Long gone are the days of merely crossing your fingers and hoping your checked bag arrives at your destination. Thanks to Bluetooth, GPS, and Wi-Fi technology, you can track your luggage at every step of your journey with a luggage tracker. And if you’re traveling with pricier bags like TUMI or Away luggage, you’ll want a tracker to protect your luggage just as much as the items within it.
We’ve tested the top luggage trackers to find the best ones fit for your next adventure. Keep reading for our favorite three, plus others we tested, and why they didn’t quite make the list.
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Setup was super easy and didn’t require downloading an app
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Tracked our luggage with accuracy
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Integrates seamlessly with Apple devices using the Find My app
The Eufy SmartTrack Link is our best overall pick with easy setup and impressive functionality at a great price. It pairs quickly with an iPhone and integrates smoothly with Apple’s “Find My” app. The SmartTrack Link made tracking luggage easy during travel. While there was slight lag in areas with limited service, like the tarmac, the location always eventually updated accurately.
The “ring” feature is helpful to audibly locate your bag, but we found it a little too quiet for loud environments like a busy airport. The SmartTrack Link has a built-in key ring for convenient and secure attachment without having to purchase an additional item like with AirTags. It’s also water-resistant for extra durability and includes a QR code with your contact information if found.
Battery: Replaceable metal lithium, up to 1 year of battery life | Subscription: None | Compatibility: iOS | Location Tech: Bluetooth | Size: 1.46 x 1.46 x 0.26 inches
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Setup was easy and intuitive
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Integrates seamlessly with other Apple devices
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Notifications can be customized through the Find My app
Apple fans will love the AirTag. It pairs instantly with iOS — just remove the security tag, and it connects to your iPhone. No extra app required, as it integrates with the “Find My” app on all Apple devices. Plus, there’s no paid subscription needed. We appreciated the easily customizable notifications in the “Find My” app. You can also trigger a sound to help locate your bag.
The AirTag allowed us to track our luggage accurately and easily, especially through the airport. Occasionally, we received alerts that our luggage was left behind during takeoff, but it always arrived with us. The tracker is also durable and waterproof up to 1 meter for 30 minutes. It’s even one of our favorite dog GPS trackers, thanks to its lightweight design and accuracy.
Battery: Replaceable coin cell, over 1-year battery life | Subscription: None | Compatibility: iOS | Location Tech: Bluetooth 5.0 | Size: 1.26 x 0.31 inches
The Tile Pro works with both iOS and Android, making it ideal for families with mixed devices. This tracker requires an additional app which has a bit of a learning curve. We liked the 24-hour tracking history and the ability to ping our bag with a loud alarm to help locate it. The Tile Pro also offers premium features with a subscription.
Occasionally, due to connection lags on our journey, our tracker location would be off but it always updated accurately once we had better cell service or Wi-Fi. Its slim design with a built-in keychain hole fits easily into bags, pockets, and wallets. The Tile Pro also comes in several colors for a personal, stylish touch.
Battery: Replaceable battery, up to 1-year battery life | Subscription: Yes — free and premium versions | Compatibility: iOS, Android | Location Tech: Bluetooth | Size: 2.3 x 1.3 x 0.3 inches
For the frequent flyer, this Knog Scout Smart iOS Tag will withstand the wear and tear of constant travel. It’s our most durable pick thanks to the heavy duty stainless steel cable that securely attaches to any bag. “I’ve been using it for around six months and have had no issues so far,” says PEOPLE shopping writer Cai Cramer.
Setup was quick and effortless since this tracker connects immediately to the “Find My” app on any Apple device. We love the QR code on the back, which, when scanned, reveals the owner’s contact details, allowing anyone who finds the bag to easily reach out and return it. You can also set alerts to notify you should you get separated from your bag.
Battery: Rechargeable USB-C Battery | Subscription: None | Compatibility: iOS | Location Tech: Bluetooth | Size: 3.46 x 1.30 x 0.28 inches
Other Luggage Trackers We Tried
- Dynotag Brushed Stainless Steel Smart Tag: Although not technically a tracker, this ID tag features a scannable QR code that displays your contact info for anyone who finds your lost bag. No app is required to use this tag, and you are notified whenever your QR code is scanned. It has a durable and sleek design that works well for an amplified ID tag, but it does not include any tracking technology to help you locate your luggage.
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- Tile Mate Bluetooth Tracker: We like this minimalist tracker’s convenient features through its app, including ringtones, location history, alerts, Siri shortcuts (e.g., “Hey Siri, find my luggage”), Find Your Phone, and unlimited sharing with other users. It is compatible with both iOS and Android. However, we experienced connectivity issues at airports and the $99 subscription fee after the first free year may be a drawback for some.
What to Know About Luggage Trackers
Type of Travel
Kara Harms, CEO of lifestyle blog Whimsy Soul, recommends every traveler consider “what type of travel they most often engage with” when choosing the right luggage tracker. Certain luggage trackers rely on pinging off other Bluetooth devices to work, which can provide accurate tracking in heavily populated areas like cities.
If you’re often traveling internationally, Katherine Parker-Magyar, travel writer and member of the Society of American Travel Writers, recommends checking out GPS trackers as “they can give you real-time updates, regardless of Wi-Fi or Bluetooth connection.”
Phone Compatibility
“Make sure that your luggage tracker is designed especially for your phone — some work better for iPhone, others for Android,” advises Parker-Magyar. She recommends the Tile Pro, which is compatible with both iOS and Android.
Functionality and Features
The best luggage tracker is one that you enjoy using, and you’ll use over and over again. An easy, seamless setup is one way to ensure adding a luggage tracker to your travel experience eases anxiety and doesn’t promote it. Certain trackers like Apple AirTag and Eufy SmartTrack Link pair and begin tracking instantly. Others require an additional app to download, but some of these apps offer special features like pinging your luggage to trigger an alarm so you can locate it by sound, navigation to help find your tracker, and more. “Some trackers have a geofence feature which can be handy if travelers are frequently leaving their bags behind places and they want to make sure their luggage stays where they left it,” according to Harms.
Price
Something to consider is how many bags or devices you want to track. If you’re hoping to track luggage for a family of four, you’ll want a more affordable tracker. The luggage trackers we tested ranged in price from $20 to $70. Paying more for a luggage tracker doesn’t necessarily equate to better performance as our most affordable tracker, the Eufy SmartTrack Link, is also our best overall pick.
Behind the Scenes
We researched the most popular luggage trackers for iPhone and Android users as well as GPS trackers. We selected the top contenders and sent them off to be put to the test in the real world.
- Performance: Our testers used our selections to track their bags on domestic and international flights for both checked and carry-on luggage. They observed each tracker’s performance during their trip for accuracy.
- Features: They also considered any additional or smart features.
After compiling our observations, we reviewed the data and rated each tracker on a scale of one to five for each of the following attributes: ease of setup, accuracy, functionality, and design. Our top picks featured in this article are the luggage trackers that scored the highest averages.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Where is the best place to put a luggage tracker?
“I like to put the tracker on the inside of my hard-sided luggage. Don’t put it on the exterior, as it’s more likely to fall off on a trip (I speak from experience).” shared Parker-Magyar. Harms seconds this advice adding, “I’ve seen folks at airports put trackers on their luggage tag, which can easily be ripped off by a person or accidentally fall off during the shuffle of travel.“
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What is the range of AirTags?
Apple has not disclosed the exact Bluetooth range of its AirTag trackers, but it states that a third-party Bluetooth device can connect to an iPhone within 33 feet. The Find My app on iPhones offers location tracking by bouncing Bluetooth signals off other Apple devices in the area which greatly expands the possible range of an AirTag. As long as there are Apple devices in the general vicinity of your AirTag, you should be able to track its location.
Why Trust PEOPLE?
L.A. Hubilla is a freelance writer for PEOPLE, an anxious traveler, and forever a checked-bag person. She swears by her Apple AirTag. She’s tested products for various digital platforms, including PEOPLE, InStyle, Byrdie, and Travel + Leisure. For this article, she surveyed the data collected from the People Tested team and paired it with expert insight from travel writers to select the best-performing luggage tags.
Our Expert Panel
- Kara Harms is the founder and CEO of Whimsy Soul, a San Francisco-based lifestyle blog.
- Katherine Parker-Magyar is a New York-based travel writer who has visited seven continents, 78 countries, and all 50 states in pursuit of a good story.
What Is People Tested?
We created the PEOPLE Tested seal of approval to help you find the very best products for your life. We use our unique methodology to test products in three labs across the country and with our network of home testers to determine their effectiveness, durability, ease of use, and so much more. Based on the results, we rate and recommend products so you can find the right one for your needs.
But we don’t stop there: We also regularly re-review the categories in which we’ve awarded the PEOPLE Tested seal of approval — because the best product of today might not be the best of tomorrow. And by the way, companies can never buy our recommendation: Their products must earn it, fair and square.
In short, PEOPLE Tested provides recommendations you can trust — every day, every purchase.
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