Will I get paid if my suitcase doesn't arrive?

During the summer of 2024, 93.4 million passengers passed through Spanish airports. Incidents are inevitable. We always think it won't affect us, but what if my suitcase is lost? Believe me, it doesn't matter until you're halfway around the world without it. As passengers, we have several compensation options available.

First, the airline itself must cover the essential expenses we incur due to a delay in the delivery of our suitcase: clothing, toothbrushes, chargers, etc. However, in practice, each airline has its own conditions and usually pays an average of €50 per day of suitcase delay, rather than the actual costs. If the suitcase never arrives, compensation can reach up to €1,500. It's important to note in this regard that the courts reverse the burden of proof: what we, as passengers, declare as included in the suitcase in the event of loss will not be called into question.

Don't wait for the claim to be easy, and sometimes we have to go to court to force compensation. For faster settlement, we can purchase travel insurance that covers the incidents mentioned. In this case, we will be paid for the actual basic expenses we can justify and a fixed amount in case of loss of luggage according to the policy terms.

The big question is: will we get paid twice? Sorry, but the answer is no. Since it's a property asset, it can only be compensated once. Surely we all understand that we can't collect from four different insurance companies if our apartment burns down? In the case of suitcases, the insurance companies will pay the difference between the policy terms and the compensation paid by the airline.