January 25, 2021
You need some sun and a change of scenery, so you book the first flight and head to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA). Once you pass through security you grab a coffee and snack, and head for your gate. As you’re putting your carry-on in the overhead bin and search for your wallet in anticipation of your inflight meal, you find that your wallet is not in your bag. After frantically searching your pockets you realize you must have lost it somewhere between your latte and the gate. What do you do?
Follow these steps to (fingers crossed) find your missing wallet or anything else you might have left behind at the airport during your travels.
Step 1: Identify where you lost the item
Think about where you last saw your missing item. Was it while you were paying for that breakfast sandwich? Did you leave it in the seat back pocket on your flight? SEA Airport and the airlines have different procedures on how to claim your lost item.
On the plane
If you lost your item on a flight, contact the airline directly. If you’re still at the airport when you realize you left something on the plane, check with your airline’s baggage claim office. If you’ve left airport already, call your airline’s customer service number to determine next steps. They may ask you to fill out a form online or connect you with their lost-and found division.
- Contact your airline with this handy list of airline customer service numbers
At the airport
If you lost your item at SEA Airport, file a report with our Lost and Found office. Our Lost and Found works with our passengers to reunite them with their lost items every day.
SEA Airport’s Lost and Found office
- Located on the Baggage Claim level across from carousel 13.
- File a report online.
- Use the maps on the flySEA Airport App to help you get there.
You can file a report in person at the Lost and Found office or online within 30 days of losing the item. Because of limited space, the Lost and Found Office can only hold items for 30 days. Items that have not been claimed within 30 days are donated to Seatle Children’s Hospital.
Pro tip: label your items with your contact information, which will increase the likelihood that you will get your items back.
- Read Lost and Found FAQs
- Learn about the top items lost at the airport and how to keep your belongings safe
Step 2: File a detailed report
The fastest and most efficient way to get assistance is by filing an online report. This ensures your request is documented immediately and directed to the right team that will respond to you within 24 hours. Rest assured, SEA Lost and Found has a high return rate!
The report will ask for contact information, the approximate location/date in which you lost the item and a description of what you lost.
Remember there is no cost associated with filing a file a Lost Property Report. Never pay any third party to file a Lost Property report.
Step 3: Be patient
SEA Airport served over 52 million travelers in 2024. With this many people passing through SEA, the Lost and Found is a busy place. Once you have submitted your Lost Property Report it will take one or two days to process after your item is turned in.
Most Lost Property Reports are filed before the item is even turned into the Lost and Found office. The Lost and Found office will send you automated updates regarding your Lost Property Report. When your item is located, the Lost and Found will contact you to tell you how to reunite with your lost item.
Fast Fact: The SEA Airport Lost and Found office receives over 50 Lost Property reports a day!
Step 4: Get the call you have been waiting for!
Once the Lost and Found office has notified you that they have found your item, you can pick it up or arrange for someone else to pick it up at the office. If you were only visiting Seattle, you can also opt to have your item shipped. SEA Airport’s Lost and Found provides FedEx shipping options through the online lost property reporting system.
Go to the Lost and Found page
