Delayed baggage means your checked luggage has not arrived at your destination on time. It is generally considered to be lost after 21 days for most international airlines and 5-14 days for U.S. carriers.

A baggage delay is officially defined as the failure of a checked bag to arrive at the destination airport at the same time as the passenger. Under U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) regulations and international treaties like the Montreal Convention, a bag is generally considered "significantly delayed" if it is not delivered within 12 to 15 hours of the flight's arrival (depending on the flight's duration). If your bag is delayed, the airline is legally required to compensate you for reasonable, verifiable, and actual incidental expenses you incur while waiting—such as toiletries, basic clothing, and medication. Airlines are not allowed to set an arbitrary daily limit (like "only $50 per day") for these expenses. Most airlines will eventually declare a bag "lost" if it has not been found within 5 to 21 days, at which point you can claim the full value of the bag and its contents up to a liability limit (currently around $3,800 for domestic U.S. flights and approximately $1,700 for international). To claim compensation, you must file a "Property Irregularity Report" (PIR) at the airport immediately before leaving the terminal.