United Airlines built support for AirTag’s new Share Item Location into its app. This lets flyers easily show the airline the real-time location of the tracker tag hidden in their lost luggage.
The optional tracking feature debuted in iOS 18.2 on Wednesday.
United Airlines app adopts AirTag Share Item Location feature for lost luggage
Airlines claim that less than 1% of bags go astray, but it’s a huge hassle for the traveler when it happens. Apple’s AirTag can help, showing the whereabouts of missing luggage. And the new Share Item Location feature lets travelers securely show with an airline the exact position of a tracking tag attached to a bag.
United announced Thursday that it built Share Item Location into its mobile app.
“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, United’s Chief Customer Officer. “Now, Apple’s new Share Item Location feature will help customers travel with even more confidence, knowing they have another way to access their bag’s precise location with AirTag or their Find My accessory of choice. They can easily and securely share that with us in the United app, and our team can use the location information to find the bag and get it reunited with its owner much more quickly.”
As noted, the feature works with more than AirTag. Share Item Location works with any tracker compatible with the Find My app, including the Chipolo One Spot and Card Spot, the Pebblebee Clip and many others. You can even try it with a PlugBug Travel wall charger.
How it works
If a passenger realizes their bag isn’t where it’s supposed to be, they can file a delayed baggage report in United Airline’s app. Anyone who travels with an AirTag or compatible tracker can also now create a Share Item Location link in the Find My app on their iPhone, iPad, or Mac and add that to the delayed baggage report.
This allows authorized United customer service agents to see the location of the lost bag.
Note that this bag tracking is completely optional, stops as soon as the passenger gets their luggage back, and expires after seven days no matter what.
For more details, read the Cult of Mac guide on how to share your AirTag location with an airline to find lost luggage.
