One Major U.S. Airline Now Lets You Share Your Luggage's Location Via AirTag

Unless you've perfected the art of cramming everything into a carry-on (if so, respect), you're probably holding your breath at baggage claim. With the Bureau of Transportation Statistics reporting that roughly six out of every 1,000 bags are lost, damaged, delayed, or stolen, it's no wonder we cling to every trick to keep our luggage safe. From avoiding black bags to removing old baggage stickers — and steering clear of airports with a reputation for losing luggage — travelers have tried it all. Fortunately, tech is making things easier. Apple's AirTag lets you track your bag's exact location, and now Apple is stepping up by partnering with airlines to reunite passengers with lost luggage — starting with United Airlines.

The AirTag, your personal GPS for lost stuff, has been a game-changer for tracking luggage. But until now, airlines were weirdly resistant to leveraging this tech to help passengers locate their bags. Fortunately, Apple has launched the "Share Item Location" feature, which lets travelers team up with United Airlines to track down wayward luggage faster. Here's the deal: If your AirTag-equipped bag doesn't show up where it's supposed to, you can securely share its location through the United app. United's team then uses that info to reunite you with your wandering suitcase, saving you from all the hassle. 

"Apple's new Share Item Location feature will help customers travel with even more confidence, knowing they have another way to access to their bag's precise location with AirTag or their Find My accessory of choice," David Kinzelman, United's Chief Customer Officer, noted in a press release. "They can easily and securely share that with us in the United app, and our team can use the location information to find the bag and get it reunited with its owner much more quickly."

To use Apple's Share Item Location feature, make sure your iPhone is running iOS 18.2 or later and that your United Airlines app is up to date. Fingers crossed you'll never need it (because, well, lost luggage), but if the universe decides to test your patience, the process is simple. Open the United app, file a delayed baggage report, and generate a Share Item Location link from the Find My app, tying it to your AirTag. Drop that link into your report, allowing United to track down your bag faster while you get to watch its every move.

Concerned about privacy? United promises your shared location automatically turns off as soon as you're reunited with your luggage. If you'd rather not wait, you can manually stop sharing at any point. And if the great luggage hunt drags on longer than expected, the link expires after seven days. Apple's press release also made it clear that both Share Item Location and Find My are fully encrypted, meaning no shady third party can swoop in and sneak a peek at your data.

What's more, while United may be the first airline to roll this out, Apple has lined up more partners to integrate the tech into their respective systems. Airlines like Delta, Air Canada, British Airways, Lufthansa, Singapore Airlines, and Virgin Atlantic are already in line to adopt the feature. On top of that, SITA, the company behind WorldTracer — the system that helps over 500 airlines and ground handlers locate missing bags at over 2,800 airports — is integrating the feature, too. So, there you have it — your odds of tracking down a rogue suitcase are getting better, no matter where your travels take you.