These Are the Worst Airlines for Losing Your Luggage
We've all been there: The baggage claim area, just a while ago filled with tired travelers, has cleared out. You stand bagless, staring frustrated as the carousel comes to a halt. Losing a bag can be a nightmare, and while no airline can guarantee your baggage makes it safely 100 percent of the time, a recent study ranked the airlines most likely to lose your bags.
Research conducted by LuggageHero showed that Delta and Spirit Airlines reported the fewest mishandled bags among the 12 prominent carriers in the study. At the bottom of the list: Envoy Air.
According to LuggageHero, Envoy has received double the complaints of those at the top of the list.
LuggageHero expects to see 568,000 mishandled bag reports filed this summer alone, while around 228 million passengers will travel on the airlines observed in the study.
Figures from the US Department of Transportation show that while over half a million pieces of baggage are projected to be lost, damaged, or misdirected on domestic flights this year, these mishaps are declining.
Since 2012, complaints have dropped by 27%, and no major US airline is performing worse, which is a promising sign. In September of 2017, US airlines reported 1.99 mishandled bags per 1,000, the lowest this number has been in the past 30 years.
At the end of the day, there isn't much you can do to prevent the loss of luggage once in the hands of the airline. Between 2012 and 2018, the worst months for mishandled baggage were January and December, with October having the fewest reports.
LuggageHero recommends that if you lose a bag, don't waste any time. Be sure to document the contents of the bag — or the damage, in case your bag is returned damaged — as much you can, and file a report with the airline.
The US Department of Transportation rules say that your baggage is insured up to $3,500 domestically, but to collect this money, all of the necessary forms need to be filled out, and there has to be clear proof of the loss.
Otherwise, cover your bases by locking your bags (with a TSA-approved lock) and keeping things like medications and car keys in your carryon.
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The Capital One Venture X Business Card has all the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card has to offer and more. It offers an incredible welcome bonus and requires an equally impressive spend to qualify. In addition, the card comes with premium travel perks like annual travel credit. (Partner offer)Pros
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- Another drawback is that the annual travel credit can only be used on bookings made through Capital One Business Travel.
- LIMITED-TIME OFFER: Earn up to 400K bonus miles: 200K miles when you spend $30K in the first 3 months, and an additional 200k miles when you spend $150k in the first 6 months
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- Earn 10X miles on hotels and rental cars and 5X miles on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Business Travel
- With no preset spending limit, enjoy big purchasing power that adapts so you can spend more and earn more rewards
- Empower your teams to make business purchases while earning rewards on their transactions, with free employee and virtual cards. Plus, automatically sync your transaction data with your accounting software and pay your vendors with ease
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- This is a pay-in-full card, so your balance is due in full every month
Rewards Rate
| 2X miles | 2 miles per dollar on every purchase |
| 5X miles | 5 miles per dollar on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Business Travel |
| 10X miles | 10 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Business Travel |
Intro Offer
Earn 200K miles when you spend $30K in the first 3 months, and an additional 200K miles when you spend $150K in the first 6 monthsLIMITED-TIME OFFER: Earn up to 400K bonus milesAnnual Fee
$395Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.740-850Excellent
Why We Chose It
The Capital One Venture X Business Card has all the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card has to offer and more. It offers an incredible welcome bonus and requires an equally impressive spend to qualify. In addition, the card comes with premium travel perks like annual travel credit. (Partner offer)Pros
- The Capital One Venture X business card has a very lucrative welcome offer.
- In addition, the card comes with many premium travel perks such as an annual $300 credit for bookings through Capital One Business Travel.
- Business owners are also able to add employee cards for free.
Cons
- The card requires significant spending to earn the welcome offer.
- Another drawback is that the annual travel credit can only be used on bookings made through Capital One Business Travel.
- LIMITED-TIME OFFER: Earn up to 400K bonus miles: 200K miles when you spend $30K in the first 3 months, and an additional 200k miles when you spend $150k in the first 6 months
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, everywhere—with no limits or category restrictions
- Earn 10X miles on hotels and rental cars and 5X miles on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Business Travel
- With no preset spending limit, enjoy big purchasing power that adapts so you can spend more and earn more rewards
- Empower your teams to make business purchases while earning rewards on their transactions, with free employee and virtual cards. Plus, automatically sync your transaction data with your accounting software and pay your vendors with ease
- Redeem your miles on flights, hotels and more. Plus, transfer your miles to any of the 15+ travel loyalty programs
- Every year, you'll get 10,000 bonus miles after your account anniversary date. Plus, receive an annual $300 credit for bookings made through Capital One Business Travel
- Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®. Enjoy access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide, including Capital One Lounge locations and Priority Pass™ lounges, after enrollment
- Enjoy a $100 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Premier Collection
- This is a pay-in-full card, so your balance is due in full every month