Lost luggage? How United is using AirTags to track down suitcases

PHOENIX (AZFamily) — Right in time for the busy holiday travel season, United Airlines has a new way to help passengers find their lost luggage.

The new feature on United’s app integrates Apple’s “share item location” feature on iOS 18.2. If you have an AirTag in your suitcase, you can share that location information directly with the airline.

“For years, every customer has been able to track the journey of their bag through the United app as it is scanned on and off the plane, and previously, they didn’t have a way to directly share their AirTag information with our baggage team,” said David Kinzelman, the airline’s chief customer officer in a statement. “Our team can use the location information to find the bag and get it reunited with its owner much more quickly.”

The location tracking option also works with the Find My app for iPhone, iPad, Mac, and other Find My network accessories.

“I think AirTags can be really helpful. Despite all of the improvements in technology, bags go missing all the time,” said Daniel Green, the co-founder of Faye Travel Insurance.

United says the shared location will be disabled as soon as the customer has their bag. The customer can also stop it at any time, and it will automatically expire after seven days.

For travelers on other airlines or people who don’t want to use AirTags, there is something you can do to make it less likely that your bag will be lost for good.

“Before you start your trip, take a photo of the bag and take a photo of what you put inside the bag. It can help with the airline identifying things. It can help on insurance claims getting things back, and sometimes your memory of what the bag looks like isn’t as good as a photograph that shows that really unique scuff and scratch that will help them find it in 20 minutes,” Green suggested.

“The single best advice that I can give you is if you realize your bag has gone missing, report it to the airline while you’re still at the airport. You have the maximum number of options while you’re still at the airport,” he said.

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