How many bags get stolen in airports?

Carriers handled almost 393 million bags in 2021, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics. They lost over 2 million bags which is 0.51% of all checked bags. Pre-COVID-19 numbers were higher with a 0.59% loss.



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Across the board, the chance of an airline losing a suitcase — at least for a little while — is around 0.4%, according to LuggageHero. That's about one in every 250 bags. Meena Thiruvengadam is a Travel + Leisure contributor who has visited 50 countries on six continents and 47 U.S. states.

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You can report or submit a claim for stolen, lost or missing items on the Transportation Security Administration's website.

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How Often Do Airlines Lose Luggage? Luggage Hero recently found that more than 680,000 bags were either lost or mishandled in the first quarter of 2022 alone. This means that roughly seven out of every one thousand bags will experience issues during transportation.

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Baggage handlers, airport security, and TSA agents may have access to your luggage behind closed doors. While most of these individuals are just trying to make an honest living, there have been numerous documented instances of airport personnel stealing from passengers' bags.

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New video surveillance footage has just been released, which shows three TSA agents allegedly acting together to steal from passengers' bags while screening them through a security checkpoint at Miami International Airport.

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According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, you are entitled to compensation for reasonable incidental expenses you incur because of your delayed baggage, up to the maximum liability limits, set by statute. For U.S. domestic flights, this is $3,800 per passenger.

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Allegiant Air Finally, Allegiant Air is the carrier least likely to lose, damage, delay, or pilfer its customers' luggage. In October 2021, it only mishandled 877 bags or 1.96 per 1,000 enplaned, which was very close to the previous year's statistic of only 1.20 per 1,000 checked bags.

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8 ways to prevent your luggage getting lost
  1. While there's no definitive way to stop your luggage from getting lost, there are some steps you can take to give your bags a better chance. Make sure your bag is tagged properly. ...
  2. Make clear where it's going and who owns it. ...
  3. Avoid tight layovers. ...
  4. Make your bag stand out.


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Airlines are legally required to compensate you for lost items and any baggage fees you paid.

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According to Luggage Hero, there were more than 684,000 lost and mishandled bags at major US airlines in the first quarter of 2022 alone. The Points Guy notes that this equated to approximately seven bags out of every 1,000, or 0.7%. American Airlines' average came in slightly higher, at nine per 1,000 or 0.9%.

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However, having a luggage cover won't prevent security from getting into your stuff. If they're nice, they'll unzip it or peel off the Velcro. If not, they'll slice right through.

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The TSA has worked with these manufacturers so security agents are able to open any of these locks with a master key, but no one else can. If you're using a lock that isn't approved by TSA, agents have the authority to break open that lock to search through a bag.

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Can I Sue for Lost Luggage in Small Claim Court. If you can't come to an agreement with the airline, you may be able to sue for lost or damaged baggage in your local small claims court without hiring a lawyer. However, each state has a maximum amount that you can seek to recover in small claims court.

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Odds are slim your airline will lose your luggage. According to the Air Travel Consumer Report issued by the U.S. Department of Transportation, you face less than a 1 percent chance that a major airline will misplace your bags; in 2022, there were only about 7 reports of mishandled bags per 1,000 passengers.

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Here's the ranking of US airlines from MOST complaints in May 2022 to LEAST complaints in May 2022:
  • American Airlines (575 complaints)
  • United Airlines (400 complaints)
  • Frontier Airlines (301 complaints)
  • Delta Air Lines (281 complaints)
  • Spirit Airlines (269 complaints)
  • JetBlue Airways (244 complaints)


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