ATLAirport Guide

Delayed or lost baggage at ATL: who takes the report

ATL's FAQ sends lost luggage to your airline. What Delta and American say to do, American's 4-hour window, and what ATL's Lost and Found covers.

The empty international baggage claim hall at Atlanta airport, with a long stainless-steel carousel on a polished granite floor.
International baggage claim, Atlanta airport

For lost luggage, ATL’s FAQ says to contact your airline directly. Delta says to visit its Baggage Service Office at the airport and make a report. American says to file one before you leave the airport.

What Delta and American say to do

Delta American
Where to report The Baggage Service Office at the airport, where you meet a Delta representative The sign with a QR code at baggage claim, or American’s site. You may not need to visit the airport Baggage Service Office
What you get back A file reference number for receipts and reimbursement A 13-character file ID for claims and bag status
Tracking “Track My Bags” in the Fly Delta app A Find My or AirTag link, shared in the report
Number ATL lists (800) 221-1212 (800) 433-7300

American’s online report asks for your last name and your American confirmation code or bag tag number. It covers trips ending in the U.S., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Delta says you may be eligible for a refund of your checked bag fee, depending on how long the bag is delayed.

How long does American give you?

American’s page sets the clock by where you were flying:

  • A delayed bag on a flight within the U.S.: report within 4 hours of arriving, or within 12 hours if you used Bags VIP Luggage Delivery.
  • A delayed bag on an international flight: report on arrival, before you leave the airport.
  • A damaged bag: report before you leave the airport, or within 6 hours of receiving it on a U.S. flight and within 7 days on an international one.
  • Items missing from a bag that was delayed or damaged: claim within 24 hours of receiving it on a U.S. flight, or within 7 days on an international one.

American also says it won’t accept liability for missing items on a U.S. flight unless the bag was reported as delayed or damaged. If TSA inspected the bag, American’s page says the inspector leaves a written notice inside or a seal outside. It says to call TSA at 866-289-9673 if you think the inspection caused the damage.

For things you need right away, American reimburses reasonable and necessary items while you’re away from home without your bags. Send the file ID, a copy of your ticket receipt and baggage claim checks, and your original dated itemized receipts within 30 days of the delay. If the bag is never found, American deducts the reimbursement from the final settlement. A bag missing 5 or more days needs an online claim with the file ID. American’s Central Baggage Resolution Office emails its decision.

What ATL’s Lost and Found covers

ATL’s Lost and Found takes items left in the terminal and at security checkpoints, per the FAQ. For anything left on a plane or at a gate, the FAQ says to contact the airline directly. The lost and found page has the office’s location, and the lost something guide covers its hours and the other offices.

ATL’s directory lists one Bag Services desk, at International Arrivals, with no hours or description. It doesn’t say whether that desk takes a bag report, so start with your airline, the route the FAQ names.

What if you flew another airline?

For a carrier other than Delta or American, call the number ATL’s airline directory lists for it and ask for baggage service. Our phone numbers guide tables those numbers for every airline, and our airlines page shows where each one checks in.

To check you’re at the right carousel first, our baggage claim guide shows where North, South and international bags come out.

Sources