Lost Luggage Statistics & Rankings

The state of lost luggage

The global mishandling rate dropped 8.7% in 2024, continuing a long-term trend: rates have fallen 67% since 2007. ^[1] But with 5.3 billion passengers flying in 2024, even a low rate produces a staggering volume of delayed, damaged, and lost bags.

What the data tells us:

• 33.4 million bags were mishandled globally in 2024, down slightly from 33.8 million in 2023 ^[2]
• The global mishandling rate was 6.3 per 1,000 passengers, down from 6.9 the year before ^[1]
• Airlines spent an estimated $5 billion on baggage recovery, courier services, claims, and customer service ^[2]
• 74% of mishandled bags were delayed — not permanently lost. Another 18% were damaged or pilfered. Only 8% were classified as lost or stolen. ^[1]
• The leading cause: transfer mishandling at 41% of all cases, typically at connecting airports where bags must be unloaded, re-sorted, and loaded onto a different aircraft ^[1]

The numbers are improving, but 33.4 million isn’t a small number. That’s roughly one bag mishandled for every 159 passengers. To put it another way: on a packed 737, statistically one person’s bag isn’t making it.

What we cover

Airline rankings

Which U.S. airlines lose the most luggage? And which ones handle it best? All ten major domestic carriers are ranked using the U.S. Department of Transportation’s official Air Travel Consumer Report data. ^[3]

The gap is wider than most people expect. In 2024, American Airlines mishandled 0.79 bags per 100 passengers. Allegiant Air mishandled 0.20 — nearly four times better. ^[3] Delta, the best-performing legacy carrier, came in at 0.44. ^[3]

See the full airline rankings

Lost luggage statistics

A deeper look at the global data: how many bags go missing each year, where they go missing, why they go missing, and what happens after. SITA’s annual Baggage IT Insights report, broken into the numbers that matter to travelers — including regional mishandling rates, historical trends, and the types of mishandling (delayed vs. damaged vs. lost). ^[1]

Read the full lost luggage statistics breakdown

Worst airports for lost luggage

Some airports are harder on your bags than others. Hub airports with high transfer volumes and tight connection windows produce more mishandled bags than point-to-point airports. The data on which airports pose the highest risk is compiled from multiple independent studies.

Coming soon.

How we source our data

Every statistic on this site traces back to a primary source. For global baggage data, the source is SITA’s annual Baggage IT Insights report — the industry standard, published since 2007 and used by airlines, airports, and regulators worldwide. ^[1] For U.S. airline-specific data, it’s the DOT’s Air Travel Consumer Report, which compiles mishandled baggage filings from the ten largest domestic carriers. ^[3]

No secondary reporting or estimates. When a figure can’t be verified against a primary source, it’s either omitted or the uncertainty is flagged. You won’t find unattributed statistics on these pages.

Why this matters

If you’re looking at these numbers because your bag just went missing, the data is actually reassuring: most bags are recovered, and most are recovered quickly. The global permanently lost rate is less than 0.5% of all checked bags. ^[1]

But if you’re planning ahead, the data points to actionable decisions. Flying direct reduces your risk significantly — 41% of all mishandling happens at transfer points. ^[1] Choosing an airline with a lower mishandling rate matters. And putting a tracker in your bag shifts the recovery dynamic in your favor.