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Reading Time: 3 minHas your checked bag gone missing? In the very near future, you'll be able to personally help the airline find it.
Earlier this week, Apple announced its new "Share Item Location" feature is going live in its next official release of iOS. The update will allow iPhone users to share the location of an AirTag or network accessory with third parties such as airlines.
That means if you slide an AirTag into your luggage before handing it off at the check in desk, you can assist your airline in locating your bag if it does happen to get lost.
Apple has partnered with 15 airlines who will accept Share Item Location links from passengers with lost bags. The list includes major US and North American carriers such as Delta, United, and Air Canada, but also a much larger set of European airlines, including Aer Lingus, Austrian Airlines, British Airways, Brussels Airlines, Eurowings, Iberia, KLM, Lufthansa, Swiss, Turkish Airlines, Virgin Atlantic, and Vueling.
Outside of Europe, Air New Zealand, Qantas, and Singapore Airlines are on the list as well, and Apple says more airlines will be added over time.
Once the iOS 18.2 system update is released to all users in a few weeks, this new feature will be available to customers with an iPhone XS or later. However, the service will only be used in a select number of airports to start, with further expansion coming throughout 2025.
While airlines usually know the whereabouts of your luggage, this is a huge enhancement for those one-off cases where they don't. And it makes it more imperative than ever to attach an AirTag to your luggage.
The good news is that Amazon is currently offering a huge discount on the Apple AirTag 4-Pack. Normally $99 for the set, but right now, they're available for just $72.99. However, there's even a chance that we'll see them even lower during Black Friday.
That's around $18.25 per AirTag. However, if you don't need a four-pack, you can purchase a single AirTag Amazon for $24 apiece.
This new partnership between Apple and the airlines will make finding lost luggage even easier. AirTags have been useful for passengers to be able to track their own bags, but travelers working jointly with airlines to find missing luggage will create a much more seamless process.
So if you don't have an AirTag yet, this is a great time to ensure that you've got a tracking device in every one of your checked bags. And truthfully, it doesn't hurt to have them in your carry-ons as well.