1. Buy a bag that will definitely be different to everybody else

Sure, black luggage is great, but when it looks the same as every other piece it will be a pain in the ass to find at the carousel. Opt for something more brightly colored or customise yours with stickers etc

2. Consider Shipping Your Bag Instead Via UPS  or Fedex

If you ship a few days in advance, your bags will be sitting waiting at the hotel for you, and will save you lugging them around. For large or especially heavy bags, this can be a much cheaper and more convenient option than checking then in, and the airline can’t lose them.

3. Take pictures of the inside and outside of your bag.

That way if it DOES get lost or misplaced, you’ll have an easy reference for the airline when they’re trying to locate it.

4. If you’re checking your bag, make sure to check it in the right time frame.

Too early and it might get stashed and forgotten about. Too late and it might not make the plane. And while most airlines accept bags up until the last minute, they also aren’t responsible for getting your bag to you if it misses the flight because it was checked outside of their recommended time window.

5. Book with airlines that have good baggage handling records.

While totally lost baggage is rare, some airlines have better records than others. Google your airlines for their rate.

6. Remove all old airline tags before you add a new one.

Older tags might be confused for your current destination. Make sure the newest tag is the only one on the bag. And always double check the airport code that’s on the new tag to make sure it’s correct.

7. If you already have luggage, get a colorful strap or spandex luggage cover to distinguish your bag from the rest.

8. Use a Tile to turn any bag into a Bluetooth-enabled smart bag.

Just throw one of these smart tiles into your bag and you’ll be able to track wherever it is using the app.