Key Takeaways
- American Airlines passengers who place Apple AirTags in their luggage will be able to submit location information to the airline.
- The goal is to reduce the amount of time it takes to reunite passengers with delayed bags, an American Airlines spokesperson said.
- Less than 1% of bags are mishandled, but American was among the worst offenders in November, according to DOT data.
American Airlines (AAL) has introduced a feature that allows customers who place Apple (AAPL) AirTags in their luggage to help the airline track down their lost bags.
Passengers can generate a link through Apple’s Share Item feature available on iOS 18.2 or later and share it with the airline if a bag is delayed, an American Airlines spokesperson said. Customers are “usually reunited with their bag in just over a day” and this integration is designed to reduce that time, the spokesperson said, adding “that less than 1% of customers’ checked bags are mishandled.”
The service is available for trips ending in the U.S., Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, American said.
Delta, United Integrated AirTag Functionality in Recent Months
American joins rivals Delta Air Lines (DAL) and United Airlines (UAL), which integrated AirTag functionality late last year. United and American were the two worst offenders among U.S. carriers in terms of mishandling bags in November, according to the Department of Transportation’s Air Travel Consumer Report last month, mishandling 0.54% and 0.53% of bags, respectively.
Shares of American Airlines, which slipped 2% to $15.68 intraday Thursday, are up 7% over the past 12 months. Last month, Jefferies analysts raised their price target to $20 from $12, and said the airline “could see significant surprise to the upside in 2025.””
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