United integrates Apple's new share item location for AirTag

The move is ‘expected to drive much-improved customer service’

Customers can now securely share the location of an AirTag or Find My network accessory with United customer service agents through its app for faster bag recovery.

United has this week announced the integration of Apple's new Share Item Location feature for AirTag into its mobile app, a move that's expected to drive a much-improved customer service experience for those customers whose bags arrive on a later flight.

Now available as part of iOS 18.2*, Apple's Share Item Location feature enables United customers everywhere who travel with an AirTag or Find My network accessory to privately, securely, and seamlessly share the accessory location with the airline's customer service team to help locate their luggage if it is mishandled.

While more than 99% of customer bags flew with – or even beat – their owner to their destination so far this year, the new digital innovation is another example of United's infrastructure, training and technology investments geared towards making travel easier and bag handling more seamless, especially when plans don't go as expected.

"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 to 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."

United offers all customers the ability to track their bags directly in the United app, giving them peace of mind throughout the entire travel journey. 

In the event a bag doesn't arrive at its destination, customers can file a delayed baggage report in the United app, and those who travel with an AirTag or Find My network accessory can additionally 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 in the United app.

Once the report has been submitted, authorised United customer service agents will receive the Share Item Location link and be able to view the location of the item on an interactive map. The map will automatically update when a new location is available and show a timestamp of the most recent update.

United will use the shared location to more quickly find delayed bags and reunite them with customers.

For customers' privacy and security, the shared location will be disabled as soon as a customer is reunited with their bag, can be stopped by the customer at any time, and will automatically expire after seven days.