Airplane tracking apps are smarter: they now inform you about delays and abnormal situations in real time and even analyze the weather at your destination. When you are once again going on a long-awaited journey, install a couple of them..
It is impossible to list all existing trackers because there are so many of them. In fact, they all use the same tracking technology and differ only in additional functionality.
FlightRadar24
In the FlightRadar24 app, in addition to standard features such as searching and tracking flights in real time, there are more interesting ones. Among them is the view from the cockpit (flight simulator). You will see what the pilot sees. To determine which plane is flying over you, you just need to point your smartphone at the sky and you will be able to find out the plane number, the place of departure and arrival..
If desired, your smartphone instantly turns into an airport board, for example, Domodedovo or Vnukovo with the schedule of all flights. Using the application, you can learn about emergency situations. Among the features of the program, one can single out the identification of aircraft in the sky above the user and a 3D view from the cockpit.
You can filter flights by airline, track delays, get a list of all flights in the region, and even check the weather at your destination. If you wish, you can track the history of aircraft flights for the last 365 days, find out its age and serial number. Flightradar24 is free to use, but for flight history for the last 365 days, you will need to subscribe to a paid subscription..
Available for Android and iPhone . Supports work with Apple Watch. And there is also a website with similar functionality online at flightradar24.com .
FlightStats
FlightStats allows you to track any flight, its status (delayed, canceled, etc.), learn about weather conditions at airports around the world, and determine the location of a plane in the air. For each flight, the flight path is displayed overlaid on the map. If desired, more detailed information is displayed on the screen, which is very useful.
If you use Siri shortcuts, you'll love the ability to use shortcuts to track arrivals, departures, and route searches. With the FlightStats Today widget, you can keep track of your flight even from your iPhone lock screen. FlightStats also supports Apple Watch, the owners of which can track flights directly from the watch.
Available for Android and iPhone .
App in the Air
App in the Air can be considered a must-have program for every traveler. The main task of the application is to create your own travel history. And this App in the Air does just fine. And a recent update added the ability to track not only your flights, but also your friends.
You can subscribe to update information about the route and the location of the board, meals, the order of seating passengers, etc. Subscription opens the possibility of automatic check-in for the flight to choose the best seat in the cabin.
The list goes on for a long time. App in the Air is more than a regular flight tracker. This is a full-fledged personal assistant, the developers of which have tried to provide all the moments that are important for the traveler.
I have been a user of App in the Air for quite a long time and can confidently say that all the declared functions work just fine. The application is distributed free of charge along with an extension for Apple Watch. The watch even has a “personal trainer” function - to warm up during long flights, do exercises in accordance with the prompts.
Available for Android and iPhone .
FlightAware
FlightAware can safely put a spot in the middle of our list. This is not only a "sweet spot" in terms of capabilities, but also a good starting point for newcomers to flight trackers. You can get FlightAware for free, but it will show quite a few ads. If you want to get rid of annoying ads, you will need to pay about 200 rubles.
The functions include flight tracking, notifications, information about connecting and canceled flights, notifications about changes in flight status. Maps look crisp, informative, and have icons with weather notifications. The app has a nice design with two color schemes. FlightAware looks more stylish than FlightRadar, but less functional.
Available for Android and iPhone .
ADSB Flight Tracker
The ADSB app uses the GPS of the smartphone to track aircraft speed, altitude and heading. Another interesting feature is a sensor that measures the distance and height between the aircraft and other objects.
Another interesting feature is the 3D mode, which includes over a thousand civil and military aircraft, including Harrier, Chinook, Beluga and others. If you draw a 360-degree circle with your smartphone, you can follow the planes in the indicated circle. Just a godsend for aviation lovers!
Available for Android .
The flight tracker
Although The Flight Tracker doesn't have many features, it has everything to become a reliable companion. You can configure the app to track any flight along with detailed departure / arrival information. There is information about boarding gates and terminals, weather, you can add notes to flights and share flight data. The app automatically syncs with TripIt and your calendar.
Available for Android and iPhone .
Planes Live
The Planes Live Free app gives you the ability to instantly receive all new flight information. Track the travel of your family members and close friends as if you yourself are flying with them. The most detailed data is provided about each flight: aircraft characteristics, route, information about the airport of arrival, etc.
The app is only available on iPhone .