Where Does All The Lost Luggage In Airports Actually Go?

At one time or another, you've likely seen an unclaimed suitcase spinning around aimlessly on the baggage carousel, waiting in vain for its owner. It may have been put on the wrong flight at Miami International Airport, rated the worst airport in the country for lost luggage. Or, it could be two weeks' worth of laundry that the owner doesn't want to wash. In any case, the airline will attempt to contact the owner and hold onto the bag for up to 90 days. It may even use third parties to help the bag get home. After all attempts to reunite the bag with its owner have failed, there's a good chance that the orphaned suitcase will be sent off to a new, temporary home in Scottsboro, Alabama, at the Unclaimed Baggage store — the only lost luggage store in the United States.

Unclaimed Baggage started as a small family-run business and grew into one of Alabama's most popular tourist destinations, visited by over 1 million bargain hunters annually. Due to improvements in technology and TSA allowing AirTags if you follow their rules, fewer than 0.03% of bags are truly lost each year. Despite the small percentage, Unclaimed Baggage releases approximately 7,000 new items every day. These include the most commonly lost items at the airport, as well as rare treasures like diamond jewelry and even creepy shrunken heads. Items that can be resold are salvaged, cleaned, and put up for sale in the store, which looks like a cross between Ross and an eclectic thrift store.

Unclaimed Baggage is less than one hour from Huntsville, Alabama by car, where the nearest commercial airport is located. The store is nearly unmissable off of Willow Road. On the outside, the store looks very unassuming — however, once you pass through the front doors, 50,000 square feet of well-organized lost treasures await. The brightly-lit store is divided into different departments, including electronics, clothing, luxury items, jewelry, footwear, sporting goods, and of course, luggage. All items are assessed, cleaned, and sold at steep discounts or donated to charity. Over 20,000 articles of clothing are dry cleaned daily and all electronics are tested and wiped of personal data before they are sold. That means you likely won't stumble on a digital camera loaded with someone's vacation photos. 

After you're done shopping, you'll find a cafe to re-energize before taking a second look. The store also has its own museum showcasing the most bizarre items ever found in unclaimed suitcases. However, you don't have to fly all the way to Alabama to peruse lost luggage. Since 2020, Unclaimed Baggage has gone online, offering many of the same deals in-store as well as one-of-a-kind mystery boxes.

If you ever lose your suitcase at the airport, be sure to visit your airline's desk at Baggage Claim to fill out a report. It helps to have an itemized list of your bag's contents in case you do have to get reimbursed, as well as your name and contact information inside and outside of the bag. Should your bag get lost, the U.S. Department of Transportation requires airlines to compensate travelers for incidental expenses due to delayed or lost luggage. Just be sure to never pack these items inside your checked luggage — otherwise, the airline may be off the hook.