American Airlines named No. 1 airline most likely to mishandle your luggage, study shows

More than 5 million pieces of luggage were reportedly lost or mishandled in the U.S. over the last two years, according to a Travel Bulletin survey drawing on U.S. Bureau of Transportation statistics for 2024 and 2025. While less than 1% of over 250 million checked bags on domestic flights are lost or damaged each year, the study says risk varies by airline and by airport. American Airlines topped the list for mishandling, with 1.6 million bags over the two-year period. The airport with the highest per-capita TSA complaints tied to passenger property was Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas.