I flew Sydney to Bali. My suitcase flew to Singapore.
Here's the tiny, $0-subscription fix I wish I'd known about before I lost two days of my holiday.
Frequent flyer, Sydney
I used to think losing a bag was something that happened to other people. Then I flew out of Sydney for a week in Bali. Simple trip. I'd done it before. I checked my suitcase, grabbed a coffee, got on the plane — didn't think about it once.
I landed. Everyone's bags came around the carousel. Mine didn't. Turns out my suitcase had been loaded onto the wrong flight. While I was standing in Denpasar, it was sitting in Singapore.
No clothes. No charger. No toiletries. And — this is the part that actually scared me — my medication was in that bag. I spent the first two days of my holiday stuck at the hotel, on hold with an airline call centre that kept telling me the same thing.
"We don't currently have visibility on your bag, sir."
No visibility. That phrase stuck with me. Because I didn't have visibility either — and neither did anyone who was supposed to be helping me. When I got home, I went looking for a fix. I assumed it'd be some clunky GPS gadget with a monthly fee. It wasn't. What I found was a LOCKFORD Tracker Card — and I almost scrolled past it because it looked too simple.
No app to fight with. No setup at the airport.
It piggybacks on the tracking network already built into the phone in your pocket.
Slide it in
Thinner than a credit card. It tucks into your suitcase lining, laptop bag, even a passport holder — no bulge, no beeping.
Pair it once
Links to Apple Find My or Google Find Hub in about 30 seconds. Whatever phone you carry, it just works.
Open your phone, anywhere
The moment you land, your bag shows up as a dot on a map — at the airport with you, or not. You know instead of hope.
Why I didn't just buy a round tracker
| LOCKFORD | Round tracker | AirTag | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thickness | 1.8 mm | ~8 mm lump | 8 mm |
| Fits in bag lining | Yes | No | No |
| Battery | Rechargeable | Replace coin cell | Replace coin cell |
| Works with Android | Yes | Rarely | No |
| Subscription | None | None | None |
The round ones are bulky — a hard lump that rattles and screams "something valuable in here." The LOCKFORD is flat and silent, so it disappears into the lining. And it's rechargeable: months on a single wireless charge, no coin batteries to pry out, no subscription ever. That was the part that sold me.
Credit-card thin
Disappears into any bag. Nobody knows it's there.
Apple + Google
One card, both networks. Whatever phone you own.
Rechargeable
Months per charge. No coin batteries, ever.
No subscription
Buy it once. No monthly fees, no data plan.
Worldwide range
Works anywhere the network reaches. Track from across the city.
Airport-safe
Passive card, no SIM, no transmitter. Travels like any card.
I'm not the only one
"Qantas lost my bag on a domestic flight. I watched it sit in the wrong city on my phone and told the desk exactly where it was. Had it back in a day."
"Put one in my daughter's bag for her first solo trip. Total peace of mind. The fact it charges instead of needing batteries is the reason I bought it."
"Slim enough that I forgot it was in there. Works perfectly with my Android, which most of these don't."
Cover every bag for less than one lost trip
Most travellers grab the 3-pack — carry-on, suitcase, and a partner's bag.
Questions people ask
Does it work with my phone?
Yes. It pairs with Apple Find My on iPhone and Google Find Hub on Android, so it works either way.
Is there a monthly fee?
No. You pay once. No subscription, no data plan, nothing recurring.
How long does the battery last?
Months on a single charge. When it's low, pop it on a wireless charger — no batteries to replace.
Will it set off airport security?
No. It's a passive card with no SIM and no GPS transmitter, so it travels like any other card in your bag.
What if I don't get on with it?
You're covered by a 60-day money-back guarantee. Try it on your next trip — if it's not for you, send it back.
One airport mishap is enough.
Don't learn it the hard way like I did.
Slip one into your bag before the next flight.
Get My LOCKFORD CardCard-thin · Apple Find My & Google Find Hub · Rechargeable · No subscription
Trusted by 6,200+ Australians · 60-day money-back guarantee.
Reader story shared for editorial purposes. Individual experiences vary.