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Along with flight delays and cancelations, lost luggage is one of the biggest headaches for air travelers.
There’s nothing worse than showing up to your destination after a long flight, only to realize with a sinking feeling in your stomach that the airline has lost your checked bags.
Even if you receive your luggage, you may discover that it’s been damaged due to mishandling.
New data has revealed the worst airlines for lost and mishandled luggage right now. This is based on the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Air Travel Consumer Reports.
Travelers can take some comfort from knowing that even the worst offender only has 5.34 lost or mishandled bags per 1,000, so it’s still not a very high percentage.
But travelers still may want to be wary of the following airlines. Whenever possible, traveling with carry-on luggage only is always a smart idea.
Not only do you avoid the risk of lost or damaged luggage, you can also save time at the airport by not having to wait in line to check your bag or wait at the luggage carousel after your flight.
These are the worst airlines for lost and mishandled luggage in the United States:
1. American Airlines
American Airlines is the number one worst airline for losing or damaging your luggage, with 5.34 incidents per 1,000 bags.
Although it’s a low percentage compared to the total number of bags checked, American Airlines still takes the dubious distinction of being the airline most likely to lose your luggage.
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2. United Airlines
Next up, United Airlines is one of the top offenders for lost and damaged luggage. This carrier experiences 4 issues per 1,000 bags.
United is also the airline with the most cancelations this summer, so travelers flying with United right now should take precautions. If you can avoid checking your bag, it’s the wisest decision, as you won’t risk being separated from your luggage if your flight is delayed or canceled.
3. Alaska Airlines
Another airline with a higher rate of lost and mishandled luggage is Alaska Airlines.
This Seattle-based airline has 3.8 incidents per 1,000 bags. Alaska Airlines also happens to be the most-liked airline according to Twitter users, so the occasional negative of lost luggage clearly doesn’t outweigh the airline’s other positives.
4. JetBlue
JetBlue is another airline that makes the ranking of the worst airlines for lost and mishandled luggage.
With 3.17 issues per 1,000 bags, this New York-headquarted airline is in the middle of the pack when it comes to luggage offenses.
5. Frontier Airlines
Frontier Airlines has relatively fewer incidents than other airlines on this list, with 3.09 issues with lost or mishandled luggage per 1,000 bags.
However, Frontier is one of the airlines with the highest hidden fees, and that includes fees for checking a bag. If you can travel light with a carry-on only, you can save money and avoid the risk of lost or damaged luggage.
6. Delta Air Lines
Delta was recently named the best airline in North America due to its high customer satisfaction ratings. This airline has the highest percentage of on-time flights and the fewest delays and cancellations.
When it comes to lost luggage, it’s also on the lower end, with 3.08 issues per 1,000 bags.
7. Hawaiian Airlines
Finally, Hawaiian Airlines has the least amount of luggage incidents from this ranking.
The Hawaii-based airline records only 2.90 instances of lost or mishandled luggage per 1,000 bags, making this airline the least likely to give you issues compared to all the others on this list.
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This article originally appeared on TravelOffPath.com