10 Expert Tips To Avoid Lost Luggage

Woman sitting in living room packing luggage

You’ve finally booked the trip of a lifetime and packed all your vacation outfits. Now you’re prepared to unwind and take it all in. You hunt for your luggage when you get to your destination, only to find it’s not there! Traveling abroad can be stressful enough without having to worry about lost luggage. But what should you do if your luggage doesn’t arrive at your destination? Better yet, how can you prevent this from happening?

There is always a chance that your checked luggage could get misplaced during a flight. If you’re thinking about taking a trip abroad, this could affect your day-to-day life. Understanding is the key to preventing this type of frustrating situation.

There are plenty of ways to avoid lost luggage and keep your belongings safe and secure. By following a few tips, you can reduce the likelihood of lost luggage. Here are 10 ways to prevent lost luggage while traveling:

Feel free to share your tips and experiences, as well as drop a comment below.

1. SHIP LUGGAGE WITH LUGGAGEFORWARD.COM

To guarantee that your luggage arrives, you could use a luggage shipping service.  Luggage Forward might be the solution for you. They ship luggage door-to-door in over two hundred countries and areas. You’re guaranteed that your luggage will be safe. And you’ll also be able to enjoy an easy, stress-free flight without the hassle of checking luggage.

2. USE THE APPLE AIR TAG TRACKING DEVICE

This way you won’t even need to wait for airport agents to find out where your luggage is. Sometimes it takes hours or even days for them to locate lost luggage. This could inconvenience you and hinder your trip. If you use the air tag tracking device, you’ll have a fast way of getting your luggage back. For only $10 you’ll be able to locate your luggage. It can only work with other Apple devices, so you’d need to be someone who owns an iPhone, iPad, or MacBook.

3. NON-STOP FLIGHTS OR LONGER LAYOVERS

The number one reason why people lose luggage on flights is connecting flights. Most one-way trips range between one and four flights to reach the final destination. This might include different airlines, which means there’s a chance of luggage being lost. It also makes it difficult to pinpoint exactly which airline is to blame for the loss. To counteract this, we recommend that you book a direct flight. If you’re flying from Los Angeles to New York, aim for flights that take you straight to the destination. In most cases, it might cost more, but it’s worth it to avoid any mishaps.

4. CHECK EVERYTHING BEFORE YOU LEAVE HOME

Make sure you check all your bags thoroughly before anything else. Something could go missing, and you won’t know what, until months later. By then, it will be too late to take any action. Make sure everything is closed and zipped up to prevent someone from sneaking stuff in and out of the bags. Everything ought to fit. It will be difficult for you, airport personnel, or whoever must carry it if something can’t fit or operate. A good idea is to make a list of everything you’ve packed. That way if anything in your luggage goes missing, you’ll be able to find out and take it up with the airline.

5. STORE YOUR LUGGAGE PROPERLY

You must carefully store your luggage as well! Nowadays it’s easy for some people to open suitcase locks. Take care that someone can’t open your luggage by cutting open a seam somewhere on the bag. It’s possible to steal whatever’s inside without ever having to break.

For suitcases, it’s best to use codes and also add a mini suitcase lock that you can find from local hardware stores. Taking several measures will make it hard for someone to open your suitcase or luggage. Don’t forget to keep the keys and spare keys safe so you don’t get locked out of your bags! If you have an extra $10 – $20, we suggest wrapping your luggage with plastic at the airport.

6. GET A TSA-APPROVED LOCK

We recommend you buy an airline lock for your suitcase so no one else can open it. It’s useful to use a TSA-approved lock when checking in your luggage. If someone else tries to do so, an alarm will go off, and security officers’ll stop them. It’s far better than using regular locks because of the added security. People are unlikely to meddle with their luggage because they fear being exposed.

7. TAKE OFF OLD BAG TAGS FROM YOUR LUGGAGE

I can assure you there’s no quicker way to confuse than leaving old bag tags on your luggage. Make sure you’ve removed outdated bag tags from your checked bags.  to make things easier for the airline. Especially if the information doesn’t match your present details. Most check-in attendants look out for old bag tags and will ask you to remove them. But it’s preferable if you search for outdated tags on your own in case they fail to catch it.

8. DON’T PACK VALUABLES INTO YOUR CHECKED LUGGAGE

Bring a sizable carry-on bag that fits all your essentials and most valued items. The last thing you’d want when you misplace your bag is to realize there’s something of great value inside. The best option would be to leave certain valuables behind when traveling. If you have to take them with you then keep them on you. So try to do what you can and put valuable items in a separate bag or purse that’s easy to access on the plane. You also want to make sure that these valuables are items you are permitted to carry on a flight. Items that you might want to have on you are:

  • Money or wallet
  • Medication
  • Electronics and chargers
  • Important documents

9. TRAVEL LIGHT

If possible, try not to bring anything that isn’t necessary for your trip. This includes heavy jewelry and anything else that might cause problems during travel. Heavy baggage will hamper movement through airports because of the weight or bulkiness. This especially applies when traveling internationally. You want to avoid having to buy new clothes if your suitcase gets lost. Heavy luggage can get stuck on the belts, which can result in it being lost or misdirected. Traveling light is wise because, in the event that you do misplace your luggage, you’ll have less to lose.

10. MAKE SURE TO ADD YOUR CONTACT DETAILS ON THE BAG TAGS

Adding your contact information makes it easier for airlines to identify lost luggage. Most of all, it lowers the chances of your bags being misplaced as a result of confusion and lack of information. Your name, email address, and phone number are important so that the airport staff can contact you. You’ll need to have your personal information and flight details for them to locate your luggage. Keeping these documents on you is necessary till you check out of the airport. You need to have the following documents and details on you:

  1. The name of your airline and flight number
  1. A copy of your itinerary

I hope the above tips will help to prevent this dreaded scenario of losing your luggage. There is nothing worse than worrying about where some of your valuable items are. Be sure you have your information with you and of course, have a lot of patience.

To summarize, here are some key pointers you can follow to avoid lost luggage:

  • Choose an airline that has a good record when it comes to tracking luggage.
  • Double-check that your flight details are online.
  • Give your bag a unique label with contact details, including email.
  • Have all the necessary documents on you.
  • Be vigilant when placing bags in the hold.
  • Be patient with the carrier if your bag goes missing. It may soon make its way back to you!

If the worst comes to the worst, it’s best for you to prepare. A hack I use when traveling by flight is that I carry an extra pair of clothes in my hand luggage. As someone who has experienced losing luggage, I can assure you this will be helpful. There’s nothing worse than landing at your destination without any clean clothes to wear. You’ll at least have a fresh pair of clothes to wear while waiting to find your luggage.

Conclusion

There are several things that you can do if you’re trying to avoid lost luggage. Follow some of these steps, and you’ll be able to locate and bandit-proof your luggage. Still, despite our best efforts, bags can get lost. But that’s ok—if this happens to you, try to use these tips and tricks to help you locate your luggage. Also, remember that you’re not the first or last person to deal with the inconvenience of lost baggage. It’s very normal and can be dealt with. However, If you can avoid certain pitfalls, the odds of losing your luggage should lower.

I hope these tips will help keep you from experiencing such undesirable scenarios. Good luck!

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