Montreal Convention Baggage Limit 2026

The Montreal Convention baggage limit 2026 is 1,519 Special Drawing Rights per passenger under Article 22(2). The SDR is an IMF basket currency; its USD value fluctuates. As of April 2026, 1,519 SDR equals approximately $2,050 USD, though airlines often cite a lower figure because the SDR is reset only periodically by ICAO rather than daily.

Check the current ICAO SDR value. ICAO reviews the SDR cap every 5 years and issues updates. The most recent review was 2019 (raising from 1,131 to 1,288 SDR). The next is expected in 2024 or 2025. Airlines sometimes lag the update by 12 to 24 months.

Airlines must convert SDR to local currency at the rate in effect on the date of judgment (or the date of payment, depending on jurisdiction). The IMF publishes daily SDR rates. Airlines sometimes use a favorable older rate to their advantage. If the payment date rate differs from what the airline is offering, push for the later rate.

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  SDR to USD (April 2026 rate): roughly 1 SDR ≈ $1.35 USD.

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  1,519 SDR: approximately $2,050 USD.

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  1,519 SDR: approximately €1,900 EUR.

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  1,519 SDR: approximately £1,580 GBP.

The Montreal cap applies to checked baggage on international flights between signatory countries. It covers damage, loss, delay, and destruction. It does not cover:

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  Mobility equipment: excluded under EC 1107/2006 and 14 CFR 382, full replacement value required.

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  Declared-value items: you can declare higher value at check-in for an extra fee.

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  Carry-on baggage stolen by crew: Montreal covers this under a separate liability, usually up to 1,000 SDR.

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  Personal injury from baggage: a different convention section (100,000 SDR for injury) applies.

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  Interim reimbursement for delayed bags: separate from the loss cap; governed by airline customer service plan.

US DOT Rule 14 CFR 254.4 requires US airlines on US domestic flights to accept liability up to $3,800 per passenger for baggage, higher than the Montreal limit. On domestic US flights the DOT rule applies; on international flights the Montreal Convention applies. For a mixed itinerary (US domestic segment plus international segment), the international segment controls.

See lost and damaged baggage 2026 guide for the claim process and DOT baggage liability rule for the US domestic angle if available.

At check-in, you can declare value above 1,519 SDR for an additional fee. Typical airline fees for declared value:

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  $5 per $100 of declared value (common rate).

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  Maximum declared value: usually $5,000 to $10,000 per bag depending on airline.

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  Form required: special baggage declaration at check-in counter.

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  Applies at claim time: if the bag is lost, you recover up to the declared value, not the Montreal cap.

Declare for cameras, jewelry, musical instruments, and high-value electronics. If the bag is lost, recovering $10,000 declared value is far better than the 1,519 SDR cap.

Wheelchairs, scooters, and mobility aids are not subject to the Montreal cap. US DOT (14 CFR 382.131) and EU EC 1107/2006 both require full replacement value. Airlines trying to apply the Montreal cap to mobility equipment damage are making an error. Cite the specific regulation in your claim.

See Disability and Medical Flight Rights 2026 Guide for the full framework.

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  1999 Montreal adoption: 1,000 SDR per passenger.

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  2009 update: raised to 1,131 SDR.

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  2019 update: raised to 1,288 SDR.

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  2024 update: raised to 1,519 SDR.

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  Next review: expected 2029.

TravelStacks handles baggage claims at 25 percent of recovery. Start a claim in 30 seconds. For airline-specific processes see Delta lost bag claim and JetBlue lost bag claim. For the pillar see Lost and Damaged Baggage.

For primary regulatory texts and official guidance cited in this guide, see Montreal Convention (ICAO PDF), 14 CFR Part 254 Baggage Liability, DOT Baggage Guidance.