While AirTags can track your bag, they may not be the perfect tool for avoiding the frustrations of lost luggage.

Holiday travel often comes with the fear of lost luggage, and the ongoing chaos at airports has made this worry more prevalent than ever. After packing for a 16-day trip to Israel in August, I found myself overstuffing my suitcase with 25 dresses for the trip’s warm weather. In an attempt to avoid the dreaded lost baggage scenario, I turned to an Apple AirTag, hoping the device would help track my luggage.

Months earlier, I had received four AirTags as a gift from Verizon, but I never thought much of them until this trip. Activated and placed inside my bag, I hoped the tracker would help me find my suitcase if it got lost, or at least show airline staff where it was using Apple’s Find My feature.

However, it wasn’t long before I realised how frustrating the constant notifications could be. Upon checking my luggage at New York’s John F Kennedy Airport, my phone buzzed, telling me my suitcase was still at the airport. The notification, complete with a luggage icon, followed me every step of the way, even though my bag was only a few feet away. Despite the initial irritation, I was relieved to see that my luggage had made it to Ben Gurion Airport in Israel. The AirTag confirmed this, and I felt smug as I waited for my bag to appear on the carousel while others fretted about their luggage.

But as the days went on, the constant updates became increasingly annoying. Every time I left my suitcase at the hotel, I received a new notification. I didn’t disable the alerts, as I was testing the device, though I later realised I could have done so to avoid the constant pinging.

After my return flight to New York, the AirTag told me my suitcase had been left behind in Israel. At first, I refused to believe the notification – surely it was a glitch after a long flight? But upon arriving at baggage claim and seeing the empty carousel, I had to accept that my suitcase was still at Ben Gurion Airport. Fortunately, the information from the AirTag was useful when speaking to the Delta staff, who confirmed the luggage was still in Israel. They assured me it would be delivered within 24 hours, though it actually took a little longer.

The AirTag helped me track my bag’s location at various stages, including when it finally arrived at JFK and was moved around the airport. But despite all the notifications, I felt helpless when I wasn’t physically able to retrieve my luggage myself. A call from Delta at 5am one morning informed me my bag had arrived outside my building, though I had missed the notification.

Reflecting on the experience, I’m not entirely sure whether the AirTag was genuinely helpful. While it confirmed my fears that my bag was left behind, it didn’t do much else to alleviate the situation. If you’re prone to losing your keys, an AirTag could be a useful investment. However, if you’re hoping it will solve the problem of lost luggage during your holiday travels, it may not be the miracle solution you’re looking for.