Educational passenger-rights overview only — not legal advice. Compensation bands cited below come from published regulation text; eligibility and amounts depend on your itinerary, operating carrier and the cause of disruption. Verify current official figures before you claim.
Montreal Convention rules for delayed, damaged or lost checked baggage — liability limits in Special Drawing Rights, claim deadlines and how this differs from.
Key takeaways
- For international carriage under the Montreal Convention, airline liability for destruction, loss, damage or delay of baggage is limited to 1,288 Special Drawing…
- Delay: claim reasonable essential expenses while waiting for the bag, within the liability limit and with receipts.
- For checked baggage damage, written complaint is generally required within seven days of receipt; for delay, within twenty-one days from the date the baggage…
- Verdict: Montreal sets a documented-loss liability ceiling in SDRs — not automatic fixed payouts.
- Liability is capped in SDRs for proven losses; deadlines are short for damage and delay complaints.
What does the Montreal Convention pay for delayed or damaged baggage?
For international carriage under the Montreal Convention, airline liability for destruction, loss, damage or delay of baggage is limited to 1,288 Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) per passenger unless a higher value was declared and any supplementary sum paid. This is a liability ceiling for proven losses — not. Not for every traveller — confirm fit first.
SDR amounts are set in the Convention as amended by ICAO revision cycles — convert SDRs to your currency using the IMF published rate on the relevant date. We cite the 1,288 SDR limit as the widely published current figure; verify the live ICAO/airline notice before claiming.
EU261 delay cash (EUR 250/400/600) is a separate passenger-rights regime for flight delay/cancellation — it does not replace Montreal baggage liability.
Delayed versus lost versus damaged — what changes?
Delay: claim reasonable essential expenses while waiting for the bag, within the liability limit and with receipts. Damage: document at the airport Property Irregularity Report (PIR) desk before leaving. Loss: airlines often treat bags as lost after a published waiting period — claim within Convention time limits.
Keep boarding passes, baggage tags, PIR reference and itemised receipts. Photograph damage before leaving the airport when possible.
| Issue | Immediate step | Liability frame |
|---|---|---|
| Delay | PIR + essential purchases | Montreal up to SDR limit |
| Damage | PIR before leaving airport | Montreal up to SDR limit |
| Loss | Follow airline lost-bag process | Montreal up to SDR limit |
| Flight delay cash | EU261/UK261/APPR paths | Separate from baggage |
What claim deadlines apply under Montreal?
For checked baggage damage, written complaint is generally required within seven days of receipt; for delay, within twenty-one days from the date the baggage was placed at your disposal — Article 31 Montreal Convention. Missing these windows weakens claims. Court limitation periods are separate and longer.
Domestic US itineraries may also involve DOT baggage rules — still file the airline PIR immediately.
Montreal Convention baggage — verdict
Verdict: Montreal sets a documented-loss liability ceiling in SDRs — not automatic fixed payouts. File PIR same day, keep receipts, and cite Article 17/22/31 language in claims. Not for passengers seeking EU261 flight-delay cash — use [flight delay compensation rights](/guides/flight-delay-compensation-rights).
Framework checked August 2026 — confirm current SDR limit notices on your airline's conditions of carriage.
Montreal baggage FAQ
Liability is capped in SDRs for proven losses; deadlines are short for damage and delay complaints. Insurance may sit above the airline limit. Carry-on? Different practical rules; Convention focus is often checked baggage claims. AirHelp? Focuses on flight delay/cancel regimes more than baggage SDR claims — DIY airline claim first.
Carry-on? Different practical rules; Convention focus is often checked baggage claims.
AirHelp? Focuses on flight delay/cancel regimes more than baggage SDR claims — DIY airline claim first.
Evidence note
How we checked this guide
Research basis
Structured desk research with 3 relevant primary or independent sources linked below.
Experience standard
No first-hand test or trip is implied unless the article explicitly states who tested it, when and under what conditions.
Review date
Editorially reviewed on 8 August 2026. Time-sensitive prices, rules and eligibility must be checked again before purchase or travel.
Commercial independence
This guide currently carries no configured commissioned partner link. Editorial conclusions are not sold.
See the editorial policy, method notes, or report a correction.