What to Write on Luggage Tags?

Updated on October 24, 2011
L.M. asks from Levelock, AK
18 answers

Hello everyone!

We are planning on taking a vacation in a few months. We bought some new luggage and started talking about luggage tags. We have never used luggage tags in the past - so this is new to us. What info should we put on the tags? On one hand it doesn't seem to make sense to put our home address on there, since we will be traveling AWAY from home - and yet, it kind of makes sense because what if our bag gets lost and we need to get the bag back "home" to us???

What do you put on your luggage tags??

Thanks so much

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So What Happened?

Thanks so much to everyone who responded! We will be marking our bags with a colorful ribbon and also adding our name and cell phone to our luggage tags!!

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D.N.

answers from Chicago on

A friend that used to travel often put her work address on the tags. The only bad thing is that the airline put the luggage on the wrong plane once. Once they found it, they had it sent to the address on the tags. She had to cart it all home--5 pieces on public transportation. But she had peace of mind about an empty house.

2 moms found this helpful

C.O.

answers from Washington DC on

If you have "common" luggage - nothing paisley or print - affix something that makes it stand out - my sister uses a yarn "ball" in bright yellow.

I have on my red Samsonite a neon strap...

1 mom found this helpful

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R.B.

answers from La Crosse on

My parents and brother travel alot. They have thier name and cell number on the luggage. They also put a distintive piece of fabric tied to the handle to be able to tell it right away from others and also if it gets lost they can identify it easily.

They never put thier address or home number on thier luggage, its a red flag that we are not home. If it gets lost they call the airliners and give them the address to where they going ( if lost on the way there) or the home address ( if lost on the way home) and then the airport delivers it to its destination.

2 moms found this helpful
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J.C.

answers from Anchorage on

I put my name, address, and a phone number. I have had lost bags before when returning home to London, and that info got my bags returned to me. I also do something to my bags to make them stand out as mine, whether it is writing my last name on them in big letters, or tying colored ribbons around them.

2 moms found this helpful

X.O.

answers from Chicago on

I just use one of my address labels, and then write my cell # & email address on it and stick it right on.

Also, to make it easier to tell which luggage is ours on the carousel, we tied green fabric ribbons to the handles. We can always spot our luggage very quickly.

ETA: I also stick an address label on the inside of the outter zipper pockets so that, if somehow, the luggage tag comes off, we still have our contact info on the luggage.

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B.C.

answers from Tampa on

Dates of departure and arrival of travel and final destination and also residence address and of course your phone #. Tags are very helpful if the stickers or airlines labels get loose, especially international travel. If your luggage goes to australia instead of austria, most likely you will get the suitcase back after your home return. The tag information will have accurate info and they will know where to send your suitcase instead of trying to call and something gets lost in translation. Bon voyage!!!

1 mom found this helpful

L.A.

answers from Austin on

We even wrote our names and phone numbers on the inside of the luggage in case the tag is lost..

When we were gone on a super long trip, I used my moms address so if someone stole our luggage, they would not know where we lived, because our house was going to be empty, no house sitter. ..

1 mom found this helpful
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M.H.

answers from Chicago on

Name and cell number.. is what we put if we even have them on there.

1 mom found this helpful
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M.M.

answers from Minneapolis on

We travel a GREAT amount and some of it is international travel as well. We have never gone and purchased seperate luggage tags. We do have some that are on the luggage of which I have our last name and both my husband and my cell phone numbers. We carry our cell phones on trips and if someone or some place ended up with the luggage, they can get in touch with us on either end. I then place inside of the plastic luggage tag, where we are going. Example JFK to SFO or MSP to LAX. This way they know the destination of the luggage from this tag as well as the airline tag. I make these tags out for the return home too before our trip embarks. On these tags I again place a cell phone number and our email. These days, those things are instant and if my luggage were to get seperated from me, those are ways they can get in touch with us instantly. The truth is, I do not need my luggage to get back home, I worry more about it getting to me on the first leg of the trip. I keep all valuables on me, but would hate to be in the Carribean without my swim suit or dinner clothes. That is when I am more worried about lost luggage. A cell phone and email puts the "finders" in INSTANT touch with us.

1 mom found this helpful
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A.M.

answers from Fort Wayne on

If you have a cell phone - Just put your name and cell number on them. If you don't have a cell put your home address on them. Have fun!

1 mom found this helpful
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D.B.

answers from Charlotte on

.

1 mom found this helpful
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L.R.

answers from Washington DC on

Do not put your home address on any luggage in either direction. It is basically a way for any dishonest airport worker or scam artist who circulates in airports (yes, they do) to know that a house is vacant. Put your name, flight information, cell number and possibly e-mail on there (unless your e-mail will direct people to a personal web site or Facebook page that mentions you are traveling -- but then, you also should never, ever put on your page that "We're off to X tomorrow, be gone a week, bye!" because that's the same as writing "Come burgle our house, you have all week long!"). Your luggage will get home to you, if it's lost and returned, because of the bar code sticker the airline puts on it when you check it.

Definitely do something to make your luggage stand out like bright ribbon knotted on the handles or even neon duct tape stripes on the sides. Almost all luggage seems to be black or navy and you'll be amazed how much of it gets pulled off carousels at airports if you take too long to get it, and it's left sitting in a huge black-and-navy mass somewhere.

Also, put a large sheet of paper inside each case with the same information you have outside. If you are staying in a hotel you can put the hotel info on there, by the way. But never home information or anything that leads someone to your home if they can search it on the Internet.

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A.V.

answers from Washington DC on

We've used business cards or my personal cards (http://www.mabel.ca/mabel.php?n=stationery+products) where I only put my name and email address and cell phone number so if I give it out at playgroup, they have limited information on me. When we were traveling around the UK and Ireland last summer, we had those or my husband's business cards on all the checked luggage.

If you get trip insurance, see if they provide baggage tags. We were provided with tags with an ID number via the insurance so we could be contacted.

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S.K.

answers from Minneapolis on

home address and phone number to reach you in case luggage gets lost.

T.F.

answers from Dallas on

We travel a lot and we just have our last name, address and cell phone #'s.

Also, I always tape a business card to the inside of the case which has our info as well as noting the destination and home airport codes.

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R.K.

answers from Boston on

On the way to your destination - Your name, cell numbers and destination info.
On your way home - Your name, cell numbers, and home addresss.

It is not recommended that you put your home address and phone number when you are leaving home, because those tags can provide information to people who are handling them or observing them, that no one is at your house.

C.P.

answers from Columbia on

Your last name, a good contact number, and the address you'd want the luggage to go to if you lose it.

J.P.

answers from Lakeland on

I always put our home address and cell phone numbers. I also only put a first initial or just the last name. Sometimes luggage ends up in the strangest places and if your name isn’t on it you may not get it back. The paper tags the airlines use are not always secure. I try to only bring a carry on this way I know I have my stuff with me, but I know sometimes you need a larger bag.

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