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Editor’s Note: This is a recurring post, updated regularly with new information.

It’s never fun when your luggage fails to arrive at your destination at the same time as you. Unfortunately, this happens to thousands of travelers every day.

More than 270,000 checked bags were mishandled (ie lost or delayed) in the US in August 2024. A recent report from the US Department of Transportation. That equates to an average of 6.4 checked bags per 1,000 travelers – and that’s just the figures for US-based airlines. When you think about how many international airlines there are and the potential for mishandled bags with them, the number skyrockets. Considering how many people will be flying during the holiday season, some luggage mishandling is sadly inevitable.

One of the main causes of lost or delayed baggage is incorrect tagging. When you hand in your luggage at the check-in counter, do you take a look at the bag tag before it disappears onto the conveyor belt? If not, here’s why you should start doing so.

How does a bag get tagged at the wrong destination?

The simplest answer is that the check-in agent may have accidentally entered the wrong destination code. You may be going to Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), but if the agent accidentally writes “DTW,” your bag will arrive at Detroit Wayne County International Airport instead. Or maybe you’re going to San Juan, Puerto Rico, where the airport code is SJU, but the agent misroutes your luggage to the airport in SJO, Costa Rica.

Another possibility is that someone else’s bag tag with a different destination was affixed to your luggage. Perhaps the check-in agent printed an extra tag from a previous customer and, instead of throwing it away, inadvertently used it on your luggage. They may have put the same false claim tag on your boarding pass.

If your luggage has a tag with your contact information, chances are you’ll eventually be reunited with your bag (though it may not happen as quickly as you’d like). Be sure to keep your contact details in multiple places – it is advisable to tag something on the outside and inside of each suitcase. If there is no ID tag, your bag will sit with all other unclaimed baggage.

Related: My Bag Wasn’t Tagged Correctly — A Reader’s Mistake Story

How to avoid having your bag incorrectly tagged

Unless you have elite status or use an eligible credit card, many airlines charge $70 per checked bag on a round-trip flight (or sometimes even more). Therefore, it is important to do everything you can to ensure that your bag is properly tagged.

Confirm the destination on the tag

Ask the check-in agent if you can see the bag tag before placing it on your luggage or sending your luggage down the conveyor belt. If you are checking multiple bags, be sure to look at the tag for each bag.

Also check the connection

If you are not flying nonstop, you should check the destination and connection.

This is especially important because bags are not always shipped directly to the final destination. Sometimes, you may be responsible for picking up and rechecking your bag from the first leg of your journey; The best way to confirm this is to look at what is on the bag tag.

For example, when you return to the US from an international trip, you must collect your luggage and recheck it for your connecting flight. Even then, be sure to check the bag tag.

If you’re flying different airlines on the same trip (even with the same airline connection), your bag won’t always be checked to your final destination, even if a well-meaning airline worker tells you. Always confirm it yourself by checking the bag tag.

A visually confirmed tag is added to every bag you check

Don’t check where it is tagged. You must wait at the counter until you see that the correct bag tag has been added to all your luggage.

This is doubly important if you gate-check your bag. Sometimes, an airline gate agent may be busy checking the bags of so many passengers on a full flight that the overhead bin has run out of space. If a gate agent gives you a claim tag with your boarding pass but then says they’ll tag your bag later, politely say you’d like to see your bag tagged to make sure it doesn’t get lost.

Tag your own bag

Finally, whenever possible, use self-tagging kiosks that allow you to print your own bag tags and place them on the bags you want to check. Although there is less chance of human error here than at the counter, you should double-check your bag tags and confirm the correct destination even when self-tagging at the kiosk.

How to keep track of your luggage after you leave the counter

Even if you leave the counter without checking the bag tags, you have a few options to put your mind at ease. You can also use these methods even if you’ve checked tags and want to make sure your luggage gets on the plane.

Increasingly, US airlines have set up baggage tracking features on their websites and mobile apps. Southwest Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and United Airlines all offer baggage tracking tools on their websites and mobile apps. Many international airlinesIncluding member airlines within star alliance, also offers Baggage tracking.

You can also use Bluetooth tracking devices like Apple AirTags to monitor your belongings. This way, you can see that your luggage has been loaded onto your plane and arrived at your destination.

Also, Apple Recently announced that users will soon be able to share a secure link with the location of an AirTag or “Find My” network accessory with more than 15 airlines; Participating carriers include Aer Lingus, Air Canada, Air New Zealand, Austrian Airlines, British Airways, Brussels Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Eurowings, Iberia, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Lufthansa, Qantas, Singapore Airlines, Swiss International Air Lines, Turkish Airlines . United, Virgin Atlantic and Vueling.

If things go awry and your bags don’t arrive when you do — especially during the busy summer or holiday travel season — this Apple feature will help airlines find them. However, it’s still important to understand the steps you should take if you end up with lost or delayed luggage and how credit cards can come to the rescue.

The bottom line

Checking a bag comes with some mishandling risks along the way. Of course, if you want to eliminate that risk entirely, you can travel with just a carry-on bag. If that’s not possible or you prefer to just check a bag, there are steps you can take to avoid checking your luggage at the wrong destination. Just start by checking the bag tags and claim tags before you leave the check-in counter.

Related Reading:

• Carry-on Vs. Checked Bags: Which Option Is Better?
• The best carry-on luggage for every type of trip
• 7 Tips to Avoid the Airline Losing Your Baggage
• The airline couldn’t find my luggage — here’s how Apple AirTags saved the day
• These 26 credit cards can get you a free checked bag