How to make sure you don't lose track of your luggage this holiday

ByDiane Wilson WTVD logo

Tuesday, December 27, 2022

Here's how to keep track of your luggage if flying for holidays

Before you ever leave your house for the airport, take these steps to hopefully make your trip less stressful.

RALEIGH, N.C. -- The Christmas holiday travel is here and AAA is expecting more than 112 million people to hit the roadways, rails, and air. If you're flying, get ready to pack your patience as the for busy airports.

Before you ever leave your house for the airport, take these steps to hopefully make your trip less stressful.

When it comes to luggage decide if you are doing carry-on or checking a bag. If you're checking bags, you might want to invest in Apple air tags.

Melissa Klurman with The Points Guy says, "What these do is it doesn't stop your bag from getting lost, but it lets you know where your bag is all the time you can help the airport help you."

Klurman adds this way if your luggage doesn't show up at your final destination if you have an air tag in it you can locate it, and tell the airlines where it is.

When it comes to your checked or carry-on bags, make sure you take off all of the old tags from former flights, plus make sure your name and phone number are in several places in and on your luggage in case the airline tags come off.

If your flight is delayed or canceled, as soon as you get notified of a problem, take action.

"Use your phone. It is your best tool. Download the airline's app use the app to try and get help at the same time, call, and stand in line and do all these things simultaneously," Klurman says.

Another tip if you have access to the airline lounges, "Go straight to the lounge where they also have agents, and those agents are going to usually be available without a line. They're going to give you some VIP service. You're going to be able to maybe change your flight right away. The early birds definitely going to get the better flight on that one," Klurman suggests

You also need to remember if the airline cancels your flight, you're entitled to a full refund, you don't have to settle for a credit.

It also matters when you get to the airport before your flight. Don't wait until an hour before your flight, there will be long lines, so give yourself plenty of time.

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