Blue Ribbon Bags

What Blue Ribbon Bags does

Blue Ribbon Bags, LLC is a New York-based private company founded in 2011 that sells delayed-luggage protection to airline passengers via three service tiers (Gold $5, Platinum $7.50, Diamond $10), guaranteeing compensation of $1,000 to $2,000 per bag if mishandled baggage is not located within 96 hours of flight arrival. The company's core technology is a proprietary baggage tracking and expedited retrieval methodology, protected by 48 patents including a US patent granted in July 2020, which coordinates with airlines to locate delayed bags and pushes real-time status updates via email, SMS, and WhatsApp without using GPS trackers. The company claims to locate 99% of bags reported through the service and covers 100% of global airlines and approximately 100,000 daily flights.

BRB monetizes through per-transaction service fees (one purchase covers all checked bags on a trip including connections) plus an Annual Agency Subscription Program for travel advisors, with ~20% commissions paid to travel agent partners. Distribution operates primarily through B2B channel partnerships: 250+ OTAs (CheapOair, Akbar Travels, Gotadi.com), 13 international airlines (Akasa Air), travel insurance providers (Travel Insured International, Bao Viet Insurance, Tune Protect), the Sabre Red Workspace GDS app (used by 3,000+ travel agents), bank/credit card programs, telecom operators (Vodafone Idea), and a regional GSA network spanning Greater China, Vietnam, Indonesia, and 170 countries via APG. The service is sold across 110+ countries and the company claims approximately 5 million monthly users.

The company is bootstrapped and founder-controlled, led by CEO Gabriel Menkin, President Daniel Levine, and COO Don Yahalom. It operates with 51-100 employees and has expanded through partnerships rather than venture capital, with no disclosed funding rounds. In 2023 BRB acquired Eddy AI, an AI technology company whose assets were subsequently deployed in co-founder Daniel Levine's separate TripAdd venture rather than integrated into BRB's core tracking product.

Name

Blue Ribbon Bags

Legal name

Blue Ribbon Bags, LLC

Website

https://blueribbonbags.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Blue Ribbon Bags, founded in 2011 and headquartered in New York, sells delayed-luggage protection to airline passengers via tiered service plans ($5-$10) covering every global airline, distributing primarily through 250+ OTAs, airlines, travel insurance providers, and telecom operators in 110+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Travel Protection Services

NAICS

Support Activities for Air Transportation (4881)

akta.pro primary industry

Baggage Services (Porters, Wrapping, Storage, Lost & Found) (THABALAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Baggage & Personal Effects Insurance (FSAJAJAE)

Keywords

• Lost baggage protection
• Luggage tracking service
• Travel ancillary services
• Baggage delay insurance
• Travel protection plans

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Per-Transaction Service Fees: Blue Ribbon Bags charges a one-time fee per passenger per airline confirmation number at the point of booking or prior to flight departure. Fees range from $5 (Gold) to $10 (Diamond) depending on the coverage tier selected. One purchase covers all bags checked at the airport for that trip, including connections and return flights. The fee is paid by the end traveler at time of purchase through OTAs, travel agencies, airline booking paths, or directly via the company website. BRB also earns commissions from travel agent sales (approximately 20% commission paid to agencies).
2. Annual Agency Subscription Program: Travel advisors and agencies can subscribe to an annual program enabling them to easily provide lost luggage protection to all clients, generating ancillary revenue for the agency while simplifying service provision.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels9 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Blue Ribbon Bags provides a lost baggage tracking and protection service for airline passengers. For a one-time fee per trip ($5 Gold, $7.50 Platinum, or $10 Diamond), the company proactively tracks and expedites the return of airline-delayed checked baggage, sending real-time email, SMS, and WhatsApp status updates. If the bag is not located within 96 hours of flight arrival, BRB pays a guaranteed compensation of $1,000, $1,500, or $2,000 per bag depending on the tier, with no receipts or proof of contents required. The service can be purchased up until the moment before flight departure and covers every flight on every airline worldwide.

Product overview

Blue Ribbon Bags operates as a single-product ancillary service company offering tiered lost baggage protection plans. The core offering consists of three service levels—Gold ($5.00, $1,000 coverage), Platinum ($7.50, $1,500 coverage), and Diamond ($10.00, $2,000 coverage)—all providing baggage tracking, real-time email status updates, and guaranteed compensation if luggage is not returned within 96 hours. A supplementary tool, the Blue Ribbon Bags Red App, extends the service into the Sabre Red Workspace travel agent platform. All tiers share the same tracking and notification functionality; the tiers differ only in the compensation amount. The company also provides travel agent registration and reporting tools for mishandled baggage.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Gold Service Lost baggage tracking and protection service priced at $5.00 per passenger per trip, providing $1,000 guaranteed compensation per bag if luggage is not found within 96 hours of flight arrival. Covers all bags checked on the trip including connections and return flights.
• Platinum Service Enhanced lost baggage tracking and protection service priced at $7.50 per passenger per trip, providing $1,500 guaranteed compensation per bag if luggage is not found within 96 hours of flight arrival.
• Diamond Service Premium lost baggage tracking and protection service priced at $10.00 per passenger per trip, providing $2,000 guaranteed compensation per bag if luggage is not found within 96 hours of flight arrival.
• Blue Ribbon Bags Red App Application for Sabre Red Workspace that enables travel agents to book and manage BRB baggage protection services for clients directly within the Sabre travel agent platform, with automatic pull of passenger information in three clicks.
• Annual Agency Subscription Program Subscription program for travel advisors and agencies that enables them to easily provide lost luggage protection to all clients, simplifying the process for agencies to attach BRB service to all bookings and generating additional recurring revenue.

Quantifiable outcome

• 99% of reported bags are located through the BRB tracking service
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Vodafone Idea (Vi)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 17 November 2025Vodafone Idea, India's third-largest telecom operator, partnered with Blue Ribbon Bags to offer baggage loss claims as part of new international roaming and travel benefits packages. This includes new offerings such as IR benefits, airport lounge access, baggage loss claims, and travel insurance at competitive prices, targeting family travelers on international roaming plans.
• Bao Viet InsurancecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 29 November 2023Bao Viet Insurance, Vietnam's leading insurance provider, upgraded and completed expanded benefits of lost luggage protection by integrating Blue Ribbon Bags into its product suite, enhancing the company's travel insurance offerings.
• Annual Agency Subscription ProgramcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 10 July 2023Blue Ribbon Bags announced a new Annual Agency Subscription Program enabling travel advisors and agencies to easily provide lost luggage protection to all clients. This program simplifies the process for agencies to attach BRB service to all bookings, generating additional revenue for the agency.
• Akasa AircoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 13 April 2023Akasa Air, India's newest airline launched in 2022, agreed to offer Blue Ribbon Bags in their checkout path, making BRB available to Akasa Air passengers at point of booking.
• Travel Insured InternationalcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 28 September 2022Travel Insured International, a travel insurance provider partnering with large tour operators offering travel packages, made Blue Ribbon Bags' global delayed airline luggage product available as part of travel insurance bundles. Plan holders receive intermediary support in pursuing lost baggage claims, reducing the tedious claims process.
• APG (Airline Partners Group)flagshipChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 6 January 2022APG is a leading airline distribution network operating Sales Offices across 170 countries. Their global partnership with BRB opens new markets and enables continued expansion in existing markets. APG has partnered with over 200 airline clients worldwide and delivers billions in additional incremental revenue. Within the first two weeks of launching BRB throughout the APG network, over 100 sales meetings were conducted in over 20 countries. The partnership leverages APG's extensive network to distribute BRB's Delayed Baggage Protection product.
• MakeMyTrip (India)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 20 July 2020MakeMyTrip, a major Indian online travel company, partnered with Blue Ribbon Bags during the COVID-19 pandemic. This partnership demonstrated the travel industry's need for BRB's solution to mishandled luggage during a challenging period for air travel.
• Tune Protect EMEIA (UAE)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 20 July 2020Tune Protect, a travel insurance provider in the UAE (EMEIA region), partnered with Blue Ribbon Bags during the pandemic to enhance their luggage protection offerings.
• Alternative Airlines (UK)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 20 July 2020Alternative Airlines, a UK-based online travel platform, partnered with Blue Ribbon Bags to offer baggage protection to its UK customer base.
• TravelBank (North America)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 20 July 2020TravelBank, a North American travel management company, partnered with Blue Ribbon Bags to integrate luggage protection into its travel management platform.
• DCNLINKminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 3 December 2019DCNLINK, Indonesia's first digital distribution channel for airline ticket groups, partnered with BRB to make Blue Ribbon Bags available alongside group ticket bookings through DCNLINK. This was the first BRB partnership focused on group travel, particularly Umrah and halal trip bookings. Gensag Aeropratama serves as BRB's representative in Indonesia.
• HG Travel (Vietnam)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 November 2019HG Travel, the largest destination management company in Vietnam, became BRB's exclusive sales agent in the Vietnamese market. HG Travel planned to launch the BRB product on its online travel agency, Gotadi.com, by end of 2019. Vietnam experienced 10-15% year-on-year outbound tourism growth, making it a strategic emerging market for BRB.
• Igola.comflagshipChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 8 August 2019Igola.com, China's largest travel metasearch engine and a smart flight meta search with unique algorithm-based flight virtual interlining, became BRB's exclusive GSA (General Sales Agent) for Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan. Igola.com integrated BRB and planned to offer the service on their platform by end of August 2019, leveraging existing relationships with OTAs and airlines in the Chinese market.
• Sonia Jones TravelminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 8 June 2019Sonia Jones Travel partnered with Blue Ribbon Bags and provides every international flight customer with a complimentary lost luggage tracking service with any ticket purchased through SJT, demonstrating the service to clients.
• Direct Flights (Australia)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 25 April 2019Direct Flights, an Australian travel company dedicated to providing superior satisfaction for travel needs, partnered with Blue Ribbon Bags for a new return luggage program tracking and expediting undelivered baggage.
• Liberty Travel (Flight Centre Travel Group USA)flagshipChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2019Liberty Travel, the retail leisure travel brand of Flight Center Travel Group USA, strengthened its partnership with Blue Ribbon Bags by integrating BRB into Liberty Travel's internal booking platform. Travel Consultants include BRB as an added value in travel packages. By year-end, approximately 75% of all tickets sold through Liberty Travel were expected to have the service attached. This partnership is part of the broader Flight Centre Travel Group global umbrella partnership.
• Akbar TravelscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 5 January 2016India's largest travel agency by IATA-approved branches, staff strength, and business turnover since 1978. Akbar Travels integrated Blue Ribbon Bags technology enabling travel agents to book trips and secure BRB service with a single click. This partnership was key to BRB's entry into the Indian market, offering $1,000 (INR ₹66,000) per bag guarantee for a $5 (INR ₹330) service fee.
• CheapOair (Fareportal)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 19 August 2015CheapOair, the first hybrid online/traditional travel agency, integrated Blue Ribbon Bags into its booking platform as a luggage protection add-on. The partnership enables CheapOair to assure customers that lost luggage will be tracked and expedited within 4 days, with satisfaction guaranteed. CheapOair books travel on 450+ airlines, 150,000+ hotels, and hundreds of car rentals globally.
• Sabre Red Workspace / Travel Leaders GroupcoreTechnology or Integration · 9 December 2014Blue Ribbon Bags launched its Red App on the Sabre Red Workspace, enabling travel agents to pull all passenger information required in three clicks and book BRB service within the Sabre GDS environment. America's #1 Travel Agent Network, Travel Leaders Group (tens of thousands of agents globally), was the first to download the app for all agents. Over 3,000 travel agents were using the app within months of launch.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Apple AirTag: <![CDATA[Apple AirTag is a consumer Bluetooth tracker sold for a one-time ~$29 fee that lets passengers self-track luggage via Apple's Find My network. As a consumer-hardware alternative to a per-trip paid service, AirTag competes for the same lost-luggage use case and represents the most prominent substitution threat to BRB's per-trip $5-$10 purchase model.
• Tile (Life360): <![CDATA[Tile is a consumer Bluetooth tracker brand (now owned by Life360) commonly attached to keys, bags, and luggage for one-time purchase hardware-based tracking. Like Apple AirTag, Tile overlaps with BRB at the consumer pain point of lost luggage but offers durable hardware tracking rather than a per-trip paid tracking-and-guarantee service.

Broad incumbents

• World Nomads: <![CDATA[World Nomads is a major travel insurance provider offering baggage and personal-effects coverage bundled into broader adventure-travel insurance policies. It competes with BRB's guarantee by offering insurance-led compensation for lost luggage, but lacks BRB's proactive tracking service, last-minute-purchase window, and airline-agnostic platform integrations.
• Allianz Travel Insurance: <![CDATA[Allianz Travel Insurance is a leading global travel insurance brand offering baggage loss/delay coverage as part of broader trip-cancellation and medical insurance packages. It competes with BRB's $1,000-$2,000 satisfaction guarantee via traditional insurance claims, reaching consumers primarily through travel insurance purchase flows rather than OTA/airline point-of-sale integrations.
• Generali Global Assistance: <![CDATA[Generali Global Assistance (operating legacy Travel Guard and other travel-protection brands) is a major travel insurance and assistance provider offering baggage coverage among its travel-protection products. It overlaps with BRB on the consumer need for compensation when luggage is lost, but delivers benefit through claims processing rather than BRB's guaranteed payment and real-time tracking communication.
• AIG Travel: <![CDATA[AIG Travel is the travel-insurance arm of AIG offering baggage protection among other travel-coverage products. It overlaps with BRB at the consumer benefit level — compensation for lost luggage — but operates through established insurance distribution and claims processes rather than BRB's no-receipt satisfaction-guarantee model and B2B channel integrations.
• Travelex Insurance Services: <![CDATA[Travelex Insurance Services is a US-based travel insurance provider specializing in baggage, trip-cancellation, and medical coverage. It competes directly with BRB on baggage protection via the traditional insurance model but lacks BRB's no-receipt guarantee, last-minute purchase window, and deep OTA/airline point-of-sale embedding.
• Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection: <![CDATA[Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection is a US travel insurance provider offering baggage loss/delay coverage with industry-leading customer-service rankings. It competes with BRB at the consumer benefit layer — payment for lost luggage — through traditional insurance distribution channels rather than BRB's OTA/airline point-of-sale and no-receipt satisfaction guarantee.

Others

• Sabre Corporation: <![CDATA[Sabre is the global distribution system (GDS) provider that hosts BRB's Red App within Sabre Red Workspace used by tens of thousands of travel agents worldwide. Sabre is technically a channel/infrastructure partner rather than a competitor, but it is included as a peer because the same Sabre ecosystem could one day host a competing baggage-protection app, making Sabre both BRB's distribution moat and a structural dependency.

Direct peers

• SITA WorldTracer: <![CDATA[SITA's WorldTracer is the dominant airline-operated baggage location system used by over 600 airlines worldwide to find mishandled bags. Both BRB and WorldTracer solve the same core problem — locating lost luggage — but from opposite sides of the transaction: WorldTracer is the airline's operational tool, while BRB layers a traveler-facing service, guarantee, and status-update experience on top of, or alongside, it.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/BlueRibbon_Bags

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Blue Ribbon Bags