Picture this: you arrive on your holiday after a long flight. Your suitcase is on the bed and you turn the numbered wheels on the combination lock to enter what you think is the code. You press the button but nothing happens. The metal zippers are still trapped in the lock. 

It's not uncommon to forget the password once you have set it and the good news is that many suitcases will allow you to get access to the case without breaking it or resorting to any special tools. 

Why choose a suitcase with a lock?

A suitcase with a TSA-approved lock is an excellent idea when you are travelling. This type of lock will allow you to protect your items when you check them in into your airline and they are placed in the hold. If airport security needs to gain access to your case they can do so but no one else will be able to open the case.

Many suitcases with a built-in lock use a combination rather than a padlock. this means you don't need to keep track of a key. you to do is remember the combination but sometimes this number will slip your mind. for example, if you've borrowed your partner's case you might not know their combination. it's also entirely possible that you have set the combination to be something so secure that even you can remember it.

Will I have to break my case?

This type of lock is designed to prevent individuals who should not have access to your case from opening it. This could include airport staff or baggage handlers. 

If someone steals your suitcase, they may be able to open the case by brute force, but this will break the mechanism and sometimes even the zipper. The lock should not be relied upon to keep valuables safe. 

Instead, it should be seen as a deterrent to opportunistic criminals. It can allow you to leave your case unattended on a train, for example, without worrying about the contents. It won’t stop it from being stolen, but it could deter thieves from opening your case and taking the contents.

The good news is that you don't have to break your suitcase in order to gain access to the items inside, but you will need a little bit of time to work out your combination. Many suitcase manufacturers make it possible to open the case without the combination, as they recognise that it’s all too easy to set the wrong code or forget the code after you have set it.

How to unlock a suitcase when you’ve forgotten the code

If you have a TSA-approved lock on your suitcase, there is a simple way to work out the combination. It might not be fast, but it will give you access to your suitcase, which is the important thing.

A TSA-approved lock features a clasp that holds the zipper tabs and a combination of three numbers. This means there are a total of 999 total possible combination numbers. We’re not going to attempt to try all of them, but we can narrow it down to 10 numbers.

To do this, you’ll need a camera phone with a flash. If you look under the combination wheel, you should be able to see the centre of the wheel. Use your camera with a light to look for a notch in the centre disks. We want to align all of these notches so they are in the same position on all three.

Once all notches are lined up in the same position, look at the number. This isn’t your code, but it is the starting point. Write down the three-digit code. Next, add 1 to each number and write that number down. Keep going until you have 10 variations. Your code list might look like this:

  • 1658
  • 2769
  • 3870 and on and on…

Try each of these codes until you find the right one. You can then change the code to something more memorable using the instructions provided by your case manufacturer.

How to open a Samsonite suitcase without the code

Samsonite creates iconic luggage that is a firm favourite with travellers all over the world. They include TSA-approved locks on many of their suitcases, so you can travel with confidence.

The official advice from Samsonite luggage, if you lose the combination to your case, is to contact them and take your case to an authorised repair centre so they can reset the code to the factory default. However, the instructions listed above should work on a Samsonite.

How to open a Tumi Luggage suitcase without the code

Tumi Luggage offers many different types of luggage locks, including combination padlocks, low-profile integrated locks and latch locks. Tumi Luggage doesn’t offer any advice for what to do if you have misplaced your combination.

Tumi Luggage is very proud of its security features, so it’s no wonder that they might not want to advertise how to get into their cases without the code. If you have a Tumi TSA padlock, you can find instructions on how to open it without the combination in this video.

Otherwise, you should contact Tumi Luggage directly to learn how to gain access to your case again.

How to open a Bric’s suitcase without the code

Like other luggage manufacturers on this list, Brics luggage are very proud of its security and reputation for creating impenetrable locks. For this reason, they don’t provide instructions on how to bypass the combination on their website. However, they do have detailed instructions for how to change the combination once you have gained access to the case.

You can contact Bric’s directly, or you could try the instructions listed above to gain access to your case without the combination. As long as it is a TSA-approved lock with a wheel combination, you should be able to use the instructions above to unlock the case without using any specialist tools or damaging the case.

How to open a Ted Baker suitcase without the code

Ted Baker suitcases are not only sleek and stylish, but they are also very secure. This brand also uses TSA-approved locks to help keep your items safe while you are travelling. These low-profile locks allow you to quickly secure your suitcase by clicking the zipper tabs into the lock and then turning the combination wheel. However, if you forget the combination, you might struggle to gain access to your case.

Companies like Ted Baker aren’t keen to advertise how individuals can bypass the security features of their products. However, since it is a TSA-approved combination, you should be able to use the method outlined at the start of this article to help you to gain access to the contents of your case.

How can I avoid losing the combination in future?

It’s all too common to think that you’ve come up with a highly memorable combination code, only to forget it moments later. There are a few ways to make sure you don’t lose your combination ever again once you have gained access to your case again.

  1. Don’t choose something too easy. Many people opt for 111, 222, 333 etc, but these are the first combinations that a criminal will try if they have some time alone with your suitcase. Still choose something cryptic, and don’t make it too obvious.
  2. Write it down. While you shouldn’t write down something like your bank PIN, it’s fine to write down your suitcase combination, provided you keep it safe. You might keep it in the back of your diary and add additional digits to the end to make it look like a phone number. You could also save the number on your phone, or take a photo of the combination and save it in the hidden folder on your phone.
  3. Tell a friend or family member. If you think you’ll struggle to remember it, you could tell a friend or family member your combination. This will increase the chances of one of you remember it in the future.
  4. Use a padlock with a key. If you are hopeless at remembering combination codes, a better option might be to use a padlock with a key, instead. While this will rely on you not losing the key, at least you don’t have to remember any number.

Conclusion

It’s not uncommon to forget the combination to your suitcase, particularly if it is one that you haven’t used for a while. If this happens, don’t panic and try to break your suitcase. There is likely to be a much better solution.

The first step is to call the manufacturer to see if they can help. They might be able to direct you to an authorised repair shop where they will unlock and reset the combination for you. Failing this, there are methods you can use to try to guess the combination. This will require a little bit of patience, but it means you don’t have to destroy your suitcase.