Lost luggage can quickly flip a dream vacation on its head. Travelers everywhere face this growing hassle, and it’s not simply a rare mishap anymore. Airadvisor—a pro when it comes to air passenger rights—recently dug into which airports are most likely to see your suitcase vanish, and which ones give you a tad more peace of mind.
The Riskiest Airports for Lost Luggage
A study spread its net over 53 airports around the globe, mixing facts like passenger numbers and the length of your stroll from plane to baggage claim, even counting Google searches for “lost luggage” and reviews from sites such as Yelp and Google. In most cases, the pattern is clear: larger, busier, and admittedly chaotic airports tend to fidget with your luggage. London Heathrow, for example, is infamous for frequent bag mishaps, followed closely by Paris Charles de Gaulle and the giant Dubai International. Rounding out the top five are Istanbul Airport and Germany’s Frankfurt am Main. So if you’re hitting these hubs in Europe or the Middle East, keep an extra watchful eye on your bag.
The Safest Airports for Your Suitcase
If you’d rather steer clear of the trouble, the same report also flagged the 10 safest airports for your belongings. Darwin International in Australia surprisingly leads the pack, with Cardiff Airport from Wales, Mexico’s Tijuana, and Belfast in Northern Ireland trailing close by. Interestingly, Nice Côte d’Azur Airport—a hotspot for holidaymakers—snags the seventh spot, reminding us that even a busy terminal can excel in safeguarding luggage.
Tips to Protect Your Luggage
While an airport’s setup matters a lot, what you do can make a big difference too. Try choosing suitcases in bright, eye-catching colors or with your own personal markings—this keeps them visible and might even discourage a potential thief. Adding a luggage e-tracker helps you keep tabs on your bag in real time. Heading straight to baggage claim right after landing minimizes the time your bag goes unsupervised. And it goes without saying, though it’s worth stressing: always keep your valuables, important documents, and electronics in your carry-on rather than packing them away with your checked luggage.
Whether you’re off to a notoriously hectic spot like Heathrow or a steadier option like Darwin, a little extra care can really help ensure your bag sticks with you on your travels.
The 10 Airports with the Highest Risk of Lost Luggage:
- London Heathrow Airport.
- Charles de Gaulle International Airport.
- Dubai International Airport.
- Istanbul Airport.
- Frankfurt am Main International Airport.
- Amsterdam Airport Schiphol.
- Singapore Changi Airport.
- Barcelona-El Prat Airport.
- Sabiha Gokcen International Airport.
- Sydney Kingsford Smith International Airport.
The 10 Airports with the Lowest Risk of Lost Luggage:
- Darwin International Airport.
- Cardiff Airport.
- Tijuana International Airport.
- Belfast Airport.
- Adelaide International Airport.
- Perth International Airport.
- Nice-Côte d’Azur Airport.
- Guadalajara International Airport.
- Glasgow International Airport.
- Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport.