Typically, airlines will pass the items over to the lost and found department at the arrival airport. The item will be kept for a 90-day holding period, after which it will be donated to charity or a place for sale – in some cases, the item will be destroyed if unclaimed after the holding period.

While it can feel like your belongings have vanished into a black hole, airlines actually have high-fidelity tracking systems and dedicated "Lost and Found" departments that recover thousands of items every year. Statistics suggest that the vast majority of "mishandled" checked baggage—roughly 97%—is eventually reunited with its owner, often within 24 to 48 hours. For items left in the cabin, such as tablets, glasses, or neck pillows, the success rate is lower because these items are often found by cleaning crews or subsequent passengers. Most airlines hold recovered cabin items at the arrival airport's "baggage service office" for a few days before sending them to a central warehouse. In the U.S., many unclaimed items eventually end up at the Unclaimed Baggage center in Alabama. To maximize your chances of recovery in 2026, it is essential to file a "Property Irregularity Report" (PIR) immediately and use digital tracking tags like Apple AirTags, which allow you to provide the airline with the exact GPS coordinates of your lost property.