Lufthansa delayed and lost baggage compensation
Use the verified report, tracking and claim routes below for delayed, damaged or lost baggage.
Keep the PIR reference. Lufthansa states that essential replacement purchases must be reasonable; reusable clothing may be reimbursed differently from consumable toiletries.
Report the baggage problem first, keep the PIR or file reference, then use the relevant claim route below. BagClaim does not submit the form or send documents to the airline.
Where to report, claim and follow up
Report baggage irregularity
Choose delayed or damaged baggage and obtain a PIR before requesting money.
Open official routeRequest reimbursement
Dedicated form for delayed-baggage expenses, damaged baggage and missing contents.
Open official routeOpen baggage status
Follow the baggage-status link using the PIR.
Open official routePrepare these items before the form opens
- PIR number
- All affected flights
- Baggage tag
- Receipts, item list or repair evidence
A clean three-step handoff
-
1
Report the baggage issue
Create the baggage report promptly and check that the passenger, flight and bag tag details are correct.
-
2
Organise the evidence
Keep the report reference, travel proof, baggage tag, receipts, photographs and relevant airline messages.
-
3
Submit and save confirmation
Use the official claim route, retain the exact submission date and keep every confirmation or case number.
Compensation and deadlines
Baggage compensation is based on documented loss, not a fixed tariff. For international journeys under the Montreal Convention, liability for delayed, damaged or lost luggage is normally capped at 1,519 SDR per passenger, roughly EUR 1,800 depending on exchange rates.
- Damaged baggage: written complaint within 7 days of receiving the bag.
- Delayed baggage: written expense claim within 21 days of the bag being returned.
- Lost baggage: usually treated as lost after 21 days, then claim the documented value of the bag and contents.
If no substantive reply arrives after about 28 days, send a written follow-up and ask for the exact basis of any refusal.
How to report and claim, step by step
No invented claim email
Lufthansa's verified process uses a dedicated reimbursement form and does not list a general baggage-claim email.
Open Lufthansa baggage serviceLufthansa baggage claim questions
How long do I have to complain about baggage?
For an international journey under the Montreal Convention the written complaint is due within 7 days of receiving a damaged bag and within 21 days of a delayed bag being returned to you. A bag that has not arrived within 21 days can be treated as lost. Individual carriers often set shorter reporting windows on top of that, so the deadline that binds you is the earlier of the two.
Where do I report the problem first?
Keep the PIR reference. Lufthansa states that essential replacement purchases must be reasonable; reusable clothing may be reimbursed differently from consumable toiletries.
Is there an email address for the claim?
Lufthansa's verified process uses a dedicated reimbursement form and does not list a general baggage-claim email.
How much compensation can I expect?
Baggage compensation is documented loss, not a fixed tariff. The Montreal Convention caps the carrier's liability at 1,519 SDR per passenger, roughly EUR 1,800, and inside that ceiling you are paid what you can prove: receipted essential purchases for a delay, repair or replacement value for damage, and the evidenced value of the bag and its contents for a loss.
What if the airline never answers?
Silence is not a refusal and it does not stop the clock on your own rights. Send one written follow-up quoting the report reference and the date of the original claim, ask for a reasoned decision in writing, and keep every message. If the carrier still does not answer, the national enforcement body or the airline's listed dispute-resolution scheme is the next step, and court action stays open for two years from the date of arrival.
Put the timeline and evidence in one reviewable file.
BagClaim checks the case, drafts the letters and builds the PDF locally in your browser. You stay in control of the airline submission.
Check my claimLinks were automatically checked on 2026-08-24. Airline forms and requirements can change. Confirm the current instructions on the airline's own site before submitting. BagClaim is self-service software, not the airline and not legal advice.