Using an AirTag to track luggage has been a popular tip from travel experts and influencers for years, but now some major airlines will work directly with Apple and use the geolocation technology to pinpoint missing items.
More than 15 airlines, including British Airways, Delta Air Lines, Qantas, United and Virgin Atlantic, will “begin accepting Find My item locations as part of their customer service process for locating mishandled or delayed bags,” Apple announced Monday.
Apple stated that “more airlines will be added over time.”
In a statement to ABC News, United said it “plan[s] to accept Find My item locations in select airports initially, with the goal of introducing the service system wide in early 2025.”
Delta Air Lines, meanwhile, said the company is “excited to support share item location beginning later this year.”
The Points Guy founder and avid air traveler Brian Kelly, who regularly advises putting AirTags in luggage, explained that as things currently stand, without airline involvement “you might know where your bag is, but the airline couldn’t take that information, at least not in real time.”
The airlines partnering with Apple will now be able to use GPS data to track down missing luggage using a passenger’s secure Share Item Location link. Links are generated in the Find My app on a person’s iPhone and are then used by the carrier’s customer service team to see the AirTag location.