After watching mounds of luggage pile up at Jet Blue terminals during the February weather mess, I wonder how many people never saw their luggage again.

Losing your luggage on a trip does not mean you should rush out and buy a new wardrobe. The size of the payout depends very much on the carrier and your destination.

Some airlines offer only a bathroom amenity kit for the first 24 hours, and then a measly $25 a day for 3 or 4 days after.

Some carriers will only pay half the cost of replacement clothes if the bag never shows up, while other carriers suggest you rent what you need.

The cap on airline liability for lost bags on domestic flights is $2,800 per passenger and only $1,500 per passenger overseas.

But airline tickets list lots of exception. Cameras, cash, jewelry, other valuables and business papers aren't covered at all. And good luck trying to squeeze the full amount out of your airline.

Carry your most valuable items on board and good luck with your jockey shorts.