Dallas, TX – American Airlines, despite operating one of the world’s largest fleets, has topped a new list of U.S. carriers with the highest rate of mishandled luggage, according to recent research from luggage experts at MyBaggage.com. The report analyzed data from 2021 to 2024 to determine which airlines face the greatest challenges in baggage management.
American Airlines recorded 8.71 mishandled bags per 1,000 enplaned, leading the statistics by mishandling over 1.75 million bags across the three-year period. While this number is the highest overall, the report emphasizes that the airline’s vast scale, enplaning over 200 million pieces of luggage, means the actual chance of any individual passenger losing their bag remains low at 0.87%.
The list of carriers with the highest mishandling rates is dominated by regional and major airlines, including subsidiaries of American Airlines:
| Rank | Airline | Mishandled Bags (per 1,000 enplaned) |
| 1 | American Airlines | 8.71 |
| 2 | Envoy Air (AA Regional) | 8.25 |
| 3 | Republic Airways | 7.01 |
| 4 | Alaska Airlines | 6.69 |
| 5 | United Airlines | 6.43 |
| 6 | PSA Airlines (AA Regional) | 6.06 |
| 7 | JetBlue | 5.67 |
Notably, regional carriers Envoy Air (8.25 per 1,000) and Republic Airways (7.01 per 1,000) ranked second and third, respectively. JetBlue was also highlighted for having the highest rate of mishandled wheelchairs and mobility vehicles, with 33 mishandled per 1,000 enplaned.
The research concludes that while baggage mishandling remains a rare event across the industry, awareness of these trends is crucial for travelers, who are advised to use clear labels and pack essentials in carry-on bags.
