7 tips to help keep an airline from losing your luggage
Editor's Note
I firmly believe in bringing a carry-on and carry-on only. However, even I understand that some travelers, perhaps some of you reading this, feel that traveling with just a carry on isn't possible.
This may be the case if you're taking a long vacation, carrying gear for specialty trips or heading to events with dressy clothes that you'd prefer not to end up looking like a crushed bag of chips.
Instead of figuring out what to do once the airline loses your luggage, we've compiled tips travelers can take to reduce the chance their checked luggage will go astray in the first place.
An important note, though: Never check anything you can't live without, such as car keys, glasses or medicine. Also, leave your most precious items at home to avoid possible heartbreak.
Here are our seven tips to help keep an airline from losing your luggage.
Prep your bag in advance
Before you head to the airport, take a few minutes to remove all existing labels and tags from your previous trips, like destination bag tags and any barcode stickers that get put on your suitcase. Old tags can potentially create confusion about where your bag is headed on your current trip.
Also, identify your luggage with your name and contact information. Add a baggage tag on the outside of your suitcase with that information (and one inside in case the outside tag falls off or gets lost).
If you want to take it a step further, consider putting your business card and/or boarding pass inside your suitcase for extra validation. Additionally, you may want to photograph the contents and outside of the checked suitcase for future identification purposes.
Get to the airport early
If you want your bag to arrive when you do, don't be the person checking your bag as the doors to your flight close. Although most airlines allow you to check a bag up to 30 minutes before departure, don't rely on this. Airlines will always push back early if possible, and if your bag is late, the plane is not going to wait for it.
But don't check your bag too early
To clarify, we're not talking about checking a bag during the three-hours-before-departure time period that the airlines currently recommend (a benchmark that you should follow for international flights).
This is more of an issue when you show up four to six hours before departure to check in, per TPG senior writer Katie Genter. Katie said that's when luggage might go into a holding area instead of being sorted into the area for your flight, adding an unintended in-airport layover for your baggage that could lead to issues.
Keep an eye on the printer
When it comes time to check your bag, keep an eye on the printed tags to ensure all the information is correct, including the right airport and code, your correct name, your correct frequent flyer number and a clear barcode.
If you qualify for elite and priority tags, make sure they're also added to your bags.
Watch your bag go on its way
After you've confirmed that the agent correctly tagged your bag, don't walk away quite yet. Stay and watch to ensure your luggage is put on the conveyor belt or added to the checked bag cart. This is also important when using curbside checking.
Add an electronic tag and follow on the app
This is a great time to utilize technology, such as Apple AirTags, which help travelers track their suitcases via Bluetooth.
There are several other luggage trackers on the market, too, including LugLoc and Trakdot. They all have some minor operating differences. However, all allow you to keep track of your luggage via Bluetooth or GSM tracking technology on your phone.
I also recommend downloading your carrier's app since most large airlines now offer digital luggage receipts and bag tracking within their apps.
Keep your receipts
Finally, hold on to those baggage receipts the agent hands you. If something goes awry, you'll need them as proof. It will also help you get compensation from the airline for any issues.
Related reading:
- What to do when your luggage is delayed or lost by an airline
- What to do if an airline damages your luggage
- Carry-on vs. checked bags: Which is the better choice?
- What it's really like to use Apple's new AirTags to track your luggage
- Which credit cards cover baggage delays?
Additional reporting by Caroline Tanner.
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