When traveling, one thing that a few people don’t worry about until the last minute is their travel tags.
When purchasing travel tags, you will see the basic name, address and city, state. But these days, you have to protect yourself and not putting all that information is important.
Also, you with so many luggage coming through the airport, you want to make sure that you can find your bag among the many similar color bags out there. But also that you purchase durable tags, especially the cord that connects your tag to your luggage.
Here are a few key tips for those who want to know more about luggage travel tags.
Check-in Luggage
You want to have the most durable tags with a strong cord/cable to connect to your luggage. I use two tags for check in luggage, for the handle on the top and the handle on the side.
On the luggage tag going outside of your bag, all you want is the following:
First Initial and Last Name
Cell Phone #
E-Mail Address
I measure the tag area and then I type them up on a document in big bold letters and then I print it out. You can write it down, just make sure its legible and one of the reasons why I do print it out is that I have seen others in the past, use a marker with ink that gets stuck on the plastic clear face and somehow the writing gets warped as if water had touched upon it and making it hard to read.
Inside your Checked-In Luggage:
This is rare but if your baggage is lost and there is no identifying tag, you want the airport to find identification. So, when they open your luggage, right on the top, I would then have the following information:
Name, address, phone number, e-mail
Arrival Destination – Name, Address, Phone Number, e-mail / Return Destination – Address, Phone Number, e-mail, Contact Info., Secondary Contact Info.
I typically print a full 8.5 x 11 piece of paper with the information and put it in a plastic sleeve.
Carry-On Luggage and Personal Item
Similar to your Checked In Luggage but include your flight information (arrival/departure)
You want one on the outside and also on the inside of your carry-on and your personal item bag.
What tags do I recommend for traveling?
For check-in bags, I recommend tags such as the TuffTaag or the Lewis N Clark Luggage Tags. But personally, you can find steel wire locked tags inexpensively on eBay.
You will find cheaper, inexpensive travel tags (like you see in the above photo), those are fine for internal or even check-on or personal item bags. But for outside use, they come with these cheaper plastic straps that can easily come off.
But make sure for the check-in bags, you go for the most durable tags.
And while this is not luggage tag related, remember to make two copies of your passport
Make two copies of your passport ID page (with your picture, birth). Make sure it is scanned in full color. Give one to your family member or trusted friend. Keep the other copy with you on your carryon (not checked luggage).
Always be prepared, do not wait the day before your trip to work on your luggage tags. Enjoy your trip!!!
