The holiday season is a festive yet frantic time for many, especially if you're travelling to meet up with family and friends.

The days leading up to Christmas and New Year are among the busiest for airlines, and that can add to travel frustrations during the hustle and bustle.

According to 1st Move International, around 26 million bags were either lost or misplaced during air travel last year, something that can make an already stressful time even worse.

As you embark on your adventure to reunite with your loved ones, let's ensure your luggage keeps up with you. Check out these six tips to keep your luggage safe and sound during the holidays.

Opt for direct flights instead of layovers

Choosing direct flights over those with layovers could minimize the risk of losing your luggage. If you must take a flight with a layover, opt for a longer one to give staff more time to transfer your baggage. Remember, more time means less room for error.

Air Canada says you don't have to switch terminals or recheck your bags when travelling through the Toronto, Montréal, Vancouver, and Calgary airports, as they will be automatically transferred to your next Air Canada flight.

Cut out old luggage tags

Okay, even I struggle with this one. Despite wanting to show off all the places you've been, consider removing any old airline stickers and tags from your luggage before your next flight.

This may help airline staff to identify the most recent tags and avoid confusion with previous labels. If, and let's hope it doesn't come to this, your baggage is lost, it will be easier to locate and return to you if it only has the most recent tags attached.

You can even print your baggage tags to save time.

Put it in writing

A durable and distinct luggage tag with up-to-date contact details will help locate your belongings after a flight and prevent others from mistaking your suitcase for theirs.

This will also make it easier for staff to return lost baggage to you, according to 1st Move International.

Keep a paper copy of everything

1st Move International also suggests that keeping a paper copy of your contact information and itinerary inside your luggage is helpful for identification if any of your airline tags fall off.

Buy a luggage tracker

If you've flown recently, you're likely familiar with Apple AirTags, which surged in popularity in recent years.

Investing in a good-quality GPS luggage tracker like Airtags or Tile Mates to track your suitcase's whereabouts from your phone is an extra step to keeping track of your things.

This will also give you peace of mind during your flight and make it easier to locate your luggage if it gets lost.

You can now track your luggage on some Air Canada flights to make matters easier.

Take a selfie

Okay, so don't actually take a selfie because it probably won't help, but taking a picture of your bags to have a clear descriptor of what they look like will help, according to 1st Move International. You could even take a selfie with the bags to prove you are the rightful owner.

What do you think of these travel luggage tips? Is there anything we missed? Let us know in the comments.