Lessons from a lost suitcase

It’s every traveler’s nightmare: the carousel stops, the crowd thins out, and your suitcase is nowhere to be seen.

On a recent journey, that’s exactly what happened to one of our travelers when their luggage didn’t arrive back in Chicago. Afterward they put together a list of changes to “minimize sleepless nights” on future trips — and it’s worth stealing.

Before you go

• Put a tracking device in every bag. A small tracker shows you exactly where your suitcase is — even when the airline doesn’t know.
• Photograph your suitcase, inside and out. Do it again any time you repack to meet weight limits, so you know what’s in which bag.
• Keep valuables in your carry-on. Medications, jewelry, electronics and documents should never be checked.

If it happens

• Keep your receipts for anything you have to buy while you wait — you’ll need them for a claim.
• Head to the front of the carousel. The sooner you spot a problem, the sooner you can report it.

The bigger lesson

Travel doesn’t always go to plan. That’s one more reason to travel with a group — and with travel protection. When something goes wrong, you’re not on your own.