Can I padlock my checked luggage?

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) now suggests you lock your checked baggage with TSA-Approved and recognized locks. Travel Sentry® Approved locks are approved and recognized by the TSA. Look for the Travel Sentry® symbol when shopping for these TSA-Approved products.



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If your bag is unlocked, then our officer will simply open and screen the baggage if any item alarms. However, if you decide to lock your checked baggage and TSA cannot open it through other means, then the locks may have to be cut. For soft-sided baggage, this process will not damage your zippers or zipper pulls.

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Following are the top 12 tips to reduce the chance of someone stealing your luggage and minimize stress and hassles if it happens.
  1. Carry Your Bag on Instead of Checking It. ...
  2. Pack Extra Things in Your Carry-On. ...
  3. Make Checked Luggage Easy to Identify. ...
  4. Never Pack Valuable Items in Checked Luggage. ...
  5. Invest in an Apple AirTag.


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Lewis says that he always recommends that customers use luggage locks to protect the contents of their bags but that less than half of them do. If you're checking your suitcase with an airline, be sure to use a lock labeled TSA compatible so that agents can open it with a master key if it's selected for scrutiny.

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The Benefits of Locking Your Luggage Using a suitcase lock makes it more difficult for baggage handlers or strangers to riffle through your goods at the airport. Not to mention, luggage locks are a great way to ensure your personal belongings won't fall out because the zippers are held together.

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Cable Ties If your luggage has lockable zips (two zip pulls, with small loops at the base of each), just thread the largest cable tie that fits through the loops, and pull tight. For zip pulls that don't have the dedicated loops, thread the cable tie through the holes at the top of each zip instead.

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According to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), yes, you can zip-tie your luggage shut so no one would be able to simply unzip your luggage and go through it. You are allowed to zip-tie it because the TSA can snip it open if they need/want/desire to go through it for some reason.

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Pack items in layers (shoes one layer, clothes one layer, electronics one layer, etc.) Firearms are only allowed in checked baggage and must be unloaded, placed in a locked, hard-sided container and declared to your airline. All fireworks contain explosive materials and are not permitted in checked or carry-on baggage.

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A stolen luggage report can also be filed with the airport police, in the event your property is recovered on baggage handlers or other employees. If you believe items may have been stolen during security screening, you can also file a report with the TSA.

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Once an airline determines that your bag is lost, the airline is responsible for compensating you for your bags' contents - subject to depreciation and maximum liability limits.

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Most comprehensive travel insurance plans include coverage for baggage loss and, if your baggage is not permanently lost or damaged, baggage delay. Some coverage may include the cost of essential items you purchase while you wait for your delayed luggage to be returned.

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Inspection Notices: TSA may inspect your checked baggage during the screening process. If your property is physically inspected, TSA will place a notice of baggage inspection inside your bag. This is to inform you that an officer conducted an inspection of your property.

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If you're using a lock that isn't approved by TSA, agents have the authority to break open that lock to search through a bag. If you're carrying your valuables with you in your carry-on bags, and you don't have anything really valuable in your checked luggage, then you may not need to use a luggage lock.

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Another easy and less expensive alternative to a lock is zip ties. So, if TSA clips them off, it won't be a financial loss. Some travelers choose to wrap their suitcases in plastic, which prevents theft as well as breakage. You may have even seen this service offered at the airport.

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(Transportation Security Administration lock) A luggage lock that can be opened not only by its owner but also by TSA agents at U.S. airports.

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Without access to a master key, baggage handlers, hotel staff and others in the luggage transport chain should not be able to open these locks. Yet that's the fatal flaw – the master key, or backdoor into a supposedly secure system.

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When it came to airlines that lost the most baggage, that same study found that Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines came in ninth out of 17 major airlines. “Of all national airlines, American Airlines lost the most bags in 2022, losing 850 bags per 100,000.

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