How Long Does Baggage Claim Take? (Why The Delay?)

Are you standing in baggage claim and wondering how long baggage claim takes?

I can’t even count the number of times I have waited for my luggage to arrive on a belt, wondering what is going on behind the flaps.

Handling baggage is actually a very complex task and there are a whole range of reasons why baggage claim takes as long as it does.

Let’s take a look at some of those reasons…

Airport Size

In huge airports like London, Paris, Atlanta, Los Angeles and New York, the baggage handling system is far more complex, with longer conveyor belts, more turns and switch points, and potentially more stops for security checks. This means there is more potential for luggage delays and you standing there waiting for even longer!

For example, if your flight arrives far from the main terminal and baggage claim area, it will naturally take longer for your baggage to arrive. Sometimes when I am in Zurich, which admittedly is not huge, the baggage has to come a very long way if I fly internationally. I notice the difference in time until my luggage arrives!

Airport Efficiency

Modern airports have invested in state-of-the-art baggage handling systems that use automation, barcodes, and RFID tracking, which can seriously speed up the delivery of your luggage. But, the airport that you are standing at right now might not have that kind of system. It depends on when they last upgraded!

And the older the baggage handling system they have, the more likely it is to have problems and for you to be standing there waiting.