Or, go online to your airline's website and enter in your name and your luggage reference number or bag tag number. Find your luggage easily by using a brightly-colored suitcase or suitcase cover. Track your luggage yourself by using an electronic GPS locator, like AirTags or Tile.
There are no problems as with smartphones: a GPS tracker in a suitcase is allowed on an airplane and does not have to be switched to a special flight mode. In addition to sending out the location signal, however, the devices also offer other functions, depending on the type, for example: motion alarm.
An Apple AirTag will help you keep track of important items, including your luggage. Stick one inside your suitcase, within a pocket or encased in a key chain.Then, use your MacBook, Apple Watch or other device to discover a location. You'll get the best per-AirTag price when you buy a four pack.
If you own an Apple phone or other Apple device, AirTags can prove invaluable in tracking lost luggage. As a digital nomad for nearly five years, JT is a freelance writer that proves through experience that credit card rewards can drastically reduce the cost of travel.
The Federal Aviation Administration has even ruled that having an AirTag in your luggage is permitted and, in fact, not a safety hazard. The devices only contain 0.1 grams of lithium, which falls below the FAA's limit.
Lufthansa created all sorts of unnecessary confusion after it initially banned AirTags out of concern that they are powered by a lithium battery and could emit radio signals and potentially interfere with aircraft navigation.
Some legal experts and consumer advocates say that while airlines never had the authority to dispose of lost baggage, passengers' use of tracking devices could become a new test of the legal soundness of that practice.
Losing luggage before (or after) a trip can put a damper on any experience. While there is no way to prevent airlines from misplacing your luggage, using a luggage tracker is one of the best travel hacks for making the process easier if your suitcase doesn't make it on a flight.
How long do luggage trackers last? The only con is that most of these trackers expend their battery much quicker than a AirTag or SmartTag. While those luggage trackers can last months, a GPS tracker may only last a few days.
Place a Tile in your checked suitcase and you can use the smartphone app to confirm that your luggage is within Bluetooth range—i.e. right beneath you in the cargo hold. 2. And if your luggage doesn't make the trip, Tile's extensive user network can help you locate it in another city—or across the world.
WorldTracer® is the world's only fully global baggage tracing and matching system. It provides a single, standardized solution for reporting and repatriating mishandled bags. Developed in cooperation with IATA, it allows customers to locate their lost baggage anywhere in the world.
LandAirSea GPS TrackerThere's no shortage of ways to keep your luggage on your radar: The LandAirSea app and website let you receive text and email alerts while tracking the device's location on Google Maps. It also keeps a log of where the tag's been, so you can retrace its steps like how long it idled in one place.
AirTags and Tile Mate verdictWhile the trackers performed equally well in my lost luggage trial, I think the AirTags are the better product if you want to track your luggage; they provide more updates than the Tile Mate trackers, but you are going to need an iPhone to use them.