Hard-won. Every single one of them.
1. Luggage tag + photo + claim receipt + tracking app.
Before every trip, I photograph my suitcase inside and out. I photograph the claim receipt. I have the airline's tracking app on my phone. If something goes wrong, I have everything I need to make the case immediately and with evidence.
2. AirTag in every bag.
Every. Bag. Checked bag, carry-on, personal item. I know where my luggage is at all times. This has saved my sanity on more than one occasion. Worth every penny.
3. Strategic carry-on packing.
Passport, medications, phone charger, one or two days of clothing, anything irreplaceable. My carry-on is packed so that if my checked bag disappears for three days, I am not standing in a foreign city with nothing.
4. Check at the official ticket counter only.
Curbside check-in is convenient. It is also the most common place for bags to be misrouted. When I have a critical trip, I check at the counter and I watch them tag the bag.
5. Reduce connections when it matters.
Every connection is a moment where the luggage can stay behind and you cannot. When the trip really matters, I pay for the direct flight. It is not always possible. It is always worth it when it is.
6. Distinctive luggage.
Bright colors. Ribbons. Patches. Anything that means you can spot your bag across the carousel immediately and anything that makes it essentially impossible for someone else to accidentally take it. My suitcase is impossible to confuse with anyone else's. That is entirely the point.
7. Pack for small delays.
Not for apocalyptic luggage loss — for the ordinary one-night delay that is statistically the most likely outcome. One outfit. Toiletries. The essentials. Small enough to fit in a carry-on. Big enough to be comfortable. Packed before every trip, every time.
None of this is complicated. All of it is worth doing. ✈️
