Montreal Convention

International treaty covering baggage loss, damage, delay, and personal injury on international flights — up to ~6,303 SDR (~USD $8,500)

What is the Montreal Convention?

The Convention for the Unification of Certain Rules for International Carriage by Air, signed in Montreal in 1999 (and in force since 2003), is an international treaty that governs airline liability for international flights. It has been ratified by 137+ countries, including all EU member states, the UK, the US, Canada, Australia, and most of the rest of the world.

Unlike EU261 or UK261, the Montreal Convention does not provide fixed compensation for flight delays. Instead, it allows you to claim your actual documented losses — expenses you incurred because of the airline's failure — up to a cap set in Special Drawing Rights (SDR).

Which flights are covered?

The Montreal Convention applies to international flights — that is, any flight where the origin and destination are in different countries, as long as both countries have ratified the treaty. Most major international routes are covered.

Domestic flights (both origin and destination in the same country) are not covered by Montreal; they fall under domestic law.

What it covers

Flight delays

If your flight is delayed and you suffer actual losses as a result — for example, you had to pay for an unplanned hotel, missed a pre-booked event, or incurred extra meal costs — you can claim those documented expenses under Article 19.

The cap is 4,694 SDR per passenger (approximately USD $6,200, EUR €5,700, GBP £4,800 — amounts vary with SDR exchange rates). You must keep receipts. You cannot claim for inconvenience or frustration — only documented out-of-pocket losses.

Baggage loss, damage, or delay

If your checked baggage is lost, damaged, or delayed, you can claim your actual losses up to 1,288 SDR per passenger (~USD $1,700). For delayed baggage, this typically covers the cost of emergency clothing and toiletries while you waited.

For valuable items, the cap can be raised by declaring a higher value at check-in and paying the applicable surcharge.

Bodily injury or death

For death or bodily injury caused by an accident on board or during boarding/alighting, airlines are strictly liable up to 128,821 SDR (~USD $170,000) without needing to prove fault. Above that limit, you must prove the airline's negligence.

How to claim

For baggage claims: you must file a written complaint with the airline within 7 days of receiving damaged baggage, or within 21 days of the date you should have received delayed/lost baggage. For delay claims: you must file within 21 days.

Keep all receipts. Submit a written claim to the airline's customer relations department citing Article 19 (delay) or Article 17 (baggage) of the Montreal Convention and the specific amount you are claiming. If rejected, you can sue in the courts of the country where: the airline is domiciled; the ticket was purchased; or the destination is located.

Montreal Convention + EU261 / UK261

You may be able to claim under both Montreal and EU261 (or UK261) simultaneously for the same flight. EU261 provides fixed compensation for the delay itself; Montreal provides reimbursement for your actual out-of-pocket expenses caused by the delay. They are separate remedies and are not mutually exclusive — but you cannot recover the same loss twice.

Time limit

2 years from the date of arrival (or the date the aircraft was scheduled to arrive). This is a strict treaty deadline — courts will not generally extend it. File well before this limit.