Tech
The chaos that swept through global aviation in the years following the pandemic left a lasting mark on how people pack for a trip. Staff shortages, surging passenger numbers and overstretched baggage systems combined to push mishandled luggage rates to levels that left countless travellers stranded without their belongings, sometimes for days, occasionally for good. Out of that disruption, a once-niche accessory has quietly become one of the most recommended items for any traveller’s carry-on: the luggage tracker.
International flights remain far more likely to result in lost luggage than domestic ones, largely because of the connections involved, with transfers accounting for nearly half of all mishandling incidents. A significant proportion of mishandled bags are never even loaded onto the aircraft in the first place.
For anyone who has stood at an empty baggage carousel long after their fellow passengers have collected their cases and moved on, the appeal of a small tracking device is obvious. Rather than waiting helplessly for an airline to locate a missing bag, travellers can now check its whereabouts directly from their phone, turning a moment of panic into, at worst, a manageable inconvenience. Knowing the location of a bag does not guarantee its swift return, but it does give passengers a far stronger position from which to chase it down.
The market for these devices has expanded rapidly, with options now ranging from simple Bluetooth-only trackers to sophisticated devices that draw on vast crowdsourced networks for near real-time positioning. Apple’s AirTag remains among the best known, recently updated with a second-generation Ultra Wideband chip that significantly extends its Precision Finding range and a louder built-in speaker that makes locating a bag in a crowded terminal considerably easier. The device also supports location sharing with trusted parties, including dozens of airlines worldwide, a feature with clear potential to cut down on lost baggage claims.
Android users have their own well-established options. Samsung’s SmartTag 2 works through the SmartThings Find app, offering both mapped directions and an audible ring function, along with water and dust resistance that suits the rougher handling bags often endure. Tile, notable for supporting both iOS and Android, relies on a mix of direct Bluetooth range and a broader crowdsourced network when a bag strays further afield, while newer entrants such as Chipolo have built a loyal following on the strength of louder alerts and bright, easy-to-spot colourways.
Luggage manufacturers have begun building tracking directly into their products rather than leaving it to separate accessories. Samsonite’s new Waypoint system, integrated into its Zipprix FT case, embeds a smart tag into the bag itself and connects with both Apple’s Find My and Google’s Find Hub networks, removing the need for a standalone app. The system is also designed to work alongside airline baggage handling, allowing a case to be tracked from check-in through to the carousel, and includes alerts if a bag is left behind in an unfamiliar location along with a dedicated lost mode for use if someone else finds it.
What was once considered an optional extra for the unusually anxious traveller has, in the space of a few years, become close to standard practice. As airlines and airports continue to manage the pressures of high passenger volumes, the trackers tucked inside millions of suitcases now serve as a quiet but effective safeguard, giving travellers a measure of control over the one part of the journey that has always been entirely out of their hands.