United Airlines Delayed Your Bag? Here’s What You’re Entitled To

You might’ve just landed for a well-deserved vacation, but your heart sinks as you watch a near-empty baggage carousel go round and round again. It appears your bags have gone off the grid, too. 

But don't let a delayed bag derail your trip! When United delays your bags, you're entitled to compensation.

I've read through United Airlines' fine print (so you don't have to), and I'm breaking down exactly what you can get and how to claim it.

Your Rights When United Airlines Delays Your Checked Bag

When airlines delay your bag, they're liable for finding it and covering some of your costs in the meantime. 

This isn't just an airline policy — it's a federal requirement under U.S. Department of Transportation regulations.

Domestic baggage rights

According to rules set by the DOT, airlines that delay your bags are required to compensate you for reasonable costs you incur while you wait to get your bags back (capped at $4,700).

The airline isn't allowed to give arbitrary spending limits, either. For example, they can't say they'll only reimburse passengers $50 per day that their bag is missing.

International baggage rights

When you fly internationally, you're protected by the Montreal Convention, a universal treaty that protects passengers by holding airlines accountable for injuries and damages.

Under the treaty, passengers who've lost bags can file claims with the airline for damages. The treaty is more vague than any U.S. rules, and you can only file for damages up to $1,700.

United Airlines' bag delay policy

United Airlines' policies actually exceed the minimum legal requirements. In addition to reimbursement, the airline will deliver your bag to you once it’s been located, or they will schedule a pickup with you.

If your bag is delayed more than 12 hours on a domestic flight, United will automatically refund your checked bag fee. 

For international flights, the automatic refund kicks in after 15 hours for flights under 12 hours long, or after 30 hours for flights longer than 12 hours.

(Note: The DOT has since increased the maximum for lost/delayed bags to $4,700!)

What Expenses Will United Actually Cover When They Delay Your Bag?

When your bag is delayed, United Airlines will reimburse you for essential items you need while waiting. These typically include a change of clothes, basic toiletries, and other necessary items that were in your checked bag.

But don't go on a shopping spree at high-end stores — they're looking for reasonable, justifiable expenses. A designer outfit definitely won't get reimbursed, but a few basic clothing items from a department store absolutely will.

United says that reimbursement is based on several factors, including the length of time you were without your luggage. While they don't specify daily limits (which would violate DOT regulations), they do evaluate claims on a case-by-case basis.

What to Do When Your Bag Doesn't Show Up

The moment you realize your bag isn't coming down the carousel, here are the steps you need to take:

1. Report your delayed bag immediately

You have several options to report a delayed bag with United:

• Report online through United's website or their chat feature
• Use the United mobile app
• Text with customer service (text “BAGS” to 32050)
• Call the Baggage Recovery Center at 1-800-335-2247 (or 1-281-821-3526 for international calls)

While some airlines have very tight deadlines for reporting your bag as missing, United has a more flexible window.

• For domestic travel (including Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands), you have 24 hours from arrival to report a delayed bag. 
• For international travel, you have 21 days.

2. Keep all documentation

After reporting your delayed bag, you'll receive a file reference number that ends with “M” (for example: GEG10512M). Keep this number handy — you'll need it to track your bag and submit a claim for reimbursement later.

You also need to save your boarding pass, baggage claim ticket, and any other flight documentation you received. These will also be necessary when you submit for reimbursement.

3. Start saving receipts

This is crucial because the airline can't pay you back without proof of purchase! Save every receipt for essential items because you'll need to provide dated receipts that show purchased items and costs when you submit for reimbursement.

I recommend you take photos of your receipts just to have backups. 

4. Arrange delivery or pickup

United will hold your bag for pickup or delivery once it arrives at the destination airport. 

Deliveries can take up to 8 hours for U.S. locations (and longer for international destinations), and cut off at 11pm for residential deliveries.

If you prefer to pick up your bag yourself, United will hold it for 5 days.

Filing Your Compensation Claim

When it comes to getting reimbursed for your expenses, documentation is everything. 

Here's what you may need to submit for reimbursement for United:

• Your file reference number
• Original boarding pass
• Valid photo ID
• Baggage claim ticket
• Dated receipts for purchases you made
• Itemized list of what was in your delayed bag

For domestic flights, you have to submit your claim within 45 days of flight arrival. For international flights, the deadline is tighter, and you have just 21 days from arrival.

As always, keep copies of everything — you might need them if there's any dispute about your claim. You can expect reimbursement from United within 4-6 weeks.

What If United Denies Your Claim?

Don't take no for an answer if your claim is denied!

If your claim is denied, contact United Airlines Customer Service for reconsideration. And if you still have no luck, you can escalate your complaint to the U.S. Department of Transportation.

The most common reasons for denial are filing too late (remember those deadlines!), not having receipts for your purchases, or claiming items that aren't considered essential.

Tips for When Your Bags Get Delayed

Frankly, there isn't much you can do to stop your bags from getting delayed or to speed up the retrieval of a missing bag. 

But there are some steps you can take ahead of time to make your life easier if it does happen.

Pack essentials in your carry-on

To be a proactive traveler, always pack these in your carry-on:

• One change of clothes
• Essential toiletries
• Valuable items and documents
• Any medication you need
• Phone and laptop chargers

Having these items handy will ease the inconvenience when your bag is delayed. It doesn't fix the problem, but when a lot of your stuff is in limbo, it helps to have the basics with you.

Use tracking apps

United Airlines has a mobile app you can use to track your checked bags. It won't prevent delays, but at least you'll know roughly where your stuff is.

You can also drop an AirTag into your checked bag to track it yourself. I do this every time I travel, so I know exactly where my bag is at all times!

Tap into travel insurance

Travel insurance policies and credit cards that include baggage delay coverage will offer more reliable and thorough compensation than airlines provide. More than likely, these policies come with higher spending limits.

For example, maybe you have pricey items in your bag that add up to more than what the airline is agreeing to cover. In this case, your travel insurance or credit card would cover what the airline didn’t.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and Chase Sapphire Reserve®, for example, both offer up to $3,000 per passenger for lost luggage and up to $100 per day for up to 5 days when your baggage is delayed at least 6 hours.

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TL;DR: Your Rights When United Delays Your Bags

Always report a missing bag immediately. Keep every receipt for things you need to buy while your bag is missing, and don’t forget to submit a claim for reimbursement within 45 days (for domestic flights) and 21 days (for international flights).

Remember, airlines count on most people not knowing their rights or not bothering to file claims. Don't leave money on the table — now you know exactly what you're entitled to and how to get it!

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Disclosure: Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.