Delayed or Damaged Baggage

We do our very best to make sure your baggage arrives with you at your destination, but sometimes things don’t go as planned. The information in this section explains what you need to know, and what the next steps are when dealing with delayed baggage.

If you can’t locate your checked baggage upon arrival, the first thing you'll need to do is notify a baggage service agent of the airline with which your flight terminates. View an example situation.

The baggage service agent will ask you to provide:

  • Your contact information
  • A detailed description of your baggage and contents
  • Your baggage claim stubs
  • Your boarding passes

This information will help with the creation of a WorldTracer incident report.

Access your WorldTracer report

If you’ve already completed a WorldTracer incident report and have an incident report number (example YULAC12345), you can update or review the status of your delayed baggage by accessing the WorldTracer website.

If you haven’t completed an incident report upon arrival, you must contact our Central Baggage Office without delay at 1 888 689-BAGS (2247) - Toll free, open from 05:00 to 23:00 ET, 7 days a week within Canada or the United States.

If you are currently outside of Canada or the United States, view our list of international numbers.

Note: Reuniting you with your delayed baggage may take longer than expected when there’s more than one airline involved in the routing, including international flights, flight duration, connection times, frequency of flights and/or Customs and Immigration procedures at the connection points as well as at the destination airport.

* Due to the current global COVID-19 pandemic, our Central Baggage Office Call Centre services are limited. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. Please use the WorldTracer website to update and review the status of your baggage.

What to do if your baggage is still missing after 3 days

In the unlikely event that our Baggage Services can’t locate your delayed baggage within 3 days, you’ll be required to complete the Baggage Tracing form via our Baggage Issues section of the Let Us Know form page without delay, and our Central Baggage Tracing Team will take over.

For our Central Baggage Tracing Team to successfully reunite you with your property, please list all items and contents as accurately as possible on the Delayed Baggage form on the Let Us Know form - regardless of the monetary value.

When we locate your baggage

Once we've located your baggage and have ensured it reached its destination airport, we will contact you to arrange delivery via our contracted carrier in the area or FedEx.

Mobility aids

Do you need to report a delayed or damaged mobility aid? Please read our instructions for how to file a report.

More information

Baggage fee refund

If your baggage was delayed, we’ll refund the checked baggage fees that you paid on flights operated by Air Canada, Air Canada Rouge, or Air Canada Express.

Interim expenses

While you are without your belongings as a direct result of your delayed baggage, we will reimburse you for reasonable expenses that you’ve incurred for rentals or essential items. Examples of essential items may include but are not limited to clothes and toiletries or sport equipment rental. All claims must be supported by receipts.

How to claim expenses

You may request a reimbursement by completing the Submit Expenses section via our Let Us Know form. You’ll need to supply the following information to support your claim for reimbursement:

  • Flight information
  • Your WorldTracer incident report number
  • Upload all original receipts
  • Baggage tags or baggage claim stubs
  • Boarding passes

Note: Claims must be submitted within 21 days from the date on which you received your baggage or they will not be processed.

Insurance and limitations to baggage liability

While we will make every attempt to ensure your baggage is handled with care, please note that in the unlikely event we are unsuccessful in locating delayed baggage, our Baggage Claims Team will make every effort to offer a satisfying final resolution in line with Air Canada's Conditions of Carriage.

Note: Never pack house/car keys, jewelry, valuables, cash, life-saving medicine/medical devices, important documents, or personal electronic devices in your checked baggage. Please be sure that your fragile items are suitably packed and well protected.

Contacting our Baggage Claims Team

Central Baggage Office: 1 888 689-BAGS (2247) – Toll free, open from 05:00 to 23:00 ET, 7 days a week within Canada or the United States.

Fax: 1 800 237-3563 or 514-422-2900

Via our Let Us Know form.

Worldwide (Star Alliance Partners): Visit Star Alliance for a list of our partner airlines.

We strive to handle and ship your baggage with care. However, despite our best efforts, baggage may be damaged during flight. If you notice damage to your baggage upon arrival, we have a dedicated team ready to help. We ask that you report it as soon as possible, following these steps below.

How to report damaged baggage

At the airport

If you’re still at the airport and you notice that your baggage has been damaged, please advise an airport agent at the Air Canada Baggage Service Counter before leaving the airport. In larger airports in Canada where the service is available, we can provide you with replacement baggage before you leave the airport.

After you’ve left the airport

For damage not noticed at the airport, we strongly recommend that you return to the airport with your damaged baggage, ticket, and baggage tag to report the damage.

You can also call our Central Baggage Office at 1 888 689-BAGS (2247) – Toll free, open from 05:00 to 23:00 ET, 7 days a week within Canada or the United States.

Reporting damage via the website

To make an official claim online, you can follow the instructions on the Let Us Know form to submit a Damage Property Report and notify our Baggage Claims representatives. You’ll need to write to us within 7 days from the day on which you received your baggage otherwise your claim cannot be processed. A Damage Property Report alone is not an official claim.

When you submit a Damage Property Report via our Let Us Know form, make sure to provide clear pictures of:

  • The damage
  • The brand and model and in some cases the serial number
  • Your baggage tags still attached to your baggage
  • Your boarding passes

Note: Do not dispose of your damaged item until your claim has been finalized. You’ll have 60 days to have your damaged baggage assessed, repaired or replaced.

Mobility aids

Do you need to report a delayed or damaged mobility aid? Please read our instructions for how to file a report.

More information

Repairs to damaged baggage

You may choose to:

  • Bring your damaged baggage back to the airport and have Air Canada send it to an authorized repair centre.
  • Bring the baggage to the authorized repair centre yourself.
  • Have the baggage repaired at the repair shop of your choice. You must submit a quote with your claim prior to repairing the baggage.

Damage as a result of a CATSA/TSA inspection

Air Canada, Air Canada Express and Air Canada Rouge are not liable for any damage resulting from inspections by federal authorities responsible for security screening. Please contact the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA – Canadian airports) or the Transportation Security Administration (TSA – US airports) if you believe the damage to your baggage occurred as a result of an inspection by one of these authorities.

Baggage fee refund

If your baggage was damaged, we will refund the checked baggage fees that you paid on Air Canada, Air Canada Rouge and Air Canada Express flights.

Insurance and limitations to baggage liability

While we make every attempt to ensure your baggage is handled with care, please note that we are not responsible for cosmetic damage. Our Baggage Claims Team will make every effort to offer a satisfying final resolution in line with Air Canada's Conditions of Carriage.

Note: Never pack house/car keys, jewelry, valuables, cash, life-saving medicine/medical devices, important documents or personal electronic devices in your checked baggage. Please be sure that your fragile items are suitably packed and well protected.

Contacting our Baggage Claims Team

Central Baggage Office: 1 888 689-BAGS (2247) – Toll free, open from 05:00 to 23:00 ET, 7 days a week within Canada or the United States.

Fax: 514-422-2900 Toll-free fax: 1 800 237-3563

Via our Let Us Know form.

Worldwide (Star Alliance Partners): Visit Star Alliance for a list of our partner airlines.