How to Label a Suitcase for a Flight, What to Write on the Tag and How to Avoid Losing It

What to write on the tag so your suitcase is properly labelled

The tag serves one purpose only. If the suitcase goes missing, airport or airline staff must be able to contact you quickly. So write in block capitals with a waterproof marker, so rain on the tarmac doesn't smudge them. This matters most for checked baggage, which is out of your sight from check-in until arrival.

The tag should include:

• first and last name in the same form as on your flight booking,
• phone number including the international dialling code, e.g. +420 – without it, foreign airports can't reach you,
• an email address that you check regularly, even on holiday,
• optionally the flight number or hotel address, if there's room on the tag.

A hotel address is especially useful on the return journey. If the suitcase arrives late, the airline can easily deliver it straight to where you're staying.

How to label your suitcase for a flight while protecting your privacy

Dozens of strangers will inevitably see the tag at the airport, on the bus and at hotel reception. A readable contact is therefore just as important as protecting your privacy.

Never write your full home address on the tag. Together with information about your departure, it reveals that your flat or house is empty. Leave out your personal identification number, passport number and a detailed travel itinerary too. Nobody needs these details to return a suitcase, but they could easily be misused. A name, phone number and email are all you need to get your bag back.

If you're travelling with children, put a parent's contact on their suitcase, not the child's. Tags with a cover that hides the details from curious eyes are a good choice.

Tip: Before you start packing, also read our guide on how to pack a suitcase for a flight, so your documents and valuables end up in your hand luggage.

How to label a suitcase for airport check-in in 4 steps

A single tag can easily tear off during the journey. That's why we recommend securing your suitcase several times over:

1. Attach the tag to the top or side handle. A telescopic handle slides into the case, so the tag can easily get caught and torn off during handling.
2. Put contact details inside the suitcase too, ideally on top of the contents. A card with your phone number, email and hotel address in a clear sleeve is enough. If the outer tag is lost, staff can open the case and find your contact.
3. Before the trip, strip off old tags from previous flights. Barcodes from earlier journeys can confuse automatic sorting lines, and then the suitcase may end up flying somewhere else. You'll find more about what happens to your bag after you hand it over at the desk in our article how check-in at the airport works.
4. Make the suitcase stand out with a bright strap, a coloured cover or a distinctive tag. On the belt, dozens of black suitcases look almost identical, and a distinctive feature prevents mix-ups with someone else's bag.

4 extra tips for labelling your luggage and keeping track of its journey

A few small things before departure will make searching for your bag, or claiming compensation later, much easier:

• Photograph your suitcase from all sides, including the tag, before check-in. The photo will help when describing the bag at the desk and when claiming compensation.
• Put a tracker inside the case, such as an AirTag or another tracking tag. You can then see the bag's location on your phone and tell the airline exactly where it is.
• Don't label just the large suitcase. Attach a tag to your hand luggage and backpack too, as these can get lost during a connection or on board. Before you start packing, check the hand luggage dimensions allowed by your airline.
• Keep the baggage receipt you get at check-in until you collect the suitcase from the belt. Without its number, the bag is much harder to trace.

If labelling your suitcase at the airport doesn't help, do this

If your suitcase doesn't appear on the belt, don't leave the arrivals hall. Report the loss at the baggage claim desk while you're still in the reclaim area. Show your boarding pass and baggage receipt, describe the suitcase and show its photo.

Staff will issue you a confirmation of the report, known as a PIR, with a reference number. You can use it to track the search status online. You must claim a delayed suitcase from the airline in writing within 21 days of its delivery, and a damaged one within 7 days.

While you wait for the suitcase to be found, you're entitled to reimbursement of essential expenses, for example for toiletries or replacement clothing. Keep your receipts carefully and attach them to your claim. If the suitcase isn't found within 21 days, it is considered lost and you claim compensation from the airline. If you left something behind in the terminal itself, contact lost property at Prague Airport.

How to label a suitcase for a flight with triple protection

The best protected suitcase has three safeguards: an outer tag with phone and email, contact details inside the case and a photo on your phone. Add a bright strap and peel off old tags before you leave home. It takes just a few minutes, but in case of loss it can save you days of waiting.

That way, you set off feeling confident that your bag will quickly return to you if anything goes wrong. But plan your journey to the airport just as carefully. Our comparison of Prague Airport parking will help you choose.