Apple Air Tags for luggage tracking

[mljatsea]

Anyone have experience with Apple Air Tags for luggage tracking or any other type of tracking device? We're concerned about the horror stories of lost luggage this summer. Please don't lecture on doing only carry-on. Fortunately our only connection is in the US and it's five hours. After our land trip in Spain and Portugal we will fly from Barcelona to Heathrow to head to Southampton for our Silhouette TA. That's where I have my real concern.

 

 

 

 

Edited July 19, 2022 by mljatsea
additional info

[Fouremco]

9 minutes ago, mljatsea said:

Anyone have experience with Apple Air Tags for luggage tracking or any other type of tracking device? We're concerned about the horror stories of lost luggage this summer. Please don't lecture on doing only carry-on. Fortunately our only connection is in the US and it's five hours. After our land trip in Spain and Portugal we will fly from Barcelona to Heathrow to head to Southampton for our Silhouette TA. That's where I have my real concern.

 

 

 

 

I've not bought any - yet - but plan to do so for our next trip. There are some excellent youtube videos on using them for luggage tracking.

[Lena11033]

All of the airports are having issues, I knew someone flying from US to Iceland and the airline didn't get all 3 of their checked luggage to Iceland when they did.

 

I bought AirTags and set it up but no experience yet. From what I read as long as it can piggy back off of iPhone Bluetooth you can see where it is. May be delayed because the signal needs to be picked up but at least you get an idea of where the bag is (if you need to wait around for a couple of hours  for the bag or go to lost luggage 🙃 )

[Beamafar]

We’ve bought a couple for our upcoming trip and would love to hear from anyone who’s used them. 

[Jeremiah1212]

We’ve used them several times but I think people are over greatly over-estimating how much help they will be.

You may know your bags last reported location. The airline will also know when it was scanned last. However if your bag is one of hundreds sitting somewhere delayed, you are not going to convince a single person to go look for your specific bags. Especially if your bags are in airport A and you are now in airport B. 

[Essiesmom]

There have been multiple threads discussing this on this board and others in the last couple of weeks.  Just scroll back a few pages.  EM

[Lastdance]

Miracles do happen with receiving your bags, but knowing where your bag is may be of some comfort.  We have purchased ours, but have not used them yet.  We are also packing half of our clothes in each suitcase.  The rest is up to fate, as there is only so much travelers can do.  Take your photos and have insurance!  Yes, this has been discussed...

Edited July 19, 2022 by Lastdance

[basenji56]

True story about my recent cruise on Harmony of the Seas out of Port Canaveral.

 

I booked a bus transfer to the airport at 9 am. Got off the ship by 8:30am and went to pick up my bag. No bag in section 16.

 

I must have walked a mile trying to find the bag. Ah, I have an Apple AirTag in the bag! Nope. Said it was somewhere in the terminal but no exact location

 

What to do? Miss the bus or keep searching?

 

I decided to get on the bus and report the bag as missing.

 

While on the bus I kept trying to find the bag using the AirTag. Finally I got a message that the bag was at the airport! How?

 

Five minutes later I got a call from the Royal people at the airport that my bag had mysteriously shown up! Thank you, Lord!

 

If I had kept searching the terminal I would have never found it and missed my bus—and maybe my flight.  I believe in the AirTags.

[Lovincruisin1321]

Do I have to have an Apple Phone to use the Apple Air tag?

 

If yes, are there options for an android user?

[Dk-cruiser]

1 hour ago, Jeremiah1212 said:

You may know your bags last reported location. The airline will also know when it was scanned last. However if your bag is one of hundreds sitting somewhere delayed, you are not going to convince a single person to go look for your specific bags. Especially if your bags are in airport A and you are now in airport B. 

 

Well, in fact the airline dosen't always know that. I had a bag delay in may, where it was delayed for four days. The first two days nobody knew where the bag was. It was first when it arrived at the arrival airport two days later that i've got a call from them telling me the bag had arrived. If i knew the bag was left in the departure airport, i had bigger chances to getting it sent to me earlier, and because a cruise is moving it's not so easy. 

 

It's not funny to wear the same t-shirt and shorts for four days on a cruise, and i will advise everyone to pack extra clothes in their carry on. Let's say i learned my lesson 😆

 

I had an airtag in place before checking the luggage in for the return flight, and it gives peace in mind to know, the luggage is onboard 🙂

[Arizona Wildcat]

1 hour ago, Lovincruisin1321 said:

Do I have to have an Apple Phone to use the Apple Air tag?

 

If yes, are there options for an android user?

Yes there's an Android version.  Simply search using Google or on Amazon or Walmart or other retailers.

[mfs2k]

1 hour ago, Lovincruisin1321 said:

Do I have to have an Apple Phone to use the Apple Air tag?

 

If yes, are there options for an android user?

1. Yes  

 

2. there are other more expensive ways to track something's whereabouts.  I see them on every James Bond movie when they track someone in the trunk of a car then on a plane to a remote island.  I think these devices cost more than $24.99 each though. 

 

[mljatsea]

It seems that some of the other options require a subscription service that's pretty pricey.

 

[goofysmom99]

Samsung has the Galaxy Smart Tag which works like the Apple Air Tag.  And since Samsung sells the most phones in Europe, you may have a fairly decent shot with one of these, too.  My "solution" for my next trip to Italy is, after a 4 hr layover, to fly to my destination city directly from a US hub.  Not my fastest option but it avoids the dreaded LHR, CDG, etc.  The Air Tag/Smart Tag will at least let me know if my suitcase makes it to the belly of the beast(s).  

[mfs2k]

2 hours ago, goofysmom99 said:

The Air Tag/Smart Tag will at least let me know if my suitcase makes it to the belly of the beast(s).  

 

What would you do if you were sitting on the plane and the tag showed your bag somewhere else, besides the belly of the beast?  Personally, I would have the worst flight ever, knowing my luggage was somewhere else. 

[Peteymil]

5 hours ago, Jeremiah1212 said:

We’ve used them several times but I think people are over greatly over-estimating how much help they will be.

You may know your bags last reported location. The airline will also know when it was scanned last. However if your bag is one of hundreds sitting somewhere delayed, you are not going to convince a single person to go look for your specific bags. Especially if your bags are in airport A and you are now in airport B. 

.A couple years ago we were in Hawaii and our beds were stuck in LA. Fortunately had a relative that was going to go to the airport, but it took her almost 2 hours to find the bags. If I had an AirTag at that time, it would've really helped out.

[Beamafar]

8 minutes ago, mfs2k said:

 

What would you do if you were sitting on the plane and the tag showed your bag somewhere else, besides the belly of the beast?  Personally, I would have the worst flight ever, knowing my luggage was somewhere else. 

At least you wouldn’t spend time waiting at the carousel for luggage that was never going to show. 🤣

[mfs2k]

15 minutes ago, Beamafar said:

At least you wouldn’t spend time waiting at the carousel for luggage that was never going to show. 🤣

Haha. True. 
unless you don’t believe the app saying your bags are in Barcelona when you’re in Chicago 

Edited July 19, 2022 by mfs2k

[Beamafar]

1 minute ago, mfs2k said:

Haha. True. 

TBH, hoping to be pragmatic should our own luggage not travel with us. 

[goofysmom99]

18 minutes ago, mfs2k said:

 

What would you do if you were sitting on the plane and the tag showed your bag somewhere else, besides the belly of the beast?  Personally, I would have the worst flight ever, knowing my luggage was somewhere else. 

A little pharmaceutical assistance taken with a glass of wine and I'll sleep if it's there or not.  I've taken a 15 night TA without my suitcase and had a great time.  This coming Oct, I'll continue to pack my rollaboard as though the checked bag won't make it and keep my fingers crossed that it does. 

[AlbertaCruisers]

I bought air tags to use in our luggage.  My plan is to not actually track them all the time, and to only use them if needed.  I think you could drive yourself crazy if you were also checking on them.  There was a story (maybe on these boards) where someone said it sometimes takes awhile to update, so they thought their bags were in a different airport and then it finally updated and the bags were on the plane with them.  I think I will wait until we are at the baggage claim waiting for the bags to look, as that is really the only time it matters and you can do anything about it (i.e. going and talking to them about the missing bag).  My intention with the air tags is just to hopefully have an idea where are bags are, if there is an issue, but I hope to not have to use them ("knock on wood").

For the bags you are checking in, you will want to turn over the option that sends you a message letting you know the air tags are not with you!

[danv3]

Just used them for our recent trip to/from Rome.  Found them to be very helpful when our bags failed to be delivered at the carrousel at JFK for customs on the way home.  We had a better sense of where they were than the Delta agents (who were nonetheless helpful and did ultimately facilitate getting our bags and getting us to our connection).  

 

I also enjoyed being able to check on the bags while on every leg of the trip.  I knew when they got on the ship and when they got to my room, for example.  

[Jim_Iain]

I've been using mine for the last year after someone picked up my bag.   They realized it after customs at the Terminal.     Luckily when I reported my missing bag a couple walkies talkie conversations let me know I could get it past customs.

 

Last cruise I could see it with the Porter after I checked in.   I later showed it aboard the ship but location was just in water (of course).    I also used it at Heathrow and Glasgow Airport and actually see it first next to plane then on the plane and then on tarmac in Glasgow.

[Jim_Iain]

2 hours ago, AlbertaCruisers said:

I bought air tags to use in our luggage.  My plan is to not actually track them all the time, and to only use them if needed.  I think you could drive yourself crazy if you were also checking on them.  There was a story (maybe on these boards) where someone said it sometimes takes awhile to update, so they thought their bags were in a different airport and then it finally updated and the bags were on the plane with them.  I think I will wait until we are at the baggage claim waiting for the bags to look, as that is really the only time it matters and you can do anything about it (i.e. going and talking to them about the missing bag).  My intention with the air tags is just to hopefully have an idea where are bags are, if there is an issue, but I hope to not have to use them ("knock on wood").

For the bags you are checking in, you will want to turn over the option that sends you a message letting you know the air tags are not with you!

I think most of us do the same.    I turn off the notification that I left it behind.    After checking bag I check before board and feel comfortable when it shows on tarmac next plane.   Also our bags were delayed in Glasgow along with about another 20 guests.   It felt comforting to see both of them next to plane and they eventually moved to the terminal. 

[Mr. Click]

I bought a 4 pack a few weeks ago and used them on our current trip in the US.  Now that we live in Vegas all of the time trips mean plane changes and I worry about bags not making it. On the outbound it was easy to track the bags from the time we dropped them  at LAS, while we changed in DEN and as them came out in PDX,  It was nice to know where they were at all times.