Top 10 Tips to Prevent Lost Luggage

It’s always a relief to see your bag slide onto the carousel. Here’s how to make sure it arrives.

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Lost and delayed luggage is on my mind as the holiday season approaches. More people travel and the systems that may be able to process luggage through an airport in October suddenly are overloaded when people travel for Thanksgiving or at the end of the year. When systems are overloaded, something inevitably slips through the cracks.

Here’s how to reduce the risk that your luggage slips through the cracks.

carryon size restrictions by airline — Make sure you know the size limits for the airline you’re flying so your carefully packed carryon doesn’t get checked.

1. Avoid checking anything.

Yes, it’s obvious, but lots of people are used to checking luggage and haven’t even tried to cram everything into a carryon. I can tell you from experience that you can fit more into a carryon than you think possible – if you pack carefully. If traveling with only a carryon just isn’t possible, see if you can ship your luggage. Depending on where you’re going, this could be cheaper than airline checked luggage fees, which seem to go up every year.

how to identify lost luggage — I used to be one of those people checking the tags on every black suitcase that went by.

2. Make sure your bag is easily identifiable.

I used to have a black suitcase with bright red ribbons on the handle, but I still missed it on the baggage carousel in LAX because it was upside down and I couldn’t see the ribbons. If you have a generic black bag, make sure it has an easily identifiable strap or something unique both for you and for airline staff.

how to avoid lost luggage with tags — I like this red leather tag but my new blue suitcase’s tag pocket is an important back up.

3. Have multiple luggage tags.

Don’t rely on the flimsy paper tag that the airline puts on your bag, even with the extra bar code stickers. Have two sturdy luggage tags on each piece of luggage with your phone number, email address and physical address where you’re going.

prevent lost luggage by removing tags — Definitely remove these long white tags but also remove the smaller bar code stickers.

4. Take off old tags.

I have tags with my parents’ address for when I’m going to the US, and I have different tags with my Cusco address for when I’m coming to Peru. I always switch them out and I make new tags with where I’m going when I’m traveling somewhere else. Make sure all tags have the address of where you want the bag to go if it gets lost.

how to prevent lost luggage with contact info — If your bags is in lost and found without any tags, you want them to open it and find your contact info inside.

5. Put your contact information inside the bag.

Even if you have sturdy luggage tags, they could get ripped off by rough handling or baggage machinery. Always put a full sheet of paper with your contact information inside so it’s impossible to miss if somebody opens your bag.

6. Book nonstop flights when possible.

The fewer airports your bags transit, the fewer opportunities the airlines have to lose your bags.

how to avoid lost luggage — If you check your bag in early, you’re more likely to get it in the first cart that goes to your plane.

7. Arrive early and check in ahead of schedule.

Bags are more likely to be lost in a last minute rush than ones checked in two hours in advance.

avoid lost luggage with photos — I’ve gotten in the habit of taking a photo of my bag when they weigh it - if I have to check it.

8. Take photos of your bags.

If your bag gets lost, make sure you have an accurate description of what it looks like. A photo is very helpful if there’s a language barrier between you and the airline staff, or if you’re reporting the loss by email and can attach a photo to the email.

remove loose straps on checked backpacks — The bag in the middle is probably fine, but the others have straps that could easily get stuck in machinery.

9. Remove loose straps.

Loose straps or parts can get caught on conveyor belts or in machinery. Luggage that staff have to wrestle away from machinery can get pulled off the right track. If you’re checking a backpack, have a sturdy canvas or fabric bag to put it in, as long as the bag also has strong handles for luggage tags.

how to track bags with airline apps — If your bag doesn’t show up as on the plane with you, notify the airline before you even take off.

10. Always use a luggage tracer tag.

I’ve gotten in the habit of not only putting an AirTag in my checked luggage, but I also look at the Find My app on my phone when I board the plane, to see if my luggage now shows as being with me. If your bag isn’t on the plane, file a missing bag report in the airline app immediately or call customer service before flight attendants tell you to put your phone in airplane mode.

At Tunquimayo Lodge I saw more tunquis (Cock-of-the-Rock) than anywhere else in Peru.

New Blog Post: Big Day in Peru

The longer I live in Peru the more I get into birdwatching. As a kid, my parents too me birding at Malheur Wildlife Refuge in Oregon, so I already had a love of birds when I moved here in 2019. In the past seven years, the fabulous birds you can see in Peru and making friends with people who organize Big Day events to count species has hooked me even more. Click on the blog post title above to see how many amazing birds I saw during Big Day this year!

Travel Tip 173