I Can't Find My Bags!: The Top Tips to Avoid Losing Checked Luggage 1

Personalized Luggage Tags Are an Essential Part of Any Family Vacation 0

Every year, about 35 percent of American families take a family vacation.

Some of these families hop on a plane and fly down to Florida to visit Disney World. Others jet-set halfway across the world to get a taste of a new culture in a different country.

Whatever you do, don't pass up on the chance to take vacations with your family. Outside of allowing you to relax, family vacations will also bring your family closer and create new bonds between you.

But before you head off to the airport, pick up personalized luggage tags for your trip. When you do, it'll give you the opportunity to enjoy a whole host of great benefits.

Let's take a closer look at why it's so important for people to invest in custom luggage tags for everyone in their family.

Luggage Tag Info: What's the Best Info to Put on Your Luggage Tag? 0

It's best to tag your luggage when you're traveling to ensure its safety from getting lost. Here's the best luggage tag info you'll ever need.

The odds of you losing your luggage while you're traveling are a whole lot lower than you might think. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, less than 1 percent of bags checked through a major airline are lost every year.

But even with that being said, there is still a small chance that an airline could misplace your luggage while you travel. There's also a chance that you yourself could lose your luggage during your travels.

With those things in mind, it's a great idea to attach a luggage tag with the right luggage tag info on it to any bags you're going to be bringing along with you on a trip. Regardless of whether you choose fabric tags, leather tags, or metal tags, they could help you locate your luggage later if your bags go missing.

Here's the best luggage tag info to include on your tags.

Your First Initial and Your Last Name

The first thing you're going to want to write down as part of your luggage tag info is obviously your name. This should go on the very top line on your tag and should be easy to read, especially if you have a name that's on the longer side.

Contrary to popular belief, though, you should steer clear of including your entire name on your luggage tag for privacy reasons. The last thing you want to do is become a victim of identity theft because someone was able to swipe all your vital information from your luggage tag.

Rather than writing out your whole first name, just go with a first and maybe even a middle initial. An airline will be able to easily identify you in most cases as long as they have your first initial and your entire last name.

The Address of Your Destination

More often than not, the next thing that travelers do when filling out their luggage tag once they have their name written is write down their home address. They think this is a good idea because it'll help identify them further to their airline and give the airline a place to send their bag if they're unable to retrieve it themselves.

But you should not, under any circumstances, write your home address down as part of your luggage tag info. If you do, you'll basically be inviting people to visit your vacant home to burglarize it.

Instead of writing down your home address, write down the address of your destination. This will let an airline know where you're going to be staying so that they know where to send your bag once it's located. You might want to include the phone number of the hotel you're going to be staying at, too, if you have room for it.

Your Work Address

It's a good idea to write down the address of your destination when you're starting off your travels. But what should you write down when you're on your way back home?

Well, you should still shy away from writing your home address on your luggage tag. There are still way too many risks associated with providing your home address.

But it's perfectly acceptable to write down your work address if you want. Since you're likely going to be back in the office a day or two after you're finished traveling, it's actually the ideal location to put on your luggage tag.

If your bag gets lost and your airline needs to send it somewhere, it's probably best for them to ship it or deliver it to your work address. That's where you're at most days anyway, so it'll be more convenient than having it shipped to your home during the middle of a workday.

Your Cell Phone Number

You would be surprised by how many people write their home phone numbers down when they're filling out their luggage tag info. They worry about their airline not being able to get in touch with them if they don't happen to have cell service for whatever reason at the place they're visiting.

But here's the thing: If an airline finds lost luggage that belongs to you while you're on vacation, they're not going to be able to get in touch with you if they call your home number. And furthermore, you're not going to have any way of knowing that they're trying to get in touch with you when they call your house.

By providing your cell phone number, you'll ensure that you'll get a message from your airline sooner or later. Even if they happen to call you when you don't have any service, you'll get a voicemail from them informing you that they've found your lost luggage.

Your Email Address

You want to make it as simple as possible for an airline to reach out to you about your luggage if you happen to lose it. That means including your cell phone number on your luggage tag, but it also means writing your email address down as well.

After an airline makes an attempt to call you, they'll also usually shoot you an email to provide you with information on your missing bag. You can access this email either through your smartphone or through a computer at your hotel to get the situation straightened out. 

Make Sure Your Luggage Tag Info Is Legible

As long as you write down all the luggage tag info that you find here on your luggage tag, your airline should have everything they'll need to touch base with you if your luggage is lost.

But it's very important for your luggage tag info to be legible when you write it. If you don't have the best handwriting in the world, ask your spouse, your roommate, or someone else with decent handwriting to fill out your info for you. You want whoever finds your bag if it goes missing to be able to read what it says on your luggage tag.

Contact us to find the right tag for your luggage. You can also read some luggage tips that will help you attach your tag properly.

6 Clever Ways to Find Your Luggage Quickly at the Airport Baggage Claim 0

Let’s say you’ve set out on an adventure…

And wherever you are going – you are ready! You checked your bags, made it through airport security without any of your carry-on items getting confiscated, and boarded the plane.

After flying the friendly skies for a few hours, you arrive at your destination and its time to grab your luggage off of the suitcase carousel and head out.

And so you join the long line of people staring at in baggage claim waiting for their suitcases to appear. One by one they start coming out…black, brown, another black….and everyone is trying to identify their own bag. A few people even pull the wrong one off by mistake.

Then you start to think to yourself, why did I choose black luggage? It seemed like a smart, classic choice at the time, right? But, unfortunately for you… just about everyone else on your flight likes neutral colors too!

Most people stick to a similar color scheme for luggage – and many luggage companies stick to it too. However, that doesn’t mean you have to find a crazy colored, one-of-a-kind suitcase just to find it quicker (unless you want to).  A simple addition to your existing piece of luggage is really all you need to find your bags faster.

And you have lots of options! Today, we are sharing six clever ways to identify your suitcase quickly at the airport. Of course, we’ll start with our favorite solution….

#1: Personalized Luggage Tags

Customize your fabric luggage tag with your initials, your name, a company logo, or even your favorite sports team’s logo.

Or, choose a strong textured plastic tag and engrave your contact information on it.

Each tag comes with a 6” wire loop so that you can secure your tag to your bag for the duration of your trip.

But even if you don’t have one of our fabulous bag tags, there are still plenty of tricks you can use to differentiate your suitcase from the other passengers on your plane.

Let’s take a look….

#2: Duct Tape Your Travel Bag

If you need a super-fast solution, grab a roll of colorful duct tape. You can pick it up at an office supply store or a grocery store. A bright color is best so that it stands out on the luggage carousel. 

You can wrap the handle of your luggage with duct tape, place a piece across a portion of your suitcase, or even wrap it fully around your bag. Duct tape is a quick and inexpensive solution.

Keep in mind that your luggage can take a beating on a trip…it may get thrown around a time or two or collide with another bag….which means the duct tape may not last. And if you travel frequently, you’ll need to replace it more often.

#3: Label Luggage with Whimsical Travel Stickers

Travel stickers are a fun way to identify your luggage. You can start collecting them on your journeys and place them on your suitcase as a reminder of where you’ve been.

Or, if you don't want to wait that long, you can always order them online, like these cute stickers we found on Amazon. This bag is definitely recognizable on the luggage carousel!

Now, this really only works on hard-shell suitcases. So, if you've got one, this is great. If you have a soft-case bag, then these stickers are not the best option for you, you’ll need a different solution.

So here’s one that could work…

#4: Tie a Colorful Ribbon on Your Suitcase Handle

A brightly colored ribbon attached to your suitcase could also help signify that it is yours. If you don’t have any ribbon, you could even use a piece of fabric or a scarf.  

Choose a bright or recognizable color that contrasts with your bag so that you can easily recognize it, and make sure to tie it securely to your luggage so that you don’t lose it in transit!

#5: Purchase an Outrageous Piece of Luggage

One surefire way to easily identify your luggage at the airport is to use a suitcase that really stands out! If you choose to use a unique set of luggage, instead of the traditional black or brown bag, then you’ll easily be able to find your bag. And it is highly unlikely anyone else will mistake it as their own!

It's a costlier investment than your other options, but if you need a new suitcase anyway, and you don't mind walking through your hotel lobby with an outrageous bag, then this could be a great option for you.

#6: Order a Personalized Luggage Handle Wrap

A luggage handle wrap can serve two purposes. First, it helps you identify your bag (especially if you go with a custom embroidered handle wrap). Secondly, it serves as a cushioning for your hand so that it is easier to lift your bag off and on the carousel or into a vehicle.

Like our customized bag tags, you can get your name, company, or another word (up to nine letters) embroidered onto your handle wrap.

Spend less time at the Airport…

Marking your luggage is really one of the best ways to get out of the airport and on with your journey quickly. You reduce the chance that someone else will mistakenly take your bag, and when you can find it fast as it comes out of the carousel.

If you travel often, then luggage bag tags or some other clever way to find your travel gear can help you spend less time in the airport and more time exploring.

For more ideas and useful travel information (including TSA information and a Universal Packing List), check out our Luggage Tips page.