at a typical scenario described in materials about passenger rights. A passenger flies with a connection, the baggage is not transferred in time at the connection, and the suitcase is missing from the belt at the destination airport.

The correct first step is to file a property irregularity report, or PIR, right at the arrival airport, and only then head to the hotel.

The weather at a resort often differs from back home, and the things you need stay in the suitcase. In that situation you have to buy basic toiletries and suitable clothing on the spot.

Often the suitcase is found the same day and they promise to deliver it to the hotel the next morning.

While the baggage is being searched for, the passenger pays for all purchases out of pocket: it makes sense to go to the nearest shopping center, collect receipts, and keep all purchase documentation, including the taxi ride.

Then you send the receipts and a detailed claim form with references to the articles of the Montreal Convention to the airline. If visible damage is found on the suitcase at delivery, a separate claim is filed for it.

With a complete set of documents, carriers usually reimburse hygiene items, necessary clothing and footwear, as well as trips to the store and back. Damage to the suitcase is compensated separately, and sometimes an airline voucher is added for the inconvenience.

Airport staff help at every stage. It is the saved receipts and a correctly filled claim form that make the process quick.

What to do if your baggage did not arrive

You take the first steps right at the airport, while you are at the baggage claim belt. Do not put them off until the evening at the hotel.

Check your rights. Read the convention rules and your airline's tariff. The tariff describes your contract with the carrier, but the convention and the law take priority over it.

File a baggage report (PIR). The desk is usually near the belt. If there is no desk or staff member, fill out the online form. After filing, you will receive a confirmation and a tracking number.

Buy what you need and keep receipts. From this point on, expenses you would not have had with your baggage count as your losses. Keep receipts, not just card slips.

File a written claim. The complaint is sent to the airline within 21 days after arrival for delay and 7 days for damage (as of 09/2026, Canadian transportation authority). Miss the deadline and the claim may be rejected.

Wait for the decision. The review takes time. You will receive part of your claim, all of it, or a refusal.

If the answer does not satisfy you, the claim moves further. An independent passenger arbitration service handles the dispute without court. The last resort is court at your place of residence.

If the airline refused

A refusal is not always final. Part of the amount can be recovered through insurance, if you have it. First close the correspondence with the carrier, then go to the insurer.

Separately check whether you are entitled to compensation for the delay or cancellation of the flight itself under European rules. This is an independent right, unrelated to baggage. You can check your right to flight delay compensation online.

The back-and-forth with the airline can drag on for months. So run both processes in parallel, not one after the other.

Many insurance policies accept claims only within a limited period after the trip. Do not put off filing until you return home.

When insurance kicks in

If the airline rejected part of the amount or deemed the damage unreasonable, the remainder is claimed from the insurer. Insurance can be a standalone policy or come bundled with a credit card.

© Mark Yang · CC BY-SAPhoto: Mark Yang, CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0), Wikimedia Commons

Card insurance has a condition. Baggage coverage applies only if you paid the full ticket price with the card. For award tickets the rule is different: fees and taxes must be charged to the card.

Start the claim with both the airline and the insurer at the same time. The insurer usually waits for the carrier's decision and then covers the difference.

Remember the order of payments. Insurance works as the last payer and only tops up what the airline did not cover. So the first step is always a claim to the carrier.

What exactly your coverage includes is described in the welcome letter for your card or in the policy. Read the terms in advance, before your trip. You can compare baggage insurance terms at this link.

Common mistakes when filing a claim

Most denials are not about the law, they are about procedure. Passengers lose money over small things that are easy to anticipate in advance.

The baggage report was filed late. Without a property irregularity report, or PIR, proving a delay is difficult. File it at the airport while you are still at the baggage carousel. An online form is acceptable, but it takes more time.

Receipts were thrown away. Card slips work less well than full receipts. The airline has the right to request proof of purchase and price. Collect paper receipts and photograph them with your phone.

The deadline was missed. For a delay, you have 21 days to file a complaint; for damage, only 7 days (as of 09/2026, transport authority clarification). A later claim is rejected without any review on the merits.

Insurance was not activated in time. While you wait months for the carrier's response, the insurer's own deadline expires. Start both claims at the same time, not one after the other.

Only the airline's fare rules were cited. The fare rules cannot cut the rights granted by the convention. The law and the international treaty place the convention above the carrier's internal rules. Do not let anyone cite the fare rules as the final authority.

Unreasonable expenses were claimed. A winter jacket at a tropical resort looks like an attempt to profit. One questionable line item weakens the entire claim, and the carrier starts checking every line.

An automatic payout was expected. The limit sets a maximum, not a ready-made amount. Money is paid based on receipts and proven losses. Without documents, even an obvious case goes unpaid.

No inventory of contents was made. If the baggage is declared lost, a list of items and their approximate value is added to the claim. Put together an inventory as early as possible and attach photos of similar items.

Correspondence was handled verbally. Agreements over the phone prove nothing. Duplicate all demands in writing and keep copies of everything you send.

⁉️🤔 Frequently asked questions

What should you do first if your baggage doesn't arrive?

File a Property Irregularity Report, or PIR, right at the airport. The counter is usually near the baggage claim belt. If no agent is there, fill out the carrier's online form. Keep the confirmation and tracking number: you'll need them for your written claim. Without a filed report, proving the delay later is difficult, so don't put this step off.

Can you get compensation for a damaged suitcase?

Yes, if the damage occurred while the baggage was in the carrier's custody. Submit a written claim within seven days of receiving the suitcase. Attach photos of the damage and a receipt for repair or replacement. The payout is capped at 1,519 SDR, but it's usually calculated based on the actual loss.

How much do you get for lost baggage?

The liability limit is 1,519 SDR per passenger, around 2,000 US dollars. That's the upper bound, not an automatic payout. You're reimbursed for proven and reasonable expenses within that amount. Baggage is considered lost if it hasn't been returned within 21 days after arrival.

What if the airline denies your claim?

A denial isn't always final. You can take the dispute to an independent passenger arbitration service or to a court where you live. At the same time, check whether your insurance covers the remainder: it acts as the payer of last resort. Start both processes simultaneously so you don't lose time.

Does the convention apply to a domestic flight within Germany?

A Munich-Berlin flight with no scheduled stop abroad is not covered by the convention. Baggage rights there come from national law and the carrier's conditions. But if the route includes a scheduled stop in another convention country, the convention applies again. Look at the flight map, not the airline.

In short: what's worth booking

Baggage gets lost, delayed, and damaged, but the costs don't fall entirely on you. Under the Montreal Convention, the airline is liable for reasonable expenses up to 1,519 SDR. Keep your receipts and file a written claim on time.

If you only have a policy through your bank: check whether you paid for the ticket with the card, otherwise there's no baggage coverage. If you're flying to a beach or ski resort: put essentials in your carry-on. If you want to cover the risk in advance: comparing baggage insurance options is worth doing before you buy your ticket.

Pursue reimbursement with the airline and the insurer in parallel, rather than waiting for the correspondence to conclude.