Luggage Tags

First initial, last name
Cell# (I carry it while traveling)
Email
Nothing else needed

I also just do what Liz listed, although I write my first name, too. Having your home address has a slight risk that someone can know your home is empty while you’re traveling.

Yes, I put the same information as Liz and Jean do. I also have an itinerary inside listing my hotels. I do not lock my luggage but use either a carabiner or twist tie to hold the zippers shut.

There was a recent thread on also making sure your personal item/purse that you carry on to the plane have tags with your name.

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/packing/psa-re-personal-items-id-tags

Editing to correct mis-information - it was the Denver airport incident, not the Toronto one!

I oftentimes put our hotel details inside my bag, but I like the idea of it on the tag itself. I do have our home address on the tag, but we rarely check our bags. Even within the airport etc I keep the tag turned so that our address is not visible unless you turn the tag over.

My brother had a horrible lost bag experience this fall and he did have his overnights (he was walking the camino) listed inside his bag, yet the bag never arrived at any of them. It showed up again 38 days later, lol.

Ultimately no zippered case is "locked" but it does slow down the honest people. https://youtu.be/rx0Bs3veEoI?si=goBmvRAqKNzH00qx

I am not worried about the baggage handler in Uganda copying my address and calling his buddy in Dallas to drive down to San Antonio and disable my alarm system to rob my apartment. On the other hand, doubt it does much good to have a home address on the bag on the way over, but maybe on the way back? Hotel might not be a bad idea, but most of us do multiple stops ......

Depends on your level of paranoia. I have my full name, City, State, Country of Residence and phone number on the checked bags. I live a schizophrenic life style so requires two of each. You might too if you are using a European sim card. But they got the phone number and the Uganda guy could do a reverse search on the phone number and call his buddy in Dallas to ..... etc).

JUAN VALDEZ
juan.valdez-at-valdezlifestyle.com
BUDAPEST, HUNGARY +36 555 555 5555
SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS, USA +1 555 555 5555

The personal item, backpack etc it also says REWARD if RETURNED 50 Euro. My screen on my cell phone also offers a reward and has my other cell phone number on it (I have a US and a European phone). My keys also have a reward tag. I figure it helps people to be honest and build up some good karma.

And Leslie's idea of QR Stickers is really brilliant. I was thinking about getting a VR Code tattoo. But I do have one around my neck that links back to some imortant shipping information.

Last year we switched to Ricks newest tags. Small window on one side and an envelope for a more specific information sheet. We show only Last Name and phone number. More inside.
On 9 tours we have times where we had to leave our bags in storage for hotels to deliver to our rooms. Usually the name is all they need.
Enjoy Scotland and safe travels

Name…initials for first names, then full surname …and email address on the outside tag on the handle.
Itinerary copy on the inside…..no home info except name and email address.

I agree with Liz. A few years ago my husband grabbed the wrong carryon from the overhead bin when we deplaned in Milan. Too little sleep and identical black bags. By the time we got to our hotel in Varenna, the owner of the bag had called our cell and we were making plans to do a switch. Of course that’s a whole other story for another topic.

I’ve always made a two-sided tag - destination address on one side, flip it and home address on the other.

What a great response. Thank you so much.
I think I will go with Liz’s suggestion, but will also tag my RS’s Chivita bag.
Happy Travels everyone.