American Airlines has announced support for Apple’s Share Item Location feature, potentially making it easier for passengers to be reunited with lost luggage tracked with an AirTag. The airline transported 226,405,000 passengers around the world last year, making it the busiest and one of the largest carriers in the US.
Share Item Location was first introduced as part of the iOS 18.2 update released last December. AirTag users are able to generate a shareable link within Apple’s Find My app on iPhones, iPads, or Macs allowing others to access an interactive map showing the location, or last known location, of a missing item.
The link will be deactivated when a lost item is recovered and the location sharing can be turned off at any time. The links also automatically expire after seven days.
“We’ve introduced the ability for customers to easily and securely share the location of their AirTag or Find My network accessory directly with the airline,” an American Airlines spokesperson told View from the Wing’s Gary Leff. “Customers can generate a link through Apple’s Share Item feature available on iOS 18.2 or later and share it with American in the rare case when a bag is delayed for any trips with a segment from or to a U.S. airport. Customers just need to scan the QR code at the baggage office to start their claim and provide their information.”
Airlines like United, Delta, and Air Canada integrated the Share Item Location feature into their lost luggage procedures soon after it was released. Additional carriers, including Lufthansa Group and Virgin Atlantic, announced support earlier this month.
