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Airlines are starting to use AirTag tracking technology. Later in this email, find out which airlines are using it and what happened to a member of Team Clark. 

💵 Today’s Top Stories

💻️ Tech Tip From Kim Komando

🧳 Connecting With Lost Luggage Gets a Modern Twist

One member of Team Clark ran into a memorably bad experience with one of the discount airlines last year.

Of course, if he’d followed Clark’s travel rules, perhaps he’d have avoided some of the headaches (take the first flight of the day, never check a bag).

His flight got delayed. When it became obvious he’d miss his connecting flight in the next city, he faced a dilemma: head straight for his destination city on a new flight (sans bag) or go to the connecting flight city (and get his bag).

He’d checked his bag. So even though the first leg of his travel plans was pointless now (again, too late to grab the connecting flight), customer service told him his bag was secure on that flight and irretrievable.

After four delays for a total period of nearly seven hours, he departed for the at-one-time connecting city, only for his luggage to never make it off the baggage carousel when he landed.

It turns out the sticker classifying his luggage fell off in the originating city before even making it on the plane.

Fortunately, he’d slipped a Samsung SmartTag into his bag. Because by the time he landed, the clueless discount airline already sold his bag as unclaimed and it was in a pile with another airline to be shipped to another state.

It seems backward that customers have to physically track down their own bags in the airport. But United and Air Canada are taking a step to counter that issue. They’re partnering with Apple and launching its Share Item Location feature via AirTag.

Share a link of your lost bag with the airline’s customer service system and it should allow them to do the hide-and-go-seek operation themselves.

📊 Stat of the Day

💰️ Deal Alert: Today’s Top Deals

🎙️ Podcast

It has been bad, ugly to buy a home. Will it get better or worse for buyers in 2025? What about home sellers? Clark looks into his crystal ball to share what he thinks we’ll see in the housing market next year. Also, a report from Vanguard shared that the average 401(k) balance for savers age 55-64 is $244,750. But the median balance is less than $88,000! Clark shares why the best Christmas present is increasing your 401(k) contributions.

☎️ Need Money Help?

The Team Clark Consumer Action Center is a free helpline that can help you navigate your money questions. Call 636-492-5275. Visit clark.com/cac for more information.

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