by Natasha Lair
Last updated: 11:25 AM ET, Thu November 13, 2025
For Canadians, checking a bag might be a gamble. A new international survey shows we are the most likely to have our luggage lost.
According to a report based on a Compare the Market study, nearly one in three Canadian flyers (30.4%) have had their luggage misplaced by an airline, the highest rate among the three countries surveyed.
By comparison, 25.9% of American and 20.4% of Australian travellers reported the same experience.
Of those Canadians whose luggage went missing, most waited days to be reunited with their belongings, while 6.5% said they never got them back at all.
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19.7% received their luggage on the same day, making Canadians among the least likely to have their bags returned quickly. Another 14.9% waited more than a week, and 2.3% waited months.
The study, which surveyed more than 3,000 people across Canada, the U.S., and Australia, also found that Canadian travellers rarely receive compensation.
Almost 71% said they never got reimbursed, and among those who did, the median payout was CAD$300 — typically less than what was reported by American or Australian travellers.
Even travel insurance didn’t always make a difference: a majority of Canadians said they weren’t reimbursed by their insurers, while more than a quarter didn’t file a claim, and 20.4% said they had no travel insurance at all.
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Adrian Taylor, executive general manager of General Insurance at Compare the Market, said the findings are a reminder of how important it is to understand what’s covered before you fly.
“Losing your luggage on your holiday can be a nightmare. If your airline loses your luggage, they might reimburse you for the loss, but even then, it could be days or weeks without your gear,” Taylor said.
“At the same time, there is a chance that the reimbursement you receive does not adequately cover you for your loss or damages. This is where travel insurance can help you bridge the gap.”
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He added that checking policy details before purchasing coverage can make a big difference if things go wrong.
“Ensuring your travel insurance policy covers you against loss or theft, including cash and travel documents, could potentially leave you with more adequate reimbursement should things go awry,” Taylor said.
Compare the Market advises travellers to read the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) and Target Market Determination (TMD) for details on inclusions, limits, and restrictions before buying a policy.
Full results from the survey here.
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