How to Never Lose Your Luggage

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After dealing with a middle seat, a screaming baby, and a weather delay, you get to your destination—but your luggage doesn't! It happens to 10,000 people every day, but that doesn't have to be you.

Step 1: Fly on a weekend
Pick a weekend flight. Because fewer people fly on weekends, baggage handlers aren’t so frazzled and are less likely to make mistakes.

Step 2: Avoid connections
Avoid connections. Having a layover almost doubles the odds your luggage gets lost. And in a tight connection, your bags may not follow you to the plane.

Step 3: Remove old tags
Remove anything that might confuse automatic bag screening machines, like pieces of old luggage tags from previous trips.

Step 4: Personalize your bag
Jazz things up a bit! Put a big ribbon, stickers, or tape on your bag—anything to personalize it. Thousands of people unknowingly walk off with the wrong bag.

Tip
When buying a suitcase, choose any other color but black. It accounts for more than 80% of all bags!

Step 5: Check in early
Check in early. Most lost luggage is checked within 30 minutes of takeoff. It also takes longer for a bag to get to the plane than for you to get to the gate.

Step 6: Check the airport code
Ask for the code of the airport you’re flying to, then compare it to the tag they put on your bag. Most lost luggage is incorrectly tagged.

Did You Know?
Most lost luggage finds its way home—only 2% is never found.