Best Luggage Tracker Reviews: Recover Lost or Stolen Bags

Luggage Trackers Review: How to Find Lost or Stolen Bags

Airports have had their share of chaos, and few things spike your stress faster than a bag that doesn’t show up. Smart luggage trackers are a simple, low-cost way to keep tabs on your belongings and shave hours off the search if things go sideways. Below, you’ll find a practical look at how popular trackers work, what happened when we tested them, and what to expect in the real world.

What exactly is a luggage tracker?

A luggage tracker is a small device that sits inside your suitcase and connects to your phone via Bluetooth. When it’s near you, your phone sees it directly. When it’s far away, the tracker can use other nearby phones to anonymously relay its location back to you over the internet.

Two well-known options are the Apple AirTag and the Tile Mate. Apple AirTag works with iPhone, while Tile Mate works with both iPhone and Android. Both are small, light, and easy to slip into a pocket or pouch.

How Bluetooth-based trackers find your bag

Bluetooth has a practical range of around 33 feet (10 meters) in real-world conditions—enough to help you pinpoint a bag that’s nearby. But once your suitcase disappears down the conveyor belt, you’re relying on the tracker’s crowdsourced network:

• AirTag pings any nearby iPhone and uses that phone’s internet connection to update the bag’s location for you.
• Tile does the same through other Tile users’ phones running the Tile app.

Connections are encrypted, and while there have been widely reported concerns about misuse to track people, using these devices to keep tabs on luggage has largely produced positive results.

Our hands-on test (unscientific, but revealing)

With no checked-bag flight handy, we ran a city test. We disabled Bluetooth and cellular on the phone (to simulate being far away) and carried both an AirTag and a Tile Mate to a busy spot to see how quickly they’d surface on the map thanks to passersby.

To maximize the chance of “crowd detection,” we went to the busiest intersection in Canada—Toronto’s Yonge and Dundas. Then we waited.

What happened

• AirTag: Location appeared almost immediately. Setup on iPhone was simple and fast, with no extra app required.
• Tile Mate: Required installing the Tile app and registering (allow about 10 minutes). It didn’t update right away; the first location it reported was a few blocks away—almost certainly when a Tile user passed it during the walk. After about 15 minutes, it refreshed to our true location near the intersection.

Conclusion from the city test: Both systems work, but AirTag benefits from a massive iPhone network and tends to update faster. Tile is a solid option—especially for Android users—but expect occasional delays depending on how many Tile users are around.

Real-world airport test: Istanbul to Toronto

We later put both trackers in a suitcase for a flight from Istanbul to Toronto to see how they perform during an actual journey.

On the way to the airport, AirTag showed movement regularly (likely via nearby iPhones). Tile last updated at the hotel and then went quiet until much later—again a reflection of network density.

After landing in Toronto, the baggage carousel wasn’t moving yet, so we checked the trackers. AirTag reported the bag was already in the terminal. Moments later, Tile echoed the same. That raised a suspicion: could the bag have been scooped off the belt and left in a random pile elsewhere in the hall?

Turning on Bluetooth, we used AirTag’s precise finding to home in on the suitcase. It led us to a heap of orphaned luggage on the far side of the carousel. The suitcase was buried—just a foot and a half away, but out of sight. Without the trackers, we would have waited longer at the belt, then spent ages searching through hundreds of bags.

As an Android user, I took the Tile Mate on a recent trip to Ireland. It behaved just as described—no instant updates, but it reliably confirmed my bag was nearby even before I saw it. It also let me anonymously thank the phone that helped locate it. I’ll use it on every trip from now on.

AirTag vs. Tile Mate: Setup, speed, and everyday use

• Compatibility: AirTag is iPhone-only; Tile works with both iPhone and Android.
• Network coverage: AirTag benefits from the vast iPhone network. Tile depends on nearby Tile users with the app running.
• Setup: AirTag pairs in seconds within the iPhone ecosystem. Tile requires a quick app install and account setup.
• Finding nearby: Both can play a sound when you’re in Bluetooth range to help you pinpoint your bag.

Size and battery

• Size: AirTag is slightly larger than a quarter; Tile Mate is a bit bigger but includes a built-in keyring hole.
• Battery: AirTag uses a replaceable coin-cell battery. Tile Mate’s battery is sealed and rated for up to two years. If you want replaceable batteries on Tile, consider the pricier Tile Pro.

Costs and extras

Pricing is comparable. AirTag doesn’t push add-on services. Tile offers optional paid features, but for tracking a suitcase, most travelers won’t need them.

Alternatives and what to consider

Plenty of Bluetooth trackers exist beyond these two, but many only work when you’re within direct Bluetooth range, which isn’t helpful once your bag is out in the world. Trackers that rely on crowd networks are only as good as the number of users around them. That’s why AirTag tends to update more frequently in most regions and why Tile’s refresh can take longer in some places.

Pros and cons at a glance

• AirTag pros: Excellent global coverage via iPhones; seamless iOS setup; precise nearby finding.
• AirTag cons: iPhone-only; accessories may be needed to attach it.
• Tile Mate pros: Works with Android and iPhone; built-in keyring hole; dependable when Tile users are nearby.
• Tile Mate cons: Crowdsourced coverage can be slower; sealed battery on the base model.

Which should you buy?

If you have an iPhone, the Apple AirTag is the obvious choice for speed and simplicity. If you use Android, the Tile Mate is a practical, affordable pick that still gets the job done. For a replaceable battery and slightly better Bluetooth range, you can look at Tile Pro, though it costs more.

Bottom line

A luggage tracker won’t stop a bag from going astray, but it can save you a lot of time and guesswork. In our experience, these devices can be the difference between wandering a terminal in frustration and walking directly to your suitcase. Whenever possible, travel with carry-on only. If you must check a bag, slip in a tracker and travel with far more confidence.

Bonus: Setup checklist before you fly

• Pair your tracker and name it (e.g., “Checked bag”).
• Update your phone and tracker apps.
• Test an audible ring at home to confirm Bluetooth range works.
• Place the tracker deep inside the bag, not in an exterior pocket.

Where to buy

• Apple AirTag
• Tile Mate