The 10 U.S. Airlines Most Likely to Lose Your Luggage, Ranked
There’s nothing like that sinking feeling when the luggage carousel stops moving, and your bag is nowhere in sight.
A new study just revealed which U.S. airlines are the most likely to mishandle your luggage, and let’s just say… some of these results might make you rethink who you fly with next.
Using data from the U.S. Department of Transportation between 2021 and 2024, researchers looked at how many bags (including wheelchairs and scooters) were boarded and how many were reported as mishandled.
Here are the top 10 airlines with the worst baggage mishandling rates.
10. Spirit Airlines – 4.93 mishandled reports per 1,000 items
Spirit might be known for its ultra-low fares, and it was even named one of the best U.S. airlines, but it’s not immune to baggage issues. Out of more than 37 million items enplaned, over 185,000 were reported as mishandled. A colorful suitcase and a tracking device might be a wise move here.
9. Delta Air Lines – 5.10 mishandled reports per 1,000 items
Delta is often praised for reliability, but baggage isn’t completely safe from mishaps. With over 217 million items boarded during the study period, more than 1.1 million ended up in the mishandled category. Yikes.
8. SkyWest Airlines – 5.28 mishandled reports per 1,000 items
If you’re flying with SkyWest (which operates regional flights for big carriers), don’t assume your bag is in the clear. They logged over 439,000 mishandled reports from 2021 to 2024.
7. JetBlue Airways – 5.67 mishandled reports per 1,000 items
JetBlue might win points for legroom and snacks, but not so much for luggage handling. Over a quarter-million bags went missing or were damaged out of the 44 million they carried.
6. PSA Airlines – 6.06 mishandled reports per 1,000 items
As a regional carrier for American Airlines, PSA isn’t a household name—but their baggage record stands out, and not in a good way. Over 207,000 items were mishandled over just four years.
5. United Airlines – 6.43 mishandled reports per 1,000 items
United boards a massive amount of luggage, more than 144 million items, during the study period. But nearly a million of those didn’t make it to their final destination in one piece. Not exactly confidence-inspiring.
4. Alaska Airlines – 6.69 mishandled reports per 1,000 items
Alaska has a solid reputation, but it still ranks fourth in luggage mishandling. Over 400,000 bags were affected. If you’re flying up north (or anywhere else they go), keep an eye on that suitcase.
3. Republic Airways – 7.01 mishandled reports per 1,000 items
Another regional carrier with a not-so-great track record. Out of nearly 28 million items enplaned, Republic lost or damaged close to 200,000. Small airline, with a big baggage problem.
2. Envoy Air – 8.25 mishandled reports per 1,000 items
Envoy, which also flies under the American Airlines umbrella, came in second with over 224,000 reports. If you’ve ever had to gate-check a bag on a tiny regional jet, you might already be familiar with this stat.
1. American Airlines – 8.71 mishandled reports per 1,000 items
And the (unfortunate) winner is… American Airlines. With more than 1.75 million mishandled items over four years, they top the list for baggage woes. That’s out of over 200 million bags—so the odds might not be terrible, but they’re still the worst in the country.
What to Do if Your Bag Goes Missing
According to Ronan McLoughlin from Boutique Hotel Hub:
“When traveling, the last thing you expect is for your bag to be lost or otherwise mishandled by your airline. It can add a lot of unnecessary stress to an expensive vacation, and while accidents do happen, passengers have a right to be upset when this happens.”
If your bag doesn’t arrive, report the issue at the airport before you leave the baggage claim area. Most airlines have a dedicated desk for this, and the sooner you report it, the better your odds of a resolution.
And for a little peace of mind? Use a unique-looking suitcase, add a luggage tag with your contact info, and consider dropping a tracking device like an AirTag inside. It might just save you a headache later.
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