The U.S. Airlines Most (and Least) Likely to Mishandle Your Bags

Having an airline lose your luggage can be a nightmarish experience. Unfortunately, it's a problem for both major and regional airlines. 

In fact, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics' 2023 Air Travel Consumer Report, airlines mishandled more than two million bags in a single year.

So, as you plan your next vacation, in addition to detailing a solid itinerary and booking with the best travel credit cards, it's also wise to check out your airline's record when it comes to mishandled bags.

From best to worst, here are how 15 U.S. airlines fare when it comes to mishandled baggage.

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Allegiant landed in last place, with 7,859 bags mishandled. That comes to roughly 0.17 bags for every 100 bags that make it onto a plane.

If you are planning to start traveling more this year, consider flying Allegiant Air for greater peace of mind that your bag will arrive at your destination with you. 

Endeavor Air, a regional airline based in Minneapolis and owned by Delta, came in second to last place for mishandled baggage.

Out of 6,230,634 bags that were put onto planes in 2023, 28,217 were mishandled by Endeavor Air. That comes out to about .45 mishandled bags for every 100, which is a slight decrease from it's rate in 2022.

Although Southwest dominated the headlines last year with a poorly managed holiday season, it's near the bottom of the list when it comes to mishandled luggage.

Exactly 449,931 bags were mishandled out of a total of 95,625,583 put onto planes in 2023. 

That translates to around .47 mishandled bags for every 100, which is lower compared to its rate in 2022.

Hawaiian Airlines was also on the lower end of the list. The airline flies throughout the Hawaiian Islands, as well as to destinations across the U.S., Asia, Australia, and Polynesia.

In 2023, it mishandled a total of 22,414 bags out of 4,596,229 that were put onto its planes, putting its average at about .49 mishandled bags for every 100.

Frontier Airlines, another giant in the budget travel realm, had an OK record when it comes to handling baggage.

Frontier mishandled a total of 37,004 bags out of 7,008,125 that were checked throughout 2023. The airline's average comes out to about .53 mishandled bags per 100. 

Frontier's great track record when it comes to handling bags may be due to the lower percentage of passengers checking them.

Delta Air Lines, the largest in the world by fleet size, had one of the best records out of the major players on the list.

The airline mishandled 325,675 bags out of a total of 59,991,342 that were put onto its planes, for an average of .54 mishandled bags for every 100.

JetBlue, another one of the largest airlines currently operating in the U.S., saw a decrease in baggage issues in 2023.

The airline mishandled 65,328 bags out of a total of 11,738,473 put onto planes throughout the year. 

That comes to .56 mishandled bags per 100, which is a drop compared to .68 the previous year.

Spirit Airlines, one of the major players in the budget airline industry (though not known for being particularly reliable), came in near the middle when handling baggage.

Out of a total of 9,600,474 checked bags throughout 2023, Spirit reported issues with 53,806 of them, putting it's average at .56 mishandled bags per every 100. This is a slight jump compared to its .48 average last year.

SkyWest is headquartered in Utah and operates through partnerships with major players like United, Delta, American, and Alaska.

SkyWest had a total of 112,853 bags mishandled out of 19,426,957 that were put onto its planes. This averages out to about .58 mishandled bags per 100.

Alaska Airlines grew from a regional company to one of the largest airlines in the U.S. Like some of the other major players on this list, it had some trouble getting bags where they needed to be.

Alaska mishandled a total of 104,912 bags out of 17,013,312 put onto its planes in 2023. That's about .62 mishandled bags per 100.

PSA Airlines, a regional company headquartered in Dayton, Ohio, also had its fair share of baggage issues in 2023.

The airline came in fifth place, and it mishandled 49,536 bags out of a total of 7,698,691 that were put onto its planes throughout the year. PSA's average comes out to about .64 mishandled bags per 100.

Republic Airways, a regional airline founded in 1998 and headquartered in Indianapolis, came in fourth for baggage issues.

The airline mishandled 46,994 out of a total of 6,250,629 bags that were put onto planes in 2023, putting the average at around .75 mishandled bags per 100.

Envoy Air, a regional airline headquartered in Irving, Texas, had the third worst record when it comes to handling bags.

Envoy mishandled a total of 46,184 bags throughout 2023 out of the 5,938,627 placed on its planes, putting the airline's average at .78 misplaced bags per 100.

Another major player, but not immune to baggage issues, United Airlines came in second for mishandling luggage. As the third largest commercial fleet in the world, there are plenty of opportunities for checked bags to get lost.

The airline mishandled a total of 343,882 bags out of 41,822,245 that were put onto United Airlines planes in 2023, for an average of around .82 misplaced bags for every 100. 

This was a significant jump compared to its .62 average the previous year.

And the airline most likely to mishandle your luggage? American Airlines.

The airline mishandled a total of 473,113 bags in 2023 out of 53,186,555 put on its planes. 

However, its average did improve slightly compared to last year. In 2022, it mishandled .92 bags out of 100 compared to .89 in 2023.

While lost or damaged luggage can really throw a wrench into your vacation plans, it's worth noting that every airline listed here (even American) mishandled fewer than 1 per 100 bags they dealt with in 2023.

Plus, budget airlines did surprisingly well when handling baggage — a nice perk for anyone hoping to spend less on vacation or worried about having to make extra money to travel.