Find out what the airline owes you, then get the letter that makes them pay. Working it out is free. If you want us to run the claim for you, it is one flat fee and you keep every dollar the airline pays.
Still at the airport and the bag never came out? Start here instead — the airline gives you only hours to report it. · Your airline’s deadlines and claim address · Guides · See a worked example
Four quick questions: the airline, what went wrong, the day you landed, where you flew.
The amount, your deadlines and a ready-to-send letter appear as you go. This part is free.
Copy the letter and send it yourself, or pay one flat fee and we handle the airline for you. If you recover less than three times the fee, we refund it.
Answer these and your estimate appears straight away. Everything else can wait.
Pick it from the list. If it is not there, just type the name.
This decides which rules the airline must follow. A connection inside the US on an international ticket still counts as international.
List what you lost, roughly what you paid, and how old it was. Guesses are fine to start; you can tidy it later.
| What it was | Type | What you paid ($) | Costs today ($) | How old (years) | Have a receipt? |
|---|
"Costs today" only matters if it is more than you paid. Things under a year old count at full value. Toiletries, medicine and gifts always count at full value.
Clothes, toiletries, a charger — anything you bought because the bag was not there. Keep the receipts. Skip this if the bag arrived with you.
| What you bought | When | Amount ($) |
|---|
Airlines may not cap these per day or pay only half for clothing. The US government has fined airlines for both.
Fill in what you have. Anything you do not know yet can be added later.
This goes on the letter. The airline replies to the email address you give here.
Prefer to send it yourself? Your letter, the itemized list and the papers to gather are below, free. Questions first? Email help@getbagback.com — a person reads every message.
Built from what you entered above. It updates as you type.
Contingency services take 35–50% of what the airline pays. BagBack is a flat fee, paid once by card. If you recover less than three times the fee, we refund it.
BagBack prepares a claim that you file in your own name: you are the claimant. It is an information and document-preparation service, not a law firm; nothing here is legal advice and using it creates no attorney-client relationship. This product is not a substitute for the advice of an attorney. Deadlines are computed from the dates you enter and the published rules; confirm them against your ticket and the carrier’s contract of carriage. Liability limits: Montreal Convention art. 22(2), 1,519 SDR per passenger (revised 28 Dec 2024), converted at a fixed rate of 1.37 US dollars per SDR (the IMF publishes the daily figure); 14 CFR § 254.4, $4,700 per passenger (effective 22 Jan 2025). Checked-bag fee refund thresholds per the DOT 2024 refund rule. Your draft is saved in this browser only.
Up to the airline’s legal limit for your trip: about $2,100 per passenger on international trips (1,519 Special Drawing Rights, converted at 1.37 US dollars) and up to $4,700 per passenger on trips within the United States. What you actually get depends on what was in the bag and what you can show you paid. The estimate on this page uses the same rules the airlines do.
No. You file the claim in your own name and the airline deals with you directly. BagBack prepares the paperwork and, if you choose, sends it for you. We are not a law firm and do not give legal advice. If your case turns into a dispute you want a lawyer for, we say so and step back.
Working out what you are owed, the deadlines and the letter is free. If you want us to run the claim, it is one flat fee: $49, $149 or $299 depending on how much help you want. It is never a percentage of what the airline pays. If you recover less than three times the fee you paid, we refund the fee.
You can have the letter in about ten minutes. Airlines usually reply within two to six weeks. International rules give the airline no fixed deadline, so the letter sets one: 30 days. If they miss it, the next step is already written for you.
No. The airport report gives you a file reference and starts the clock, but the airline owes you nothing until you send a written claim with the amounts. That is the letter this page builds. On international trips the written claim must arrive within 21 days of getting the bag back, or within 7 days for damage.
You do not have to. The rules entitle you to money. The letter says so, and if the airline replies with an offer that is too low, the “If they offer too little” tab tells you exactly what to send back.
Then it becomes a delay claim instead of a lost-bag claim: the airline still owes you for what you had to buy while it was missing, and the bag fee if it was late enough. Tell us the day it came back and the numbers update.
The rules apply to every airline flying to, from or within the United States. We keep a checked list of where each airline takes claims and its own reporting deadlines for the airlines most people fly. If yours is not on the list, the claim works the same; you send it to the address on your airport report.
Your draft stays in your own browser until you start a case. If you do, your case is stored on our servers in the United States and used only to run your claim. We email you about your case and nothing else, we never sell your details, and we delete your case when you ask.
BagBack is made by Matthew Johan, a finance professional in New York who got tired of watching airlines under-pay people who did not know the rules. It is a small, independent service. It is not connected to any airline and it is not a law firm.
You are always the claimant. Every letter goes out in your name, and every dollar the airline pays goes to you.
Until you start a case, everything you type stays in your own browser. If you start a case, we store it on our servers in the United States and use it only to run your claim. We email you about your case and nothing else. We never sell your details. Ask and we delete your case.
Stuck, or not sure this is for you? Email help@getbagback.com. A person reads every message and replies in plain English.
Still at the airport? Start with the first-hour checklist so you do not miss the airline’s own reporting window.