Picture this: you’ve just flown across the Atlantic for an important business conference. You land in Amsterdam, ready to shake hands, hand out business cards, and impress people with your sharp new suit. Except… your bag didn’t land with you. And the only clothes you have are the shorts you wore on the plane because, hey, it was July and hot when you left home.

That was me back in 2005, on my way to Luxembourg for ICANN — the kind of event where the room is filled with diplomats, tech CEOs, and government officials. And there I was, standing in a lobby in shorts, looking like I was headed for a backyard barbecue. My suitcase finally showed up the next day, but the damage to my professional pride had already been done. On the way back? The airline lost the bag again.

Back then, luggage trackers didn’t exist. When airlines misplaced your stuff, you were stuck waiting, hoping, and occasionally praying that someone, somewhere, would find it.

Fast forward to 2021. Different year, same problem — except this time, I had a little secret weapon: a luggage tracker.

In November 2021, I was flying back to Greensboro with a connection in Charlotte. I landed home, but my bag didn’t. It was still sitting in Charlotte — just 90 miles away. Here’s where things got different from 2005: this time, I knew exactly where it was. My phone showed me the little dot that said, “Your bag is chilling in Charlotte.”

The kicker? It stayed there for nearly a week. Every day I called American Airlines. Their staff sounded as frustrated as I was. But I had leverage. I could say, “Look, my bag is in Terminal C at Charlotte. Why hasn’t it moved yet?”

That knowledge changed everything. I wasn’t guessing or blindly trusting the airline. I had proof. Eventually, I was reimbursed for the clothes I had to buy in the meantime, but the real win was the peace of mind. I knew where my suitcase was, even if the airline didn’t seem to care.

That’s when it clicked: luggage trackers aren’t toys anymore. They’re travel essentials.

Here’s the reality no airline will put in their glossy ads: millions of bags are mishandled every year. Some get delayed because of missed connections. Others are rerouted to the wrong city. And plenty just sit forgotten in a back room because no one scanned them correctly.

Airlines love to tell you: “We’re not sure where your bag is, but we’ll let you know when we find it.” That’s not comforting when your suitcase has your work clothes, medications, or maybe the only pair of shoes you actually like wearing.

For the cost of a dinner out, you can drop an Apple AirTag, a Tile, or a Samsung SmartTag into your suitcase and never be powerless again. They won’t stop airlines from messing up, but they stop you from being left in the dark. You’ll know where your bag is before the airline does — and that changes the game.

People ask me: “Isn’t one tracker enough?” For me, the answer is no.

Here’s why I double up — every bag I check has both an Apple AirTag and a Tile:

For a few extra bucks, the security net is worth it.

Trackers are great, but they’re not the whole story. Over years of travel — and lost-bag misery — I’ve built a few rules that now go with me on every trip:

Do these things, and you’ll feel in control even when airlines drop the ball.

Airlines will lose bags. They lost mine in 2005. They lost mine again in 2021. The difference was what I had in my bag: not just clothes, but a tracker that told me exactly where it was.

In 2025, luggage trackers aren’t gadgets. They’re part of your travel survival kit. Toss one — or better yet, two — into your bag, and stop being powerless when the system fails you.