United has announced the integration of Apple’s new Share Item Location feature for AirTag and Find My accessories into its mobile app, a move set to streamline the process of reuniting travellers with delayed luggage.
The enhancement comes as part of the airline’s ongoing efforts to leverage technology that empowers customers and improves efficiency, even though fewer than 1% of bags currently arrive later than their owners.
With Apple’s iOS 18.2 update, United customers who travel with an AirTag or Find My network accessory can now securely share the live location of their missing item with authorized United customer service agents. This will give the airline’s teams precise, real-time information, enabling faster baggage retrieval and reducing passenger uncertainty during disruptions.
“For years, customers have been able to track their bags via the United app, but this marks the first time they can directly share their AirTag details with us,” said David Kinzelman, Chief Customer Officer at United. “By tapping into Apple’s new feature, we’re empowering our team to locate and return delayed bags quickly. It’s all about boosting confidence and making the travel experience more seamless, even when plans don’t go as expected.”
How It Works:
1. If a bag doesn’t arrive at its final destination, customers file a delayed baggage report using the United app.
2. Those with an AirTag or Find My accessory generate a Share Item Location link in the Find My app on their iPhone, iPad, or Mac and add it to their delayed baggage report.
3. United’s authorized customer service agents receive the link and can view the bag’s location on a dynamic map, complete with timestamps for the latest update.
4. Once the bag is located and returned, the shared location feature automatically expires. Travelers can also stop sharing at any time.
This privacy-focused feature relies on Apple’s Find My network, a secure, end-to-end encrypted system supported by over one billion Apple devices, including the 120,000 iPhones, iPads, and Macs used by United employees. It ensures the customer’s data remains private, with no external entity able to view item details.
This enhancement builds on United’s reputation for tech-forward solutions. Recent innovations include Live Activities for real-time flight updates on iPhone and Apple Watch, a bag-drop shortcut at the airport, real-time weather delay notifications, and automatic rebooking tools for disrupted flights. By integrating Apple’s Share Item Location feature, United underscores its commitment to investing in next-generation technologies that enhance trust, transparency, and overall travel satisfaction.