We all know that: Travelers use luggage tags on their checked-in luggage so that if their luggage doesn't make it to their flight -- the airline would know who it belongs to and WHERE TO SHIP IT once it arrives in one of their next flights...

So I ALWAYS make sure to update the address and (if possible) phone number -- OF THE DESTINATION OF OUR FLIGHT, whether we're heading out, or flying back home... Most people I had a chance to ask don't think that way, they leave their HOME address on the tag, even if they're heading for a flight to China...

My question is, we're planning to land in Madrid, rent a car at the airport and head to Segovia for one night, before driving up north... I plan to put our Segovia hotel address and phone number on the tag. I just hope, in case our luggage doesn't make it to Madrid upon our arrival, that it gets there with their very NEXT flight, which is the next day...

Am I missing something here?

I've only had luggage lost one time. It took 2-3 days for the luggage to reach me. We had to give the information where to send the luggage to the airlines at the airport. I'm not sure that the airlines ever looked at the tag.

i only put my e-mail address on the luggage tag - and not even that all the time. I agree w/ yestravel - no need to have a physical address on the tag since you'd obviously be speaking w/ airline agents before leaving the airport sans luggage. They would take all your info including phone/address of the next couple of places you are staying.

So the luggage is identified as one's luggage by the bar code, and that's why it's important to keep the receipt/sticker that has that same barcode, right?

I always put a full itinerary right on top inside the luggage and then have our name and cell phone number on the outside tag.

I do the same as Cali.

On the tag, I would put:
Hotel Sercotel Infanta Isabel
Segovia
+34 921 46 13 00

I want the airline to call the hotel before shipping it. I doubt that the airline would just ship to the full street address (if it was on the tag) without calling first. I am just not going to make it easy for them to ship it without calling.

And I also do the same as Cali and newtome. One full itinerary in an outside pocket and one inside and on top of the main compartment.

I also print the airline/hotel/car ticket and reservation confirmation e-mails and put them in the bag.

>>So the luggage is identified as one's luggage by the bar code, and that's why it's important to keep the receipt/sticker that has that same barcode, right?<<

The luggage is identified by the bar code. The bar code will be on the claim check that the airline gives you. The holder of the claim check can claim ownership of the bag that has the matching code. I think that is how it works: the bar code identifies the bag but not the owner.

In any case, don't lose the claim check until after you have the bag in your hand.

Oh -- I do put my itinerary/etc inside the bag -- I just don't put anything more than e-mail or cell phone # on the luggage tag.

Good idea to also take a photo of each piece of luggage with a phone or tablet you will have with you while travelling. Then you will be able to let the airline know exactly what is lost.

Will the airline actually call before shipping lost luggage?
Yes, I also put my itin inside of the luggage on the outbound and my home info on the return flight.

Since I travel almost exclusively with airlines in one alliance, I put my frequent flyer number on the external tag and a copy of my itinerary inside the bag. Any airline or other travel company with a 'lost' bag can easily get phone, email and name with one phone call and next destination right in front of them. Without compromising security.

<i>The holder of the claim check can claim ownership of the bag that has the matching code. I think that is how it works: the bar code identifies the bag but not the owner.</i>

The bar code identifies not only the route the luggage should take but also has the PNR encoded (and usually also printed on the label). So whenever the label is still on the luggage, the person who checked in that bag can be identified.

On the luggage tag I write 'see hotel list in small front pocket' then I put the hotel list in the front pocket of my suitcase. It has the Name, phone# and address of the hotels where I will be staying and the dates.

I think the only person who looks at addresses on luggage tags is the enterprising burglar, who can visit your home while you are away.

I always write a complete itinerary, including phone numbers, addresses, and next of kin. I email this to our kids, and put a printed copy in each piece of our luggage, including our carry-ons. When we have experienced lost luggage (including the small bag holding our coats, hats, and gloves, in Fairbanks Alaska in February with an outside temperature below 50 below) we go to the lost luggage desk at the airport and fill out their form (it is easy when you have that inventory, above), then go where we are going. Usually it is delivered to where we are staying, with no call. Once we got a call from Schipol asking where Bruges was and were we really there. The delivery service somehow got our landlord's number, and she told them to deliver it to her, and she then brought it to us (she didn't want it left in front of our house where it could be stolen). She and her husband were fine landlords and we still remember them fondly.

When we have experienced lost luggage, we have been able to see where it is by going to the airline's web site.

Thanks for all the info!

This is all good advice, and may help. In case of my daughter's lost luggage on United (which traveled from BOS-IAD(Dulles)-Mexico-New York-Boston-IAD-Paris) a few years ago, even with all this info on the luggage tag, it still involved her going to the Continental baggage claim in Paris and personally finding her suitcase in a heap of bags.

While this may have been a unique situation, the baggage claim tag got lost somewhere in Mexico where it picked up a new tag and then United gave it to Continental on a codeshare to fly across the Atlantic. And somehow on the website the suitcase changed color which made it impossible for staff in Paris to find.

I put destination address on front, home address and email on back and try to carry on.

i recall going thru us immigration at montreal. after the immigration officer checked my passport, he showed me his screen, and asked me if the luggage on the screen was my mine. yep, sure enough, it was mine. i was impressed.

I, too, put our names only on the tag with a notation saying, " see itinerary in front pocket". The tag stays the same, but the itinerary changes from trip to trip.

I have also taken a photo of my business card and have this on my cell phone and iPad in case of lose. We have photos of the front page of our passports on our iPhones and iPad, too.

The address on your luggage tag (if you put your address on your luggage tag) should be your immediate destination.

Like others do, I enclose a copy of my itinerary inside my luggage.


<i>I think the only person who looks at addresses on luggage tags is the enterprising burglar, who can visit your home while you are away.</i>

The burglar hanging out at the baggage claim in LAX is more than welcome to know that my house in Germany will only be manned by cats.





Side question: does anyone have experience with these QR tags? They look very useful. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...EP66AJJ3UEQKV7

I've never heard of any airline sending missing luggage to an address listed on a tag. Has anybody?

My assumption is that the name tag is for ID purposes only.