More and more of us are using Apple AirTags and Tile Trackers.

Apple AirTag, image courtesy of Apple Inc.
Since more people are flying, lost luggage is a growing market. These devices are developed to find items that often get lost. This development is perfect for travelers. They know where their checked bags are when they are aboard an airplane flight. Of course, they work in everyday life to find keys, friends with dementia, lost cell phones, and computers.
Here are some hard-learned lessons about using these inexpensive trackers. They work almost anywhere because of the fantastic global network of Apple computers and mobile phones. These devices send out Bluetooth signals that alert other Apple devices across the world, Though AirTags are designed to be used with Apple products, apps exist that allow limited usage with Android devices.
Apple sells a single AirTag for $29, while a pack of four tags costs $99. AirTags were introduced in April 2021. Since then, some travelers have come to believe that these gizmos are an important part of their travels.
Make sure to put your AirTags in a good location.
Since these devices ping other Bluetooth relayers, the easier they can send their electronic messages, the better. Don’t place it outside of the luggage since that is the place that gets the toughest handling. Near the handle, wherever you put your home address, snags on the baggage ramps, etc. are bad spots for AirTags or Tiles.
The best advice is to place the tracking piece near the outside of the luggage. Don’t wrap it in your dirty laundry bag and stuff it in the center of your luggage—it won’t work that well. This makes a big difference. Pay attention to the placement of the AirTag.
Use an Apple iPhone to connect, but you can also get apps that allow these tracking tools to work with Android phones.
From CBS we learn, “Users pair the tags with a connected Apple device like an iPhone for constant tracking and the ability to locate lost items. AirTags send out Bluetooth signals that are read by nearby Apple devices, which in turn send you the location of your AirTag.”
Similar tracking devices are rising in popularity, too.
Tile, which makes competing products (compatible with both Apple and Android devices) that can be affixed or attached to one’s belongings and paired with an app, said more people are using the tags amid the surge in mishandled luggage.
The international ground handlers were incredulous.
According to CBS, “The ground handling agents were amazed that we could actually tell the airline where the bag was.” The owner of the bag added, “We got the bag the next day and they assured us that would not have happened if an AirTag had not been in the bag.”
Note also that the AirTag doesn’t work out at sea.
Use the most recent operating system and use the lost mode.
Always use the most recent operating system. It will allow you to use the sharing setting and the user antistalking system. Heaven knows how that works, But it seems to.
Some international airlines use the AirTags. They are Air Canada, Aer Lingus, Austrian, British Airways, Brussels, Delta Air Lines, Eurowings, Iberia, Lufthansa, Swiss, and Turkish Airlines. If you have the latest System software it will help you. You need the latest system to use this setting.
Always use a fresh battery when you start your journey. Other devices also work.
AirTags uses the CR2032 coin-size battery; it also has a system that shows the battery life in case you forget. You can join the AirTag and the Google network with the Chipolo Card Spot and the Pebblebee’s Clip. But the best is the AirTag right now. (Note: according to the Wall Street Journal, “Some of these have childproof coatings that aren’t AirTag friendly. Duracell’s child-secure battery is compatible, however.”)
Remember the old basics.
Check-in one time. Leave a note in your luggage with your address and itinerary. Make sure to include your email and mobile phone number on your name tag. Make sure your bag is identifiable.
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Charlie Leocha is the President of Travelers United. He has been working in Washington, DC, for the past 14 years with Congress, the Department of Transportation, and industry stakeholders on travel issues. He was the first consumer representative to the Advisory Committee for Aviation Consumer Protections appointed by the Secretary of Transportation from 2012 through 2018.