[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"branding":3,"analytics":7,"article-airtags-for-checked-bags-do-they-actually-work":10,"sections":37},{"siteName":4,"siteTagline":5,"publisherName":4,"contactEmail":6},"The Revision","Tech news, decoded.","editor@therevision.news",{"gaMeasurementId":8,"adsenseClientId":9},"G-ZW2MV82GYR","ca-pub-8533917693782264",{"article":11},{"id":12,"slug":13,"title":14,"dek":15,"body_md":16,"tags_json":17,"published_at":18,"created_at":19,"updated_at":20,"status":21,"review_note":22,"review_notes":23,"image_url":24,"persona_id":22,"persona_name":22,"section":25,"tags":26,"sources":30,"feedback":34,"feedback_at":35,"cost_usd":36,"total_tokens":36},82,"airtags-for-checked-bags-do-they-actually-work","AirTags for Checked Bags: Do They Actually Work?","Bluetooth trackers like Apple AirTag can help locate lost luggage, but airlines and privacy laws are catching up.","Airline lost luggage is a $2.5 billion problem annually, and Bluetooth trackers are the consumer response. Apple's AirTag remains the dominant option, but rivals like Pebblebee and CaseSafe offer Android-friendly alternatives that work on the same Find My network.\n\nThe trackers transmit location via Bluetooth to nearby phones, building a crowdsourced location database. If your bag goes missing, you see its last known location on a map. Airlines have largely stopped opposing the devices, though some have quietly updated policies to accommodate them.\n\nThe catch: these trackers help you find your bag, not prevent it from being lost. They don't transmit in real-time during flights—GPS requires cellular connections that AirTags lack. You're still relying on airline ground crews to scan bags properly. What you get is evidence: a timestamp showing your bag was in Chicago when you were in Los Angeles matters when filing claims.\n\nMost travelers should buy at least one. The $29 AirTag is cheap insurance for a $200 checked bag. Just remove the tracker after arrival—leaving it inside a suitcase is useful for return trips but makes the bag permanently traceable, which raises obvious privacy questions if you're not the one carrying it.","[\"travel\",\"airlines\",\"gadgets\"]","2026-05-03T11:00:00.000Z","2026-05-03T11:49:30.069Z","2026-06-17T23:01:54.892Z","published",null,[],"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.xyz.onl\u002Farticle-images\u002Fairtags-for-checked-bags-do-they-actually-work.webp","consumer-tech",[27,28,29],"travel","airlines","gadgets",[31],{"name":32,"url":33},"Wired","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.wired.com\u002Fstory\u002Fhow-to-track-your-luggage\u002F",1,"2026-06-01T02:20:34.376Z",0,{"sections":38},[39,44,49,54,59,64,68,73,78,83,88,93,98,103],{"name":40,"slug":41,"count":42,"latest_published_at":43},"AI","ai",2602,"2026-07-18T18:30:00.000Z",{"name":45,"slug":46,"count":47,"latest_published_at":48},"Security","security",315,"2026-07-17T19:30:00.000Z",{"name":50,"slug":51,"count":52,"latest_published_at":53},"Deals","deals",179,"2026-06-29T20:02:07.000Z",{"name":55,"slug":56,"count":57,"latest_published_at":58},"Policy","policy",169,"2026-07-17T19:49:53.000Z",{"name":60,"slug":61,"count":62,"latest_published_at":63},"Hardware","hardware",126,"2026-07-16T20:09:48.000Z",{"name":65,"slug":25,"count":66,"latest_published_at":67},"Consumer Tech",94,"2026-07-16T16:29:46.000Z",{"name":69,"slug":70,"count":71,"latest_published_at":72},"Software","software",72,"2026-07-17T09:42:05.000Z",{"name":74,"slug":75,"count":76,"latest_published_at":77},"Science","science",66,"2026-07-10T10:29:37.000Z",{"name":79,"slug":80,"count":81,"latest_published_at":82},"Dev Tools","dev-tools",60,"2026-07-16T16:59:13.000Z",{"name":84,"slug":85,"count":86,"latest_published_at":87},"Startups","startups",42,"2026-07-16T16:30:35.000Z",{"name":89,"slug":90,"count":91,"latest_published_at":92},"Gaming","gaming",41,"2026-07-09T04:00:00.000Z",{"name":94,"slug":95,"count":96,"latest_published_at":97},"General","general",29,"2026-07-10T22:28:58.000Z",{"name":99,"slug":100,"count":101,"latest_published_at":102},"Reviews","reviews",20,"2026-06-24T12:00:01.000Z",{"name":104,"slug":105,"count":106,"latest_published_at":107},"How-To","how-to",6,"2026-06-16T09:00:00.000Z"]