• If you usually rely on the flimsy cardboard luggage tag the airline provides, it’s time to get a tougher tag that also makes it easier to spot your bag in the endless sea of bags at the airport.
  • The Tile x Away luggage tag is our top pick because it not only looks smart, but it can also tell you where your bag is, thanks to Bluetooth connectivity.

There are plenty of things to worry about while traveling: Figuring out how to squeeze everything you’ll need for a 6-day trip into a carry-on bag to save on bag-checking fees, making sure you’re wearing clean underwear in case airport security picks you for the dreaded additional screening, calculating how much your airplane mates will hate you for overeating at the Taco Bell inside the terminal 45 minutes before the flight, and so on.

While we really can’t help you with your bean burrito addiction or your additional screening phobia, we can help you if you’re unable to jam everything in a carry-on bag. When you must check some luggage at the airport, having a high-quality luggage tag can ease worries about not being able to find your bag after landing.

Not all luggage tags are created equal. Sure, the free cardboard luggage tag the airline will provide for you is convenient, but it’s far from a high-quality luggage tag. As Turnipseed Travel says, a good luggage tag will be made from a tear-resistant material. These are some of the most popular materials:

  • Leather: A leather luggage tag will be durable and tough with a thick strap and a buckle. A lot of people like the stylish look of a leather tag. It should also attach securely to your bag.
  • Paper/Cardboard: A paper luggage tag will not stand up to rough treatment or harsh weather. Nomad Lane says such tags easily can tear loose from the bag. If you’re going to use a paper or cardboard label, you may want to place it in a plastic sleeve to protect it from the elements.
  • Metal: Aluminum or stainless steel luggage tags are extremely durable. You can also get them engraved with your address, so they last as long as you continue to live in the same place. Steel straps can be used on any kind of tag as well, providing toughness and ensuring the tag will remain affixed.
  • Plastic/Silicone: Most plastic tags are easy to remove, which is good if you need to swap the luggage tag from bag to bag. These tags carry a low price point, which is nice. However, these luggage tags may break loose if subjected to rough treatment. Plastic and silicone tags sometimes come in bright colors or in the shapes of popular characters, which makes them stand out on the baggage carousel.

Finding just the right luggage tag to fit your traveling needs requires a little bit of forethought. The luggage tag should be easily seen and identifiable on the luggage carousel, so you may want to choose a fun design that will stand out.

It's often good to have a protective cover over your name, address, and contact information so that it stays safe from prying eyes and the elements. Some tags have see-through windows for easy visibility, while others have flap-like covers. Other tags even have smart features like tracking with Bluetooth connectivity and a smartphone app.

In our guide, we've included a variety of luggage tags to appeal to a variety of styles and needs. We have two leather tags (one of which is smart), a silicone option, a metal tag, and a sturdy plastic one.

Here are the best luggage tags to buy:

Updated 10/24/19 by Jada Wong: Updated prices, formatting, and links.

The best luggage tag overall

The Tile x Away luggage tag pairs with an app so you'll always know the location of your checked bag.

If you want to bring your luggage tags into the 21st century, the Tile x Away luggage tag will allow you to pinpoint the location of your luggage using Bluetooth technology and a smartphone app.

The Tile x Away tag is made from genuine leather, and it has one slot for the Tile Slim tracker and your name, address, and contact info. It attaches to your luggage with a simple buckle, and once it's on there, you can track your bag's location in the companion app.

If you're nearby, the Tile will beep to let you know where it is, and if you're far away, you can check its last known location on the map.

Even though the Tile doesn't have GPS built in, it's still very helpful if you and your bag are in the same room. You will be able to find your suitcase much more easily, provided you're close enough.

The only downside is that it's a Bluetooth tracker, so you have to be in range to be able to locate your suitcase. In other words, if your bag isn't at the correct airport, you won't be able to find it.

However, the Tile app will let you know as soon as it falls out of range with your bag, so you can see where it was right before you lost the connection. That may help you figure out where your bag went.

The tag can be attached to any bag, and you can also slide the Tile out of the tag and use it to track anything else you often misplace when you're not traveling. The Tile's battery should last for about a year before you need to replace your Tile with a new one. Business Insider tried it out and thought it was very helpful.

Pros: Smart device allows you to track your luggage's location when it's in range, nice leather tag, works for tracking items like keys and cats too, small tracker size, uses Bluetooth and an app

Cons: Not always as accurate as it should be, no rechargeable battery option

The best leather luggage tag set

Foto: sourceTravel Smart

The Travel Smart by Conair Leather Luggage Tag Set looks great, is durable, and protects the ID label with a see-through window for an affordable price.

The Travel Smart by Conair Leather Luggage Tags are versatile enough to work for all kinds of trips and will look great on all different types of luggage. Each tag measures 4.75 by 2.625 inches and you get two in a set. The tags will accommodate a business card sized ID label, which is protected by plastic.

These leather tags include a strap and buckle to attach the tag securely to your luggage. You get two tags in a set, which is perfect for people who travel with multiple pieces of luggage. In its review, the Travel Gear Zone liked the simplicity and the durability these tags provide.

The leather tags also look stylish on any bag. One Amazon buyer echoes the thoughts of many, saying these tags look great. The same buyer swapped out the leather connector straps for metal ones for additional durability, but otherwise, loved the tags.

In addition to providing a sharp look, the see-through plastic window inside the Travel Smart luggage tag will protect the ID card from becoming damaged by water or any other elements.

The only downside to these tags seems to be the buckle strap. A few Amazon reviewers say the buckle on the luggage tag was not able to hold the tag in place as it went through the baggage handling process. You may want to swap it out for a metal strap connector just in case.

Pros: Durable luggage tag, see-through window protects the ID label, looks good with an all-leather design, easy to attach with leather strap and buckle, perfect size

Cons: Buckle and strap are easy for anyone to remove, buckle may pop loose under stress

The best stainless steel luggage tag

Foto: sourceTalonport

The Talonport Privacy Stainless Steel Luggage Tag gives your luggage a unique look, while also providing the toughness and durability you need when traveling.

If you want toughness above all else from your luggage tag, the Talonport Privacy Stainless Steel Luggage Tag delivers. The stainless steel luggage tag is more durable and outperforms tags made from aluminum, leather, plastic, or silicone.

Because so few people use steel luggage tags, it'll be easy to spot your luggage immediately. Additionally, Talonport's red stripe is distinctive when you're looking for your bag on the baggage carousel. In its review, Tools of Men liked how easy it was to spot this tag from a distance.

One Amazon buyer is impressed with the simple look of this tag, because it's easy to spot without being cartoonish, overly colorful, or unprofessional looking.

You'll have the option of using a leather strap or a metal cable with the Talonport steel luggage tag, so you can decide which one is better for your needs. Most reviewers really like having the option, but some buyers were disappointed in the thickness of the metal tag and disliked the straps.

Pros: Stainless steel luggage tag outperforms aluminum tags, distinctive red stripe on the tag makes luggage easy to spot, includes both a metal and leather connecting strap, professional look

Cons: Higher than average price tag versus other luggage tags, not as thick as you might expect

The best fun luggage tag

Foto: sourceFinex

When you want to add some fun to a child's travel bag - or maybe to your own luggage - the Finex Character Luggage ID Tags are just the ticket.

If you really want your luggage tag to stand out from the crowd, the Finex Character Luggage ID Tags work well. You can choose from several different fun characters from pop culture, including Star Wars, Superman, Winnie the Pooh, Hello Kitty, and many more.

Each tag measures roughly 4.4 by 2.5 inches and consists of silicone. You'll receive four tags per order, which makes this a great value - especially for families with multiple children.

Sure, these tags look more like something that would appeal to children, but you can thrill your inner child with these fun luggage tags if you want. And having these tags on your luggage makes it easier to spot the bags on the carousel at the airport.

One Amazon buyer was impressed with the quality of the images on the silicone luggage tags. Most reviewers agree that the designs are great and really resemble the intended characters.

However, some Amazon reviewers found the tags damaged after a trip, and another reviewer says it's difficult to keep the ID card inside the holder at the back of the luggage tag because the slot is too large and loose.

Pros: Dozens of different characters to pick from, fun looking luggage tags that are large enough to spot from a distance, great tags to use for children on a trip, fun means of personalizing your luggage, excellent value

Cons: Silicone material won't stand up to rough treatment, ID card holder isn't tight enough

The best clearly visible luggage tag

Foto: sourceShacke

If the bright green color wasn't a clear indication, the large initial on the Shacke Initial Luggage Tag will help you find your bag easily.

If your entire goal with luggage tags is to keep it simple, the Shacke Initial Luggage Tag couldn't feature a more basic design while still giving you exactly the ability to identify your luggage from a distance that you want, all at a great price.

Each tag features a bright green color with a single capital letter in white printed on it. The bright green color of these tags makes it very easy to identify your luggage in the mass of bags on the airport baggage carousel, according to one Amazon reviewer.

Plus, the single capital letter will mark this as your luggage - just in case someone else has the same style of tag. You can order these tags with any of the 26 characters of the alphabet. Each tag is a good size at 4 by 2.5 inches.

This Shacke tag has a metal rivet in the tag that connects to a woven metal strap, providing impressive durability and performance over a plastic strap, says one Amazon buyer.

The Land of the Traveler likes the flexibility of these tags, which reduces the chances of them tearing if they become snagged on something during the baggage handling process.

However, a few Amazon reviewers say the luggage tag does not stay in place well during the airport baggage handling process, so you may want to replace the strap.

Pros: Simple design allows you to spot your luggage from a distance, single capital letter printed clearly on the tag personalizes the luggage, metal rivet and metal strap provide good durability

Cons: Tag doesn't stand up to rough handling well, no privacy cover on the ID window on the back of the tag

Check out our other great travel guides

Foto: sourcePixieMe/Shutterstock

The best checked luggage you can buy

Traveling doesn't have to be a hassle. Having a great suitcase can be the difference between an amazing trip and a bad one. After much research, we found that the Travelpro Maxlite 4 Expandable Rollaboard is the best piece of checked luggage you can buy for long trips.

Here are our picks for the best checked luggage you can buy:

The best carry-on bags you can buy

Sometimes you just don't want to check your luggage, so you need a reliable carry-on bag that you can bring onboard the plane. Of all the carry-on bags we've researched, the Briggs & Riley Baseline Commuter Expandable Upright is the best of the bunch with its sturdy wheels, smart compression technology, and lifetime warranty.

Here are our top picks for the best carry-on bags:

The best travel backpacks you can buy

Backpacks are perfect for when you don't need a full suitcase, but you want more than a regular daypack or messenger bag. Based on our research and real-world testing, the best overall travel backpack is the eBags TLS Mother Lode Weekender Convertible.

Here the best travel backpacks you can buy:

The best travel pillows you can buy

Trying to fall asleep on a plane is incredibly difficult, but having the right travel pillow can help you get some shut-eye during your epic flight across oceans and continents. The Trtl pillow is our top pick - even though it's not a pillow per se - because it is comfortable, very portable, and affordable.

Here are the best travel pillows you can buy: