VerdictAI
#5 in Best TSA-Approved Luggage Locks

Master Lock Master Lock 4688D Accepted Set Your Own Combination TSA Approved Luggage Lock, 1 Pack, Black

Best for

Best budget

Amazon rating

★★★★★4.3(21,513)

Amazon aggregate, one input among many in the Verdict Score

Verdict scoreGood
70/ 100

Current price

$10.09

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Updated May 18, 2026 · 1 min read

Master Lock Master Lock 4688D Accepted Set Your Own Combination TSA Approved Luggage Lock, 1 Pack, Black

Sources behind this verdict

10 reviewers weighted by source trust

Methodology →

The consensus

What reviewers found

Synthesized across the trust-weighted source mix below.

The Master Lock 4688D is the cheapest pick in the candidate pool and has the longest retail track record — Amazon shows roughly 21,500 reviews, and youtube.com reviewers in our signal set describe it as a long-time default TSA lock. For travelers who want a name-brand combination padlock for under $10, the volume and tenure of positive feedback are real. The critical signals are real too, and worth surfacing.

What reviewers liked

  • Cheapest pick in the candidate pool with strong name recognition
  • ~21,500 Amazon reviews — long retail history
  • Compact metal body fits standard luggage zipper pulls without issue
  • YouTube reviewers in our signals describe it as a reliable long-term default

Where it falls short

  • Amazon average (4.3) is the lowest of the picks here
  • target.com reviewers describe the combination-reset procedure as confusing and error-prone
  • r/lockpicking thread documents users locking themselves out during setup
  • r/lockpicking commenters consider budget Master combinations easy to decode

Across the reviews

Synthesis · not our verdict

The Master Lock 4688D is the cheapest pick in the candidate pool and has the longest retail track record — Amazon shows roughly 21,500 reviews, and youtube.com reviewers in our signal set describe it as a long-time default TSA lock. For travelers who want a name-brand combination padlock for under $10, the volume and tenure of positive feedback are real.

The critical signals are real too, and worth surfacing. A target.com verified-purchase reviewer in our data describes the set-your-own combination procedure as frustrating enough to nearly return the lock within ten minutes. An r/lockpicking thread documents a buyer who locked themselves out of a new 4688D during the combination-set step. r/lockpicking commenters more broadly describe budget Master Lock combinations as easy to pick or shim. As a low-stakes deterrent for checked luggage at the lowest price in this group, the trust-weighted consensus is still net-positive — just don't expect the polish of the Forge or the heft of the 4696T.

Key specs

Source: Amazon listing
TSA approved luggage lock enables screeners with the ability to inspect and relock luggage without damaging lock
Set your own three-digit combination luggage lock; TSA lock is best used as a luggage lock or backpack lock
Travel lock is constructed with a metal body for durability and a vinyl covered cable for resistance to abuse from baggage handling equipment
1-3/16 inch (30 millimeter) wide lock body; 1/8 inch (3 millimeter) diameter shackle with 1-1/2 inch (38 millimeter) length, 5/8 inch (16 millimeter) width
TSA lock is best used as a luggage lock, backpack lock, tent lock, tool chest lock, or as a storage case lock

What customers say

2 verified voices
I just purchased two Master Locks model 4688D and I was using the "set your own combination" thing and I locked it and now it won't let me unlock it.
Supportingvia r/lockpicking
I am selling a set of 2 Master Locks, 4688D. TSA approved luggage locks. They are two of the same, but one is out of its package.
Supportingvia r/lockpicking

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Video review

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Best TSA Approved Luggage Lock: Master Lock 4688d” · YouTube

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