This page goes deeper on one part of the policy. The full record is at SAS Scandinavian Airlines Baggage Rules.
Your bag has 21 days before SAS calls it lost, not delayed. Anyone dealing with SAS lost baggage right now needs three things fast. A PIR number, the online tracker, and the deadlines that decide whether receipts get reimbursed.
SAS runs its baggage tracing through a third party system called MyBag. The paperwork clock starts the moment your flight lands without your suitcase.
This page covers SAS lost baggage reporting, tracking, interim expenses, and the compensation limits once a bag is officially gone. It goes deeper than the SAS baggage rules record, which covers size and weight rather than a missing suitcase.
Report the bag before you leave the airport
Report a missing bag at the SAS baggage service desk in arrivals. Do this the same day, before you leave the terminal.
If the desk is closed, SAS says to photograph the closed desk. Also photograph your bag tag and boarding pass as proof you tried. That photo becomes useful if the report is ever disputed.
Missed the desk entirely? SAS accepts an online report through its MyBag reporting page within 72 hours of arrival. Past 72 hours, contact arrival services within 7 days instead.
Either route ends with a 10 character PIR number. It looks like a station code followed by digits, for example ARNSK12345.
Tracking a bag with the PIR number
SAS lost baggage tracking runs through the MyBag portal, not a page on flysas.com itself. Enter the PIR number and it shows the bag’s last scanned location and its expected route back to you.
Save the PIR number somewhere other than the paper slip the desk hands you. It is the reference SAS asks for on every follow up call and on the claim form.
Our guide to tracking a lost bag covers what to do when the SAS lost baggage tracker stalls for days.
Interim expenses while the bag is missing
SAS reimburses reasonable interim expenses when a bag is delayed more than 24 hours. This applies when you are away from home. Toiletries and a change of clothes are the examples it names.
Keep every receipt. SAS does not publish a per diem figure; it asks for itemized proof instead.
File that interim expense claim within 21 days of getting the bag back. That deadline is easy to miss once the trip ends, so file it the week the bag arrives.
When delayed becomes lost, and the claim that follows
SAS treats a bag as officially lost after 21 days without recovery. At that point the delayed baggage claim turns into an SAS lost baggage claim. The same 21 day filing window applies.
A codeshare or connecting itinerary does not change who you report to. SAS says to report and claim with the carrier that operated the flight your bag last checked in on.
Compensation limits: what SAS actually owes
On an international itinerary, SAS’s liability follows the Montreal Convention. The cap is 1,519 Special Drawing Rights per passenger. That is worth roughly 2,175 US dollars, according to the US Department of Transportation.
That 1,519 SDR figure took effect in December 2024 after a scheduled review. An older source quoting 1,288 SDR is out of date.
On a US domestic itinerary the cap is the DOT’s own domestic limit. That figure is currently 4,700 US dollars per passenger. SAS applies these ceilings to depreciated item value, not full replacement cost, so purchase receipts help a claim.
Damaged bags are a separate claim
A cracked wheel or a torn handle is not a lost baggage claim. Report damage within 7 days of receiving the bag, through the same MyBag channel.
See our damaged luggage claims guide for the documentation that gets a damage claim approved rather than denied.
What travelers actually report about SAS baggage claims
Frequent flyer forums describe a familiar pattern with SAS lost baggage cases. The desk agent issues a PIR number quickly. But the wait for a tracker update can stretch to several days with no contact from the airline.
Several posters say calling repeatedly moved a stalled claim forward, rather than waiting for SAS to reach out. Persistence appears to matter more than patience.
A recurring complaint is that expense reimbursement comes back lower than expected. This shows up most for clothing bought outside Scandinavia. Itemized receipts submitted promptly seem to fare better than a lump estimate.
Cutting the odds of a lost bag in the first place
A tracker inside the bag turns a maddening wait into a five minute conversation at the desk. An Apple AirTag 4 pack or a Samsung Galaxy SmartTag2 works for this. Either one lets you show an agent exactly where your bag sits.
Our guide to reporting a lost bag lists a live location as the fastest way to get a claim taken seriously.
A leather luggage tag with a privacy flap costs a few dollars. It does something a tracker cannot: it puts your name and phone number on the outside, for anyone who finds the bag before SAS does.
Pair both. A tag alone cannot ping the wrong terminal. A tracker alone will not stop someone from opening the bag to read your name.
Anyone weighing travel insurance against SAS’s own liability caps should read our baggage insurance and credit card cover guide. It lays out where SAS’s payout typically falls short.
The bottom line
Report at the desk the same day and keep the PIR number. Track through MyBag rather than flysas.com directly, and file interim expense receipts within 21 days of getting the bag back.
A bag missing past 21 days becomes a lost baggage claim, capped at 1,519 SDR internationally or 4,700 US dollars domestically. Our lost luggage compensation guide covers how those caps play out once SAS calculates a payout.
Common questions
How do I report SAS lost baggage at the airport?
Go to the SAS baggage service desk in arrivals the same day and file a report before you leave the terminal. You will get a 10 character PIR number that you need for tracking and for any later claim.
How do I track my bag after SAS loses it?
Enter your PIR number on the MyBag tracking portal, which is the same system SAS uses for reporting. The tracker shows the bag’s last scanned location and its expected route back to you.
How long before SAS considers a bag officially lost?
SAS treats a delayed bag as lost after 21 days without recovery. At that point the delayed baggage report becomes a lost baggage claim with its own filing deadline.
Will SAS pay for clothes and toiletries while my bag is delayed?
SAS reimburses reasonable interim expenses such as toiletries and a change of clothes when a bag is delayed more than 24 hours and you are away from home. Keep every receipt and file the claim within 21 days of getting the bag back.
What is the compensation limit if SAS loses my bag internationally?
The Montreal Convention caps SAS’s liability at 1,519 Special Drawing Rights per passenger, worth roughly 2,175 US dollars according to the US Department of Transportation. On a US domestic itinerary the applicable cap is 4,700 US dollars instead.
Is a damaged SAS bag handled the same way as a lost one?
No. Damaged baggage is a separate claim with a 7 day reporting deadline, filed through the same MyBag channel rather than the lost baggage process.
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