Planning to fly somewhere soon? You and just about everyone else. The Federal Aviation Administration predicted in May that 2025 will be the busiest summer for air travel in the past 15 years, with many days exceeding 50,000 flights.
That means a ton of luggage will also be hurtling through the sky, stowed in overhead bins, under seats, and in cargo holds. The vast majority will end up exactly where it’s supposed to, but unfortunately, a small percentage won’t — and that’s where Unclaimed Baggage comes in.
Located in Alabama, the 50,000-square foot tourist hot spot buys up unclaimed items that were misplaced during air travel and sells them at a massive discount. In its annual Found Report, the store details some of its most unusual finds of the past year. For the 2025 iteration, that included a freeze-dried chicken foot, a silicone pregnancy belly, and an antique mustache curler.
The retailer also provides some tips in the report to help travelers avoid having their possessions wind up on its shelves, and in an email with Nice News, it offered a few more. Per Sonni Hood, senior manager of PR and communications, “It’s good to always be just a little more prepared than you might think you need to be.”
We’ve included the tips verbatim below. Happy traveling!
Unclaimed Baggage’s Top Travel Tips
Avoid the Disappearing Suitcase
According to experts at Reunitus, the world’s leading lost and found solution, black, hard-sided suitcases are used by almost half of world travelers. With so many look-alikes, it’s easier for airlines to misplace and travelers to mistake for their own.
PRO TIP: Skip the black or make your bag stand out. Add a bright tag, patterned strap, patch, or bold sticker.
AirTag Your Bag
Apple’s upgraded AirTags now feature improved anti-stalking, shared tracking, and precision finding — perfect for peace of mind when checking your bag. Relying on Bluetooth and the Find My Network, they update your bag’s location when near an Apple device.
PRO TIP: Tag your bag, enable shared tracking for group travels, and keep your devices updated for extra security.
Skip the Bling, Keep the Ring
Cabin pressure and dehydration can make fingers swell, prompting travelers to remove rings mid-flight — only to forget them. Wedding bands and signet rings top the lost list.
PRO TIP: Consider a low-cost travel ring. These “dupe diamonds” let you keep the look without the risk.
Train the Airplane Brain
Ever landed and instantly forgotten where your stuff went? You’re not alone — “airplane brain” is real. The biggest culprit? Seatback pockets.
PRO TIP: Do a “seat sweep” before leaving. Check under the seat, in the pocket, and along the sides. Better yet, keep valuables in a zippered pouch or belt bag you wear in-flight.
Don’t Test Airport Theory
If you’re checking a bag, don’t wait until the last minute to arrive at the airport. The later you are, the higher likelihood that your bag doesn’t make it onto your plane.
PRO TIP: Most airlines require checked bags to be dropped at the ticket counter at least 45 minutes before your flight departs.
Let Them See Some ID
When checking a bag, do you just grab one of the cardstock tags at the ticket counter and hope that it makes it to your destination? As you can imagine, those tags are easily damaged during baggage handling and likely won’t be on your bag once you grab it off the carousel.
PRO TIP: Add a durable luggage tag to the outside of your bag to increase the chance of it staying attached during transit.
Leave a Clue
Even durable luggage tags can be damaged or removed during handling and transportation. Make sure your contact information is easily accessible inside your bag as well.
PRO TIP: Leave a business card or another luggage tag inside your bag in an easy-to-spot pocket.
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