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No matter how carefully you plan, lost luggage is a boring reality that can happen to any traveler. When airline Merfe your checkered bag, the chances are that you arrive at your hotel without a new change of clothes or a toothbrush. And, if you had important or irreplaceable elements inside, it might be enough to derail your entire journey.

But, there is an important task before the flight which can potentially save you nightmares from losing your luggage, according to experts. In addition, this single step can even save you thousands of dollars.

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Take a photo of what's in your luggage before checking it

The packaging process is generally the least photogenic part of any trip. But, if you plan to put your suitcases at the airport, the experts say that you should get some photos of your bags and their content in case they get lost .

Daniel Durazo , Director of external communications at Allianz Partners USA, told Travel News the Points Guy that taking pictures of what is inside your luggage gives you a horrible file that you can show the airline.

In addition, if you have expensive items inside, these photos will be evidence that you can show your travel insurance company, says Durazo. You may be refunded for lost items while you wait for your luggage to rise to the surface.

You could be reimbursed by the airline

According to the Ministry of Transport (DOT), there is also Policy in place To ensure that airlines have to pay for lost luggage.

"Under DOT regulations (for interior travel) and international treaties (for international trips), airlines are required to compensate for passengers if their bags are damaged, delayed or lost," writes the agency on its website.

Transporters are responsible for reimbursing travelers for "reasonable, verifiable and real accessory expenses that they can incur while their bags are delayed".

However, these reimbursements have a maximum liability limit. For national travelers, you can be reimbursed up to $ 4,700 per passenger (or more, if the airline chooses it), while international travelers can see up to $ 1,700 per passenger.

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How to report your missing luggage

As you can expect, it can be paid to roll the ball immediately once you have made that your suitcase does not appear. The dowry suggests applying a lost luggage request from your airline as soon as possible and staying in touch with them while they are doing their best to locate it.

Seasoned travelers have additional advice that can help make the process more fluid. In a job On Reddit, a user suggested knowing the dimensions and the brand of your bags before putting them back to make them easier to find. "Make sure the information is easily available while you are traveling," they suggest. "If your luggage is lost, you will need many details and the initial complaint must generally be filed in a short period of time."

This is where having photos of your luggage can really bear fruit. It will make the process of filing a complaint quick and easy.

"I usually put all my packaging items on the bed and I take a photo of the content before making my suitcases to jog if I have to make a complete list of the content," they suggest. "Then, [I take] photos of the packaged suitcase, inside and outside."

Other precautions that you can take to protect your luggage

Although taking a photo may be the no. 1 way to recover money for your lost items, there are other smart steps that you can take.

For example, many users on Reddit agree that Airtag packaging Or another suitcase tracking device can be one of the most effective solutions.

"There is absolutely no reason to pay $ 700 to fly to Italy and not put a $ 30 gizmo in your suitcase so that you can follow it when it inevitably disappears", a user wrote .

Others suggest using an internal luggage tag with your name and contact details in case your external is damaged or lost during transit.

You can also reconsider the Look at your luggage . Instead of opting for a very common color like black, navy or gray, try to use a More unique color Like blue, pink or yellow, it will stand out on the carousel (and will be less likely to be accidentally picked up by a confused traveler), according to the airline on a small Irish budget Ryanair.

At the very least, consider adding a label or a ribbon in bright colors which can help you to distinguish which bag belongs to you.