If American Airlines accidentally loses your checked bag, you may be reunited with it faster than before.
That’s thanks to the Fort Worth-based airline’s recent integration of Apple’s AirTag tracking system, which allows travelers to temporarily share their AirTag’s location with the airline in case their baggage goes missing.
According to Flying Frugal, American Airlines activated Apple’s Share Item Location feature just in the past few days.
Tip: The best time to book flights for the lowest fares.
If your bag is lost, you can share your AirTag’s location with American Airlines by scanning a QR code available at baggage service offices.
This feature is only accessible to passengers traveling to or from a U.S. airport.
American Airlines reports that less than 1% of checked bags are mishandled and asserts that in most cases, bags are reunited with their owners in just over a day.
However, the new Share Item Location functionality should help reduce the time you’re separated from your luggage.
The Share Item Location feature debuted just before the winter holidays as part of iOS 18.2, allowing users to share the location of an AirTag or other Find My-enabled accessories with airlines and other relevant parties.
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You can create the shared link directly within the Find My app on any iPhone, iPad, or Mac.
Keep in mind that location sharing will automatically cease as soon as you’re reunited with your bag. You also have the option to stop sharing at any time, with links expiring automatically after seven days.
This entire process is end-to-end encrypted and keeps your information anonymous, ensuring that no other parties—including Apple or accessory manufacturers—can access the item’s location or details.
When Apple first announced this feature last year, it mentioned collaborating with more than 15 airlines to integrate the service. In the U.S., this includes Delta Air Lines and United Airlines, along with several major international carriers such as Lufthansa, Singapore Airlines, and Turkish Airlines.
American Airlines is the last of the Big 3 U.S. airlines to adopt this feature, but better late than never. It is hoped that even more airlines will follow suit since many travelers already use AirTags in their luggage.
If you haven’t started using AirTags yet, here’s everything you need to know about these popular bag trackers and essential travel gadgets on the market.
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