Frequent fliers need some form of flight tracking. But even if you fly once in a while, you might want to install a flight tracking app before your next trip. There’s a lot that can change or go wrong when it comes to flights. Your flight might be delayed, or your gate number might be changed at the last minute. If you’re going to stay for a long time at an airport, you’ll want to know everything about lounge access too. Here are the best flight tracking apps for iPhone that will help you out.
The Top Flight Tracking iPhone Apps You Should Install
FlightAware
FlightAware is one of the most popular flight tracking apps and it’s easy to see why. It’s an all-in-one flight tracking app. Anything you’d expect from a competent flight tracking system is available in the FlightAware app. And it’s accessible in an easy-to-use interface.
You can start by searching for any flight and start tracking it. The app will show you the real-time flight status and the location of any commercial flight in the world. The app also shows you when a flight is delayed and by how much.
The real-time location tracking is especially useful when you’re heading to the airport, or when you’re waiting in the lounge area. If you know the flight is delayed, you can have a bit of a wiggle-room even if you’ve left late for the airport.
Similarly, if you’re in the waiting area and you’re anxious as to when the flight will arrive, you can use the real-time tracking feature to ease your might.
Download: FlightAware (Free)
Flightradar24
Flightrader24 is an app designed for flight nerds. If you’re interested in tracking flights even when you’re not flying, just download this app.
The app has a really cool mode where you can play air traffic controller wherever you are. Just open the app and point it in the direction of the plane that’s flying overhead. The app will instantly recognize it and will give you all the flight details. You’ll get to know where the flight is coming from, the airline details, the speed, and the altitude.
There’s also a fun cockpit view that allows you to see the flight through the eyes of a pilot!
Along with that, you also get all the basic features that you expect from a flight-tracking app. You can search for a flight and add it to your tracking list. You can get instant updates for the flight’s status, arrival and departure times, and flight delay notifications.
The basic flight tracking features are free. But you can get the Gold plan for $3.99/month that gives you a lot of nerdy statistics like live weather patterns, aeronautical chart history of flight paths, and more.
Download: Flightradar24 (Free)
App in the Air
App in the Air has been a popular choice for frequent fliers who care about the app design. If you’re put off by utilitarian interfaces and you’re looking for something simple yet polished, App in the Air is the right choice for you. And it has been for years (although now, there’s a new app in the same category that is seemingly better, more on that later).
App in the Air has a very simple black and white interface with blue accents.
Once you enter your flight number, the app will organize the entire trip for you. It will tell you everything important that you need to know, in a list form. You’ll get an overview screen where you can see your check-in times, boarding times, take-off and landing time, gate numbers and of course, delays.
There’s a different mode if you want to track a flight for someone you’re picking up. Just search for a flight and you can see the arrival time and the current status of the flight.
And of course, you can set up notifications for your own flight so you don’t miss any important changes (like gate changes or delays).
The app has a profile view where you can see a world map with all your flights (in AR mode as well). You can find statistics for all the flights you’ve taken and you can generate a video for your flight travel as well.
Download: App in the Air (Free)
Flighty
Flighty is the new kid on the block but is quickly becoming popular in the frequent-fliers and flight tracking nerd circles. Flighty proclaims itself as the first flight tracking app designed by flight nerds, for flight nerds. And it shows.
The app is incredibly simple to use, sometimes to a fault. The app only has a single-screen interface. No tabs, no confusing menus. You start by adding a flight to your tracker and then the app provides a timeline interface of all the details in the flight.
What Flighty is based on is data and providing it in the fastest manner. Flighty claims to have the fastest notification for real-time flight tracking. It will tell you everything you need to know, as and when it comes up. So if there’s a gate change or flight delay, you’ll be the first to know about it.
Flighty also has a delay prediction feature. It monitors your inbound flights for 25 hours and uses the data to predict if there will be a delay at your airport or not. It also uses FAA Mandated Delays data for flights in the USA.
Download: Flighty (Free)
Your Favorite Flight Tracking App?
So those our top picks for the flight tracking apps for iPhone. Do you use a flight tracking app when you travel? Which one is your favorite? Which features do you use? Share your experience with us in the comments below.
This post was last updated on January 30, 2020.
