More luggages have been lost in this past year than any year since 1990. 30 million bags failed to arrive on time, about 10,000 bags per day. Among the reasons: airline budget cuts, greater airport congestion, tight connections times, increased transfers among airlines and stricter security. In defense of the airlines most bags are only delayed and on average are returned to their owners in 1.3 days after them being reported missing. But even 1.3 days without your luggage is enough to cause enormous stress.

Here are some steps to help keep this from happening:

1. Use a sturdy ID tag with a durable strap on each bag. The best tags have a cover hiding your name to protect your privacy; use your business information if possible. Use your mobile phone number and/or email address so you can be contacted immediately.

2. Include your identification information inside the bag. This is especially important if the outside tag is lost en-route. Place a travel itinerary in an outside pocket or inside on the top so airlines can track you in transit if your bag is delayed or misrouted.

3. Mark your luggage in distinctive ways to distinguish your black bag in a sea of black bags. Tie bright ribbons onto the handles, apply stickers or your initials in large, colored stick-on letters on all sides, paint a design or a large X on the top and bottom – then take a digital photo of the bags. Should a bag be misplaced, show the photo to the baggage agent to illustrate the brand, shape, color and distinctive markings so your bag will be easier to identify and recover.

4. Remove any old baggage claim tags from your luggage as they cause confusion.

5. Check your bags as early as possible. Airlines suggest at least 2 hours for international travel but at daily high-traffic times and with seasonal crowding you should add one hour to this time. Last-minute checked bags simply may not make it through security screening and onto your plane.

6. Make sure that your bags have been ticketed to the correct destination and on the correct flight numbers before you leave the luggage check-in area or ticket counter.

7. Always carry medicines and anything that is valuable or not easily replaceable (including your keys) on your person or in a small "never check" carry-on bag. If it would break your heart to lose it, either keep it with you or leave it at home.

8. Travel in clothing you can wear for a day or two in case your bags are delayed, including appropriate shoes. Tuck a change of underwear into your carry-on bag plus a clean shirt so you have an item to wear and one to wash. Pack a swimsuit and/or shorts in your carry-on if headed to a sunny locale.

9. Complete lost-luggage reports at the airport and don't leave without a claim number and contact information so you can check the status of missing bags if one is missing in action. Keep baggage claim tags, tickets and receipts for your purchases, so the airline will be able to research your claim and reimburse you more quickly.

10. Create a packing list that includes every item in each packed bag and leave a copy at home to retain an accurate record. Most travelers undervalue the contents of a lost bag because they can’t remember everything that was inside. Take a second copy of the packing list with you to check each time you unpack and repack to prevent forgetting items in the rush of departure.

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