United Airlines delayed, lost or damaged baggage claims
Report a United baggage problem before leaving the airport, obtain a file reference and submit the correct written claim on time. International baggage delay, loss and damage are mainly governed by the Montreal Convention, not the EUR 250-600 or GBP 220-520 flight-disruption schedule. The current Convention limit is 1,519 Special Drawing Rights per passenger, but it is a liability ceiling, not an automatic payout.
Free eligibility check
Check your case in the form
Enter your route, date and type of disruption. We will check whether your case qualifies for a claim under EU 261/2004 or UK261.
What happened to your flight?
Claim up to €600 for a delayed or cancelled flight.
Choose the situation that applies to your flight:
United provides separate forms for interim expenses, bags missing more than five days, damaged bags and missing items. Use the baggage route rather than the ordinary flight-compensation form.
Three baggage claims, three evidence sets
| Problem | Immediate action | Written time limit under Montreal framework |
|---|---|---|
| Damaged checked bag | Report and photograph before leaving | No later than 7 days after receipt |
| Delayed checked bag | File mishandled-bag report and keep essentials receipts | No later than 21 days after bag is delivered |
| Lost checked bag | Preserve report, inventory and valuation | Claim promptly; court action has a 2-year limit |
The Convention allows a checked bag to be treated as lost when the carrier admits loss or it has not arrived after 21 days. United's portal may open a lost-bag claim earlier than that operational milestone; follow its process without waiting for the legal deadline.
Before leaving the arrival airport
Go to United or the relevant handling desk and obtain a Property Irregularity Report or equivalent file reference. Check spelling, bag-tag number, route, delivery address and contact details.
Photograph damage, the tag, suitcase and contents. Keep the boarding pass and baggage receipt. If the desk is closed, use United's digital reporting route immediately and preserve screenshots showing the time.
A verbal report is not necessarily the complete written claim. Follow up with the amount sought and documents through the airline's form.
Delayed-bag essential purchases
Buy reasonable necessities for the location and length of delay: basic clothing, toiletries and items needed for the trip's purpose. Keep itemised receipts and avoid luxury replacements without necessity.
The claim is compensatory. A traveller returning home may need fewer purchases because existing items are available. A passenger arriving for a business event or cold climate may reasonably need more; explain context.
Return or keep recovered items according to ordinary retailer rules. Do not claim estimated value where a receipt exists. If United provides an advance or reimbursement, disclose it in the final schedule.
Lost and damaged-bag valuation
The current 1,519 SDR limit applies per passenger for destruction, loss, damage or delay of baggage under the Convention. It is not per suitcase and is not a guaranteed sum. Prove ownership, age and reasonable value with receipts, photographs, statements or replacement prices.
Airlines can account for depreciation. Jewellery, electronics, documents, medication and other valuables may be restricted in checked baggage subject to applicable law. A special declaration of interest made and paid for before travel can alter the limit.
For damage, preserve the bag for inspection. Obtain a repair estimate or confirmation that repair is uneconomic. Do not discard it until United releases the evidence requirement.
Which airline receives the claim?
On interline travel, Montreal rules can permit action against the first carrier, last carrier or carrier performing the segment during which the damage occurred, depending on the claim. Operationally, report to the airline handling the baggage at final arrival.
A UA flight number may be operated by United Express or a partner. Keep all bag tags and operated-by entries. Do not send a Montreal claim to Star Alliance itself.
If United's portal accepts the report and issues a file reference, preserve it even if a partner later handles payment.
DOT checked-bag fee refund
For travel to, from or within the United States, current DOT rules add a separate refund of the checked-bag fee after the passenger files a mishandled-baggage report and the bag becomes significantly delayed. The threshold is over 12 hours for domestic travel and over 15 or 30 hours for international travel, depending on flight length.
This fee refund does not replace reimbursement of reasonable essentials or a Montreal loss claim. It returns the fee paid for a service not timely provided.
Flight delay compensation is separate
A baggage delay alone does not trigger EU261's three-hour fixed award. If the passenger's flight also arrived at least three hours late on a covered route, assess that flight claim separately.
Conversely, a United-operated US-Europe flight may fall outside EU261 while its international baggage remains governed by Montreal. Direction matters for EU261, but Montreal has its own scope and deadlines.
Use the United flight compensation guide for the travel disruption and this baggage file for property loss.
The filing windows are also different. Compare them with the United claim-deadline guide rather than assuming the time limit for a flight claim also protects a baggage claim.
Documents to submit
- baggage report/file reference;
- bag tag and boarding passes;
- complete itinerary and operating carriers;
- delivery date and time for delayed bag;
- photographs before and after damage;
- itemised essential-purchase receipts;
- inventory with purchase date and value;
- repair estimate or loss evidence;
- bank details and prior payments;
- written claim sent within the applicable period.
Keep proof of submission. Montreal's two-year period concerns bringing an action and does not replace the much shorter written complaint windows for damage and delay.
Example: delayed bag in Dublin
United delivers a passenger's checked bag three days after an international arrival in Dublin. The passenger reported it immediately and bought proportionate clothing and toiletries. They should submit receipts in writing within 21 days after delivery. The 1,519 SDR ceiling is not the amount automatically paid.
If the United flight itself arrived on time, no EU261 delay compensation arises merely because the bag was late.
FAQ
Is 1,519 SDR automatically paid for a lost bag?
No. It is the current liability ceiling per passenger; actual proven loss determines payment up to the limit.
How long do I have for a damaged-bag complaint?
Submit a written complaint no later than seven days after receiving the checked bag, and report it immediately at the airport.
When must a delayed-bag claim be sent?
No later than 21 days after the bag is delivered. Keep all essential-purchase receipts.
Does delayed baggage qualify for EUR 600?
Not by itself. EU261 fixed compensation concerns qualifying flight disruption, while baggage uses Montreal rules.
Can I also get my checked-bag fee back?
Potentially under DOT rules after a filed report and a defined significant delay. That fee refund is separate from baggage damages.