Last updated: 31 October 2026.
Delta's liability follows its Contract of Carriage and, on international trips, the Warsaw or Montreal Convention.
USD 4,700baggage liability cap per fare-paying passenger on US domestic tariff
1,519 SDRbaggage cap per passenger on international tariff
7 daysto complain about damaged baggage
21 daysto complain about delayed or lost baggage
Limits
- Passenger death or bodily injury (Convention flights)
- For damages up to 151,880 SDR per passenger the airline cannot exclude or limit liability; above that it can defend by proving no fault or fault only of a third party
- Baggage on international tariff
- 1,519 SDR per passenger for destruction, loss, damage or delay
- Baggage on US domestic tariff
- USD 4,700 per fare-paying passenger; the limit does not apply to wheelchairs and other assistive devices, and you must prove the value
Time limits
- Damaged baggage: complain at once, and at the latest within 7 days of receipt. Delayed or lost baggage: within 21 days of the bag being placed at your disposal (or of when it should have been). Complaints must be in writing and sent in time.
- Legal proceedings for damages must begin within two years of arrival, of the date the aircraft should have arrived, or of when carriage stopped.
Lost or delayed bags
- If your bag does not appear, tell Delta staff at the airport, then follow the search by phone on 800-325-8224 or online with the baggage tracking tool.
- Checked bag fees are refunded for a significantly delayed or lost bag.
Questions travellers ask us
What is the limit for a lost bag?
USD 4,700 on US domestic trips and 1,519 SDR on international ones.
How long do I have to complain?
7 days for damage and 21 days for delay or loss, in writing.
Is there a limit for injury?
Not up to 151,880 SDR per passenger on Convention flights.
Baggage Allowance is an independent information site and is not part of Delta Air Lines. Check the airline's own pages before you travel.
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