What happened: You checked all of your luggage for your trip but it didn’t follow you to your destination.

What the airline should do for you: U.S. law sets the maximum lost-luggage payment at $2,800 per passenger on a depreciated basis. There’s no federally mandated compensation for luggage that is only delayed, even if the delay is significant.

Next time: Pack as lightly as possible to avoid checking bags in the first place. If that’s not possible, carry on medicines, any valuable items, and a change of clothes. If you’ve acquired a valuable or breakable souvenir that you must bring on board, ship home any less fragile items you won’t need right away. Also, put your name, home address, and phone numbers both outside and inside your bags.