Why You Should Take A Photo Of Checked Or Gate-Checked Luggage

take a photo of suitcase

Flickr/Jon Worth

In this Instagram age we live in, you probably take a snapshot of just about every second of your travel adventure — the latte you pick up on the way to the airport, your passport and boarding pass artfully arranged at your gate, the list goes on. But there’s one photo you aren’t taking that you should absolutely add to your lineup: your luggage.

Even if your suitcase isn’t super cute, you should photograph it. You want that picture in case something goes wrong with your bags. This means taking photos of any checked luggage or bags that might get gate-checked.

It’s a super easy contingency plan, but in case you’re not convinced, we’ll lay out some travel scenarios for you.

take a photo of suitcase

Flickr/m01229

Let’s say you have a long layover in London and you leave your bags in the airport’s locker room. Their system goes haywire and they can’t find your bag behind the counter. But you whip out your phone and show them the detailed pic of your bag. Boom, problem solved.

Or let’s say you’re waiting and waiting to spot your suitcase on the baggage carousel. It’s going around and around and still nothing. So you grab an airline representative, show them the photo and they’re able to grab it from the lost luggage pile without hesitation.

It’s even better if you have a unique bag or an accessory added to make things pop. Only one person per flight usually has a rainbow luggage tag on the handle.

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