JetBlue Rolls Out Real-Time Bag Tracking, AirTag Sharing as Part of JetForward Strategy
Originally published on APEX
All photos via JetBlue Airways
JetBlue has announced two significant enhancements to its baggage experience: a new mobile app feature that supplies customers with real-time updates on the status of their checked bags, and an option that allows customers to securely share the location of an Apple AirTag or Find My device placed inside their checked luggage with JetBlue crew. These new features aim to improve customer confidence during the baggage journeyas part of its broader JetForward strategy.
Smart Bag Tracking Offers Passengers Peace of Mind
These new tracking capabilities enable customers to follow the movement of their checked luggage within the airline’s digital ecosystem, reducing uncertainty during tight connections or baggage delays and making it easier to find luggage in the event it is displaced.
In addition to the email updates JetBlue already sends, the carrier’s app now provides automatic real-time updates in one place as a passengers’ bag progresses through key handling milestones: when scanned at check-in, when loaded onto the aircraft, when offloaded from the plane, and when delivered to the baggage claim carousel.
The second upgrade builds on Apple’s AirTag technology to help JetBlue reunite passengers with misplaced luggage more quickly. Travelers who put an Apple AirTag or Find My network accessory in their checked luggage can choose to securely share the bag’s live location with JetBlue’s baggage team.
Sharing can be initiated by opening the Find My app on their device and creating a ‘Share Item Location’ link. That link can be shared with JetBlue by scanning a QR code in the baggage claim area or by working with a crewmember at the baggage service office at the airport.
Once received, JetBlue crewmembers will be able to gain temporary access to the luggage’s real-time location through Apple’s crowdsourced Find My network. They will use the link to help locate and track the bag’s precise location to find and return the luggage if it gets lost. Passengers have complete control over their location-sharing settings, and sharing automatically ends once the luggage is returned.
JetBlue Focuses on Continued Improvement Across the Board
JetBlue has made these changes despite already being one of the top airlines in the US for baggage handling. According to the United States Department of Transportation’s May 2025 Air Travel Consumer Report, JetBlue mishandled 0.31 bags per 100 checked bags, which is the third best among US carriers. Frontier Airlines was just in front with a mishandled bag rate of 0.28, while Allegiant Air has the lowest mishandled bag rate at 0.07.
The carrier’s Chief Digital and Technology Officer Carol Clements explained, “We are constantly looking for ways to offer our customers a more convenient travel experience. As part of our JetForward strategy, we’re focused on delivering the products and perks our customers want.”
Additional products and perks JetBlue has recently introduced as part of its JetForward strategy include the addition of a free carry-on bag for Blue Basic customers and the introduction of preferred seating. Later this year, the airline will open an airport lounge at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport and then one at Boston Logan International Airport shortly afterwards.
Apple’s AirTag Integration Gains Momentum Across Global Airlines
Mobile baggage tracking isn’t a new phenomenon. In fact, way back in its 2019 SITA Passenger IT Insights report, SITA said that mobile notifications during luggage collection resulted in the biggest technology-driven improvement in satisfaction during air travel (8.6%). However, new consumer-focused technology is making it significantly easier for airlines to offer the service.
Apple built its Share Item Location feature with an emphasis on privacy. Apple Senior Vice President of Service Eddy Cue explained, “With Share Item Location, we’re excited to give users a new way to easily share this information directly with third parties like airlines, all while protecting their privacy.”
Each shared link uses end-to-end encryption, and only the intended recipient can view the data. Customers retain complete control of access and may stop sharing at any time. If not manually ended, the system automatically disables access after seven days, reinforcing strong privacy protections and building trust between travelers, airlines, and technology providers.
Apple introduced the feature in November 2024 in the iOS 18.2 update, and it quickly gained interest from the airline industry. JetBlue joins a growing list of airlines that have integrated the feature into their baggage workflows, including United Airlines, Singapore Airlines, and Lufthansa.
