How To Avoid Lost Luggage — Check Out These 6 Tips

Standing in front of the baggage carousel , you patiently wait for your luggage to arrive . Minutes later , you come to discover that out of the few bags left on the conveyor belt , nothing looks similar to yours . Disappointment sinks in . Then anxiety . Frustrating situations like this are common , especially during peak seasons such as summer vacation and winter holidays . To prevent you from being the next victim , we’ve organized 6 tips on “How To Avoid Lost Luggage” below .

1 . Make Your Luggage Distinguishable 

[

View this post on Instagram

](https://www.instagram.com/p/BzLo00lhvHY/)

IKON will be back soon with some HOT new items…Just gathering inspiration from around the world. Brb ✌🏻 • • • • Don’t miss out. Make sure you hit the website and subscribe to be the first to see what’s coming. • • ¥ #calpaktravel #calpak #neongreen #travelinstyle #antisocialsocialclub #themasterclass #europe #spain #whiteluggage #greyluggage #luggagestraps #melissaldine #ikon

A post shared by IKON (@ikonbymelissaldine) on Jun 26, 2019 at 10:45am PDT

To avoid baggage disappearance , make your luggage stand out . Consider wrapping your luggage with a bright-colored baggage strap or decorate it with personalized stickers . Get creative ! After all , after a long , tiring flight , people can mistakenly grab someone else’s baggage . Adding a bit of color to your suitcase can prevent disasters like this and also save you time at baggage claim .

2 . Use a Luggage Tag

[

View this post on Instagram

](https://www.instagram.com/p/B1DjKFVh4sF/)

La dolce vita commence dès que l’on a bouclé sa valise et attaché l’étiquette bagage @letterandleather 🧳 #etsyFR

A post shared by Etsy FR (@etsyfr) on Aug 12, 2019 at 12:25am PDT

Add a luggage tag onto your luggage as extra precaution . Sure , airlines do provide free paper luggage tags at the check-in counter just for convenience , but they can easily tear loose and aren’t as reliable as leather ones . Therefore , it is better to purchase one with higher quality , so that it is durable and tough enough . Other than filling out the basic information ( name , address , contact info ) , you can also slip a copy of your mobile number and itinerary inside your luggage just in case the tag falls off .

3 . Remove Old Airline Tags

[

View this post on Instagram

](https://www.instagram.com/p/v8iQrnoerY/)

If you don’t think I travel. Look at my backpack. That says it all. #airlinetags

A post shared by Dan (@danaz317) on Nov 28, 2014 at 5:56am PST

Normally , after unpacking our items , we tend to stash our suitcase in the cabinet till our next travel without removing the airline tags . Having a large number of airline tags from prior trips dangling on your baggage may increase the risk of losing it . That is , your baggage will be re-routed to the destination of your last trip . So, be sure to remove all the old tags before this happens !

4 . Check In Early

[

View this post on Instagram

](https://www.instagram.com/p/BzzkOeCgt7Q/)

Check in counters of Malaysia Airlines at Taoyuan Airport. #checkin #malaysiaairlines #checkincounter #taoyuanairport #taiwan #台湾

A post shared by katsuyama.y (@katsuyama.y) on Jul 11, 2019 at 10:55pm PDT

When your baggage is dropped off at the check-in counter , baggage handlers need time to screen it and transport it onto the plane . With that being said , if you run in at the last minute , you’ll end up with a higher risk of lost or delayed luggage . Try to arrive at the airport 2 hours ahead of departure and stop the hurry .

5 . Take A Picture of Your Luggage

Unfortunately , if you can’t find your luggage at baggage claim , the airline will ask you to provide details of your lost bag , including the color , size , shape , material , design … etc. — a photo can work as the best description . Instead of relying on vague impressions , take a photo and let it speak for you.

6 . Track Your Luggage

[

View this post on Instagram

](https://www.instagram.com/p/Bu1TEPiFPe3/)

This is an awesome little tool to keep track of your belongings. I use it when I travel I’m checked luggage, passport case, keys and wallet. It’s awesome even for when you lose stuff inside your room, because it rings and vibrantes so you can locate it easily. You can also control on a phone app the location of your item when it was last close to your phone. Has helped me a lot in many situations before! @tile #luggagetracker

A post shared by Marc Da Rocha (@bizztravelguy) on Mar 10, 2019 at 8:26am PDT

Don’t trust your airline ? Take matters into your own hands ! Nowadays , there are plenty of luggage trackers combined with the latest technology to help you pinpoint the exact location of your luggage . Other than the in-built GPS system , some of them notify you through e-mail , text or app notifications when your luggage is out of a certain distance . Invest in a luggage tracker to keep a watchful eye on your luggage.