Millions of people fly in and out of airports all around the world on a daily basis. Can you imagine trying to keep track of all those flights yourself? Well, Apple has quietly introduced a cool new feature for iOS 9 and El Capitan that makes tracking your flight, in real-time, super simple. 

Now, you can’t simply click on a flight number and expect your Apple device to show you the flight tracker. As of now flight numbers are recognized in Messages, Mail, Notes, and Reminders.

How to use the flight tracking feature in iOS 9

The process is simple enough. If you receive a Messages, Mail, Notes, or Reminders containing a flight number and airline identifier, then tap and hold or right-click to be able to view the flight tracker and map.

Let’s test this out using a few random flights from Delta Airlines. This feature will work with flights in transit as well as flights that have already arrived.

Step 1.

I copied a flight number that I found into my Notes app on my iPhone running iOS 9. The text should look like this Delta#2185 or DL2182 or Delta2185. Basically, the system needs to be able to decipher what airline and flight you are looking at.

Step 2.

Next, tape Done so the text turns from black to gold.

Step 3.

In the pop-up window, select Preview Flight. You will be taken to a small map with flight details below. The Map is zoomable, movable, and touch sensitive on mobile devices.

Here is a flight that is currently in the air as I write this article. The steps are the same, but here you can see adjusted arrival times and the plane’s current location. Pretty cool stuff.

Check out our video walkthrough to get a better idea:

It’s strange that such a helpful feature wasn’t formally introduced. The flight tracker is extremely handy and pretty darn intuitive.

I know this will help me out. Let us know you thoughts in the comment section.

Don’t forget to check out our iOS 9 page for our comprehensive coverage of all the new features and improvements in iOS 9.