We've just gone through the worst baggage BS I've ever experienced in my 1M miles with United and would like to hear how others have fared in similar situations. I hardly ever check a bag, regardless of the length of the trip. Just couldn't avoid it this time.

Long, long story short: While waiting on connecting flight in EWR, they rerouted us due to late arriving flight probably going to screw up connection. We were heading to Greece for a 7-day cruise.

We never got our bags on the trip. They finally arrived this weekend, 15 days after we last saw them, and 8 days after trip ended.

We spent ~$2,500 on replacing stuff, from dresses, shirts, shorts, underwear, swim suits,… down to toothbrushes. That includes Ubers to airport (when we were told bags had arrived in Athens. We were told us picking them up was safer if we wanted before cruise left port.) and outlet mall to shop (while pushing girlfriend in 107 heat in a wheelchair as she had just messed up her back).

We were repeatedly told, on a daily basis, let's call them "inaccuracies" about our bags status. We wasted a tremendous amount of time on the phone while our families were off doing stuff.

That all being said, I'm now starting the claim process. Not looking forward to it.

Couldnt you track your bags on the United App? Maybe invest in an AirTag or tile for the future.

Sorry you had a miserable time. Hope you get reimbursed some. Sounds like it wasn't just the bags, but also the heat, and an unforeseen back injury and probably other items that all came to a head.

Did you use a travel card to book the flight?

Chase Sapphire Reserve Six hours $100 per day for five days Cardholder and immediate family

Chase Sapphire Preferred Card Six hours $100 per day for five days Cardholder and immediate family

United Explorer Card Six hours $100 per day for three days Cardholder and immediate family

Bank of America Premium Rewards credit card Six hours $100 per day for five days Cardholder and immediate

Greece is an M99 country IIRC.

Per United Website for M99 countries: United's liability is limited to 1,288 SDR (Special Drawing Rights) per customer for checked and unchecked baggage. 1 SDR is ~ $1.33.

Hope you get that $2,500 back. Luckily assuming it's split w neither of you accumulating over $1,750 in replacement value, you should get back the full $2,500.

Did you have trio insurance? Often it will cover this but will probably make you file with United first.

AirTags are becoming a necessity for checked bags

https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/airtag-lost-luggage-flight

United lost my bag a while back, I called the same day to confirm with mastercard the $100 a day and just sent them a pile of receipts. Annoying but not the worst.

If you have 1M miles and the status that comes with it I'm sure they'll take care of you....Honestly surprised they haven't done more already, like sending you some kind of gift card/debit card to make purchases.

Sucks to deal with for sure, but hopefully that status holds weight when needed.

And second the comments above, I have airtags for all our luggage, my work bag, hidden in my truck, etc.

The United app was worthless as far as tracking. If I was to believe that, the bags were in Newark the entire time, but I have emails from them telling me multiple other locations.

Yes, the AirTags will be in our future if I ever check bags again, which I will avoid like the plague.

We are still exploring credit card, and other possible compensation, but combination of cards and points, not likely.

I have a colleague who got them to buy him a $5000 suit in Las Vegas due to a speaker engagement and losing a bag containing a similar suit. Just wondering what kind of a challenge I'm gonna have with reimbursement, and then some.

Our bags were delayed for a Frontier flight once, they finally returned it to us at about the 26 hour mark.. 2 hours too late to avoid the reimbursement.
We spent ~$600 for a family of 4 ($150 per person per day) at Target and got fully reimbursed, and we got our stuff back.

Even better, I actually had my clothes for that trip in my carry on backpack, but I still spent my $150. I got some clothes for work and sunglasses lol.

They didn't ask any questions, just wanted the receipt.

I think it's funny (sorry OP, your situation sucks, I'm just making a passing comment) that so many people say they never check bags to avoid this kind of thing, and the ONE time they check a bag it happens.

I pretty much always check a bag (because I don't live in a hub city, so always have to connect, and don't want to pull my luggage around the connecting airport)... and have only had 1 or 2 luggage issues in my life, and they were very quickly resolved.

I am knocking on wood big time right now with some international travel coming up in the fall. If I just jinxed myself I'll have to come back here and hang my head.

UPDATE:

Thursday was told they were BOTH in Dulles, to be delivered to Nashville home later Friday.

i arrived in Nashville Friday afternoon. When talking to them at the airport, they said they had ONE bag, out for delivery. After raising **** about yet again a missing bag, they said the ONE bag would be delivered "in a couple of days."

My call later to the "Premier Baggage Desk" confirmed ONE bag, and the ridiculous delivery time.

I then get a text @ 0100 Saturday, saying that ONE bag was on front porch and to text him when I get his message. Texted him back at 0330 to say that's 1 of 2 we're missing. He said he thought he had other bag but it wasn't connected to original order.

Sure enough, he delivered other bag later Saturday morning.

Bags were gone for FIFTEEN DAYS.

Glad we got them back, of course. Now let's see how reimbursement and PITA factor plays out with claim.
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