Apple's latest tracking device has been a global success, but is worth picking up one for your bags while traveling?

Everyone hates waiting for their bags to be loaded onto the belt, with no way to know how long it will take. Similarly, losing track of your bag at the airport or on a trip can cause another panic for any traveler. So could Apple's button-sized AirTags be a solution to this issue, allowing you to make travel far smoother in the future.

For anyone who may not be familiar, AirTags are a tracking device that uses Apple devices nearby to constantly ping its location back to your iPhone. Similar to products like Tile, Apple's 1.8 billion + device network means finding your tagged item in a busy place becomes extremely likely. If close enough, you can even get directions to where your item is placed.

So how would this work for your luggage? Could it help you find them faster at the airport carousel or potentially locate them if they get lost at a transit point?

According to a test by Executive Traveller, AirTags are useful for flyers but nowhere near solving all the checked luggage problems in the world. For instance, the precision finding feature does not work for anything that is moving relatively fast, including baggage on a belt. This means there is no way to know once your bag is on the belt and ready to be picked up. Your phone might pick it up after it pings off several devices, but this would be well after you pick it up. However, don't write the device off just yet.

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The one place an AirTag would be very useful is checking if your bag got stuck somewhere. For instance, if you had an AirTag in your bag during British Airways' recent baggage delivery crisis, you would know that your suitcase is yet to make it anywhere near the belt and is sitting near the plane instead. Similarly, if an airline says they did not load your bag or it was lost during a transit stop, a quick check on Find My can tell you its last location easily.

As mentioned, using AirTags in hand luggage comes with the usual perks of being able to find if it ever gets lost or stolen at the airport or when you are out and about. However, remember that you can easily remove the battery from the device, so try to keep it out of sight for hand luggage.

Notably, AirTags do not run cheap, so buying one is an investment. A single one costs $29, while a pack of 4 will run you $99, the cost of a decent travel backpack. However, if you happen to be a frequent flyer who wants to keep track of your bags, it's definitely worth the investment.

Do you use AirTags for your bags? Let us know in the comments

Lead Journalist - India - Pranjal is an experienced journalist with a strong focus on Indian aviation. His background in political science and economics gives him unique insight into issues surrounding international travel and governmental regulations. Pranjal is enthusiastic about new aircraft types and has his stories regularly picked up by renowned publications including Forbes. Based in New Delhi, India.