Japan Airlines baggage guide

Japan Airlines baggage tracking and claims.

For JAL international flights, use the official baggage tracer with your name and 10-character file reference. Your baggage-receipt number is different. BagBack is independent and is not affiliated with Japan Airlines.

Enter your personal details only on the official service. A tracing report is not an approved compensation claim.

Reviewed 17 September 2026

01

Use JAL’s international baggage tracer

JAL directs international passengers to its SITA-operated mybag.aero service. Choose Manage an Existing Report and enter the name and file reference from your baggage report. If you do not know the reference, contact the arrival airport.

02

Check which carrier handled the final flight

If another airline operated your codeshare, JAL directs you to that operating carrier. If you connected onto another carrier after JAL and the bag was missing at the final destination, ask the last airline you boarded. JTA-operated flights are excluded from JAL’s international tracer.

03

Report damage promptly and preserve the evidence

For JAL-operated international flights, report damage to airport staff before leaving. If discovered later, JAL says to report it to the arrival airport within seven days of collecting the bag. Its international damage inquiry form excludes JTA flights and does not guarantee compensation.

  • Photograph the whole suitcase and the damaged area.
  • Keep proof of purchase date and amount, bag tag and travel documents.
  • Keep the receipt or confirmation for every report you submit.

04

Do not confuse a search update with a claim decision

JAL describes an extended search and indemnification process. That operational timeline is not a reason to miss an applicable written-complaint deadline or postpone checking your rights. Use the separate delay, loss or damage process for your journey; international guidance is not interchangeable with Japan-domestic rules.

Common questions

What passengers ask next.

How do I track JAL delayed baggage?

For eligible JAL international flights, open the official baggage tracer and use your name and 10-character file reference. Contact the arrival airport if the reference is missing.

Is my JAL baggage receipt the file reference?

No. JAL distinguishes the baggage receipt from the ten-character alphanumeric file reference used in its tracer.

Does a Japan Airlines baggage report also make a compensation claim?

Do not assume so. The baggage report creates the tracing or damage record. The airline may require a separate written claim with receipts, values and supporting evidence.

What should I keep after reporting the bag?

Keep the PIR or file reference, bag-tag receipt, boarding pass, photographs, itemised purchase receipts and a copy of every form or message you submit.

Which deadline applies?

Check the airline’s current process immediately. Where the Montreal Convention applies, damage complaints are generally due within seven days of receiving the bag and delay complaints within 21 days of its return, but initial airline reporting windows may be shorter.