Elise Green

Last summer, the airline industry seemed to be in chaos, especially in Europe where I was traveling for about 5 weeks. I kept seeing photos posted of the endless rows and rows of baggage just sitting in airports after missing connections to their final destinations. Unfortunately, due to the swell in summer travelers and the challenges with hiring enough staff to keep up with the demand, for many who were flying, this resulted in a traveler’s nightmare: lost luggage. 

I didn’t want to be one of the thousands of people filing a lost baggage claim and having to buy everything I needed at my destination. So, I hopped onto the Apple AirTag train, and I have never looked back. 

How AirTags Work

Basically, it’s a tiny coin-sized tracker that you can put in your bags, which will pinpoint the bag’s location when close to an iPhone. According to Apple’s website, “Your AirTag sends out a secure Bluetooth signal that can be detected by nearby devices in the ‘Find My’ network. These devices send the location of your Airtag to iCloud- then you can go to the ‘Find My’ app and see it on a map (in “Items”). The whole process is anonymous and encrypted to protect your privacy. And it’s efficient, so there’s no need to worry about battery life or data usage.”

Are they Allowed?

There’s been a lot of buzz recently about airlines banning AirTags for safety. Lufthansa actually went so far as to announce that they were going to ban the tracking device over safety concerns with the battery, but later retracted their statement after the FFA deemed them safe to fly. So, as of right now, yes, they are allowed in your checked baggage, but rules are always changing in the airline industry, so it’s best to check with your specific airline when planning your trip.

Why they are Necessary

With such a large number of baggage lost or misplaced each year, having an AirTag in your bag ensures that you can at least know it’s general location if this does happen to you. There have been so many stories I’ve seen of travelers recovering their baggage ONLY because the AirTag was sending out a signal. There are numerous accounts of the airlines claiming that bags are lost, that they have no idea what airport they are even at, and people have been able to help the airlines find their lost baggage by pointing them in the right direction. I’ve even seen posts on social media where people have lost their luggage, checked to see where it actually is, they’ve flown back to that airport to recover it. 

How I Use Mine

I use Away luggage, and the suitcases have a small zippered pouch at the bottom, which contains the laundry bag. I pop my AirTags in that pouch and zip it tight, so I know the tag isn’t going anywhere. Once I watch my checked bags get tagged and taken away at the airport counter, I will fire up the “Find My…” app and check to see if my Airtags are transmitting a signal. I then check it again once I’m on the plane to make sure my bags are with me, and then again when I’m either on a layover or arrive at my destination. I’ts handy to check on where the bags are when you are waiting at baggage claim too.

One drawback I’ve noticed: the location of my bag is sometimes not entirely accurate, as it will depend on its proximity to an iPhone. So, if it was near an iPhone 10 minutes ago, it will show me that, but if it hasn’t connected to another phone’s network yet, I won’t be able to see where it is that exact moment. Despite that drawback, I think it’s such an easy thing to pop into your checked luggage for some extra peace of mind when traveling. 

Just a friendly reminder: I always always always put anything valuable in my carry-on luggage, or anything that I can’t replace easily goes into my hand luggage. You don’t ever want to be in the situation where the items in your lost luggage aren’t replaceable.