The airline

Unfortunately, This holiday season, the possibilities are higher than ever. As airports around the world struggle to keep up with increased travel demand, incidents of mishandled luggage have surged. According to a recent U.S. Department of Transportation report published on December 2, 2022, the airline says it will misplace 1.5 million bags between January and June of 2022. processed. This number has more than doubled since 2021.

More and more travelers are opting to fly with only carry-on luggage these days, but that's always possible when you're on vacation, especially when you tend to load your bag with gifts for family and friends. Not always. So what can flyers do to save themselves from the AWOL suitcase woes this season?

For starters, many high-end rewards credit cards already includes amazingly comprehensive travel protection, including insurance against baggage accidents. The two types of baggage insurance that are typically offered include lost baggage and long delays of several hours. In the case of delays, credit card issuers often issue refunds for essential items purchased while waiting for the bag to arrive. This includes purchasing toiletries, medicines and clothing, all within reasonable limits.

If your baggage is lost indefinitely, you will be eligible for a full refund as long as you purchase the flight with an eligible credit card and present sufficient evidence to support the claim. Coverage varies by card. Premium Rewards cards generally offer the widest coverage. However, even with premium credit cards, there are exceptions for jewelry, electronics, and other expensive items.

If you're planning on giving an expensive gift this holiday season, it's a good idea to pack it. Take it onboard. If you need to check baggage, please purchase overvalue insurance from the airline. This provides additional coverage beyond the airline's standard liability.

Credit card issuer How to File a Lost Baggage Claim

Like most types of insurance, the process of filing a claim is not that simple. Be prepared to go through many fine print. For example, some cards may require that you have already paid for the full cost of your flight to be eligible for coverage, while others are fine with payment.

Credit card baggage insurance usually provides secondary coverage. This means that you must first file a claim with the carrier responsible for the loss. In this case, it's your airline (but you can also include cruise ships and trains). If you determine that your baggage has indeed been lost, do not leave the airport without submitting a Lost Baggage Report to the airline's baggage counter. Smaller airlines don't always have dedicated baggage counters, and may instead use contractors who handle baggage services for multiple airlines.

Mostly. 's credit card baggage delay coverage generally begins at least 6 hours after the baggage is lost, after which essential items may be refunded. However, this perk is usually capped at $500 per ticket, so it doesn't count as an invitation to shop until you drop it.

The majority of missing baggage is only temporarily lost and eventually found by the airline, but this is not always the case. Some airlines consider baggage completely lost after 14 days, but that number may vary by airline. Once this happens, he will have to file a second, more detailed claim with the airline. In many cases, we will provide an itemized list and receipt to prove the value of the missing content. The item's value is depreciated after you buy it, so don't expect to get back exactly what you paid for the jeans two years ago.

Once you have verified the claim you submitted to your carrier, you can contact your benefits administrator to initiate a credit billing to her card company. The window assigned to claim lost baggage varies by card. In most cases, he is 20 days to he is 90 days from the date the bag went missing.

In addition, each credit card has slightly different requirements regarding the documents that must be submitted with the claim. In addition to the original invoice and original receipt to the airline, you may be asked to provide proof of travel itinerary, card statement for flight purchase and airline reimbursement.

Best credit card for delayed or lost package insurance

Chase Sapphire Reserve

Chase Sapphire Reserve® offers a valuable welcome bonus (60,000 points for spending $4,000 within the first 3 months of account opening), lucrative It's popular among travelers because of its reward rate, and attractive perks. For example, you can earn up to $100 in Priority Pass Select Lounge membership, Global Entry and TSA PreCheck credits, and up to $300 in qualifying travel credits annually. Annual membership fee of $550 applies.

Featured travel coverage: Chase Sapphire Reserve covers lost or damaged baggage up to $3,000 per person for both checked and carry-on baggage. If the baggage delay exceeds 6 hours for her, you and your immediate family members will be reimbursed for unpaid expenses up to $500 per ticket. This includes other essential travel protections such as trip cancellation/interruption insurance up to $10,000 per person ($20,000 per trip, conditions apply) and emergency evacuation and transportation coverage up to $100,000. is provided in addition.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card

Like its sophisticated sibling, the Chase Sapphire Reserve Card, the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card is his one of the strong options for travelers . Includes a welcome offer (60,000 points for him if he spends $4,000 within his first three months of account opening) and a great opportunity to earn big in both reward rates. However, it does not come with high-end perks such as lounge access or travel credits.

Outstanding Travel Coverage: If your baggage is delayed more than 6 hours, cardholders and immediate family members will be covered up to $100 per day for essential purchases for up to 5 days. And like the Chase Sapphire Reserve, the Chase Sapphire Preferred comes with trip cancellation and interruption coverage of up to $10,000 per person ($20,000 per trip, additional terms apply) .

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

For those who don't like premium travel cards with $500+ annual fees, the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card hits the Goldilocks spot. , you'll get a hefty welcome bonus (75,000 miles after spending $4,000 in the first three years). Open an account for a few months), valuable rewards, and great travel benefits, all for a reasonable $395 annual fee.

Featured travel coverage: Get up to $3,000 in lost luggage coverage per trip (up to $2,000 for New York residents) when you book a trip with your Venture X Rewards card. For delays of 6 hours or more, we also offer up to $500 per ticket as travel delay reimbursement to cover hotel stays, meals, medications, and more. Apart from baggage, Venture X also includes travel protection such as trip cancellation and interruption insurance, trip accident insurance and auto rental collision damage waiver coverage.

American Express Gold Card

For global foodies, the American Express® Gold Card offers travel rewards on dining and grocery shopping. It offers great options for earning. Maintaining $250 a year isn't cheap, but the annual fee is quickly recouped with annual dining credits. Additionally, travelers will appreciate adequate protection for travel and shopping.

Notable travel coverage: The Amex Gold Card covers loss, damage or theft up to $1,250 for carry-on baggage and $500 for checked baggage for trips fully charged to the qualifying card. Checked baggage coverage may seem a little thin compared to similar cards, but be aware that coverage also applies to spouses, domestic partners, and her children under the age of 23. Please give me. Coverage for high value items such as electronics and jewelry is limited to $250. Travel Delay Insurance is also available for eligible trips delayed by more than 12 hours. Coverage includes reimbursement for essentials such as meals, lodging and toiletries (limited to $300 per trip, up to two charges per year).

American Express Platinum Card

Although its annual fee is the highest at $695, the frequent flyer can be assured of what he paid for with his The PlatinumCard® from American Express. can get to This top-of-the-line travel card comes with high reward rates on flights and hotels, valuable monthly and yearly credits, tons of perks and tons of consumer protection.

Notable Travel Coverage: It's no surprise that Amex Platinum cardholders have excellent travel insurance with a $695 fee. Cardholders and family members can enjoy Baggage Insurance up to $2,000 for checked bags and up to $3,000 for carry-on and checked bags on travel fully booked with Platinum Amex (additional conditions apply). apply). Other notable protections include Travel Delay Insurance up to $500 per trip (up to 2 claims per 12 month period), up to $10,000 per trip, up to $20,000 per covered card ( We have trip cancellation/interruption insurance (every 12 months). /p>

Prevent lost luggage 101

As the saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. There are measures in place to minimize the chances of losing your bag, or at least make it a little easier to recover if lost.

• Make the bag easier to identify. Having a luggage tag with your name and address on it is a good start, but those tags can easily fall off during transit, so you should include an additional means of identification inside your bag . A simple piece of paper with your name and address on it will suffice. And since so many bags are the same, adding easily identifiable decorations such as tassels or stickers can help baggage handlers find your bag.
• Choose your route wiselyThe same goes for your bag when you have to rush to catch a connecting flight. So choose direct flights whenever possible. Of course, not everyone has the luxury of living near a well-connected airline hub, but you can choose which airports you connect through. Suppose a flight has the choice of connecting in Dallas Fort Worth (DFW) or Newark (EWR). In that case, it's probably a safe assumption that Texas doesn't suffer much from the turmoil of winter weather that pulls you out of your bag.
• Photograph the contents of your bag Please .When it comes time to file that claim, you'll need all the evidence you can get to show exactly what's stuffed inside.Simply snap a picture with your smartphone. This will help you remember it later if you need to provide an itemized list.
• Use a tracking device With the Apple AirTag, the flier uses his Find My app on her iPhone to track the exact package from drop-off to the carousel. location can be tracked. Small disk-shaped devices work fine if left looped on the outside of your bag, although they are not guaranteed to work.To prevent theft or loss, keep your AirTag in your suitcase. It would be better if AirTags use a lithium battery, well within the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) allowable limit of 0.3 grams, making them safe to fly.
• Download the airline's app. Downloading airline apps to your phone can streamline everything from check-in to ancillary purchases, but some airline apps will alert you when your baggage is loaded onto the aircraft. /li>

Lower line

Passenger numbers are skyrocketing and airports are still understaffed. Get ready for some ugly scenes at the Baggage Carousel this holiday season. But before you fly to the airport, do your homework. Find out what kind of travel protection your credit card offers against lost or delayed luggage. Visit the airline's contract of carriage online to familiarize yourself with its liability policy and resolution process. Also, if possible, pack gifts, electronic devices and valuables in your carry-on and be sure to record the contents of your checked baggage. In other words, plan for the worst and hope for the best.