An unfortunate reality of air travel is that occasionally you may not come back home with your luggage. While carry-on bags are straightforward to monitor, your other luggage, including checked bags containing permitted electronics, faces the possibility of getting lost. With a significant amount of luggage going unclaimed each year, certain items are more frequently misplaced than others according to The Found Report by Unclaimed Baggage. The gadgets most commonly found in misplaced luggage for 2025 were cellphones. That year, more than 51,000 phones were discovered in bags that went unclaimed.
Following that, generic accessories like chargers and cables topped the list with over 41,000 unclaimed items, alongside around 40,000 headphones, which were often left in airplane seatback compartments. Finally, nearly 35,000 tablets were reported as found. While misplacing a cable might not appear overly concerning, some of these discoveries are surprising considering how costly and inconvenient replacing that technology would be. Thankfully, according to Unclaimed Baggage, all these lost devices have their data wiped and are restored to factory settings.
### What to Do If Your Luggage Goes Missing
It’s wise to attempt to keep essential tech with you during flights. Nonetheless, there are certain electronics that the TSA prohibits in carry-on bags. If something goes missing, the airline is responsible for locating your bag and compensating you for the items contained within, though this is subject to terms and conditions that differ based on category, travel location, and more. If your airline has an app for tracking luggage, it’s advisable to utilize that feature. Additionally, if your luggage is lost, you can submit a claim with the airline.
However, if your bag isn’t located within two weeks, most airlines will classify it as lost. Each case is different and depends on your flight routes, the contents of your luggage, and the airline involved. The majority of luggage that remains unclaimed in the U.S. is sent to a warehouse in Alabama, where Unclaimed Baggage manages it. At this stage, items from lost luggage are either recycled, donated, or sold through the Unclaimed Baggage website, similar to any online retail establishment.
### Other Intriguing Gadgets Found in Lost Luggage
While phones were the most frequently found devices in lost luggage for 2025, there were also rarer items that don’t necessarily classify as handy travel gadgets suitable for your carry-on. For instance, a bionic knee was uncovered while still undergoing clinical trials. One of the priciest gadgets found was a T530 thermal camera estimated at roughly $12,000. Additionally, a 2023 MacBook Pro was found with enough accessories to reach an estimated value of $7,200.
For enthusiasts of vintage technology, Unclaimed Baggage recovered a barometer from 1941 and a Kellogg candlestick phone dating back to the 1900s. It’s fascinating to observe the kinds of items that get lost or abandoned as individuals travel around the globe. Therefore, the next time you are flying, be sure to hold on firmly to your cellphone and prevent it from appearing on the 2026 Found Report.
