In recent years, many leading airlines have enhanced their ability to track checked luggage using advanced technology like NFC scanning. However, the ability to locate mishandled bags lagged behind. That all changed in late 2024 when several airlines rushed to implement Apple’s newly introduced feature, allowing them to track AirTags and other devices within the Find My network.
Apple’s release of this feature came at a perfect time. Since the launch of the AirTag in 2021, it quickly became a must-have accessory for travelers checking in luggage. The surge in travel in 2022, as passengers returned to long-haul flights in large numbers, placed immense pressure on already understaffed airlines and airports. While travelers could track their AirTag-equipped bags in real time, airlines had no official access to that data, and many even dismissed the information when presented by passengers.
Apple’s iOS 18.2 update introduces a new feature that allows users to share a private link with third parties, including airlines. This capability was initially revealed in November 2024, with a list of 18 airlines mentioned in Apple’s official announcement.
By December 19, 2024, 9to5Mac, an Apple-centric blog, reported that 13 airlines had activated this feature, with United Airlines being the first to implement it. Other carriers that have since adopted the functionality include Delta, British Airways, Lufthansa, Air Canada, Air New Zealand, Turkish Airlines, Aer Lingus, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, Swiss, Eurowings, and Iberia.
When a bag is mishandled, passengers can submit a delayed baggage claim through United’s app and include the link provided by Apple. This enables airline staff to access the bag’s location on a map, helping to resolve discrepancies between the airline’s system, which may indicate the bag’s location, and the real-time data from the Find My network, which could show a different status.
Although Apple and several airlines have stated that the new feature lets authorized users of the AirTag link track its location on a map, it doesn’t seem to utilize the ultra-wideband capabilities of AirTags and newer iPhone models. This technology could prove invaluable to airlines, especially during operational disruptions that lead to large accumulations of unclaimed bags, helping them precisely pinpoint a bag’s location amid thousands of others.
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