Avoid These Airlines if You Don’t Want To Lose Your Bags

Having an airline lose your luggage can be a nightmarish experience. Unfortunately, this problem affects 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 this year alone.

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.

Endeavor Air, a regional airline based in Minneapolis and owned by Delta, landed last for mishandled baggage.

Out of 724,975 bags that were put onto their planes in April, 1,954 were mishandled by the airline. That's about .27 mishandled bags for every 100, a .13 decrease from their rate in 2023.

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

The airline mishandled 3,467 bags out of a total of 1,148,114 put onto planes throughout April 2024. That's .30 mishandled bags per 100, a drop from .49 the previous year.

Budget airline Allegiant reported only 803 mishandled bags out of the 257,991 it put onto planes in April 2024. That's roughly 0.31 bags for every 100.

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 April, it mishandled 1,608 bags out of 494,437 that were put onto its planes, putting its average at about .33 mishandled bags for every 100.

Delta Air Lines, the largest airline in the world by fleet size, surprisingly had one of the better records among the major players on the list.

The airline mishandled 24,063 bags out of a total of 6,597,389 that were put onto its planes in April, for an average of .36 mishandled bags for every 100.

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

Out of a total of 1,049,935 checked bags this year, Spirit reported issues with 3,868, putting its average at .37 mishandled bags per 100. That's a significant drop from its .60 average last April.

Southwest dominated the headlines with a poorly managed holiday season but is near the middle of the list when it comes to mishandled luggage.

Exactly 40,369 bags were mishandled out of a total of 10,821,791 put onto planes in April. That translates to around .37 mishandled bags for every 100, which is lower compared to its rate in April 2023.

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

SkyWest mishandled 8,539 bags out of 2,218,586 that were put onto its planes. This averages out to about .38 mishandled bags per 100.

Frontier Airlines, another giant in the budget travel realm, has an OK baggage handling record.

Frontier mishandled 2,895 bags out of 733,709 checked in April 2024. The airline’s average was about .39 mishandled bags per 100. 

Frontier’s track record in handling bags may be due to the lower percentage of passengers checking them.

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

The airline mishandled 2,980 of the 710,197 bags that were loaded onto its planes in April, putting its average at around .42 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 this year.

Alaska mishandled 7,446 bags out of the 1,647,957 put onto its planes in April 2024. That’s about .45 mishandled bags per 100.

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

The airline mishandled 22,701 bags out of 4,460,384 that were put onto its planes in April, for an average of around .51 misplaced bags for every 100. This was a significant drop compared to its .68 average the previous year.

PSA Airlines, a regional company headquartered in Dayton, Ohio, also had its fair share of baggage issues in 2024.

The airline came in 10th place, mishandling 6,253 bags out of a total of 1,023,639 that were put onto its planes in April. PSA’s average is about .61 mishandled bags per 100.

Envoy Air, a regional airline headquartered in Irving, Texas, had the second-worst record in handling bags.

Enviy mishandled 5,218 bags out of the 806,858 placed on its planes throughout April, putting the airline’s average at .65 misplaced bags per 100.

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

The airline mishandled 43,558 bags out of 6,016,525 put on its planes in April 2024. However, its average did improve slightly compared to last year. In April 2023, it mishandled .80 bags out of 100, compared to .72 this April.

While lost or damaged luggage can really wreck your vacation plans, it’s worth noting that every airline listed here (even American) mishandled fewer than one bag per 100 bags they handled in 2024.

Plus, budget airlines handled baggage surprisingly well — a nice perk for anyone hoping to save money on travel.