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What Kind of Luggage Tracker Is Best?
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The Best Luggage Trackers
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Apple AirTag
- Type: Bluetooth/Find My Apps
- Battery: Replaceable
- Subscription Needed: No
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Chipolo
- Type: Bluetooth/Find My Apps
- Battery: Replaceable
- Subscription Needed: No
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Tile
- Type: Bluetooth/Find My Apps
- Battery: Replaceable
- Subscription Needed: No
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Tracki GPS
- Type: GPS/WiFi
- Battery: Rechargeable
- Subscription Needed: Yes
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GEGO GPS Luggage Tracker
- Type: GPS
- Battery: Rechargeable
- Subscription Needed: Yes
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LandAirSea 54 GPS Tracker
- Type: GPS and cellular
- Battery: Rechargeable
- Subscription Needed: Yes
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RavPower Bluetooth Smart Tracker
- Type: Bluetooth/Find My Apps
- Battery: Replaceable
- Subscription Needed: No
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eufy SmartTrack Link
- Type: Bluetooth/Find My Apps
- Battery: Replaceable
- Subscription Needed: No
It’s every traveler’s nightmare: you have just disembarked from your flight and are waiting at baggage claim. Most people on your flight have grabbed their suitcases and are halfway to their hotel, and you are staring at the carousel, thinking if you stare at it longer, your luggage is sure to come out. But it doesn’t. Your luggage has been lost.
While many airlines have started a luggage tracker on their apps, not all have, and there is always a chance it could get lost.
Luggage tracking devices are becoming more popular to help travelers ensure their luggage can be easily found if lost. (Or, if you are like me, you need it in your regular purse because you never know where you put it).
There are two different types of trackers: ones that use Bluetooth technology and those that use GPS/Cellular technology to track your items.
Bluetooth trackers will trace items that are within range using your phone, or, when they are out of range, will tap into other phones with the Find My app, and send a signal to your phone.
GPS trackers use GPS technology to locate the tracker no matter where it ends up. These trackers typically require a subscription for use.
Which is best for you depends on many factors - the main one being how often you travel. If you travel several times a year, a GPS tracker with a subscription makes the most sense, as it is the most reliable and will find your bag no matter the circumstances.
Perhaps the best feature of the Apple AirTag is that if you are an iPhone user, you can track where your luggage is even if it is miles away, thanks to the “find my device” feature that connects Apple products.
Chipolo has three types of products: the Chipolo One, Chipolo Spot, and the Chipolo Point. All come in either a small, round tracker or as a card, and the main difference is the Chipolo One works with any device using the Chipolo app, the Spot works with the Find My app on Apple products, and the Point works with the Google Find My app.
This popular Bluetooth tracker will help you find any lost bags, even if they are far away- assuming someone with the tile app is near your bags. The Tiles Community Find option notifies you when any phone with the Tile app is near your bags, so you can pinpoint your bags even if it is out of the Bluetooth range.
If you want to ensure you can find your bags anytime, the Tracki GPS is your solution. It uses WiFi and/or GPS and has a 2-5 day battery life; you can track it live on a map, leaving you relaxed, knowing you’ll find your luggage no matter where it ends up.
The GEGO GPS Luggage Tracker will find your bags no matter how far away you are from them. With a subscription, the app on your phone will pinpoint them thanks to GPS. It includes a baggage recovery service, and if they can’t locate your luggage within 96 hours, you’ll be eligible for a reimbursement of up to $1,000 per bag (for up to 2 bags per subscription). Subscriptions are available for as little as $14.99/month and can be canceled anytime.
This waterproof GPS tracker lasts weeks or months on a single charge, depending on how often it gets pinged. It works with cellular and GPS data, so you know you can find it anywhere in the world.
This tracker is strictly for Apple products, using the iPhone Find My app. It will track your items using Bluetooth if it’s nearby, and if it is out of range, it will find it using the Find My network- any products near the tracker with the Find My app will ping it, showing you where it is.
Similar to both the AirTag and RavPower Tracker, the eufy SmartTrack Link is a budget alternative for iPhone users. Integrating with the Find My app, you can easily track your item no matter where it is in the world.