American Led Bag Mishandling Rates on Reportable Domestic Flights in Early 2026

A missing suitcase isn’t necessarily a lost suitcase. But when it doesn’t arrive with you, that distinction offers little comfort. American Airlines had the highest mishandled checked-bag rate in the Department of Transportation’s reporting for domestic nonstop scheduled passenger flights in the first half of 2026, according to Global Traveler’s account of the August 2026 Air Travel Consumer Report.

Across the reporting airlines, 1,052,492 checked bags were mishandled between January and June, out of approximately 213 million bags enplaned. The industry rate was 0.49 mishandled bags per 100 bags enplaned, down from 0.52 in the first half of 2025. These figures concern checked bags in airline custody on reportable domestic nonstop scheduled passenger flights—not every bag or flight handled by U.S. airlines.

Those numbers deserve attention, but so does what happens after a bag goes astray. A refund of the checked-bag fee, reimbursement for expenses during a delay and compensation for lost belongings are different remedies. According to the DOT guidance described by Travelnoire, the circumstances determine which applies; filing a baggage report is an essential starting point.

Which airlines had the highest domestic checked-bag mishandling rates?

American’s rate was 0.73 mishandled bags per 100 bags enplaned, followed closely by its subsidiary, Envoy Air, at 0.72. Global Traveler also reported rates of 0.38 for Delta Air Lines, 0.31 for JetBlue Airways and 0.32 for Southwest Airlines. The denominator is bags, not passengers, and these are rates rather than raw totals of mishandled luggage.

Alongside American and Envoy, Travelnoire named United Airlines, SkyWest Airlines, Republic Airways and Alaska Airlines, including Hawaiian Airlines, among the carriers with the highest rates in the report. The publication reported that Republic and Alaska tied for fifth place.

At the other end, Travelnoire identified Allegiant Air, JetBlue, Southwest and Delta as the airlines with the least mishandled passenger luggage. Those rankings offer a reference for reported performance, not a promise about what will happen to a particular suitcase.

The reporting period also matters. Although DOT issued the report in August, these baggage figures cover January through June. They exclude July and August, so they shouldn’t be read as a scorecard for the entire summer travel season. The industry’s year-over-year improvement likewise compares the first six months of each year.

Mishandled doesn’t always mean permanently lost

The DOT definition described by Global Traveler includes checked baggage that is lost, delayed, damaged or pilfered, as reported by or on behalf of a passenger. That makes the total broader than a count of suitcases that disappeared for good.

It’s an important distinction when reading the headline number. A bag delivered late and a suitcase damaged while being handled can both fall into the mishandled category, even though the traveler’s problem and the available remedy differ.

The same distinction matters when dealing with an airline. According to Travelnoire’s account of federal guidance, carriers have responsibilities for locating delayed bags, addressing qualifying damage and compensating passengers when luggage is considered lost. A bag-fee refund addresses the charge for checking the bag; it isn’t the same thing as compensation for its contents.

When a delayed bag qualifies for a fee refund

For a domestic flight, travelers are entitled to a checked-bag-fee refund if they file a mishandled baggage report and the bag isn’t delivered within 12 hours of the flight arriving at the gate, according to the government guidance cited by Travelnoire.

For international flights, Travelnoire reported that a U.S. airline must refund the fee if the mishandled bag isn’t delivered within 15 or 30 hours after arrival at the gate, depending on the flight’s length. Travelnoire’s account does not specify the flight-length cutoff between those thresholds, so it alone won’t tell every international traveler which deadline applies.

Travelnoire also reported that, after a significant delay and a filed mishandled baggage report, the responsible carrier should issue the bag-fee refund automatically. Automatic, in other words, doesn’t mean there’s nothing for the passenger to do. The report is part of the process.

There’s a separate obligation for expenses incurred while waiting. According to DOT guidance summarized by Travelnoire, airlines must compensate passengers for reasonable, verifiable and actual incidental expenses caused by delayed baggage, subject to maximum liability limits. Those conditions matter; this isn’t an unrestricted spending allowance.

Lost baggage compensation has its own conditions

If an airline considers a bag lost, compensation for the contents becomes a separate issue from getting the checked-bag fee back. Travelnoire reported that the definition of when baggage is considered lost can vary by carrier.

According to the publication, passengers are entitled to compensation for the contents of a lost bag, but depreciation and other conditions apply. The airline may also request proof of purchases for the items being claimed.

That’s worth understanding before assuming the payout will equal the cost of replacing everything with brand-new purchases. Depreciation is part of the calculation described by Travelnoire, and documentation may be needed to support a claim. Reporting a missing bag promptly starts the process; establishing what was inside can be another step.

Damaged suitcases may be repaired, not replaced

Damage comes with a different set of qualifications. Travelnoire reported that an airline is responsible for reimbursing damage to luggage, and potentially its contents, when the harm wasn’t caused by improper packing.

A damaged suitcase doesn’t necessarily mean a new suitcase, however. The publication noted that an airline may offer to pay for repairs rather than replacement, and that ordinary wear and tear isn’t the carrier’s responsibility.

Travelnoire also advised reviewing the airline’s contract of carriage, citing DOT guidance that carriers often exclude liability for certain categories of belongings, including cash, valuables and fragile items. Those exclusions can affect what a passenger recovers even when the luggage itself was mishandled.

The most useful response to these figures isn’t panic at the baggage carousel. It’s knowing which problem you’re reporting and which remedy you’re seeking. Travelnoire’s guidance emphasizes filing mishandled baggage reports or claims as soon as possible. Whether the issue is a delay, a loss or damage, that’s the step travelers shouldn’t put off.