United’s commitment:

We strive to ensure that all checked domestic luggage arrives and is available within 25 minutes after your flight arrives at the gate. For checked international luggage, we strive to ensure that baggage arrives and is available within 35 minutes after your flight arrives at the gate. Representatives will be available to customers who require assistance with missing luggage.

What this means for you:

Your baggage will be available upon arrival at your final destination. If it is not, we will take appropriate measures to return your baggage to you as quickly as possible. In addition to our bar-code scanning and tracking technology, as well as our online tracking tools, Customer Service Representatives will be available to assist individuals who require or request assistance.

In the unlikely event your luggage does not arrive at your destination with you, we will collect a delayed baggage report and initiate a search for the missing piece(s) immediately. For your convenience, you can also file a delayed baggage report on kiosks located in the baggage claim area of over a dozen of our major domestic airports.  And once your belongings are located, they will be returned as quickly as possible.

If a piece of luggage cannot be located within 72 hours, United’s experts in our central baggage office will assist with advanced tracing.  United offers customers whose baggage is missing the convenience of tracking the status of their claim by visiting BagTrack, our online bag tracking service, or by calling the United baggage information service toll-free at (800) 221-6903.

We will conduct a thorough search for your luggage, including checking with other airlines. If we are unable to locate and return your belongings within 60 days of the original claim, United will reimburse you up to a maximum of U.S. $3,000 per customer for travel wholly between points in the U.S. and 1,000 Special Drawing Rights (approximately $1,489) per customer for international travel.  [Note:  Some restrictions apply.  Please visit our Contract of Carriage for more detailed information.]

Helpful suggestions:

While we do all we can to ensure that your bags arrive at your destination, we recommend you attach a luggage tag to each of your bags that clearly displays your name, address and telephone number. Be sure to check the information periodically to ensure its accuracy.  In addition, we suggest you place this same information, or a copy of your itinerary, inside the bags.

If you arrive at your destination and a baggage mishandling has occurred, you can go to the airport baggage services office to file a claim and report any concerns before leaving the airport. Retain your luggage claim receipts for tracing and settlement, if necessary.

Be sure to carry necessity items like medication, keys and passports, as well as valuables such as cameras, electronics, iPods, laptop computers, jewelry, cash and personal documents, with you on the aircraft.