The United Airlines app has been updated with streamlined access to AirTag baggage tracking. The app now makes it easier for you to share the location of an AirTag with United’s customer service staff.
Additionally, with a partial government shutdown leaving TSA checkpoints understaffed, the app will now provide you with estimates of the wait time for security at your departure airport – alongside a number of other useful enhancements …
AirTag lost baggage links
Savvy travelers have been putting AirTags into their baggage for a long time now, leading to a situation where the owner of a misplaced bag will often know exactly where it is before airline staff have any idea.
Apple solved this problem back in 2024 with a new sharing feature. This lets you generate a link that lets other people track the location of a specific AirTag. A number of airlines picked up the baton, providing support for sharing these links via their apps.
A report back in January demonstrated that using this system dramatically reduces the number of bags that are never located.
United streamlines access to AirTag tracking
CNET reports that the latest addition to United’s app makes it easier for you to share AirTag links directly with customer service staff at the airline. This should significantly reduce the time it takes to reunite you with your baggage.
TSA line estimates
TSA security checkpoints can be one of the most unpredictable elements of any trip to the airport. Getting through security may take just a few minutes when lines are short and positions are well staffed, but delays can easily add a great deal of time to your journey through the airport.
TSA lines can be especially lengthy at present with a partial government shutdown leaving staff unpaid and resulting in many leaving their jobs. United says the latest version of the app will provide customers with an estimate of how long it is likely to take them to get through security at their departure airport.
“We appreciate the work and professionalism of our TSA agents, and while most began receiving back pay earlier this week, the US Department of Homeland Security shutdown continues, and people want to stay informed about expected security wait times at our airports,” Jason Birnbaum, United’s chief information officer, said in a statement.
And more
A number of other improvements have also been made to the app.
The app also adds turn-by-turn directions to your gate, including estimated walking times and automatic in-app flight status updates.
Travelers will also have access to more self-service tools, including the option to rebook directly in the app and to receive digital vouchers received when a flight is delayed.
You’ll also find an option to receive radar-map text to see how the weather will impact your layover or destination.
Apple launched the AirTag 2 earlier this year with a firmware update making it easier to hear an AirTag once you get close enough to use precision finding.
- AirTag 2 trackers on Apple’s official Amazon store
- Official Apple Store on Amazon
- Apple’s iPhone cases: iPhone 17 | iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max | iPhone Air
- Wireless CarPlay adapter (2026 update)
- AirTag holders and accessories
- Mac Pro-style Mac mini casing
- NordVPN – privacy-first VPN with no logs and independent audits to verify
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