Welcome to the third annual Found Report!

Each year, our team opens thousands of orphaned bags and uncovers a mix of fascinating, valuable, and wonderfully weird finds. Every bag that arrives is like a time capsule — a glimpse into the lives, trends, and stories of travelers from all walks of life. From luxury finds to laugh-out-loud oddities, every suitcase tells a story worth sharing.

So, buckle up (and double-check that luggage tag), because it’s time once again to air out America’s dirty laundry — literally.

On to the report...

In 2025, almost one billion passengers took to the skies across the United States and nearly 10 billion globally. With roughly 27 million travelers flying every day, even the most sophisticated baggage systems can’t catch every connection. While over 99.9% of all checked bags eventually find their way back, a rare few take a detour—one that ends in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains in Scottsboro, Alabama.

How It Works

  1. Airlines conduct up to a 90-day tracing process to reconnect a bag with its owner.

  2. Travelers are fully reimbursed before any items leave airline custody.

  3. Unclaimed Baggage purchases the remaining bags sight-unseen.

  4. Every bag is opened and sorted by hand once it arrives in Scottsboro.

  5. Items are resold, recycled, or donated based on condition and category, ensuring the most sustainable outcome for each piece.

Sustainable Before It Was Cool

Since 1970, Unclaimed Baggage has given orphaned items a second life as the nation’s only retailer of lost luggage and trusted salvage partner to the world’s leading airlines. What began as a small, scrappy idea has grown into an important sustainability arm to rehome millions of items each year.

  • In 2025, we diverted 1,330 tons from landfills—enough to fill the cargo holds of 266 Boeing 737s.

  • Our expert bag-openers spent more than 38,000 cumulative hours sorting through the unexpected, uncovering everything from the latest tech gadgets to inflatable pool flamingos.

  • Through our Reclaimed for Good Foundation, over one million items were donated to local, regional, and national charity partners.

  • Our authentication team evaluated 20,000+ designer pieces with 68% confirmed as authentic.

You Never Know What You’ll Find

Each bag that arrives is like a time capsule—a glimpse into the lives, trends, and stories of travelers from all walks of life. From luxury finds to laugh-out-loud oddities, every suitcase tells a story worth sharing.

So, buckle up (and double-check that luggage tag), because it’s time once again to air out America’s dirty laundry—literally.