“Apple’s New AirTag Feature Helps Travelers Track Lost Luggage in Real-Time”

Imagine this all-too-familiar scene: after a long flight, you’re left standing by the baggage carousel, watching as all the other passengers collect their luggage and leave, but your suitcase is nowhere in sight. A trek to the customer service desk soon follows.

This experience isn’t uncommon—many travelers have had the misfortune of arriving at their destination, only to find their bags went somewhere else. In 2023, around 6.9 bags per 1,000 passengers were mishandled, according to SITA, an airline IT provider, with about 5% of those bags reported as lost or stolen.

Apple is introducing a new feature aimed at reducing these stressful moments, allowing users to share the live location of an AirTag with third parties like airlines. Using the “Share Item Location” feature within the Find My app, passengers will now be able to generate a shareable link showing their AirTag’s location.

This feature is being launched with support from 15 airlines, as announced by Apple on November 11. Travelers who place an AirTag in their luggage can share its live location with the airline, helping them keep track of it throughout their journey.

Previously, only Apple users could see their AirTag’s location in the Find My app, but with this update, users can create a link to share the real-time location with others. The link opens an interactive Apple map that shows the AirTag’s location and can be deactivated at any time. For security, it expires automatically either once the user is reunited with their AirTag or after seven days.