7 US Airlines Most Likely To Lose Your Bag Right Now

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Along with flight delays and cancellations, lost luggage is one of the biggest headaches for air travelers.

There’s nothing worse than arriving at your destination after a long flight, only to realize with a sinking feeling in your stomach that the airline has lost your checked luggage.

Even if you receive your luggage, you may discover that it has been damaged due to mishandling.

New data from Travel Agent Central has revealed the worst airlines for lost or mishandled luggage right now. This is based on Air Travel Consumer Reports from the US Department of Transportation.

Travelers can take comfort in knowing that even the worst offender only has 5.34 lost or mishandled bags per 1,000, so still not a very high percentage.

But travelers may still want to be careful with the following airlines. Whenever possible, traveling with carry-on luggage only is always a good idea.

Not only do you avoid the risk of lost or damaged baggage, but you can also save time at the airport by not having to stand in line to check in your baggage or wait on the baggage carousel after your flight.

These are the worst airlines for lost and mishandled luggage in the United States:

1. American airlines

American Airlines is the number one worst airline for lost or damaged luggage, with 5.34 incidents per 1,000 bags.

Although that’s a small percentage compared to the total number of checked bags, American Airlines still carries the dubious distinction of being the airline most likely to lose your luggage.

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2. United Airlines

Next, United Airlines is one of the top offenders for lost and damaged baggage. This carrier experiences 4 problems for every 1,000 bags.

United is also the airline with the most cancellations this summer, so travelers flying United at this time should take precautions. If you can avoid checking your baggage, it’s the smart move, as you won’t risk being separated from your baggage if your flight is delayed or cancelled.

3. Alaska Airlines

Another airline with a higher rate of lost and mishandled baggage is Alaska Airlines.

This Seattle-based airline has 3.8 incidents per 1,000 bags. Alaska Airlines is also the most loved airline according to Twitter users, so the occasional downside of lost luggage clearly doesn’t outweigh the airline’s other positives.

4.Jet Blue

JetBlue is another airline that ranks the worst airlines for lost and mishandled luggage.

With 3.17 problems per 1,000 bags, this New York-based airline is in the middle of the pack when it comes to baggage violations.

5. Border Airlines

Frontier Airlines has relatively fewer incidents than other airlines on this list, with 3.09 lost or mishandled baggage issues per 1,000 bags.

However, Frontier is one of the airlines with the highest hidden fees, and that includes fees for checking a bag. If you can travel light with only carry-on luggage, you can save money and avoid the risk of lost or damaged luggage.

6. Delta Airlines

Delta was recently named the best airline in North America due to its high customer satisfaction ratings. This airline has the highest percentage of on-time flights and the fewest delays and cancellations.

When it comes to lost luggage, it’s also on the lower end, with 3.08 problems per 1,000 bags.

7. Hawaiian Airlines

Finally, Hawaiian Airlines has the fewest baggage incidents in this ranking.

The Hawaii-based airline records just 2.90 cases of lost or mishandled luggage per 1,000 bags, making this airline less likely to cause you trouble compared to all others on this list.