Many TPGers only carry bags and refuse to check luggage. But on long trips, sometimes it’s hard to avoid checking a bag. (In my opinion, this is why Apple AirTags was invented.)
Airlines have greatly improved their technology, so you can track the progress of your checked bag during the trip and receive alerts about which baggage carousel it will arrive at. However, if you’ve recently checked the bag, you may have noticed a strange trend: The carousel number listed is often incorrect.
So when does this become a real problem and not just an inconvenience? Here’s what you need to know.
What happened to the luggage carousels?
If you’ve ever played this game of “luggage roulette,” you’ve probably waited for what feels like an incredibly long time (like a nail-biting, my-bag-keeps-appearing time), only to find your bag spinning in an endless loop on another carousel. However, you are not alone.
In a short TPG Lounge Facebook survey, we identified 16 airports where readers have recently experienced this. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL), Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) and Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) all emerged as repeat offenders.
“This just happened last Tuesday at EWR. The announcement, app and carousel sign was wrong,” said one TPG Lounge member. As someone who flies out of Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) quite often, I can add that this happened to me recently; United Airlines finally got my bag after a long 45 minute delay.
Another TPG Lounge member who works at an airline gave us this insider information: “As a flight attendant in Denver, we usually send luggage to the declared and posted carousel. We always have to use a different right. next door. The reason is because another airline blocks where we leave bags. .”
While this makes sense, the frequency with which we’ve seen this variation makes us wonder if there’s a way to compensate for our time (and our agitation when staring at an empty carousel).
Related: Loss vs. delayed load: How are they different and how do you protect yourself?
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Do airlines offer baggage guarantees?
The answer is, well, sometimes. In the case of two airlines, you can be rewarded for standing in the correct carousel when your bags don’t appear — if you’ve been waiting.
Both Delta Air Lines and Alaska Airlines offer a guarantee that your luggage will be included. If your bags are not on the carousel within 20 minutes of your flight’s arrival time, you will be entitled to 2,500 miles in compensation. (Alaska also offers a $25 discount code option to be used on future Alaska flights; however, since Alaska miles cost 1.45 cents each according to TPG’s January 2025 calculations, you’d be better off taking the miles 2,500, which is currently worth $36.25.)
While you’re waiting for your bag, set a stopwatch. Once you hit 20 minutes, you can continue to claim your miles.
Related: Delta’s bag guarantee isn’t going anywhere: How to earn bonus miles with checked bag guarantees from Delta and Alaska
At Delta, you can submit a claim online — just have your travel details, including your confirmation number, on hand. The app will confirm that you have been waiting for the promised 20 minutes. Then, visit the claim submission page, enter your information within three days of your flight’s arrival and click “Submit.” If approved, bonus miles can take up to two weeks to ship. (Note that there are fine print rules.)
The process is different in Alaska. There is no online filing option, so you must speak to an Alaska baggage handler at the airport within two hours of your flight arriving to file a claim. If you think you’re eligible, make sure you don’t leave the airport before talking to someone. As I mentioned earlier, you also don’t have to choose the miles – a $25 non-transferable voucher (redeemable on the airline’s website) is also an option. If you choose miles, however, they must ship within three days. You can view the full terms online.
Bottom line
Check-in bags are a growing source of revenue for airlines – US-based carriers are set to collect nearly $33 billion in revenue by 2023 alone. But, as many of us find out the hard way, the carry-on bag doesn’t always make it to where it should be. Although putting a suitcase on another carousel is more of a distraction than a trip waste, it can still be a stressful and time-consuming event.
If you fly Delta or Alaska and your bags go to a different carousel than they should, you may be able to get compensation (if it takes more than 20 minutes to arrive). This policy is great for travelers, and it’s a serious incentive to check your bag (especially if you can do so for free). Additionally, having a clear schedule like this makes it easier for flight attendants to provide a high level of service and hopefully get your bag to the correct carousel before you become loopy.
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