The travel brand catapulted a suitcase 130,000 feet through the atmosphere to demonstrate its strength, and they captured the whole thing on video.
Traveling soon? 5 smart tech steps to take before you hit the road
Travel now means your tickets, maps, hotel, rental car and more are all stored on your phone. But what happens if that goes missing? Here’s how to find your phone when it’s lost — even if the battery is dead.
The other big phone emergency? Your battery is dying and you have to leave for the airport. Whoops. Tap or click for smart ways to get more life out of your battery.
Travel can be stressful, but these hacks can make a huge difference.
1. Keep a (digital) eye on your stuff
Digital trackers help monitor your valuables and find them if you lose anything. I put an Apple AirTag on my dog’s collar, key chains, bike and cars. Here are 10 clever ways you can use an AirTag.
AirTags use signals from other iPhones to determine where they are located. Using the Find My app, you can see the location of every AirTag associated with your account. It’s a good idea to throw one in your checked baggage. This lets you see whether your bag makes it to your destination.
But the AirTag will be worthless when your luggage goes through the airport’s inner conveyor belt system. There typically aren’t enough iPhones nearby for the AirTag to work. But once your luggage is out of there, you’ll know exactly where it’s located.
Want to grab a few now while you’re thinking about it?
- Apple’s AirTags are ideal if you have an iPhone, Mac or iPad.
- The Tile 2-pack is Android compatible and has a tracker for your luggage and one to slide into your wallet.
2. Track flights the easy way
Here’s a handy iPhone trick if a family member or friend picks you up from the airport. Send a text with your airline and flight number, such as “Southwest Airlines 1175.”
The person can tap on the message to open a flight tracker. They can see the flight’s progress and estimated arrival time without searching for the flight online or on a tracking site. Easy!
We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.
Smart step to take before you travel
We love novel solutions to seemingly unsolvable problems. One of the most incredible pieces of tech in this regard has got to be Apple AirTags. Tap or click here for clever ways to use AirTags.
What about incorporating AirTags when you travel? They might save you from having to deal with lost luggage ever again.
Samsonite's lightest suitcase completes a groundbreaking journey to the edge of space
Traveling soon? Track your luggage with your airline’s app. Open the app’s Menu > Track my bags. The naming will vary depending on the airline. Enter your reservation or tag number, and you’ll get updates along its journey. If you’re an Apple fan and have an AirTag, toss that in, too. On an Android? Try Chipolo.
We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.
How AI can save you time
From gardening to packing your luggage, AI tools can take care of the boring stuff, so you don’t have to.
How did he think this would work? A woman got a disturbing text after a guy saw her phone number on her luggage tag. “I saw you and thought you were so beautiful, so I had to find a way to talk to you.” Even worse, he might know where she lives since her address was also on the tag. Tip: Use luggage tags with covers.
We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.
1 million
Frequent-flier points awarded to those who complete Scandinavian Airlines’ new promotion. The goal is to fly at least 15 SkyTeam airlines by Dec. 31. People are taking off work and pulling their kids out of school to do it. A common strat: Booking cheap short-haul flights (paywall link). Speaking of … A man lost his luggage while flying, so he took the airline to court. Apparently, he lost his case.
6 things you shouldn't buy this month — and what to purchase to save big
The heart wants what the heart wants, but the truth is that it’s not always a good idea to rush out when you need something. Didn’t get what you wanted for Christmas? Tap or click here for six things you can get for a reasonable price.
When your luggage is MIA at the airport carousel: Apple now lets you share your AirTags’ location with your airline (or anyone else). Open the Find My app, tap on your lost item, then tap Share Item Location > Continue > Share Link. If your bag is found, stop sharing its location anytime; otherwise, the link will expire in seven days.
130,000 feet
How far a Samsonite suitcase fell without taking any damage. The travel brand catapulted the suitcase through the atmosphere to demonstrate its strength, and they captured the whole thing on video.
We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.
Give yourself extra time before your next flight: After attacks on Hezbollah, aviation authorities in Lebanon banned travelers from boarding planes or checking luggage with pagers and walkie-talkies. Expect the TSA to increase their screening for explosives (paywall link).
That’s a wrap: Ever wonder about wrapping your luggage in plastic before a flight? The TSA says it’s not worth the $30. If they want to see inside your bag, they’ll cut through the plastic and won’t rewrap it. Get a TSA-approved luggage lock instead.
We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.
Spies want in on your router
Is yours at risk? Hackers’ new side hustle is charging Chinese and Russian spies and scammers for access to old home routers so they can launch denial-of-service (DoS) attacks. Plus, Google blocks romance writer, worst airlines for luggage, and Microsoft gets hacked.