Losing something on an aircraft or in the airport can be a pain, but thankfully airlines have sophisticated services to reunite passengers with lost items. If you’ve lost something when flying on Delta, it pays to stay abreast of the Delta Lost and Found policy and procedures so that you know the steps you can take to recover your items—as well as how to file a timely claim to improve the chances of recovery.
If you’ve lost something on Delta, go through this blog and learn what steps you should take to get your item back as quickly as possible.
Below is a list of steps you should take if you’re stuck in a Delta Lost and Found situation.
- If you’ve just started deplaning, go back to your seat and search
- If you discover the loss while deplaning, go right back to your seat and search for the missing item.
- If a flight attendant approaches you, let them know you’ve lost an item. They may be able to assist you unless the flight schedule is tight in which case you may have to exit the aircraft quickly.
- If you discover the loss after entering the airport, proceed to Delta’s Arrival Gate immediately
- If there’s a line ahead of you, jump the line and inform those ahead of you politely that it’s urgent because you’ve lost something.
- Apprise the Gate Agent and provide your seat number so that the crew members can help find your missing item.
- If nobody is at the desk, ask one of the crew members entering the terminal for assistance.
- If you’re past the security area
- You won’t be allowed to go back to the sterile area after exiting.
- Proceed to Delta’s Baggage Claim area and seek assistance.
- If you think you’ve left the missing item at the TSA Security Checkpoint
- If you think you’ve left your item at the TSA Security Checkpoint:
- Approach TSA’s Lost and Found Desk available at all airports (different from Delta Lost and Found Desks).
- Call the TSA at 866-289-9673 or go to tsa.gov for more information.
- If no record of the missing item can be found, don’t lose hope—it could have been referred to the Lost and Found Department of the airport. So do check with them.
- If you think you’ve left your item at the TSA Security Checkpoint:
- If you think you’ve lost the item in or around the airport facility
- If you left your item in the airport terminal, such as on a bench or in the washroom, check with the Lost and Found Department at the airport.
- Ask the information desk for the location.
- Remember, some Lost and Found desks work with the airport police.
- Look for the Lost and Found section on the airport’swebsite
- Most airports have their own websites that allow you to submit a claim online and also display their email and/or phone numbers.
- If you think you’ve left an item in a Delta Sky Club airport lounge
- Call the airport immediately and ask to be transferred to the lounge immediately.
- Provide all the details of the missing item, incl. when you were in the lounge, where you were seated, etc.
- If you’ve already left the airport
- Call the airport (or the Delta Office at the airport) immediately and explain the problem.
- Alternatively, submit a claim online as explained below.
How to Submit a Delta Baggage Claim
Like many other airlines, Delta uses NetTracer for processing lost and found claims. When making a Delta baggage claim, remember to submit the claim within 7 days of the loss, as this will significantly increase the chances of it being recovered.
Filing a Delta baggage claim is a simple process involving the following 3 steps:
- In the first section, you’ll need to describe the missing item, along with a few details, such as:
- The category to which it belongs
- The missing item’s brand, model, size, color, case color, serial number, etc.
- Next, you’ll need to describe the features that make the missing item unique. Be sure to mention anything that makes the item stand out, such as stickers, cracks, scratches, etc. The more details you provide, the better the chances that your missing item is found.
- Finally, you’ll need to provide your contact and itinerary details.
After submitting your online claim, you will receive a confirmation email about the claim. If you don’t receive it, check your spam box.
- If an item matches your lost item’s description, you’ll be informed by email or phone, along with instructions on the next steps you’ll be required to take.
- After verifying your ownership, the agent will ship your item to you, as long as you pay the shipping costs by credit card.
- Lost and Found searches can typically take up to 30 days after which you’ll receive an email informing you that the search efforts were unsuccessful and the search is over.
- Items that are not recovered are either sold, donated, or destroyed. However, some items such as passports and military IDs are mailed to the US Department of State.
Delta Baggage Tracking—How to Track Lost Baggage on Delta
After you’ve reported your missing baggage, you will need to submit a Baggage Online Claim Form as explained:
- Enter your First Name, Last Name, and your File Reference Number
(an 8- or 10-digit alphanumeric code on the baggage information folder provided by the Delta agent to whom you first reported the baggage delay) - Click on the Next button
- Provide the details of your itinerary and missing property
- Follow the prompts to complete and submit your claim
Liability for Lost Baggage on Delta
The liability for lost baggage on Delta is set out by the U.S. Department of Transportation, as shown below.
| Liability Type | Liability Limit |
| Liability on domestic travel | USD 3,800 per ticketed passenger |
| Liability on international travel governed by the Warsaw Convention | USD 9.07/lb subject to USD 640/bag |
| Liability on international travel governed by the Montreal Convention | SDR* 1,288 per ticketed passenger (approx. USD 1,700) |
| * Special Drawing Rights (SDR) are a unit of currency of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which will be converted into U.S. Dollars at the rate prevailing on the date of settlement. A few important points to remember: ● The damage or loss must be proven and the maximum liability will not apply automatically. ● Wheelchairs and assistive devices are not subject to maximum liability limits on domestic flights. ● Improperly packed items are excluded from liability claims. ● Delta cannot be held liable for baggage delay or loss resulting from security searches conducted by local, state, or federal agencies. | |
Tips to Avoid Lost and Found Situations
Below are 3 simple tips to minimize the chances of your bags getting mishandled:
- Keep your travel itinerary simple: Booking a multi-stop itinerary with tight connections is simply not worth it if you can take a one-stop flight on a single carrier for a few dollars more. Booking yourself on more than one airline makes it easier for the airlines to blame each other if your bag goes missing.
- Carry on your essential and valuable items: If you’ll be absolutely needing them, don’t check them. It’s always a good idea to carry cash, jewelry, medicines, etc., with you as part of your Delta carry-on or personal item, since most airlines and insurance companies will not cover these items if your baggage is lost (or delayed). So it’s always prudent to carry such items with you.
- Always bring a carry-on bag: Even if you’re Delta checking your baggage, it’s always a good idea to pack your important and valuable items as part of your carry-on or personal item.
Frequently Asked Questions on Delta Lost & Found
If you could not find the information you were looking for in the section above, check out the answers to some of the most frequently asked questions on Delta Lost and Found topics below.
You can contact Delta Lost and Found as follows:
1. For unchecked items lost (on the plane, in the gate area, or at Delta Sky Club), contact a Delta representative at the airport or online via the Lost Item Claim Form.
2. For items left at the TSA security checkpoint, call TSA at 866-289-9673.
3. For loss of checked baggage, contact Baggage Service Center at the airport immediately.
4. For items missing from your checked baggage, contact a Delta agent at 800-325-8224 (toll-free) or 404-209-3043.
According to Delta Airlines’ lost and found policy:
1. Missing baggage (incl. missing items inside checked baggage) must be reported immediately at the airport’s Baggage Service Center or online.
2. After the filing of a report, Delta will issue a file reference number to enable tracking and submitting claims if required.
3. Items missing from checked baggage must be reported within 24 hours for domestic flights and 7 days for international flights.
4. If Delta does not provide a file reference number, inform Delta through the Comment or Complaint Form (select Baggage/Damaged Baggage appearing under Tell Us About Your Experience).
5. After reporting missing baggage, file a baggage claim with the details of the missing item, as well as your contact and itinerary details.
6. If the missing baggage item is found, Delta will notify you by email or phone, along with the next steps.
7. Delta will verify ownership and ship the lost and found item on a chargeable basis (shipping cost).
8. A Lost and Found search can take up to 30 days.
9. Delta will stop searching for missing items after 30 days and inform the passenger.
10. Unclaimed baggage items are sold, donated, or destroyed but documents like passports and military IDs are mailed to the US Department of State.
Delta Airlines lost baggage tracker can be accessed via the following links:
a. Lost baggage tracker for checked bags
b. Lost baggage tracker for unchecked bags
How much Delta will reimburse for lost baggage will depend on your flight route, as shown below:
a. On domestic U.S. routes, Delta can reimburse up to USD 3,800 per ticketed passenger.
b. On international routes, Delta can reimburse up to:
a. USD 9.07/pound per ticketed passenger, subject to a maximum of USD 640 per bag on travel covered by the Warsaw Convention
b. Up to SDR 1,288 per ticketed passenger on travel covered by the Montreal Convention (i.e., about USD 1,700)
You can get a receipt for checked baggage from Delta in the following ways:
1. Online (if within 24 hours of travel) via My Trips 🡪 Payment Details 🡪 Email Receipt
2. Through My Receipts if you already have an account with Delta Air Lines
3. By sending an email to ticketreceipt@delta.com if you do not have an account with Delta Air Lines and your flight was at least 24 hours earlier. Be sure to include the following information in the email:
a. Passenger Name
(only the ticketed passenger or credit card holder can submit the request)
b. 13-digit Ticket Number starting with 006
Note: Delta’s baggage receipts start with 00682.
If you don’t have the ticket number, include the date of travel and the origin airport.
c. Type of Credit Card that was used for purchasing the ticket—such as American Express/MasterCard/Visa (or cash)—but not the credit card number
4. Through the travel agency that issued your ticket
For domestic flights, Delta will pay up to USD 3,800 for lost baggage (per ticketed passenger). For international flights governed by the Warsaw Convention, Delta will pay USD 9.07/pound, subject to a limit of USD 640 per bag, and up to SDR 1,288 for flights covered by the Montreal Convention.
You can get a receipt for checked baggage from Delta in the following ways:
1. Online (if within 24 hours of travel) via My Trips 🡪 Payment Details 🡪 Email Receipt
2. Through My Receipts if you already have an account with Delta Air Lines
3. By sending an email to ticketreceipt@delta.com if you do not have an account with Delta Air Lines and your flight was at least 24 hours earlier. Be sure to include the following information in the email:
a. Passenger Name
(only the ticketed passenger or credit card holder can submit the request)
b. 13-digit Ticket Number starting with 006
Note: Delta’s baggage receipts start with 00682.
If you don’t have the ticket number, include the date of travel and the origin airport.
c. Type of Credit Card that was used for purchasing the ticket—such as American Express/MasterCard/Visa (or cash)—but not the credit card number
4. Through the travel agency that issued your ticket
You can access the Delta Lost and Found Form by clicking on the link.
After you take your bag to the Baggage Office at the airport, a Delta representative will examine the bag and, if required, ask you to fill out a Damaged Bag Claim Form. After you fill out the form, Delta will send your bag for repairs.
Remember, you must submit the damaged baggage report within 24 hours of arrival for flights within the U.S. and 7 days of arrival for international flights.
You can track Delta baggage via the online Lost Baggage Tracker for checked bags and unchecked bags.
If Delta loses your baggage, you can claim up to USD 3,800 (or the actual loss, whichever is lower) for domestic travel within the U.S.
If you’re unable to find your baggage receipt on Delta, you can access it:
1. Online through My Trips (select Payment Details and then Email Receipt) if you do it within 24 hours of travel.
2. From My Receipts through your Delta Air Lines account (if you have one)
3. By emailing to ticketreceipt@delta.com if your flight was more than 24 hours back and you don’t have an account with Delta. Be sure to include your full name, ticket number, and the type of card with which you purchased your ticket.
4. Through the travel agency you purchased your ticket from.
You can locate your suitcase on Delta through the Lost baggage tracker for checked bags, provided you reported the missing suitcase to the Baggage Service Center at the airport.
If your baggage on Delta does not arrive and you’ve reported it to the Baggage Service Center at the airport, you can track it online through the Lost Baggage Tracker link above.
You can file a claim with Delta Airlines through the Baggage Online Claim Form as follows:
1. Access your flight booking by entering your full name and file reference number
2. Click on the Next button
3. Provide your itinerary and missing baggage details
4. Complete and submit the claim
If you’re unable to find it, you can get your Delta baggage receipt online via My Trips (Payment Details 🡪 Email Receipt) within 24 hours of travel, or through your Delta Account (via My Receipts), by sending an email to ticketreceipt@delta.com (at least 24 hours after your journey) by providing your full name, ticket number, and the type of card (not the card number) you used to purchase your ticket, or through your travel agency.
On domestic routes, Delta will reimburse up to USD 3,800 for delayed baggage for each ticketed passenger.
On international routes covered by the Warsaw Convention, Delta can reimburse up to USD 9.07/pound per ticketed passenger, as long as it does not exceed USD 640 per bag, and up to SDR 1,288 (approx. USD 1,700) per ticketed passenger for routes covered by the Montreal Convention.
The Delta Air Lines Lost and Found number is 800-325-8224 (toll-free) or 404-209-3043 if you cannot access the first number from your city.
You will find your Delta baggage reference number (or the file reference number) at the front of your baggage information folder that you would have received from the Delta agent with whom you first filed the baggage delay report. It will appear as an 8 or 10-digit alphanumeric code.
If you left something on a Delta flight, report it immediately to a flight attendant if you’ve just started deplaning, the gate agent if you’re at the arrival gate, or Delta’s Baggage Service Center at the airport.
If you think you’ve left the item at a TSA Security Checkpoint, contact the TSA’s lost and found desk at the airport or call the TSA at 866-289-9673. If you’ve already left the airport, speak with a Delta agent at the airport by phone, or file an online report.
After reporting the missing baggage, you can file a baggage claim with Delta through the Baggage Online Claim Form by entering the details in the required fields, such as your name, file reference number, and the details of your travel itinerary and missing baggage.
Yes, you can track your baggage on Delta through the Track Checked Baggage page using your Confirmation Number, Bag Tag Number, or File Reference Number.
You will need to fill out the Damaged Bag Claim Form to file a claim with Delta for damaged luggage, as long as you’ve got the bag examined by Delta’s Baggage Office immediately upon arrival.
The deadline for submitting the report is within 24 hours after arrival for domestic U.S. flights and within 7 days of arrival for international flights.
If you can’t locate your baggage receipt, don’t worry. You can access it:
1. Within 24 hours of travel online from Delta.com via My Trips (Payment Details 🡪 Email Receipt), or
2. After 24 hours online through your Delta Account (via My Receipts), or
3. At least 24 hours after your journey by sending an email to ticketreceipt@delta.com (you must provide the passenger’s name, ticket number, and type of card used to book the ticket), or
4. By requesting the travel agency that issued your ticket
Yes, if you’re unable to locate it, you can get a baggage receipt from Delta:
1. Online via My Trips within 24 hours of your flight, or
2. Through your Delta account after 24 hours (via My Receipts), or
3. By requesting ticketreceipt@delta.com via email, or
4. By contacting the travel agency through which you booked your ticket
If you think Delta damaged your baggage during the trip, you must have the damaged bag examined at Delta’s Baggage Office at the airport immediately after landing. The time limit (after which your request will not be accepted) is within 24 hours of arrival for domestic travel and within 7 days of arrival for international flights.
If the Delta agent who examines your bag is convinced that the damage was indeed caused by Delta’s negligence and merits repairs, you may be asked to fill out a Damaged Bag Claim Form after which Delta will send your bag for repairs at no additional charge to you.
To report damaged baggage to Delta, you must immediately bring the damaged bag to Delta’s Baggage Office at the airport after arriving, but no later than 24 hours after arrival for a domestic flight and 7 days after arrival for an international flight.
You can track your baggage on Delta Air Lines either by calling a Delta representative in your area (have the File Reference Number ready) or online via this link for tracking checked bags and via this link for tracking unchecked bags.
If Delta loses your bag, the U.S. regulations require it to provide compensation for the bag’s contents, subject to a maximum limit of USD 3,800 per ticketed passenger for a domestic flight and USD 9.07/pound per ticketed passenger, subject to USD 640 per bag on international travel covered by the Warsaw Convention and up to SDR 1,288 (~USD 1,700) per ticketed passenger on travel covered by the Montreal Convention.
Yes, Delta will deliver delayed baggage at no additional charge to you at the forwarding address provided by you.
You can find Delta receipts in any of the following ways:
1. Through My Trips from Delta.com within 24 hours of travel, or
2. Through your Delta account (via My Receipts) after 24 hours of travel, or
3. By sending an email to ticketreceipt@delta.com, or
4. By getting in touch with the travel agency you purchased your ticket from
According to the Air Travel Consumer Reports published by the United States Department of Transportation, Delta, and its branded partners lost 5.3 bags per 1,000 bags between April 2021 and March 2022, which works out to 0.53 bags out of every 100 bags handled during the period.
You can get a Delta receipt (for your baggage or ticket) online through My Trips within 24 hours of your flight, via My Receipts through your Delta account after 24 hours of your flight, or via email at ticketreceipt@delta.com, or through the travel agency that issued your ticket.