You’ve made it. The long flight is over, the wheels have touched down, and you’re finally at your destination. For many travelers — especially at the end of a long international journey — this is the moment they mentally check out. The trip is done. Time to relax.
That instinct is understandable. It is also, unfortunately, exactly when you need to be most alert.
Arrival at a destination airport — particularly an international one — is one of the most vulnerable moments of any trip. You’re tired. You’re carrying everything you brought with you. You’re in an unfamiliar environment, focused on finding your bag and getting to your hotel. And experienced criminals know it.
This post is about staying smart when your guard is naturally down. None of this is meant to frighten you — the vast majority of international trips go smoothly and safely. But a few simple habits can protect you from situations that are entirely avoidable.
The Baggage Claim Problem
Baggage claim is where most arrival-related theft occurs, and it happens in a few distinct ways.
The unattended carry-on
You’ve landed, you’re standing at the carousel waiting for your checked bag, and you set your carry-on bag down beside you. You watch the conveyor belt. You check your phone. You look away for thirty seconds.
That is enough time.
Carry-on bags left unattended at baggage carousels are a common theft target because the environment is chaotic, everyone is distracted and a thief can walk away with a bag before anyone registers that something is wrong. Your carry-on almost certainly contains your most valuable items — laptop, passport, medications, electronics, wallet. Never set it down without your foot through the strap, your hand on the handle, or another trusted person watching it. Ideally all three.
When I travel, Buddy rides on the top of my carry-on bag so he can enjoy the journey. With Buddy on my carry-on bag, I am extra cautious about him being out of my sight.
Luggage taken from the carousel
This one is less common but it happens — someone simply picks up your bag from the carousel and walks away before you reach it. Hard-sided luggage with distinctive colors or markings is harder to grab casually. A luggage tag with your name visible can also deter opportunistic theft, since a thief doesn’t want to be seen walking away with someone else’s clearly labeled bag.
If you have an Apple AirTag inside your checked luggage — and I strongly recommend that you do, like I do — you can watch your bag’s progress in real time. If it appears on your phone at the carousel and then suddenly starts moving in a direction you’re not moving, you know immediately that something is wrong.
Stay aware of your surroundings
Baggage claim areas are deliberately designed to be confusing — multiple carousels, crowds of people, arrivals from different flights all mixing together. This environment benefits anyone who wants to move quickly without being noticed. Especially at an international airport where everything is new and in a different language. Keep your head up. Know where your bag is. Know where your carry-on is. Know where the people in your travel group are.
The Baggage Tag Mistake
This one surprises many travelers when they hear it, but it is a real and growing scam.
After collecting your luggage at baggage claim, do not remove and discard your baggage tag in the airport trash.
Your baggage tag contains your full name, your frequent flyer number, your departure city, your destination, your flight number, and sometimes additional booking information. That is everything a determined identity thief needs to cause serious problems — including potentially using your information to book fraudulent tickets or access your loyalty accounts.
Thieves specifically target airport trash cans near baggage carousels for discarded tags. It takes seconds to retrieve one, and the information on it is immediately useful.
The solution is equally simple: pocket your baggage tag and dispose of it at home, or tear it into pieces before discarding it in the airport. This takes five seconds and costs nothing.
Ground Transportation: The First Decision Outside the Terminal
Once you have your bags and clear customs, the next vulnerability is ground transportation.
At major international airports — particularly in developing countries and popular tourist destinations — unofficial taxi drivers and transportation touts actively target arriving international travelers. They are often aggressive, sometimes dishonest about pricing, and occasionally connected to more serious criminal activity.
Always use official, pre-arranged transportation where possible. Book an airport transfer through your hotel before you arrive if you can. Use the official taxi queue rather than accepting unsolicited offers from drivers who approach you in the terminal. Use reputable ride-share apps where they are available and reliable. If you must use a taxi, confirm the rate before you get in — not after.
I almost always use Uber or Lift when I am going from the airport to my hotel or train station. It shows me the picture of the driver and the license plate for the car. A layer of security but I am always cautious. I also look up my international arrival airport online and check to see if there are any scams regarding taxies and airport pickups. Buddy and I recommend you do the same.
Never accept help with your luggage from strangers who approach you in the terminal. This is a common distraction technique. One person engages you, another takes your bag.
A Critical Warning: Hong Kong and Device Searches
I want to address something that is brand new, very serious, and that every traveler needs to know before considering a trip to Hong Kong or any transit through Hong Kong International Airport.
🇭🇰 On March 23, 2026, the Hong Kong government changed the implementing rules relating to the National Security Law. It is now a criminal offense to refuse to give the Hong Kong police the passwords or decryption assistance to access all personal electronic devices including cellphones and laptops.
This regulation grants immigration officers unrestricted authority to examine the contents of any electronic device carried by arriving passengers. This includes smartphones, tablets, laptops, external hard drives, USB storage devices, and even smartwatches with data storage capacity. Officers can demand passwords, PIN codes, biometric unlocks, and encryption keys without needing to demonstrate reasonable suspicion or provide justification for the search.
Failure to comply is a criminal offense punishable by up to six months’ imprisonment and a maximum fine of HK$100,000, or approximately $12,700 USD.
This Applies to Everyone
This legal change applies to everyone, including U.S. citizens, and critically — it also applies to passengers who are only transiting through Hong Kong International Airport. If your connecting flight routes through Hong Kong, you are subject to this law even if you never intended to visit. Yes, as an American citizen, we have our Constitutionally guaranteed 1st Amendment right to privacy and 4th Amendment right of protection from unlawful search and seizure. However, once you leave the United States, the Constitution no longer applies. You are subject to the host nation laws you are in.
The U.S. State Department has updated its Hong Kong travel advisory urging American citizens to back up important data and consider traveling with clean devices containing minimal personal information. Corporate security teams have begun issuing loaner devices specifically configured for travel to Hong Kong — devices with no access to company networks, sensitive files, or personal accounts.
If you are planning any travel that involves Hong Kong — as a destination or as a transit point — take this seriously. Before you go, consider what is on your phone, your laptop, and your tablet. Personal photos, financial apps, work emails, messaging history, social media accounts — all of it is potentially subject to search without any requirement for the authorities to explain why.
This is not a reason to never visit Hong Kong, which remains one of the world’s great cities. But it is a reason to be informed, to prepare, and to make deliberate decisions about what you carry with you.
General Digital Security While Traveling
The Hong Kong situation is the most dramatic current example, but digital security is a concern at many international destinations. Here are habits worth developing for any international trip.
Use a VPN. A Virtual Private Network encrypts your internet connection and protects your data when using public Wi-Fi — at airports, hotels, and cafes. This is especially important in countries with less robust privacy protections. Several reliable VPN services are available for a modest annual subscription. Buddy and I use VPN at home and we always use VPN when traveling.
Enable two-factor authentication on your important accounts before you travel. This adds a layer of protection even if someone obtains your password.
Be cautious on public Wi-Fi. Airport and hotel Wi-Fi networks are not secure. Avoid logging into banking or financial accounts on public networks, even with a VPN.
Consider what’s on your devices. Before any international trip — particularly to destinations with aggressive digital surveillance — review what apps, accounts, and data are accessible on your phone and laptop. Sign out of apps you won’t need. Back up your data to a secure cloud service before you leave.
Stay Enrolled in STEP
Before any international trip, enroll in the U.S. State Department’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program — STEP — at step.state.gov. It’s free, takes five minutes, and registers your trip with the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate.
STEP sends you security alerts and travel advisories for your destination, notifies the embassy that you are in the country if an emergency occurs, and makes it easier for U.S. officials to assist you if you are arrested, detained, or caught in a natural disaster or civil unrest. It also allows family members at home to know where you are if something goes wrong.
If you do nothing else on this list, do this one. Buddy and I do.
The Mindset That Protects You
None of this is meant to make international travel feel dangerous. It isn’t — at least not inherently. The vast majority of travelers arrive at their destinations, collect their bags, and move on with their trips without incident.
But awareness is a skill, and tired travelers are less aware. The moment you step off that plane, consciously remind yourself: stay alert for a little longer. Get your bags then go to transportation (unless you have a pre-arranged ride). Then get to the hotel or Airbnb or where you are staying. Then relax.
Think of it the way a pilot thinks about the most critical phases of flight — takeoff and landing require the most attention. Arrival at your destination is your landing. Give it the focus it deserves, and the rest of the trip is yours to enjoy.
Buddy keeps his eyes open at baggage claim. So should you.
Buddy and Jordan
Have you experienced a theft or security issue while traveling, or have a tip that has kept you safe? Share it in the comments below. And for the latest travel advisories and safety updates, join our newsletter — we monitor changes to international travel requirements so you don’t have to.