Using Apple AirTag for Luggage Tracking

Technology keeps evolving and tracking your luggage just got easier. I used LugLoc previously in 2017 and was disappointed with the accuracy of tracking as it relied on cellular towers for triangulation to provide the location. Apple released AirTags in April 2021 to track your items.

“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. The whole process is anonymous and encrypted to protect your privacy. And itʼs efficient, so thereʼs no need to worry about battery life or data usage.” -Apple

Apple’s Find My network has more than 1 billion active iPhones and other devices that quietly share the location of any AirTags or other Find My devices nearby, it likely has greater reach than any other device tracking service. Some baggage handlers have an iPhone in their pocket which then submits the location of the AirTag while it’s moving around the airport operations.

I recently used AirTags inside my luggage on a few trips to determine how valuable they would be for tracking my luggage. The accuracy was amazing! I was able to know when the luggage was at baggage claim, in transit at the airport and on the plane. It was so accurate that my oversized checked baggage (golf clubs) was notably in a separate cargo hold on the plane than my standard size checked bag.

I found this data reassuring when flying and the airline didn’t offer tracking of the baggage like American and United offer. Those scans aren’t always perfect so it was a confirmation while flying American which is valuable when flying on an international flight.

AirTags cost only $29 each or $99 for a 4 pack. There are no monthly fees 🙂 You can customize the name and image for each tag.

Conclusion: I’d highly recommend using AirTags if you need to track your luggage. It’s inexpensive and accurate!