What to Do If Your Luggage Gets Lost While Traveling

Arriving at your travel destination and finding out your luggage didn't is kind of the worst. But if you know exactly what to do next, then there's no need to freak out. So here goes. First, know that only three in 1000 bags are mishandled, according to Reader's Digest. Plus, there's a solid chance it just got sent to the wrong place. And Smarter Travel says airlines can generally remedy that problem within 24 hours. So you can always start souvenir shopping and get yourself a new outfit for tomorrow and hope for the best. Most air carriers will cover the basics while you're without your bag, like the trees and cheap clothes, but remember to keep the receipts for reimbursement. A bag isn't truly considered lost until 5 to 30 days after it went missing. If that happens in the US, you'll be refunded for your baggage fee and then you need to get a written claim for damages in order to get money to replace what was lost. So it's a good idea to make a note of everything in your bag right away because you might not recall it so easily in a month. It's also never a bad idea to pack an outfit or two in your carry on just in case something like this happens. Better to be safe than sorry, right?