‍DALLAS — Travel problems have increased in recent years, with airports mishandling over 26 million bags annually. 

Arka set out to identify in which of the world’s busiest airports you’re most likely to lose your luggage. The analysis employed a combination of key factors and examined passenger volumes in conjunction with online searches for lost and found services. 

To make fair comparisons, search data was normalized per million passengers, revealing airports where lost luggage searches are disproportionately high. Regional baggage mishandling rates per 1,000 passengers were also incorporated to provide a broader context, highlighting differences across continents.

The List

Miami International Airport (MIA) ranks as the worst airport for lost luggage, with the highest number of lost and found searches per million flights, totaling 306. This elevated search rate, along with a regional mishandling rate of 5.5, places Miami firmly at the top. The airport handles 52.3 million passengers annually, making it one of the busiest in the country.

Chicago O’Hare International (ORD) takes second place, recording the most searches for lost and found items. Out of O'Hare's 73.8 million passengers, 20,500 look for the lost and found area, which is 5,000 more than any other airport. Reflecting its American partner, Miami, O’Hare has a mismanagement rate of 5.5.

Singapore Changi Airport (SIN), the only Asia-Pacific handler on this list, is third among the worst airports for misplaced baggage. With 265 online inquiries being made for lost items per million flights, the Singaporean handler reports a mismanagement rate of 3.1.

Denver International Airport (DEN) ranks fourth, combining high passenger volume with a consistent record of luggage mishandling. Its international terminal handles 77.8 million travelers annually, more than the airports in Singapore and Miami. Out of those passengers, 14.6K searched for lost and found services, signaling frequent baggage issues at one of North America’s busiest airports.

Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (AMS) rounds out the top five worst airports for lost luggage. The first European handler on the list, Amsterdam Airport, has a regional baggage handling issue rate of 12.3, the highest in the ranking. Passengers often have to turn to lost and found help, with more than 8K inquiries into the service desks.

Frankfurt am Main (FRA) ranks sixth, closely behind its European neighbour. Similar to Amsterdam, Frankfurt has a high mishandling rate of 12.3. Frankfurt also has a similar search rate for the lost and found, sitting at 124 inquiries.

Dubai International Airport (DXB) takes seventh place as the worst airport for lost baggage. Being the only Middle Eastern carrier on this list, Dubai’s International Terminal represents the region's highest baggage mishandling rate at 6%. It also sees 9.6K total lost and found searches, higher than the European handlers that rank above.

London Heathrow Airport (LHR) comes eighth, reflecting Europe's baggage reliability issues. Lost luggage remains a challenge within the system, reporting 12.3 luggage handling errors per 1K passengers, similar to its European neighbors. Heathrow is the busiest airport in the region, handling over 79 million passengers annually, and it loses 5,400 of those travellers' belongings.

Dallas/Fort Worth International (DFW) ranks ninth, largely due to high reports of lost luggage. Fort Worth is part of the American airports' pattern of losing luggage, with a rate of 5.5 for mishandling bags. The airport serves 80 million passengers annually, one of the highest volumes on the list.

Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) finishes off the list for the worst airports for lost luggage. It shares the same regional mishandling rate of 12.3, consistent with other major European airports. The airport sees 1.8K passengers searching for lost and found services to recover misplaced baggage.

A spokesperson from Arka commented, “Losing luggage can quickly turn a trip upside down, and some airports clearly struggle more than others when it comes to baggage handling. It’s important for travelers to be aware of where these challenges exist, so they can plan accordingly and take extra precautions. At the same time, airports must continue to invest in improving their systems to ensure passengers’ belongings arrive safely and on time.”

Summary of Findings

Here’s the hub list sorted by Searches per Million Flights (highest to lowest):

• Miami International Airport
  
  • Searches per Million Flights: 306
  • Searches: 16K
  • 2023 Pax Volume: 52.3M
  • Region: North America
  • Regional Mishandling Rate: 5.5
• Chicago O’Hare International Airport
  
  • Searches per Million Flights: 278
  • Searches: 20.5K
  • 2023 Pax Volume: 73.8M
  • Region: North America
  • Regional Mishandling Rate: 5.5
• Singapore Changi Airport
  
  • Searches per Million Flights: 265
  • Searches: 15.6K
  • 2023 Pax Volume: 58.9M
  • Region: Asia-Pacific
  • Regional Mishandling Rate: 3.1
• Denver International Airport
  
  • Searches per Million Flights: 188
  • Searches: 14.6K
  • 2023 Pax Volume: 77.8M
  • Region: North America
  • Regional Mishandling Rate: 5.5
• Amsterdam Airport Schiphol
  
  • Searches per Million Flights: 132
  • Searches: 8.1K
  • 2023 Pax Volume: 61.5M
  • Region: Europe
  • Regional Mishandling Rate: 12.3
• Frankfurt am Main International Airport
  
  • Searches per Million Flights: 124
  • Searches: 7K
  • 2023 Pax Volume: 57M
  • Region: Europe
  • Regional Mishandling Rate: 12.3
• Dubai International Airport
  
  • Searches per Million Flights: 111
  • Searches: 9.6K
  • 2023 Pax Volume: 86.9M
  • Region: Middle East & Africa
  • Regional Mishandling Rate: 6
• Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport
  
  • Searches per Million Flights: 68
  • Searches: 5.5K
  • 2023 Pax Volume: 81.8M
  • Region: North America
  • Regional Mishandling Rate: 5.5
• London Heathrow Airport
  
  • Searches per Million Flights: 68
  • Searches: 5.4K
  • 2023 Pax Volume: 79.2M
  • Region: Europe
  • Regional Mishandling Rate: 12.3
• Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport
  
  • Searches per Million Flights: 27
  • Searches: 1.8K
  • 2023 Pax Volume: 67.4M
  • Region: Europe
  • Regional Mishandling Rate: 12.3

Article by Arka.