
Google is deepening its travel ambitions. With a new update to Google Messages and the expansion of Find Hub to Pixel Watches, Android users are now getting a more practical upgrade: the ability to share the live location of lost luggage directly with airlines such as Air India.
The feature, rolling out globally, adds a “share item location” option inside Find Hub. If a suitcase fitted with a compatible tracking tag goes missing, users can generate a secure link showing its real-time location and send it straight to a participating airline.
Instead of explaining to airline staff that your bag is “somewhere near Gate 42,” you can send a live map.
How it works
Inside the Find Hub app, users select the misplaced item and tap “share item location.” The app generates a unique, encrypted URL. That link can then be pasted into the airline’s website or mobile app as part of a baggage claim.
The airline receives continuously updating location data, helping its recovery teams narrow down exactly where the luggage is — whether that’s in another terminal, a storage facility, or accidentally routed to a different airport.
Users remain in control. Location sharing can be stopped at any time. Links automatically expire after seven days. Sharing is also disabled once the phone detects the item is back with its owner. Google says all device location data is end-to-end encrypted.
Airlines on board — including Air India
More than 10 major carriers now accept Find Hub location links as part of their baggage recovery process. The list includes Air India, AJet, China Airlines, Saudia Airlines, Scandinavian Airlines and Turkish Airlines, along with the Lufthansa Group — Lufthansa, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines and Swiss International Airlines.
For Indian Android users in particular, Air India’s inclusion matters. It means the feature isn’t just a Silicon Valley demo — it’s usable on common international routes from Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru. Google says more airlines, including Qantas, will follow.
Built into global baggage systems
Behind the scenes, Google has partnered with SITA and Reunitus to integrate Find Hub links into WorldTracer and NetTracer — two of the aviation industry’s dominant baggage-tracing platforms. Those systems support hundreds of airlines across thousands of airports, meaning the feature plugs into infrastructure airlines already use.
In parallel, Google is collaborating with Samsonite to embed Find Hub compatibility directly into select suitcase models. Compatible Samsonite luggage can pair with the network straight out of the box, removing the need for separate tags.
The bigger Android push
The luggage feature lands alongside two other ecosystem updates: location sharing directly in Google Messages and the arrival of Find Hub on Pixel Watches. Together, they signal a clearer strategy — positioning Android not just as a smartphone OS, but as a connected travel companion.
For Android users, especially frequent flyers, this moves device tracking from a reactive “Where did I put my keys?” tool to something more consequential: proof of location in disputes with airlines. It won’t prevent lost bags. But it could shorten the argument about where they are.
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